# Homemade DTV Antenna



## Bobcat

Since the switch to DTV, my reception has been great on several channels, and hit-or-miss on a few channels... the ones I watch the most of course. In the old analog days, a poorly received channel would be snowy and staticky, but usually still watchable. In the modern digital age, a poorly recieved channel is pretty much unwatchable. The picture either disappears for seconds at a time or displays a bunch of colored blocks as if you were playing a game of Breakout. On an analog channel you could still hear the audio pretty well even if the picture was hash, which was at least ok for listening to a baseball game. On a digital channel, it just pops, whistles, and clicks... if there is any sound at all.

I've always had poor reception at my house, but since I'm rarely there it hasn't been much of a problem. I did by a 'digital' rabbit ear antenna shortly after buying a new LCD HDTV last year, but it doesn't seem to be much better than a bare wire hanging out the antenna jack. I can lose channels simply by viewing from the wrong spot in the room. Last night, with nothing interesting on the 'good' channels and several things I wanted to watch on the 'bad' channels, enough was enough. I started searching the net for comparisons of DTV antennas and was either going to order a highly rated one online or go buy one if available in town last night. Instead, I had lots of hits on making a homemade antenna that had been getting good reviews and was cheap/easy to build. So, online plans in hand, here's what I did...


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## Bobcat

Headed off to Home Depot and grabbed a chunk of 3/4" plywood. They sell smaller pieces than the standard 4'x8'. I got a 2'x4' piece. Also picked up 16 #12x3/4" Phillips panhead screws and 12 1/4" flat washers. The plans I have called for wire hangers, but since 'Mommy Dearest', I've had no wire hangers ion the house.  So I picked up a 100' roll of galvanized wire as a substitute. I think it was still cheaper than buying wire hangers.

Next, off to Walmart for a 6' co-ax cable with male 'f' connectors on each end, and a 300 to 75Ohm balun with pigtails on the 300Ohm end and a female 'f' connector on the other. The balun is needed to match the impedance of the antenna to the input of the TV.


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## Bobcat

Here I've cut a 3" wide strip off the end of the plywood for the antenna and then trimmed off 4" from that to be used as a foot/stand for the antenna. The final antenna wood form is 3/4" plywood cut to 3" wide and 20" long.




Next I measured out the locations for the screws that will hold the antenna elements in place. The measurements and marks are done down along each side, 1/2" in from the edge. The first is 2" down from the top, then 3 more, each 5 3/4" from the previous. One more mark is done 10" from the end to serve as the spot where the balun connects.




Now I've started installing the elements that I've pre-cut. There are two pieces of wire that run the length of the antenna and are cut to size to run as the first one is shown here. There are 8 more pieces of wire that I cut about 16.25" (.25" to compensate for the wrap around the screws.). They will eventually be folded around 8 of the screws to form the receiving elements.




Now all of the elements have ben bent and attached, as well as the balun and foot. The elements are trimed to 8" and are spread 3" apart. All that's left is to insulate the 2 places where the wires cross and touch, and hook her up.


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## Galvatron

I aint taking the bait


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## jpr62902

I'm curious about your measures, here, Bob, but perhaps you left out an attachment or two to your posts?


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## Bulldog1401

He's just trying to come up with something that works better than his old standby, the tin foil hat....


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## Bobcat

And finally, the finished product shown next to the cheap piece of crud that it replaces.





Though designed to stand vertically, I didn't have enough space to support it on top of the flatscreen and it seemed to perform just as well laying horizontally. I am both happy and stunned to report a 6dB gain on the marginal channels versus the commercial antenna. No more dropouts, pops or clicks. Also picked up about 6 channels I couldn't receive before.  Next, will hang it in the attic to suck up even more UHF.


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## Bulldog1401

Hang on, retalliation is coming for finally posting bobs face....


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## Bobcat

Galvatron said:


> I aint taking the bait



Stay on topic or be banned....again.    Now go to that 'happy place'. 



jpr62902 said:


> I'm curious about your measures, here, Bob, but perhaps you left out an attachment or two to your posts?



Questions answered, spaz-o?



Bulldog1401 said:


> He's just trying to come up with something that works better than his old standby, the tin foil hat....



I told you last time you asked for one, SnoOps has bought out the entire north american inventory and I can not convince him to part with one for you.


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## Bobcat

Total build time, including travel to my local Home Depot and Walmart, just over an hour. Costs? Will add up later. The plans I used...

View attachment DTV_Antenna_FINAL.pdf


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## BigAl RIP

Bobcat said:


> Total build time, including travel to my local Home Depot and Walmart, just over an hour. Costs? Will add up later. The plans I used...
> 
> View attachment 39723


 

 OK BOB ???? Now figure out a antenna that will work for ordinary cell phones in Elk City Idaho and I'll kiss your butt ! 

    Ok maybe not that ....... But i'll sing high praises to you !!!


   Nearest cell service is 50 miles away .


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## Bobcat

Off topic. Return to your happy place. 

Unfortunately, most providers, if not all, are limiting the range allowed to connect to their towers. I assume it is to either reduce the load on the tower or improve customer satisfaction by reducing dropped calls caused by low signal levels. Even if you have the gear to make the long haul, and I do, they will not let you in based on ping time.


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## BigAl RIP

Bobcat said:


> Off topic. Return to your happy place.


 

Remember the soup nazi from Sienfeld ???


 No "Tracks" for you !   

Also while I am back on target , I hope your antenna shorts out too !


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## Bobcat

Soup, off topic.

Tracks, off topic.

Stop targeting my shorts.


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## benspawpaw

hey i got a metal one of those things with a grid on the other side that looks like screen wire with 1 inch squares didnt work for me but i just bought a new lcd hdtv i may try it on it found it under my shop building when we boughy the house looks 100 years old but no rust i jusy may try it


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## Bobcat

How's about a picture when you get around to it? There are many variations of this antenna, which I believe was first developed in the '60s. Some of the originals are rare and sought after by antenna geeks. If you tried it for VHF, you may not have had good results as it is designed for UHF. DTV is mainly, if not completely, in UHF.


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## AndyM

Bobcat said:


> And finally, the finished product shown next to the cheap piece of crud that it replaces.



The homemade antenna might work better than its predecessor you have pictured, but over here I'm using a VHF/UHF combo rooftop antenna, mounted at roof height.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would think it would work best to pull in distant digital signals.

This entire small town is down in a hollow and we only receive two channels from the nearest small market 47 miles to the west.  I'm not sure how the digital signals work, but using the antenna rotor doesn't make any difference. 

There is a medium-sized market 61 miles to the north and a large market 71 miles south but I can't receive any channels, even rotating the antenna.


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## pirate_girl

Bobcat said:


> How's about a picture when you get around to it? There are many variations of this antenna, which I believe was first developed in the '60s. Some of the originals are rare and sought after by antenna geeks. If you tried it for VHF, you may not have had good results as it is designed for UHF. DTV is mainly, if not completely, in UHF.


Perhaps I'll can my cable and go for one of these, being the geeky pseudo-redneck prefab living doll that I am.
Hey Bob, send me the instructions dahlin'.... I love yer scientific mind, sweetiecheeks!


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## pirate_girl

Dig this one...


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## Bobcat

Darn near identical to the one I just built except for the backplane.


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## pirate_girl

See? other people are just as inventive and smart, aren't they?


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## Bobcat

AndyM said:


> The homemade antenna might work better than its predecessor you have pictured, but over here I'm using a VHF/UHF combo rooftop antenna, mounted at roof height.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would think it would work best to pull in distant digital signals.
> 
> This entire small town is down in a hollow and we only receive two channels from the nearest small market 47 miles to the west.  I'm not sure how the digital signals work, but using the antenna rotor doesn't make any difference.
> 
> There is a medium-sized market 61 miles to the north and a large market 71 miles south but I can't receive any channels, even rotating the antenna.



The VHF elements of your antenna are probably not contributing much, unless you are in one of the areas where 9% of the stations are remaining in the VHF spectrum. If stations you're interested in are on this list, then you will need the VHF elements.

The height of your antenna is what's helping you pull in the distant signals, and yours is most likely directional as well, though you say rotating doesn't make a difference. The antenna I built here is multi-directional and provides very little isotropic gain. A uni-directional antenna, such as an Uda-Yagi or a log periodic, will provide much more isotropic gain and is what you should be looking for. There are manufactures out there targeting your requirements. If you are getting 2 stations from the small market, then there's a good chance you can get others in that area. Your topography may prevent you from hitting either of the other 2 markets. Are you prevented by CCRs, HOAs, or city ordinances from raising your antenna above your roofline?


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## Bobcat

pirate_girl said:


> See? other people are just as inventive and smart, aren't they?



Hey, I was not smart enough to invent this antenna. I just built it from someone elses plans. The original inventer was a dude named Hoverman.

http://www.jedsoft.org/fun/antennas/dtv/gh.html


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## Galvatron

Bob when you put your fist post without the picture i was expecting someone to say "no picture" followed by you saying "yea sorry the antenna never worked"


I guess it's  all i expect from you.


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## Bamby

OK I'm biting here, getting real tired of paying dish for in reality nothing to watch......

I've got some older TV's that work fine yet would they still need a digital converter box with this homemade antenna also? 

Even if they do I'll just add them to the shopping list of materials. Wife even agrees and is also fed up with paying good money for nothing also. Im rather looking forward to telling them to take a hike with their almost $70 mo. garbage programing.


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## AndyM

Bamby said:


> Im rather looking forward to telling them to take a hike with their almost $70 mo. garbage programing.



Once you pay for the converter box and materials for the antenna, you can watch garbage programming for free!


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## Bobcat

AndyM said:


> <snip>
> you can watch garage programming for free!



Yup, I like MotorWeek, too!!


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## Bobcat

Bamby said:


> OK I'm biting here, getting real tired of paying dish for in reality nothing to watch......
> 
> I've got some older TV's that work fine yet would they still need a digital converter box with this homemade antenna also?
> 
> <snip>



Yes, you will need the converter box. I haven't looked, but I expect the price has gone down since the govt subsidy program has expired.


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## Bobcat

Galvatron said:


> <snip>
> 
> I guess it's  all i expect from you.



So once again I've exceeded all expectations?


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## AndyM

Bobcat said:


> Yup, I like MotorWeek, too!!



I like garage programming like MotorWeek, but since I only receive CBS and Fox, I only receive garbage programming.

I caught my mistake.  Thanks Gatorboy.


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## OhioTC18 RIP

Bobcat said:


> Yes, you will need the converter box. I haven't looked, *but I expect the price has gone down since the govt subsidy program has expired.*


They are still around the $50 mark around here.


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## Bobcat

AndyM said:


> <snip>
> 
> I caught my mistake.  Thanks Gatorboy.



wut?


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