I haven't tried this antenna yet, which is patent pending from Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. (Fractenna), so I claim nothing else than to have deciphered the (IMHO) rather cryptic building instructions in the http://www.fractenna.com/ham/hampage1.html page describing a 10-m 2 element quad fractal antenna. In order to avoid potental criticism, I am stating for the record that the instructions on the site are adequate for assembling this antenna. I am also stating that for most, it is very hard to understand these directions without a starting point of reference. It took me a couple of hours to figure it out, and I'm a EE...
TABLE 1 and FIGURE 2 refer to the figures and tabled in the above linked document.
The wire coordinates given in Table 1 of the article are (X,Z) coordinates in a standard cartesian coordinate system. Y would be the axis that the boom of the antenna-- no active elements are in this plane.
If you take a look at Figure 2: Schematic of a fractal element,
and start numbering the coordinate system from the top-left corner.
In Table 1, the term Wire # is misleading. It should be (coordinate)
point #1, #2, #3... #26. The starting point can then be labeled
#1. The first bend is to the right, straight across on the X axis--point
#2. The second bend (the end of the second fractal "sub-element")
is point #3 and so on. ("Sub-element" #1 is described from the line
on the horizontal X axis from Point #1 to Point #2. "Sub-element"
#2 is described from the line on
the vertical Z axis from point #2 to point #3.)
Remember, these are the dimensions for only 1/4 of the antenna. The description is of the "top" horizontal fractal section. This is one fourth of the total element.
Here is a table of (X,Z) and length of wire to next element:
| Point # | X feet | Z feet | Length feet | Point # | X feet | Z feet | Length feet |
| 1 | 0.000 | 1.901 | --- | 14 | 2.625 | 0.000 | 0.419 |
| 2 | 0.620 | 1.901 | 0.620 | 15 | 2.625 | 0.380 | 0.380 |
| 3 | 0.620 | 1.486 | 0.415 | 16 | 3.109 | 0.380 | 0.484 |
| 4 | 1.107 | 1.486 | 0.487 | 17 | 3.109 | 0.898 | 0.518 |
| 5 | 1.107 | 1.901 | 0.415 | 18 | 3.523 | 0.898 | 0.414 |
| 6 | 1.622 | 1.901 | 0.515 | 19 | 3.523 | 1.382 | 0.484 |
| 7 | 1.622 | 1.382 | 0.519 | 20 | 3.109 | 1.382 | 0.414 |
| 8 | 1.207 | 1.382 | 0.414 | 21 | 3.109 | 1.901 | 0.519 |
| 9 | 1.207 | 0.898 | 0.484 | 22 | 3.623 | 1.901 | 0.514 |
| 10 | 1.622 | 0.898 | 0.415 | 23 | 3.623 | 1.486 | 0.415 |
| 11 | 1.622 | 0.380 | 0.518 | 24 | 4.130 | 1.486 | 0.504 |
| 12 | 2.106 | 0.380 | 0.484 | 25 | 4.127 | 1.901 | 0.415 |
| 13 | 2.106 | 0.000 | 0.380 | 26 | 4.747 | 1.901 | 0.620 |
| Point # | X inches | Z inches | Length inches | Point # | X inches | Z inches | Length inches |
| 1 | 0.000 | 22.812 | --- | 14 | 31.500 | 0.000 | 5.028 |
| 2 | 7.440 | 22.812 | 7.440 | 15 | 31.500 | 4.560 | 4.560 |
| 3 | 7.440 | 17.832 | 4.980 | 16 | 37.308 | 4.560 | 5.808 |
| 4 | 13.284 | 17.832 | 5.844 | 17 | 37.308 | 10.776 | 6.216 |
| 5 | 13.284 | 22.812 | 4.980 | 18 | 42.276 | 10.776 | 4.968 |
| 6 | 19.464 | 22.812 | 6.180 | 19 | 42.276 | 16.584 | 5.808 |
| 7 | 19.464 | 16.584 | 6.228 | 20 | 37.308 | 16.584 | 4.968 |
| 8 | 14.484 | 16.584 | 4.968 | 21 | 37.308 | 22.812 | 6.228 |
| 9 | 14.484 | 10.776 | 5.808 | 22 | 43.476 | 22.812 | 6.168 |
| 10 | 19.464 | 10.776 | 4.980 | 23 | 43.476 | 17.832 | 4.980 |
| 11 | 19.464 | 4.560 | 6.216 | 24 | 49.560 | 17.832 | 6.048 |
| 12 | 25.272 | 4.560 | 5.808 | 25 | 49.524 | 22.812 | 4.980 |
| 13 | 25.272 | 0.000 | 4.560 | 26 | 56.964 | 22.812 | 7.440 |
Fred Spinner W0FMS
November 30, 1999 FMS