Severe Thunderstorms and Heavy Rainfall Across the South; Heat Spreads Across the West and Southern Plains

A couple of frontal boundaries will move east and south from the Plains to the Gulf and Atlantic coastlines. These boundaries will focus showers and thunderstorms through the weekend, with scattered severe thunderstorms from the Southern Plains and across the Gulf Coast states. Locally heavy rainfall may also occur, which may be welcome news across drought areas. Meanwhile, heat spreads westward. Read More >

These drawings show the dimensions for a

basic 162.5 MHz ground plane antenna

Building a basic 162.5 MHz ground plane antenna to improve NOAA Weather Radio reception.

Materials Needed:

1 - 6" x 6" piece of aluminum

1 - 18 3/16" length of number 12 wire

4 - 18 3/16" lengths of 3/16" diameter aluminum rods

1 - SO-239 coaxial connector

8 - Number 4 machine screws, star washers, and nuts

Instructions

Step 1 -
Drill a 5/8 inch diameter hole in the center of the 6" X 6" square of aluminum to mount the SO-239 connector.

Step 2 -
Fasten each of the 18 3/16" aluminum rods to the 6" X 6" aluminum square. The rods should be mounted parallel to the each edge and extend approximately 15 inches beyond the edge of the aluminum square. Fasten the rods using Number 4 machine screws, star washers, and nuts

Step 3 -
Once all four 3/16" diameter aluminum rods are fastened to the aluminum square, the 4 rods will be bent down at a 45 degree angle. The downward bent leg should be approximately 14 3/16 inch in length.

Step 4 -
Fasten the SO-239 coaxial connector into the hole drilled in step 1 and solder the 18 3/16" length of number 12 wire to the top of the coax connector.

Antenna construction