None of the ethnic grocery stores in town have any banana leaves, and I'm not driving across the entire DFW area trying to locate themWould it alter the taste too much just to throw it in an oven bag instead?
aluminum foil or parchment paper or corn husks can be substituted as food wrappers for banana leavesSure, the flavor profile will be different, but you have to ask yourself if it's worth the driveCorn husks, held together with foil, can provide a unique flavor for youIf you call a Thai of Filipino restaurant, they may sell you some.
I agree that copper is a good material, but aluminum is your best bet for elementsBe sure you check your SWR's and I don't recommend transmitting on anything over a 1.5 I wish we had a General Communications / Ham / CB / Scanner category!
Aluminum is used simply because it's light and is fairly corrosion resistant and is still an acceptable conductorCopper is actually a better antenna materialYou can use copper tube and have an excellent antennaPaint it or coat it with something to prevent corrosionSteel is not a good enough conductor, is heavy, and rustsYou never really know that the composition of a coat hanger isThe conductivity won't be all that good in any case Any structurally sound material can be used for the frame but fiberglass or other non-conductor is bestIf you use a conductive material you need to make sure it doesn't affect the performance of the antenna.
