August 26th, 2010
This is a how to video for building a HDTV antenna rhat will beat the coathanger design, and most commercial antennas, for that matter. This antenna can easily be made with tools you mat already have on hand. All of the materials can be picked up at the local home center with the possible exception of the balun (300 to 75 ohm transformer). Sometimes that item is unavailable, but they’re supposed to stock it. Same for Wal-Mart, and K-Mart.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
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Whats the frequency coverage of this antenna? Is it a broadband or a narrow band antenna?I think it must be a narrow band because this is not an array of dipoles with different lengths-Justify this.
Video is great. Suggest to improve the audio recording for more clarity and plug to the HD TV to see the effect.
Thank you very much for posting this video. I made the antenna today and it works WAY better than the store bought one I had.
@Denfala Can’t say for sure. You could try placing the ref closer or further away. Make sure it’s aimed right, too. Watch the vid by cowsgonemadd3 if you don’t know how to aim it. Other than that I have no answers.
I built the reflector and it didn’t work. however the antenna without a reflector does work quite well I used the cardboard with aluminum foil and put it in my attic but it was not directional at all and knocked down the signal on all channels I placed it 5 1/2 inches behind the driven element what went wrong it was even more omni directional than without the reflector?
@MugUTube Nice.
One more thing:
I used the thin (10 ga.?) white coat hangers that dry cleaners are using these days.
The hanger is made of steel and it appears to be dipped in white plastic, so I had to strip that off at the connection points and the whisker ends.
I used an old balun that I’ve had for over 10 years, so the total cost was $0.00!
This is obviously for an indoor set-up only.
I modified the old coat hanger design using what I had available and a couple of tips from you. I was able to get 69 bedrock stable channels with my design! All but one channel that I want, and double the channels from using just rabbit ears.
Mods from original coat hanger design:
Used 7.5″ W x 48″ T cardboard not wood
Shimmed 4 lines w/2″ x 7.5″ layer of cardboard w/Tape on top
Connection Points 1″ from edge
Used duct tape not screws
Added sm. amount of steel wool to each connection point
@Denfala Watch my other vid on hdtv antennas. I build one there.
Did you do a video on building the reflector element?
OK So how do you build the reflector
@nluff Hallo, This antenna will be frequency consious, which translates as the dimensions being critical. Too long or too short means that the aerial isn’t matching the signal to it’s dimensions, which is why you aren’t getting too good results. From the size of the elements it’s a likely to be an “ordinary” ground station probably in the Band III region [say about 160 Mhz.]. I don’t think it’s being used as a satellite downlink, but I’ve been wrong before…………
Please, Please, put a proper handle on that file! You’d be surprised the number of folk who push a file tang throough the palm of their hands……… Handles usually cost much less than the file!
I just made this antenna and I only get 4 channels…. and they are all very poor reception. I’m perplexed as I was certain this would work, based on the positive responses. My antenna looks very similar to the diagram, I have tried adjusting, moving, etc. I live in Vancouver – perhaps stations here in Canuckistan are different??
LOL this dude sounds like Microsoft Sam
Did you drill into your finger or was it a nail?
@mauroacuna You ought to be getting a LOT of stations with this antenna. I looked at tvfool for bakersville, and you have a s’load of yellow possible stations. They’re coming in from different directions, though. If things are set up right I’d bet you’d have 50, maybe more stations.
@jwwm2 I live in bakersfield, CA and thank you again. I am watching the world cup with it. My TV with the target antennas (3 of them) never worked before so i figured the house was in a bad reception spot. not the case I get the local channels crystal clear.
@mauroacuna I’m happy you like it. Where do you live?
@tonytesties Good point. I’ll work on that. Watch the rest of my vids. Some are worse.
it work great. !!!! and better that market ones.
uhhhhhhhhh…. and uhhhhhhhhh….uhhhhhhhhhh
How about showing us how well it works?
@webwillie1 I want it to work for you. Make sure you aim it properly. Cowsgonemadd3 did a good job of explaining. You should also check out my outside version.
thanks…gonna give it a shot. Has to be better then the piece of crap antenna I bought. $60 down the tubes!