My rented house in Kulai (now Kulaijaya), Johor, Malaysia do not have an outdoor antenna. For local tv channels reception using indoor antenna, it is good since the transmitters are on a mountain nearby. I want to receive good analog tv signals from down south Singapore as well as from Riau, Indonesia which I estimated some 80 to 100 km away.
Since the ball had started rolling in constructing antennas (previously for my wireless client and the access point), I began to search for a good high gain UHF antenna. After a while, my attention was immediately focused on a little known, at least to me, Gray-Hoverman antenna. Interesting comments and feedbacks. What made me attracted to this design was the high gain plateau that covered most of the channels I’m interested in. Without much hesitant, I began on planning although I felt that this antenna was a bit on the hard side to construct.
Gray-Hoverman Dimensions
more details here.
Having had the diagram in hand, I figured about doing it my way based on those projects done by others. Once done, I laid down the plan. The reflectors would come from aluminium tubes salvaged from scrap antennas although some were of different diameters. Frame would be constructed from domestic pvc water piping tubes, T joints and tube holders. The radiator elements would be a 6mm diameter copper tube. I then listed down what were the items needed to be bought, the amount required and the length.
In constructing the antenna, first thing I did was the frame, then the reflectors, followed by cutting and bending the radiator elements. After attaching the radiator elements in place, I placed 4 short pieces and 2 long pieces of pvc plastic wiring conduit that had the sides cut off to hold them in place.
Here’s the rest of the construction pics at certain stages.
-
- First few steps
-
- Checking
-
- Completion of first part
-
- Reflectors in place
-
- Gray-Hoverman Antenna
-
- Feed point
-
- Feed point termination
-
- Gray-Hoverman Dimensions
Update 13 Jan 2011
Actually I had a different idea for attaching the reflector elements, but I don’t have with me a tube that will fit in the reflectors nicely. What I had was a tube with internal diameter bigger than the external diameter of the reflector. So I cut it and riveted the reflectors to it. Also I did cut a small V groove on the flat side of the tube holder so that the reflectors will stay fixed and not to slide out.
Update 15 August 2013
I have constructed a GH10n3 Gray Hoverman which can be viewed here.
asahjaya's place 
Leave a comment