Check out this QUAGI Project
by Barry VK2FP
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1296 Mhz Quagi antenna By Barry VK2FP
This Quagi is based on April 1977 QST Quagi antenna design and the 1989 ARRL handbook. The software is from DL6WU (Click Here to download) I built it on 23 August 2021.
I built this antenna on a tomato stake. The quad reflector and driven element insulators were cut from a cutting board.
The elements are the inner conductor of RG11 coax, single core, 1.65mm diameter, quite stiff enough for use at this frequency. If you use 3mm brazing rod etc, enter the dimensions in the DL6WU spreadsheet. Thicker elements result in shorter dimensions.
The 1296 MHz Quad-Yagi (Quagi) uses a quad driven element and a quad reflector. (Reflector is 1 wavelength + 5%) The driven element is direct fed with 52 ohm coax. (1 Wavelength at 1296 MHz). I did not use a 1:1 balun. Initial tests showed an SWR around 3:1. By moving DI as close as possible to the driven element, I lowered the SWR to about 1.7: 1. By adding a 2nd reflector 112 mm long spaced 30mm behind the driven element I managed to reduce the SWR to 1.04:1. Unfortunately, the design is quite sharp and the SWR quickly rises to about 1.5:1 at the repeater input frequencies, however, I cut this antenna for use on the Maddens Plains simplex parrot repeater on 1296.85 MHz.
Note the added reflector and D1 moved as close as possible to the driven element
