Originally posted by jeffrowe
I am not much when it comes to radio theory or antenna design...
in fact, its something i dont really understand at all...
but I follow directions good <wink>
So If I were to get a PVC Pipe of the correct inner diameter, and an end cap for it, then basically put a cantenna inside, and cap the open end with a PVC cap... the signal would still pass through the PVC? It woudl be like a short fat weatherproof YAGI in all except gain/db?
What about if I used sheet metal to form my own can? so that it better fit the cantenna specs and the PVC? or what about simply coating the insides of the pvc with metal?
This last one if an off the top of me head idea... I dont know what kind of metal I woudl use, or if it woudl be metallic paint, or what not... anyone want to comment? is it the metal? The reflective surface? what kind of paint/liquid metal/whatever woudl work???
for the cantenna, it doesn't matter what you put around it...even the shape of the outer casing doesn't matter...you could encase the thing in a concrete block if you like. the only impt thing is what you put in front of the aperture (the open end of the can) because that is where the signal enters...you don't want to put anything that would block the signal there.
the PVC casing is exactly what some of the commercial cantenna vendors do.
using sheetmetal is fine, as well as just painting conductive paint in the pipe. you could even contact cement aluminum foil into it. the performance would be the same.