Making a Cosplay Antenna

Complete your cosplay costume with a realistic looking antenna.

Playing dress-up is not just for children any more. Cosplay costumes, accessories and events are no longer limited to Halloween and the occasional costume party. Adults and children of all ages enjoy theatrical presentations, science fiction conventions, super hero look-alike contests, costume balls and numerous other opportunities to disguise themselves as their favorite sci-fi fantasy characters, heroes and heroines. Robots, space men, space women, aliens, future people and mad scientists of all kinds need genuine-looking antennas to accessorize their fantasyland characters. Make a realistic, four-element yagi-style beam antenna to complete your cosplay fantasy dress-up costume adventure.

Things You'll Need

• Wire coat hangers
• 1/4-inch diameter wooden dowels
• Pipe cleaners
• Can or bottle of sand
• Twist ties
• Silver spray paint
• Aluminum foil
• Cellophane tape
• Hot glue gun
• Hand saw
• Pliers
• Wire cutters

Instructions

1. Create directional beam-style antennas in the form of genuine yagi antennas because they look impressive. As in the design and construction of real antennas, select and use materials for a mast, boom and at least three or four elements for each antenna you wish to make from the materials you have gathered.

2. 

   Complete your alien costume with a yagi-style antenna.

   Using a combination of dowels, hangers and pipe cleaners, lay out your materials for assembly. Insert your vertical antenna mast section into a can or bottle of sand to hold it upright while you complete your antenna. Cut the horizontal boom to the length you desire using a hand saw for wooden dowels or wire cutters and pliers for wire coat hangers. Attach the center of the boom to the top of the mast using a pair of tightly twisted twist ties followed with a thorough coating of the joint with hot glue. Use this same method to attach the elements to the boom.

3. Create three or four antenna elements from the material of your choice. Cut the elements in descending lengths from the back of the boom to the front. For a 2-by-2-foot antenna on a 2-foot boom, use wooden dowels and cut four elements 24-, 18-, 12- and 6-inches long. Space them out evenly along the boom. Center them, and attach each with a pair of twist ties and hot glue.

4. Once you have assembled your antenna and you are satisfied with its size, strength and overall appearance, wrap each segment with aluminum foil held in place with cellophane tape. Or, give the entire antenna a coat of silver spray paint to provide it with a metallic look.

5. Drill a 1/4-inch hole in the center of a helmet, and attach the antenna mast into the helmet. Insert the mast dowel and apply a bead of hot glue all around the joint inside and out.

Tips & Warnings

• Add small LED lights or small color-contrasted foam or rubber balls to the tips of each antenna element for both aesthetic and safety purposes.

• Glue a large plastic jar lid over the inside joint of a helmet antenna to prevent head injury from the dowel or wire in case the antenna is bumped or loosened. The plastic lid will prevent injury by spreading any force over a larger surface area.

References

• Coolest Homemade Costumes: Coolest Halloween Ideas for Homemade Costumes