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1. ASSEMBLE THE COMMUNICATIONS ANTENNA.
View the whole assembled model
See illustration of HGA at bottom of this page
- Print Parts Sheet 1 onto a transparency sheet (the kind used on overhead projectors. Transparency sheets can be found in office supply stores and stationery stores). Notice the three clear wedges marked "Gap."
- Flatten the transparency. Printing onto the transparency probably caused it to curl. Take great care to flatten the sheet, by rolling it up opposite the direction of curl, repeatedly if necessary.
- If your printer causes too much curling, you might try printing onto paper, and then using a copy machine to make the transparency.
- Cut out the circular web-shaped object with scissors. Cut a circle, just outside the tips of the printed radial spines. Place the part on the table, and see whether it still has any tendency to curl. If it does, flatten it as above.
- Cut out the three clear wedges which were marked "Gap."
- Cut some transparent tape into three small rectangles, about half a centimeter by one centimeter, or about 1/8 by 1/4 inch.
- On the HGA, identify the "half" ribs which border three clear wedges. Overlap one of these ribs over onto the adjacent rib, so the flat circular web begins to bend up into a shallow cone. Adjust the overlap to make one rib. Inboard of the small black circle, the rib will probably be imperfect. Apply a rectangle of transparent tape to hold together. Repeat with the the other two open sections. Bend the piece gently so that the antenna's shape becomes more or less symmetrical.
- Print Parts Sheet 2 onto white card stock.
- Cut out the large black circular BUS SUNSHADE TOP and BUS SUNSHADE BOTTOM from Parts Sheet 2. Apply glue to the white side of the slightly smaller BUS SUNSHADE BOTTOM (spray glue would be convenient; otherwise apply a very thin, even film of white glue). Glue it to the BUS SUNSHADE TOP, white sides together. Make sure it does not curl as the glue dries.
- With scissors, trim away the white area showing behind the BUS SUNSHADE BOTTOM.
- Cut out the black HGA SUNSHADE TOP and HGA SUNSHADE BOTTOM from Parts Sheet 2. Apply glue to the white side of the slightly smaller HGA SUNSHADE BOTTOM. Glue it to the BUS SUNSHADE TOP, white sides together, centered. Make sure it does not curl as the glue dries.
- With scissors, trim away the white area showing behind the HGA SUNSHADE BOTTOM, retaining the 9-sided shape of the BOTTOM piece.
- Set the BUS SUNSHADE on your table with the TOP (the side with a white circle) facing up. Apply BOND 527 glue (or rubber cement) to fill in the white circle. Set the HGA down onto the glue, its bottom black circle covering the glue, and press together until the glue dries. To make an even joint, place a coin over the HGA's black circle and press down.
- Cut out the four REFLECTOR pieces from Parts Sheet 2. Glue the FRONT and BACK halves together, white side to white side. When the glue is dry, make a slit along the grey line on each of the two pieces. Fit the two pieces together, slit into slit, at right angles.
- Straighten and align the REFLECTOR STRUCTURE so its halves are even and perpendicular. Set it upright on your table, with its larger, black end down. Trim the bottom, if necessary, so it will stand straight up on the table easily. Trim the top, if necessary, so you can balance the HGA SUNSHADE on top of it, parallel to the table. Apply some white glue to secure the halves together at right angles.
- Dip the bottom of the REFLECTOR STRUCTURE in BOND-527 glue (if not available use rubber cement), then stand it upright, centered within the HGA.
- Apply some glue to the HGA SUNSHADE BOTTOM where the white lines meet in the center, then set it atop the REFLECTOR STRUCTURE where it should balance. Keep it level while the glue dries.
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