How to build a Cheap UHF HDTV antenna!!

[pappy77]

found a great website for this but can't post it yet

[pappy77]

have to wait 30 seconds to post again

[pappy77]

have to post 5 times before I can list the web site

[pappy77]

just a couple more and you will be able to see it

[pappy77]

after this one and you will see this site. Worth all this because I tried this thing and I built it in 20 minutes and it works incredibally well. I am getting 95 to 100 on evey channel!

[pappy77]

OK, I think I can post it now. The website is

http://uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/

Just go there and follow the instructions....If I can do it anyone can!

[kenglish]

Always wondered if anybody had any luck with that "not so great performing Yagi style antenna" that was all over e-bay a while back!

You know, in many places, a coat-hanger, a balun, and two suction cups will work, too.

[Stewart Vernon]

A 6 foot unterminated run of 75 ohm coax hanging off the back of my TV actually gets me 2-3 channels where I am!

[DonCorleone]

1 bummer about being 43 miles out of the city is no chance in hell of getting stations off an antenna unless the thing is ginormous and sits on my roof, so I don't get to experience the apparently earthshatteringly-clear OTA signals everyone discusses.

But, watching you post 5 times in a row was entertaining.

[kenglish]

My ex-wife was from Derry, NH. Her mom used to get analog stations pretty well with a decent rooftop antenna. Where are the stations located nowadays?

[dmspen]

1 bummer about being 43 miles out of the city is no chance in hell of getting stations off an antenna unless the thing is ginormous and sits on my roof, so I don't get to experience the apparently earthshatteringly-clear OTA signals everyone discusses.

But, watching you post 5 times in a row was entertaining.

SO you're saying that you can't get any OTA digital at 43 miles? According to antennaweb, I'm 46 miles from the broadcast antenna. Now I'm not sure if I should attempt to get my OTA HDs.

Anyone getting long distance digital? Powered antennae vs unpowered?

[ejrustad]

I live out of Minneapolis about 35 miles. We have 7 local channels from Mpls, 2 from St. Cloud and 1 from Bemidji.

I receive them all in HD by using rabbit ears. I was totally amazed. The one in Bemidji is about 200 miles north of where I live.

[jhamps10]

here's another one. some have made a d2 all the way up to a d8 I seen on here. folks have had GREAT reports from this just from buying things at the dollar store and the main receptor at rat shack for a total cost of 10 bucks at most.

http://www.lumenlab.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9613

[Richard King]

I live out of Minneapolis about 35 miles. We have 7 local channels from Mpls, 2 from St. Cloud and 1 from Bemidji.

I receive them all in HD by using rabbit ears. I was totally amazed. The one in Bemidji is about 200 miles north of where I live.
You're in Big Lake which is not that far from the twin cities towers in Maplewood, so the cities channels should be good to you. The Bemidji one surprizes me though. That's amazing for rabitears or any other antenna for that matter. I don't suspect you get that full time on a regular basis? Is the Bemidji station the PBS station?

[cb7214]

OK, I think I can post it now. The website is

http://uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/

Just go there and follow the instructions....If I can do it anyone can!

HDTV $2000

HR20 $300

HDMI Cable $100

Homemade HDTV antenna for $10 ........................priceless

[Stewart Vernon]

HDTV $2000

HR20 $300

HDMI Cable $100

Homemade HDTV antenna for $10 ........................priceless

It can't be priceless if it was $10 :)

[cb7214]

It can't be priceless if it was $10 :)

if you didn't have to buy anthing it owuld be:)

[Stewart Vernon]

Ah, but then it wouldn't be $10... it truly would be priceless if it were free.

[hakaveli]

hey i just built my own antenna using the second link which has two wire V's.. would i get better reception with a bigger board and more V's?? i hooked it up last night and my D* found 70 channels it said. but only baout 10 channels showed up which are all local. im fine with these channels but was wondering why it said it found 70 channels?

[Nick]

I have a closet full of "free" antennae-- at present, most of them are being used for other purposes. :sure:

HDMI Cable $100Who would be foolish enough to pay $100 for an HDMI cable? :eek:

[hakaveli]

what other purposes?

[Jim5506]

Hanging up clothes??

[BobaBird]

Don't be silly. That's what exercise equipment is for! ;)

[MrWolfinWV]

1 bummer about being 43 miles out of the city is no chance in hell of getting stations off an antenna unless the thing is ginormous and sits on my roof, so I don't get to experience the apparently earthshatteringly-clear OTA signals everyone discusses.

But, watching you post 5 times in a row was entertaining.

I've never been to NH, but I've been next door in Burlington. The terrain will have a lot to do with it. I'm in WV and just put up an 8' yagi style unit I bought from SolidSignal (www.solidsignal.com). They sold me a pre-amp and an amplified distribution block. Fortunately, all my towers are within 276 and 292 degrees, so this antenna that has a 20 degree bandwidth should pick up all of them. It's a 70 mile antenna, plus the amps. Unit is mounted in my attic and I'm on a hill fairly high, but not quite on top. So far, I can only get one channel and a second that drops out constantly. I'm 39 miles from the farthest tower. What's strange is two stations are on the same tower and owned by the same company and one is the channel that drops out and so far I get NOTHING on the other.

The weather has been bad, so I'm going to try to tune it a little better in a couple days when it clears up a bit. Based on the terrain I seen when I was up that way, you will be in the same place as I am....it's a crap shoot at best. I spent about $300 on this stuff and went into it knowing it's a gamble. I don't know if I want to put the thing outside yet, the wife might have an issue with that. Stay tuned as I spend the next few days making adjustments....

[Nick]

...and is not something of which to be ashamed.

A well-constructed, sturdily mounted and precisely aimed roof-top antenna is a thing of
beauty and a proud symbol of your quest for free, high-definition programming, as well
as a tribute to your wife's good judgement in marrying such a smart guy in the first place.

Gently inform your wife that she can be in charge of the "electrics"* around the house
and that you, with your obviously superior technical savvy, will manage the "electronics".

Use your powers of persuasion to convince your wife that she can be proud to display
your new rooftop antenna...but for God's sake, be a man about it and don't grovel! :sure:

(*toaster, coffee maker, mixer, dishwasher, waffle iron, etc.)

[BaldEagle]

OK, I think I can post it now. The website is

http://uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/

Just go there and follow the instructions....If I can do it anyone can!Thanks for sharing this with us.

Pappy, how many miles away are the stations you are picking up?

[katesguy]

1 bummer about being 43 miles out of the city is no chance in hell of getting stations off an antenna unless the thing is ginormous and sits on my roof, so I don't get to experience the apparently earthshatteringly-clear OTA signals everyone discusses.

But, watching you post 5 times in a row was entertaining.

Im 46 miles out from Chicago stations and get 95-98 on all stations with a Phillips dipole antenna in the attic

[cheer]

Im 46 miles out from Chicago stations and get 95-98 on all stations with a Phillips dipole antenna in the attic

Even WBBM? That is impressive.