how do i build my own antenna?

does copper wire work better than any other metal? what length is good for 161mhz? do i need a ground plane? any ideas anyone?

Why bother diy??? You can buy a decent vhf 152-162 unity gain antenna from Tessco for about $15.

You can build a cheap 1/4-wave ground plane antenna out of copper wire and an SO-239 coax socket.

Here's how to do it: http://www.hamuniverse.com/2metergp.html

For the railroad band (160-161 MHz), use 17.5" for dimension A and 18.5" for dimensions B-E.

73,
Dan KE7HLR

Here's how to build three other designs: J-pole, dipole & off-center-fed dipole.

http://www.smallrail.com/content/view/26/2/

"You can build a cheap 1/4-wave ground plane antenna out of copper wire and an SO-239 coax socket. "

fer more reasons than worth mentioning, the above is without a doubt the best way to go.. Ed K2LCK (spinner of more antennas then tall tales..)

I would like to take out my own appendix. Will I need a knife? Geez!

I built my J Pole via

http://www.hamuniverse.com/jpole.html


Now I just have to get the darn thing mounted on the roof.