Hack 73 Pirouette Can Waveguide
 
Build a simpler, higher-gain
antenna-in-a-can.
Since
the Pringles can story was
published, I have received a phenomenal amount of email from people
who have tried it for themselves. While some people simply enjoyed
making a recycled antenna out of a piece of trash, many people told
me "you know, that's not a bad
design, but some friends and I found a better way to do
it...". One such person was Gregory Rehm. He took my
Pringles can design, and another coffee can design that I was working
on, and pitted them against his own designs (including a 40 oz stew
can) in a Wireless Shoot-Out Battle Royale. His experimentation and
excellent analysis is documented on his web site at http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/has.html.
It is very entertaining to read (and in case
you're too filled with suspense to wait until you
can check his site, his stew can won by a mile).
As it turns out, it is much simpler to make a tin can waveguide
antenna than to bother with cutting pipe and spacing washers apart on
all-thread. He has an excellent how-to posted online at http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html,
complete with photos, diagrams, and formulae.
Another common can that approaches the ideal diameter for 2.4 GHz is
the Pepperidge Farm Pirouette can (see Figure 5-5).
It makes a much simpler, sturdier, and more efficient antenna than a
Pringles antenna, and the best part is, you get to eat the cookies!
Essentially, you are looking for a can that is about 3 1/2" in
diameter. Make an N connector with a 1.2"
intentional radiator (just as used in the Pringles Can Waveguide
[Hack #72]), and attach it to the
Pirouette can about 1.9" from its back surface.
Presto, you have an instant waveguide without cutting a single piece
of pipe!
See Also
|
