How Does this TV Antenna Work ?

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

I was using a rabbit ears antenna for broadcast TV,
but with passage of time, they barely work in
the maelstrom of RF signals in my big city.

I saw this video on a completely simple approach.
I have not made the antenna yet.

Do any of you electronics whizzes understand
how this antenna apparently gets great reception ?

Thanks !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bItAkPK-cqY

[electra225]

I have no idea why or how it works. I'm going to put one on my list of stuff to tinker with. What have you got to lose? He uses a "new" digital TV. I wonder if that antenna would work using a converter box for an analog CRT TV set? Wonder if it would work with FM?

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

As the video did not specify the length needed
(if any) of the co-ax cable, I wonder about that.

I believe in the video comments, folks said it
worked for radio also.

I'm using a DTV converter box on an RCA
analog set, so I'll report back if this thing works.

I need to find some free co-ax cable with the
screw on end.

[hermitcrab]

here is one I made with some 14Ga wire it stands about 3 foot tall and is clamped behind my flat screen so you can't even see it...it works pretty well only a couple channels elude me ...

[19&41]

Key words in this presentation: "If you live close to the stations". I will also add it may work if there are no structures around your home and if there are no hills nor rises between you and the transmitter that would create thermal signal distortion. If you live next to the transmitter, the center conductor of a piece of RG-8 stuck into the center of a type F adapter would get you it's stations.

[William]

There are many advantages to living in the sticks. Peace, quiet, tranquility, less people, all that kind of stuff. The disadvantage is you are not close to the TV signals. I truly hate my internet provider, truly, truly hate them. It's not the internet part that is bad, it's the TV part. Not only is there nothing to watch, but the reception is extremely poor. I wish someone would come forward with an antenna that had distance, strength, range, or what ever you want to call it as long as it worked. I would be first in line to buy one so I could get rid of the TV part of my internet.

Bill

[19&41]

Bill, is there a problem with streaming your television using your internet provider? I'm sure you would like what it has to offer.

[Hi-Fi-Mogul]

I found a 3.5 foot co-ax connector cable with 2 male
ends. The wire gauges are much thinner than
RG6 cable.

Anyway, I cut off one end of the cable and stripped
it down as per the video.

It does work after I located the cable's best
orientation to pick up the most stations.

The TV signal interference at my house is caused by cars
driving by.

I wonder if using the much thicker RG6 wire
would boost reception ?

[William]

Rex, streaming works fine with no problems with interruption. It's the cable TV part that does not work. Whether it's the smart TV using WIFI, or the cable box, the little wheel will all of a sudden kick in. Sometimes it lasts for just a few seconds, and sometimes it never stops. I seem to notice it more on the upper end of the dial, but it does do it just about anyplace and more in the evening. It's not a speed problem as I get what I'm paying for and most of the time more. I'm being told by a few geek friends it's a bandwidth problem?

Bill

[19&41]

When I began streaming using wifi, I would have lousy spotty reception. I finally connected cable between my router and streaming device and had flawless service. I went on Amazon and looked up a wifi router (Motorola) that was "approved" by my internet provider and that had good reviews. Got it, set it up and it has worked great since. No rental fee to the provider for their poor router either.

[William]

Thanks, Rex. The router I have I own, and it was hand picked by my computer geek friend so I'm trusting him on that. When it was installed several years ago it all worked fine. Not so now, but, the streaming and computer/WIFI does not seem to be the problem. I never have problems with them, it's just poor TV reception. I'm paying for 100mbps and when ever I do a speed check I get 125 on the desk top computer, that's direct wired. The two laptops I get between 95 and 115mbps. The smart TV between 85 and 100mbps. The problem is at night, which I'm sure the rest of the neighborhood is in full swing sucking up band width. So, why does it is it only affecting TV and not internet? I just need to call them but have been putting it off because I get no where. My neighbors have the same problem but I think they just have given up. One of these days I will call them, but I need to wait until I'm in a good mood.

Bill

[Motorola minion]

Rex, streaming works fine with no problems with interruption. It's the cable TV part that does not work. Whether it's the smart TV using WIFI, or the cable box, the little wheel will all of a sudden kick in. Sometimes it lasts for just a few seconds, and sometimes it never stops. I seem to notice it more on the upper end of the dial, but it does do it just about anyplace and more in the evening. It's not a speed problem as I get what I'm paying for and most of the time more. I'm being told by a few geek friends it's a bandwidth problem?

Bill

Been doing antennas since I was a kid. Having a new Zenith in a very tough reception area without cable encouraged ALOT of climbing on the roof and experimenting. I knew the best TV could not possibly be the issue.

Fast Forward 45 years later, too many UHF antennas for sale online and very few VHF, yet many of the channels still remain on both low and high band VHF. Why?

Nobody wants an antenna on their roof but that's where the signal is!!

Sure, attics are plan B but down at your TV is NO place for an antenna anymore. At a window is great if your facing the right direction. Size and height are the key here.

Rotator is needed wherever you have signal in 3 or more directions. I highly recommend this antenna and a mast-mounted. https://www.solidsignal.com/Winegard-Hi ... HD-8200U_2

I use this website, which is pretty conservative in its calculations. For my location, I get channels that don't make their list. https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps

I plugged in Hart, Michigan and as you can see, channels are in 3-4 directions and on VHF high band (channels 9-11-13) and UHF (20-24-26-32).

Hart Mich stations.png (212.93 KiB) Viewed 5073 times

For FM, we have to make our own using 32 inches as a base dimension.

[Motorola minion]

For those who are boxed in by trees, backside of a mountain ridge or other major obstacles, fear not. I lived in such a location and yes, its not easy but there is a solution. A 50-60 mile range is typically a job for an "advertised 100-mile antenna" that is large and roof-mounted.

This https://www.bing.com/images/search?view ... ajaxserp=0
is a variation of the 4-bay that Mogul built, a very tried and true UHF design. This 8-bay version has been used in areas with VHF high band as well, but its designed for UHF. The scattered signal these capture is not possible to get well with a corner reflector or Yagi. This parabolic UHF antenna CM-4251 is the undisputed king, and like that out of production antenna, the VHF counterparts are extinct as well. Many of these JFD monsters are still in disuse on rooftops everywhere and if physically rebuilt, will get you any VHF if available. The ad below claims UHF reception but that is a big stretch.

NOTICE the difference in size and claims on reception distance compared to what is advertised today. The laws of physics have not been amended to allow UHF antennas to receive VHF!!!!

[William]

Thanks, Dave. I think I'm confused but I will work on getting my mind around all of this.

Bill

[Firedome]

Dave has forgotten more about antennas than the rest of us added together will know in our lifetimes!
At the VT camp, I get the NY station across the lake better than the local station 5 mi away, but we have a hill behind us!

[Motorola minion]

Dave has forgotten more about antennas than the rest of us added together will know in our lifetimes!
At the VT camp, I get the NY station across the lake better than the local station 5 mi away, but we have a hill behind us!

We need to put a corner reflector in your garage or attic and run RG6 into the house. Set top antennas, even in your hot signal spot, prone to pixilation due to multipath. When I lived in Dallas long ago, the two apartments I was in did not have cable, rabbit ears were enough, tight ghosting and an occasional blip when you moved across a room were taken in stride by the '69 Zenith. Yet that very same strong signal from multi-directions will cause bit errors to shut the 8VSB demodulation down, causing freezes, etc.

[TC Chris]

Not only is there nothing to watch, but the reception is extremely poor.
Bill

Sorry, but I'm laughing. This put me in mind of the famous Yogi Berra comment:


"No one goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

Chris Campbell