Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Using aluminum foil
• Method 2 of 2: Using an aluminum can
• Warnings
• What do you need

A radio antenna is a metal rod or parabola that picks up radio waves and then converts them into electrical signals. Your TV or radio interprets it as information, such as music or video. Fortunately, the material for making radio antennas is fairly simple and inexpensive, which greatly simplifies antenna repair.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Using aluminum foil

1. 1 Analyze the broken antenna. Many radio antennas are telescopic so that they can be varied in length. Find the link just above the broken antenna. This is most likely the best place to wrap the foil.
2. 2 Cut a single, long piece of foil. A solid piece of foil should pick up radio signals in the air. The signal cannot be transmitted through the slits in the metal, so a single piece must be used.
3. 3 Connect the broken parts of the antenna with foil. Start wrapping foil around the bottom broken part until you connect both antenna parts. Since aluminum foil is soft, the antenna will be flimsy until you wrap it in tape.
4. 4 Cover the foil with tape. This will connect the two parts of the antenna and improve the contact between them. Continue wrapping until you have covered all the foil.
5. 5 Check the quality and, if required, make changes to the design. Turn on the radio to check if the signal has improved. If the signal is still bad, then there is a gap in the foil and you will need to rewind the antenna again.
   • You will notice that different wrapping techniques affect the quality of the received signal. Each antenna break is different, so experiment with different wrapping techniques to determine the best one for your application.

Method 2 of 2: Using an aluminum can

1. 1 Collect materials. If you have everything you need at your fingertips, you will not waste time repairing your antenna. You will need a shallow and clean work space and:
   • a clean can of soda or beer;
   • strong scissors (large);
   • pen;
   • book;
   • needle-nose pliers.
2. 2 Spiral cut the jar to create a solid strip. First you need to cut off the top of the can. Now start making one cut that spirals down to the bottom of the can. When you're done cutting the jar, the bottom should come off.
   • Be careful as the aluminum is sharp enough to cut easily.
3. 3 Straighten and cut the aluminum tape. Smooth out the aluminum strip completely using a flat and heavy object (like a book) or even just with your hands. Remove any burrs and jagged edges.
   • Collect all the pieces and shards of aluminum. They are very sharp and can cause injury or puncture wounds.
4. 4 Fold the strip in half by joining the outer ends. Take a pen and run it down the center of the strip to start folding it.Bend the outer edges of your strip with needle-nose pliers or with your hands, folding each side around the resulting bend. Your piece of aluminum will now be cylindrical in shape.
5. 5 Attach the antenna to the antenna port or the undamaged end of the antenna. If the antenna is damaged near the bottom, try wrapping the outer edges of the tape around the rest of the antenna. If the antenna is broken higher, wrap the outer edges so that the antenna is extended with an aluminum strip.
   • If the antenna is completely pulled out of the port, you can narrow the aluminum strip to fit into the antenna hole, but if the port itself is damaged, you will need to completely replace the antenna unit.
6. 6 Stabilize the antenna if necessary. In some cases, you can sheathe the antenna with cylindrical aluminum. As a result, you should get a reliable connection. However, if your antenna is fragile and you are worried about its strength (wind can be a serious problem for car antennas), you can additionally wrap it with duct tape or electrical tape.

Warnings

• Be careful not to cut yourself with aluminum or a broken antenna.
• If someone is helping you with an antenna repair, be careful when removing and installing it. You can get cuts from uneven metal if you inadvertently poke a broken antenna.

What do you need

• Scotch tape (foil method)
• Aluminum foil (foil method)
• Clean beer can (method using an aluminum can)
• Strong scissors (aluminum can method)
• Handle (method using an aluminum can)
• Needle-nose pliers (aluminum can method)
• Working gloves (optional)