144 MHZ SQUARE LOOP
Original design by K0FF
AF4AR, W6ARQ and KC5BBP made some hardware mods.
N0PB has also added some changes of his own.





One of the changes I made was the gamma position and the mount.
When stacking the above arrangement is difficult to deal with.
Notice the pic below for the change.


All I do is put the gamma below the element by pointing the open end of the copper Tee in a horizontal plane with the element.
I use a Copper 1/2" sweat to 1/2" male pipe thread fitting. The PVC piece it screws into is a PVC 3/4" Tee with a
3/4" glue to a 1/2" female pipe thread fitting.  I then cut  the long side of the Tee from end to end taking off a bit over half of that side.
This allows a snap fit over PVC pipe or whatever you are using for mast. I then use 2 hose clamps to make it stay.
 If your mast is bigger just use a larger PVC Tee.
Very helpful if you are stacking 4 of these on the side of a tower or whatever.



Note the alignment of the screw heads in the pic below. It is very beneficial to have these in good alignment with each other.
These could be much better aligned. Just grab the antenna at the outside corners and bend until they are lined up.
Another change I made on the antenna was the 2 brass screws that are soldered to the cap.
I drill my hole, spray just a touch of WD40 on the bolt (not the nut) leaving no excess. This makes a barrier so the solder won't stick to the bolt.
 Be sure the nut is nice and shinny on bottom and sides.
Have the piece of 3 1/4" copper that is to go in the cap ready to solder. Clean the inside of nut very well and put in vice open end up.
Put the shinny brass nut inside the cap(tinning the nut on the sides first helps a lot), then with another nut on the bolt,
screw bolt into nut inside cap and snug just a little.
Begin heating the sides of the cap until you can flow solder around the nut, then quickly insert the pipe and solder as well.
When done you should be able to unscrew the bolt from the nut inside cap.
This makes for a stronger and better looking setup.
I got this idea after noticing my SWR was incredibly high one day. I stopped and had a look at antennas to find bird feathers
on the bottom antenna and both of the adjusting bolts were gone. The bird had broken the nuts off. (poor bird).



The 2 brass bolts are to adjust the resonant frequency of the antenna.
Adjust both equally. Count the threads or measure them to be exact.
The gamma match is then used to adjust impedance to 50 ohms for a good match.

 If you are going to use my arrangement for mounting don't use the brass piece and use a male pipe thread instead.                                                                                                                           

Here are the building instructions on the 2 meter square loop.
Credit is given to K0FF for most of this design.
2 Meter Square Dipole by K0FF
The 2 meter square loop is a folded Dipole around itself.
The shape is 11" X 11".
The antenna is more or less Omni- Directional and horizontally polarized.
Here is the parts list and dim. sheet for the 2 meter square dipole, made of copper water pipe.

Parts List
1/2" Copper Type M Water Pipe. Qty. 2--Long Sides 9 1/2"
                                                      Qty. 2--Open Ends 3 1/4"
                                                                           Qty. 2-- pieces each side of "T" 4 7/16"
 Qty. 4   -  90 Degree Elbows
Qty. 2      -     Copper Caps
Qty. 1      -      Copper Tee
Qty.1-  Copper or Brass Plate for SO239  1" x 2 1/4"
Qty.1-  Gamma Tube 4 3/4" of 3/8" Copper Tubing  
        Qty.1-  RG-8 center conductor and dielectric 5 1/2" long  
     Qty.1-   Copper or Brass Gamma Tube Bracket  3/8"x5"
Qty.1-   SO-239                                                       
       Qty.1-   Heat shrink tube to go over gamma arm and tube
Qty.4-   1/4" Brass Nuts                                            
Qty.2-    Brass bolts with flat head at least 1 1/2" long
Qty.4-  Stainless steel sheet metal screws your choice
Qty.4-  Stainless steel screws and nuts for SO-239  

If you use my method put cap, 3 1/4" copper tube, brass nuts and bolts together first.
Solder the antenna parts together using 90 degree elbows at the corner open ends and mind the gap.
Using a table top or board to keep parts flat are a big help.
All measurements are critical. The copper or brass plate to hold the SO-239 forms an "L" 1-3/4" tall with a 1/2" lip.
A 5/8" hole is provided 1-1/4 inch from the bend, and attached using stainless steel or brass hardware.
Two small holes are drilled  in the lip and mounted to the copper TEE with #6  self taping screws.
I like to solder all these connections after assembly is complete due to corrosion of copper joints.
Solder the 5 1/2 inch piece of RG-8 to the SO-239.
When using the RG-8 discard the outer shield and use only the Dielectric. Slip the RG-8 inside the 4-3/4 Gamma Tube.
The Gamma bracket should be at least 1 1/2" long brass or copper. The gamma arm should be parallel with the antenna.
Secure with stainless steel screws right before the 90 degree elbow. I form a clamp with the each end of the gamma bracket.
Either side doesn't matter.

Run coaxial cable right to the antenna and connect it to the built in SO-239.
Their are two adjustments on the Antenna.
Adjust the Gamma Match Tube for Lowest SWR, then the brass bolts screw in or out for lower swr.
The antenna can be painted when complete.