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Discone Antenna

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Vlaad

Vlaad

@Vlaad_474957

DIY wideband Discone RX antenna hub (100–1000 MHz) for SDR & scanners. 3D printed with aluminum rods & SO-239 socket.

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Model information

Source
Printables
Category
Other Gadgets
License
Creative Commons — Attribution — Noncommercial
DetailsFiles (4)Makes & comments (Makes: 0) (Comments: 0)Remixes (0)Collections (1)Related

Hey makers & radio enthusiasts! 👋

Here is a 3D-printable hub assembly to build your own wideband Discone Antenna, optimized for broad-spectrum reception across roughly 100 to 1000 MHz. It makes an awesome, low-cost antenna for SDRs (RTL-SDR, HackRF), police/airband scanners, ADS-B, or general ham band monitoring!

Real-World RX Note & HF Bonus: While mathematically calculated and designed for the 100–1000 MHz range, I was pleasantly surprised to pull in the 20m ham band (14 MHz) quite well during testing—even while being completely surrounded by concrete apartment blocks! For a passive broadband receiving setup, it definitely punches above its weight.

Hardware & Materials Needed (BOM)

  • 1x M8 x 50 mm hex bolt

  • 1x M8 lock nut

  • 1x M8 washer

  • 1x UHF SO-239 / PL-259 4-hole flange chassis socket

  • 1x 10 cm copper hookup wire

  • Aluminum foil adhesive tape (crucial for ground plane & disc continuity)

  • 8x 6 mm diameter aluminum tubes or solid rods (1000 mm lengths work great)

Step-by-Step Assembly Guide

  1. Conductive Shielding: After printing, cover the contact mating surfaces of the Disc Cap, Disc Base, and Cone Cap with conductive aluminum tape. This ensures solid electrical contact across all radial rods.

  2. Align & Glue Central Hub: Align the signal feed-through hole between the Cone Base and Disc Base, then glue the two central pieces securely together.

  3. Wiring & Connector Mount:

    • Solder your 10 cm signal feedline wire between the Disc Base contact zone (top disc) and the center pin of the SO-239 connector (solder this before mounting the socket).

    • Connect GND: Connect the ground (GND) from the SO-239 connector body/flange directly to the aluminum-shielded surface of the Cone Cap (you can trap a ground wire, solder tag, or tighten the flange directly against the tape to guarantee solid electrical continuity).

    • Insert the M8 lock nut into its pocket and securely mount the connector.

  4. Prepare Radiating Elements: Cut your aluminum rods/tubes to your target band lengths.

    (In my working prototype, each 1000 mm rod was cut into a 60 cm piece for the lower cone and a 40 cm piece. The 40 cm piece was then cut in half to make the top disc elements, yielding an overall final disc diameter of 41.5 cm including the printed hub. This utilized the eight 1-meter rods completely with zero waste).

  5. Element Installation & Final Clamping: With the M8 bolt threaded loosely and the cone pointing downwards, slide the aluminum rods into their respective channels. Once all cone elements are seated, the Cone Cap locks into place, allowing you to torque down the M8 bolt firmly to lock all elements together.

Recommended Print Settings

  • Material: PLA (Works great for indoor or attic setups; consider PETG or ASA if mounting outdoors long-term)

  • Nozzle Size: 0.4 mm

  • Layer Height: 0.2mm

  • Infill: 15% Cubic

  • Perimeters / Walls: 3

  • Supports: None needed if parts are oriented flat on the build plate

Got a build running on your SDR or scanner? Post a Make and share your RX results! Happy listening & 73! 📻⚡

Tags

antennaradiohamradiortlsdrscannersdrso239widebandpl259uhfvhfdisconeairbanddisconeantennascannerantennasdrantenna