Difficulties in making 10GHz horn antenna using thin copper sheet.

[Terminator3]

How to make beautiful horn antenna using copper sheet? Problem occurs when i am trying to form it in a conical horn shape, it is too difficult to put all parts together before i can start to solder it. I used knife to make right sized copper sheet and form conical shape. I can't find any good method to fix it all together, maybe use thinner copper sheet?


Thank for answering!

 

[jiripolivka]

How to make beautiful horn antenna using copper sheet? Problem occurs when i am trying to form it in a conical horn shape, it is too difficult to put all parts together before i can start to solder it. I used knife to make right sized copper sheet and form conical shape. I can't find any good method to fix it all together, maybe use thinner copper sheet?


Thank for answering!

I think you need better craftsman skills. First attempts usually fail.
To make a nice copper-sheet cone use a wooden template. Arrange the cone, solder as needed and cut off what is not needed.
A conical horn must be joined with a circular or rectangular waveguide: use again a wooden template to assemble and solder.
The template can be reused.
Instead of copper sheet you can use aluminum sheet. Instead of soldering you can wrap it and glue as needed.
I made good horns of Al foil glued on hard-paper base, for 4 and 12 GHz band. Looks good painted and works as well as commercial standard horns.

 

[betwixt]

In the past I've been very successful making 10GHz rectangular horns using FR4 PCB with the copper side inside the horn. With care you can make the small end aperture exactly fit a waveguide flange. I used a VERY thin sliver of solder in the corners to hold the four sides together then fixed then flange to the horn with epoxy glue.

Brian.