My Digital Television Antenna

[KO Gilligan]

I took a picture because some might be like me, living in the big city and needing to save a few bucks by canceling cable...

My antenna:
http://i36.tinypic.com/2vd49sk.jpg

If your thinking about receiving Digital signal, you can throw that fancy power signal boost "digital ready" antenna from Wal-Mart in the trash, you just wasted $30.

This will pull your local city channels in beautifully, and is comparable to some of the nicer commercially made Antennas
($75 but only certain designs work - a good one is one similar to my pic except it has a flat set of wires too... it's a directional grid a few inches behind the main V tines - that commercial design is good for up to 100 miles with minor obstruction mounted on the roof- mine will probably do 40-50 miles but is not as directional, so might be less for obstructions)

My channels have antenna towers within about 20 miles so my signals come in without moving it from behind the TV (I get 12 digital channels currently, but several more are coming)

The V parts are about 7 inches long (14 bent in half). There's about 3 inches in between each along the outside 16 points. The crisscross link wires running the center are essential, and there is a 300-75 converter in the center. I used some nice heavy guage aluminum, but copper, or even coat hangers, will work. I have 4 of these at my house. Let me know if you have any questions about making one.

[Joe Siegler]

If your thinking about receiving Digital signal, you can throw that fancy power signal boost "digital ready" antenna from Wal-Mart in the trash, you just wasted $30.

That's untrue, and is ignorant of the facts. It is up to a lot more than the cost of the thing. Can a freebie antenna work? Yes, but it's HIGHLY CONDITIONAL on your location to signal towers, trees, and things like that. There is no 100% guaranteed rule like this.

When I was playing with signals for my HDTV, there was no way I could do it with what you have. I had to have a powered antenna that I paid $45 for. There was simply no way due to the location of my house from most of the broadcasters.

Now if I mounted one on the roof, things would be different, but I didn't have easy access to the roof. Not to mention I'm not the kind of guy who would do that, I'd have to pay someone to do it, and that's a huge cost.

You need to go here: http://www.antennaweb.org

Plug in your address, and it will show you how far you are from the various broadcast antennas in your area.

You are right though in that there is no such thing as an "HDTV Antenna". Good old roof antennas work great for HDTV, but a powered antenna can help in a weak signal situation.

[ZaphodB]

There are NO TV station in my reception area (according to the site Joe posted) so NO antenna would do me any good. It's why I have DirecTV. It was them or DishNetwork, as cable isn't available here either.

[KO Gilligan]

That's untrue, and is ignorant of the facts. It is up to a lot more than the cost of the thing. Can a freebie antenna work? Yes, but it's HIGHLY CONDITIONAL on your location to signal towers, trees, and things like that. There is no 100% guaranteed rule like this.

When I was playing with signals for my HDTV, there was no way I could do it with what you have. I had to have a powered antenna that I paid $45 for. There was simply no way due to the location of my house from most of the broadcasters.

Now if I mounted one on the roof, things would be different, but I didn't have easy access to the roof. Not to mention I'm not the kind of guy who would do that, I'd have to pay someone to do it, and that's a huge cost.

You need to go here: http://www.antennaweb.org

Plug in your address, and it will show you how far you are from the various broadcast antennas in your area.

You are right though in that there is no such thing as an "HDTV Antenna". Good old roof antennas work great for HDTV, but a powered antenna can help in a weak signal situation.

I have a signal booster, a nice expensive one. I don't use it for this antenna. I also have that RCA indoor Powered Boost antenna that I was talking about. It's junk and it's the most expensive one in the store... and my weaker signal stations come up to 20 on my signal meter if I'm lucky. My "Freebie" antenna takes advantage of actual proven commercial antenna design, my signal strength is at 40-50 for the same station (through 24.4 miles, according to your site, of buildings, houses, hills and large trees )

The link you posted has a vendor that refers to mine as a 4 bay UHF design (suitable for digital)

If you're particularly far, I can teach you how to build an antenna field in your yard... but that's another story. Maybe ZaphodB wants to stretch some long wires around in his yard :eek:

This is not just some goofy random design... and now a popular youtube video is now out there about a similar one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw

There is actual science behind it Joe... a good commercial version adds a shield (set of wires) to one side, there's a two bay one from the vendor in your link. If you have an antenna bought from Wal-Mart, and you think yours works better than mine, and your calling me ignorant, you may redeem yourself by building one and trying it.

Then come on back and confess about throwing around the word ignorant.

[thefly]

My antenna:
http://i36.tinypic.com/2vd49sk.jpg


That looks ghetto rigged and white trash at the same time. Well done.

[The Baskinator]

Um... good for you?

[KO Gilligan]

Come on guys... didn't anybody here ever build Heathkit?

Besides, it's not about saving money, it's about getting in touch with you inner Dr. Proton :D

[The Baskinator]

Come on guys... didn't anybody here ever build Heathkit?

Besides, it's not about saving money, it's about getting in touch with you inner Dr. Proton :D

Nothing wrong with building an antenna, but you're kind of condescending about the whole thing.

[Superczar]

Why need an antenna? Dish + Pansat folks. ;)

[KO Gilligan]

I was condescending about cheap Chinese crap that is sold to the consumer as state-of-the-art.

I never claimed to be some kind of digital reception equipment engineer.

I did read up, and got the best reception in comparison.

It's not anybodies fault if you bought an FX5200 (still on retail shelves :doh: ) and some average guy comes along and said "I know what the box says, but it don't play games" Does that make him condescending? If so I am because even if you bought that card about 5 years ago, it wasn't worth it... If you bought it last year, you got taken.

The truth is I was checking out a little $100 number when I said "I can make that", and I started looking at these 2, 3 and 4 bay UHF designs people have made.

I'm not surprised people are defensive. I made an ugly little antenna out of some crap and I get better reception, and double the signal strength of the most expensive peice of mass produced crap sold in America's favorite store.

The knee jerk reaction is "Oh it's a guy with a coat hanger that fiddled with it until now he thinks his pretzel shaped coat hanger is a product of his own genius scientific endeavor"

Call me condescending, call my makeshift Antenna an eyesore. But if you try to tell me it don't work - I will attempt to correct you. I didn't invent it, I'm just sharing the idea.

But by all means believe what you want.

If you want a good picture, I'm offering no more than a cheap, rather trashy looking alternative that works better.

Nothing more.

[KO Gilligan]

Why need an antenna? Dish + Pansat folks. ;)

My neighbor has this Array of Dishes... lots of 'em. He seen my disabled dish pointed in an obscure direction... he asks... Umm, since your not using that.... (true story) :p

[thefly]

I'm liking KOG's style.

[ZaphodB]

Come on guys... didn't anybody here ever build Heathkit?

Besides, it's not about saving money, it's about getting in touch with you inner Dr. Proton :D

Yes I built heathkits. Am radio, door chime, photosensitive alarm (you know, the thing like radio shack has). But for me an antenna is really quite useless, I live in a mountain valley, and there is literally NO TV reception on the airwaves here (unless you want to watch TBN, they seem to be friggin EVERYWHERE!!!!). Wasn't mocking or downing your antenna design, it just I really have no use for an antenna. Using wood so you didn't have to isolate every antenna from the support crossbar is a good idea, until it gets wet. If this is for outdoor you may need to insulate it from the wood as well. I f indoor, then you're good to go. I know how it feels when you build something from scratch and have it work, especially on the first try.

[Joe Siegler]

Come on guys... didn't anybody here ever build Heathkit?

Besides, it's not about saving money, it's about getting in touch with you inner Dr. Proton :D

Then why was the first sentence of the first post about "saving money"? That's what the entire thing read to me as.

Seems to me you tried to backpedal and change your tune when people didn't have the same opinion you did.

[shiranui]

You guys watch too much TV.

[Joe Siegler]

You guys watch too much TV.

With me being laid up from surgery, my TV viewing has gone up about 800%. :)

[shiranui]

Well you have a valid excuse.

[KO Gilligan]

With me being laid up from surgery, my TV viewing has gone up about 800%. :)

:(
Hope you feel better soon.

Our family has suffered the loss of my wife's work insurance.

It's tough with the kids, but so far we've been blessed with no major problems. We're both older middle age working parents, and the insurance issue has been a serious concern for us.

[KO Gilligan]

Yes I built heathkits. Am radio, door chime, photosensitive alarm (you know, the thing like radio shack has). But for me an antenna is really quite useless, I live in a mountain valley, and there is literally NO TV reception on the airwaves here (unless you want to watch TBN, they seem to be friggin EVERYWHERE!!!!). Wasn't mocking or downing your antenna design, it just I really have no use for an antenna. Using wood so you didn't have to isolate every antenna from the support crossbar is a good idea, until it gets wet. If this is for outdoor you may need to insulate it from the wood as well. I f indoor, then you're good to go. I know how it feels when you build something from scratch and have it work, especially on the first try.

Thanks I have a nice one I built in oak, and you may have noticed I used Treated lumber for this one... But I guess that won't do. I wonder if that Deck Lumber made from plastic would be cool? I have a pile more of that alumuinum rod out in my garage :cool: