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Spray On 'Graffitti'-style Wireless LAN Antenna
By vortex, Section News Posted on Sun Dec 9th, 2001 at 02:52:49 GMT
(original posted on Sun Dec 9th, 2001 at 02:52:49 GMT) On Nov 3 During a brainstorming session, raylab & vortex tossed the idea of using a conductive spray on paint as a wireless LAN antenna, to be sprayed on a wall, lampost, window, slab of wood - any paint adhesive surface. We made an order that night from a Farnell catalogue which listed an aerosol can of conductive nickel spray paint and some flexible conductive paint pens. Not only is this pen paint conductive but also at low tempertures, it can be soldered to. Perfect for those tech-savvy streetkids to hot wire a graffitti antenna to a pigtail to complete that drug deal pickup over the 'net ... ;-) Two issues remain for a successful prototype. Firstly, we are still researching an effective shape, and secondly, an effective and easy method of impedance matching needs to be found to match the the wireless card to the antenna. Update [2001-12-23 13:51:16 by chronic]: General & Fractal 2-D Antenna Resources Added Update: [2004-08-12 15:00 by vortex]: Wifi Wallpaper added

[Nov 7] This July's (2001) Signal Magazine contains a report about a research project funded by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The report is entitled Spray-on Antennas Make Their Mark -- Experimental technologies offer elegant, inexpensive solutions.
Synchronistic Thoughts.
[Dec 23] General & Fractal 2-D Antenna Design & Info
A small amount of General Fractal Antenna Information and Fractal Antenna Design Examples. A more in depth article on Fractal Antenna Arrays and Elements, and a URL list of Fractal Antenna Information.
Fractal Antenna Systems provides consultancy and licencing of their patented technology for specialist needs.
For various antenna modelling software, there is The unofficial Numerical Electromagnetic Code (NEC) Archives hosted by Fractal Antenna Research at UCLA.
Al Waller provides an antenna/repeater propagation resource for inverted F's and fractal antenna designs.
A NASA technology page describes 2-D Optically Transparent Patch Antennae coated onto flexible polyester film.
The Register reports a New Scientist article concerning an Ofcom funded and BAE Systems-designed microwave absorbing wallpaper that blocks wireless LAN signals, allows signals at other frequncies through (such as GSM, TV, etc).

< First DIY Helical Directional Antenna Prototype (1 comments) | GZ - the story of groundzero (1 comments) >

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Spray On 'Graffitti'-style Wireless LAN Antenna | 4 comments (4 topical, editorial, 0 pending)

War Painting Suggestions none (#1)
by willfull on Thu Jul 18th, 2002 at 07:25:43 GMT
(User Info)

re Spray On Graffitti Antennas 1. Has anyone tested this using the warchalk symbols? If so, you could extend a site's antennae out to the street and let everyone know its there at the same time. 2. For the biggest f***ing antenna in the world, why not put metal in the paint on one of those motorway/interstate/highway line painting trucks. 3. Why not do the same in the fuel for passenger jets? Might clog the nozzles, but if it worked then the sky would not be the limit (course you'd need a high altitude baloon to reach the antenna, so maybe this is less practical than 2.

Spray-on antenna none (#2)
by Anonymous Hero on Mon Jul 7th, 2003 at 04:05:34 GMT

1. Spraying the right shape: use a stencil! Print out a design, cut it from card, and stencil it up. As for connecting to it... couple of little copper plates with suction cups & springs: suction cup sucks onto wall and holds copper onto contact point... 2. Impedance matching. Well, the piece of brass shim worked wonders for Jason Hecker's helical antenna... and with good design even that may not be a problem.

hektor robotic spray painting system!!! none (#3)
by vortex (gro.ria2eerf@xetrov) on Wed Jul 30th, 2003 at 17:24:30 GMT
(User Info) http://www.free2air.org

Hektor is a nifty robotic spray painting robot! Perhaps we can convince the creators to come to London & leave their mark on walls for the greater wireless LAN good! :-)

shine,

.vortex

Respect none (#4)
by Anonymous Hero on Fri Sep 24th, 2004 at 20:14:58 GMT

Intresting story... Respect! :) my search engine

Spray On 'Graffitti'-style Wireless LAN Antenna | 4 comments (4 topical, editorial, 0 pending)

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