An FM antenna receives radio waves being transmitted through the air and transfers them to a FM receiver for listening. To make your own FM antenna, assemble a few parts commonly found around the home. Some supplies from a hardware store or electronics shop will also be needed, but no special electrical or mechanical skills. The procedure is straightforward but will require adult supervision if a child is involved because of the use of a soldering iron.
Instructions
1. Place the 3-foot-long copper wire vertically on the newspaper. Measure the length of the copper wire with the tape measure. Make a dot at the halfway mark with the pencil. Cover the dot with a strip of electrician's tape. Measure the other copper wire with the tape measure. Make a dot at the halfway mark with the pencil. Wrap a strip of electrician's tape around the halfway mark.
2. Line up the electrician's tape on the copper wires with each other. Place the other copper wire horizontally on top of the first one. Wrap strips of electrician's tape around the two copper wires where they meet to hold them in position.
3. Make a 1-inch slit at each end of the two lead wires with the blade of the utility knife. Pull the outer insulation at both ends of the wires off. Separate the two wires that are at each end of the wires. Strip a half inch of insulation from the end of each wire with the wire strippers.
4. Wrap the two exposed ends of the two wires at each end of one end of one of the two wires together with your fingers. Repeat this with the two wires at one end of the other wire. Make a one foot slit at the end of one of the two lead wirea where there are the two separate wires. Pull the outer insulation off.
5. Heat up the soldering iron. Solder the exposed end of one of the two wires at the end of the lead wire that was just separated to the left edge of the copper wire that is lying on the other horizontally. Let the solder cool for two minutes. Solder the exposed wire to the right edge of the copper wire. Let the solder cool for two minutes.
6. Solder one of the exposed ends of the other lead wire to the bottom edge of the copper wire that is lying vertically on the newspaper. Let the solder cool for two minutes. Unplug the soldering iron.
7. Unscrew the FM lugs at the back of the FM receiver. Wrap the exposed ends of the two wires around the two FM lugs, one wire to a lug. Screw the lugs closed. Stand your FM antenna up so that it forms a "T" shape.
Tags: copper wire, electrician tape, cool minutes, edge copper, edge copper wire