Arrow/Elk-Style Handheld Satellite Yagi
An Arrow/Elk-style handheld Yagi puts a 2m and a 70cm Yagi on one shared boom so you can work FM satellites cross-band — transmit on one band, receive on the other — while pointing a single antenna at the sky. Commercial versions run $100-150; this build gets you the same dual-band directional gain from PVC or fiberglass boom stock and elements cut from an old steel tape measure. Unlike the site's single-band Portable Tape Measure Yagi, this design interleaves two element sets on one boom specifically for satellite cross-band work, fed through a small duplexer to a single coax run.
Why dual-band on one boom
Most FM satellites operate cross-band — uplink on one band, downlink on the other — so tracking a pass means pointing at the same spot in the sky while transmitting and receiving on two different frequencies. Building both Yagis on one shared boom means you point once instead of juggling two antennas during a fast-moving pass.
Basic Yagi element sizing
A driven element close to but slightly under a half-wave, a reflector a bit longer, and directors progressively shorter is the standard recipe that turns a simple dipole into a directional beam. These are simplified starting proportions common in beginner Yagi designs — good enough to build from, with final resonance checked and lightly trimmed on the antenna itself.
Driven ≈ 0.485λ · Reflector ≈ 0.51λ · Directors ≈ 0.45λ (uniform length)
Spacing is a gain-vs-boom-length tradeoff
Wider element spacing generally yields more gain and bandwidth per element added, while tighter spacing keeps the antenna short and light. A handheld satellite Yagi intentionally leans toward the compact end of that tradeoff — it's meant to be carried and swung around by hand for the length of a pass, not optimized purely for maximum gain.
Feeding two bands from one radio
Each band's driven element gets its own short feedline, and a small 2m/70cm duplexer combines both onto a single coax run to your radio's one antenna port. If your radio has separate 2m and 70cm antenna jacks, you can skip the duplexer and run both feedlines directly instead.
- Duplexer: one coax to the radio, simplest for single-port handhelds.
- Two feedlines: skips the duplexer, needs a radio with two antenna ports.
| Section | Length (inches) | Length (mm) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2m reflector | 41.2 in | 1046 mm | Calculated for 146.0 MHz |
| 2m driven element | 39.2 in | 996 mm | Reflector-to-driven spacing ≈ 16.2 in |
| 2m director 1 | 36.4 in | 925 mm | Driven-to-director spacing ≈ 12.1 in |
| 70cm reflector | 13.8 in | 351 mm | Calculated for 436.0 MHz |
| 70cm driven element | 13.1 in | 333 mm | Reflector-to-driven spacing ≈ 5.4 in |
| 70cm directors (5×, uniform) | 12.2 in each | 310 mm each | Spacing ≈ 4.1 in between each, simplified uniform-length design |
| Shared boom | ~40-44 in | 1016-1118 mm | Interleave both element sets from the reflector end; offset by a few inches so elements don't physically collide — small position adjustments are normal on a homebrew boom |
Arrow/Elk-Style Handheld Satellite Yagi Dimension Calculator
Run once per band — pick the band, set the matching frequency, then calculate. Repeat for the other band's element set.
Materials for Arrow/Elk-Style Handheld Satellite Yagi
Building the Arrow/Elk-Style Handheld Satellite Yagi
Most of the work is measuring and mounting elements accurately — the electronics side is just two feedpoints and a duplexer.
Cut the boom
Cut your PVC or fiberglass boom stock to roughly 40-44 inches, enough to fit both interleaved element sets with clearance to spare.
Cut the tape-measure elements
Cut all elements for both bands from your steel tape measure stock, to the lengths in the dimensions table. Deburr the cut ends — tape measure steel edges are sharp.
Mount the 2m elements
Starting from the reflector end of the boom, mount the 2m reflector, driven element, and director at the spacing given in the dimensions table.
Mount the 70cm elements, interleaved
Mount the 70cm reflector and driven element close to the 2m reflector (offset a couple of inches so the mounting hardware doesn't collide), then continue the 70cm director chain down the boom at its own spacing, working around the 2m elements as needed.
Install the driven element feedpoints
Mount a small feedpoint block at the center of each band's driven element, splitting the element there and connecting a short coax jumper to each side.
Wire the duplexer
Connect each band's feedline jumper to the matching port on the duplexer, and run a single coax from the duplexer's combined output back to your handle or radio connection point.
Add a handle
Mount a PVC tee or dowel handle below the boom, positioned near the antenna's balance point so it's comfortable to hold and swing during a pass.
Check SWR on both bands
Sweep each band separately at its own feedpoint before connecting the duplexer, confirming both driven elements are near resonance.
Trim for resonance if needed
If either band's SWR dip sits off frequency, trim that band's driven element in small increments and re-check, the same way you would on any Yagi.
Learn the polarization-tilt technique
Satellite signals fade in and out as the spacecraft's polarization rotates relative to your linear Yagi. Rocking the antenna 30-45 degrees off vertical periodically during a pass, rather than holding it rigidly level, noticeably reduces this fading in practice.
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Diagnosis | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| High SWR on 2m only | 2m driven element mis-cut or feedpoint fault | Check the 2m driven element length against the table and test that feedpoint alone | Trim the element or repair the feedpoint connection |
| High SWR on 70cm only | 70cm driven element mis-cut or duplexer port swapped | Check the 70cm driven element length and confirm duplexer port assignment | Trim the element or correct the duplexer wiring |
| Good SWR, but can't complete satellite contacts | Pointing accuracy or polarization fading, not the antenna | Confirm your tracking against a known pass prediction and try tilting the antenna during the pass | Practice the polarization-tilt technique and refine your pointing |
| Elements bending or breaking at the mount | Tape-measure material fatigue at a stress point | Inspect for a developing crease or crack at the mounting hardware | Reinforce the mount with a wider clamp or add a small doubler at that point |
| Interference or poor isolation between bands | Duplexer mismatch or elements mounted too close together | Confirm the duplexer's band specs match your build and check element clearance | Use a duplexer rated for your exact bands and increase spacing where possible |
| Elements shifting position after repeated handling | Mounting hardware working loose | Check element angle and position against your original layout | Re-tighten hardware and add thread locker |
Why interleave two bands on one boom instead of two separate antennas?
Cross-band satellite work means transmitting on one band and receiving on the other simultaneously, and pointing one antenna is far more practical during a fast-moving pass than juggling two.
Do I need a duplexer, or can I use two feedlines?
A duplexer lets you use a single-port radio with one coax. If your radio has separate 2m and 70cm antenna jacks, running two feedlines directly works too and skips the duplexer entirely.
Why are all the 70cm directors the same length instead of tapered?
A uniform director length is a simplified, easy-to-build approach common in beginner Yagi designs. A tapered director sequence can eke out a bit more gain but needs modeling software to optimize properly.
How do I use this for satellite work specifically?
Track the pass with a prediction app, point the antenna at the satellite's position, and periodically tilt the antenna 30-45 degrees during the pass to reduce polarization fading as the spacecraft's orientation changes relative to your linear elements.
How is this different from the site's Portable Tape Measure Yagi?
That guide is a single-band design for terrestrial use. This build interleaves two bands on one boom specifically so you can operate cross-band satellite passes without repointing between transmit and receive.
Can I use PVC, or does it have to be fiberglass?
PVC works fine and is cheaper and easier to drill; fiberglass is lighter and slightly stiffer for the same diameter. Either is non-conductive, which is what actually matters for the boom material here.