The next step was to build the antenna mast. The plans call for two radar antennae and a hoop radio antenna. The sides of the mast are rounded off. Initially, I cut out and laminated thin cardboard to make it:
The problem is that cardboard does not round off very well. Something I learned but forgot about from an earlier project. Instead, I used thin styrene plastic. Like everything else, I cut copies of the mast and then glued them together:
Here is the mast completed but without the radar:
Rounding the edges was a lot easier with the plastic. I used a fine grit emery board to get into the tight corners.
Finally, I added the electronics and a base, and it was finished:
The lower radar antenna was made using another thin piece of styrene. It was really tricky gluing it on. Then I found a good alternative. You know all of those little plastic wire things that hold price tags to articles of clothing? Well, they look like radar antennae. That is what I used for the upper one. I drilled a tiny hole in the mast and fitted it in. I probably should have made the lower one out of that, too, but I spent too much time gluing that one down to want to pull it off.
The loop antenna I made from some wire that I wrapped around a drill bit and then cut. The additional wire hoops will be used for life saver rings. I globed some Squadron green putty into the gap. At the time I took this picture, it was still drying. I need to go in and smooth out the putty. It is mounted on a small lollipop stick cut to size. Back in my day, lollipop sticks were made out of paper. Now, they are plastic.
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