Some good input so far. Nice work by Trash. (I especially liked the Geiger counters)
WALL OF TEXT MODE GO!!!!!
I don't completely dislike the cookie cutter grid parabolic dishes that are out there in the wild. Though I do dislike how they are fed signal. I prefer the radio device to be as close to the focus point as possible. That way there is no cable carrying RF to worry about at all, even if they do come with the right cable. This is the main reason I use USB dongles.
As for phased loop yagis, I find them quite interesting but most I have seen on the web were built crappy. Yours looks like one of the better ones. However infrequency of good samples makes it appear like they are hard to build altogether, not that it's a problem for *ME* since I can "solder wood to plastic". (though having to align 50 yagi elements does seem like a pain). Lastly... you can't feed a dish with one of these, lol.
I also agree that the average cantenna is built to a crappy standard. Most of the time I see people measure the probe, THEN install it in the can. Or not account for the little overhang of the connecter. Or underestimate how important the measurements really are. Such as, measuring from the BOTTOM of the can instead of the INSIDE BOTTOM when placing the probe. But then again, some things are also completely forgivable since they are not often in the instructions from the start. For example, something I have another thread for is RF cable substitution. Most guides just say, "use 'this' connecter on your antenna, then hook it to your WiFi device". I think to myself, "That's Great!!! But your forgot to mention that there is really strict criterion for 2.4Ghz feed cables". I guess they all assume that a person *BUILDING AN ANTENNA FROM OLD TIN CANS* is going to spend lots of money on good lengths of high quality RF coax. Which as I said before, is why I use USB dongles as close to the antenna as possible.
Now (and this is more of a personal thing) but I UTTERLY DESPISE using a connecter on the can it's self. I prefer the smallest break into the can possible. I personally punch a small hole in the right spot with a thumbtack. Then feed in a unmeasured amount of either enamel coated magnet wire, or some of the core of the RF cable. Then I solder the shield of the cable directly to the can all the way around (it's tricky if you have no soldering skills). Then test for shorts with a meter. If all is good, the small length of RF cable coming off the antenna then goes directly to the dongle and is soldered in. After the outside is in and secure. Then I get out a thick piece of card stock. Measure and cut a *PRECISE* guide or "feeler gauge", and use that to trim down the internal antenna/probe. And it's also good to check that the probe is the right distance from the bottom of the can again. When all is cut, then I rinse and repeat measure, straighten, measure, straighten until I'm satisfied it's in tolerance.
Another thing I deal with is that the the bottom of most cans are not very flat at all. So I usually cut out the bottom and solder on a very flat piece of tin sheeting. This also allows you to work from the shorter side when measuring the probes distance from the back of the guide. And I think it's more accurate positioning of the probe in the end. I would do something like this to remove the ridges in the sides, but that's much more difficult and it would just be better getting a length of pipe or tube instead of a tin can from the start.
And finally, Most people use tape to join more than one can. This is great, and for most every one is definitely preferred. But I tend to solder the lips together. I dislike any gaps in my wave guide walls. But this is WAY over board and completely unnecessary to be sure. I doubt it even does anything honestly.
WALL OF TEXT MODE, OFF.
-Oblivion