For a limited time, special bonus points if you can guess what this is (or, I should say, what it's going to be):

Is it an irrigation system for a miniature golf course?  Nope.

A Bavarian weasel trap?  Sorry, wrong answer.

Since it's in this blog, could it have something to do with digital TV?  Close enough -- you win a lifetime supply of free over-the-air high definition TV!

It's the frame for an antenna that was invented in the early 1960s, but never caught on because it only covers UHF channels from 14 to the mid-50s.  As it happens, that's the same range of channels being used for DTV in the Syracuse area, which could make this antenna just about ideal.  I'm giving it a shot, and if it works as well as the paperwork suggests, I'll write up how you can make one for yourself, using material you can get at any home improvement store.

That's ordinary 1/2" PVC water pipe, which I cut to the various lengths last night ...much to the annoyance of Sasha, the persistent squirrel that lives in the barn behind our house.  Every time I shut off the radial arm saw, Sasha would start chattering and pitching nut shells down from the loft, hoping to chase me away.  Last time I checked, my name was on the mortgage... so I figure I have a pretty good claim to work in the barn once in a while.

The frame is rather ugly right now... that's purple PVC primer you see splashed all over the thing.  But once it's built and tested, a couple coats of spray paint will make it look quite presentable.

Oh, yeah -- I love to build things.  But if you read last Monday's post, you probably would have guessed as much.  It's also a good excuse to get away from the paperwork in my office, and work outside in the fresh air for a couple of hours.

-- Jeff