Have you or someone you know ever make one of these antennas? Search for hdtv antenna.This one has good reviews and a lot of views. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw
youtube coat hanger hdtv antennas....
- Thread starter daves66nova
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I have made one. It works pretty good for picking up channels broadcast on 13 to 51. In my area many stations are still broadcasting on VHF high(7-13).
I added a set of rabbitt ears to the top of the bow tie array and pick up all those stations too.
Keep the length of the hangers equal.
Symmetry is important.
I added a set of rabbitt ears to the top of the bow tie array and pick up all those stations too.
Keep the length of the hangers equal.
Symmetry is important.
Nice post! Thanks.
In New Zealand we call them a Kotanga.
Originally Posted By: mongo161
Nice post! Thanks.
how? Just curious
Nice post! Thanks.
how? Just curious
Pick up any early to mid 50's Radio-Electronics, and you'll see that the Bow Tie was quite a popular comercial antenna design, and for good reason.
Many old homes areound here still sport four and eight bay bow ties on push up poles with twin lead dangling loose at the roofline.
Many old homes areound here still sport four and eight bay bow ties on push up poles with twin lead dangling loose at the roofline.
gonna make one of these today at my desk...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDg5DR58dUQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNEe0poyivk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDg5DR58dUQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNEe0poyivk
Originally Posted By: daves66nova
Have you or someone you know ever make one of these antennas? Search for hdtv antenna.This one has good reviews and a lot of views. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw
I did not make one but bought an antenna that has the same exact structure as those coat hanger antennas.
Have you or someone you know ever make one of these antennas? Search for hdtv antenna.This one has good reviews and a lot of views. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw
I did not make one but bought an antenna that has the same exact structure as those coat hanger antennas.
Anyone know how to make a good FM antenna for a home stereo or for a vehicle? I've tried looking on youtube but nothing.
Dave,
before an appropriate antenna can be suggested you need to say what distance are you trying to cover with that antenna ? How far are you from the transmitting tv or radio towers ?
For example if you were living within 20 miles from the tv towers the youtube antenna would be overkill.
before an appropriate antenna can be suggested you need to say what distance are you trying to cover with that antenna ? How far are you from the transmitting tv or radio towers ?
For example if you were living within 20 miles from the tv towers the youtube antenna would be overkill.
Originally Posted By: youdontwannaknow
Dave,
before an appropriate antenna can be suggested you need to say what distance are you trying to cover with that antenna ? How far are you from the transmitting tv or radio towers ?
For example if you were living within 20 miles from the tv towers the youtube antenna would be overkill.
I checked antennaweb.org and almost all were 17.5 mile away, but i am behind a mountainous area.
Dave,
before an appropriate antenna can be suggested you need to say what distance are you trying to cover with that antenna ? How far are you from the transmitting tv or radio towers ?
For example if you were living within 20 miles from the tv towers the youtube antenna would be overkill.
I checked antennaweb.org and almost all were 17.5 mile away, but i am behind a mountainous area.
I was afraid about that. Mountains, trees, buildings are signal killers. Lets do this, forget antennaweb, go to tvfool.com . It will give you a signal heat map that factors in terrain. It will tell you the signal strength you can expect to get at your exact location. Post that map here. From there we can determine what type of antenna you need.
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this is one,http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=90 , here's another one,don't know which is relevant.http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3dec12203efabd54
It would be the second url. The good thing is that the transmitting towers are on top of the big mountains.
I hope these links below work - the first is a heat map of the most powerful signal at your location, and the second is of a much weaker station. You get these by clicking on the station in the table in your original url. Now are you right behind the small mountain on the bottom right ? or in front of it ? and if behind then are you right at the foot of it ? If you are the foot then you are in the diffraction zone but just a further out you might be ok.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3dec12203efabd54%26t%3dALLTV%26n%3d1
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3dec12203efabd54%26t%3dALLTV%26n%3d26
The color scheme is a bit counter intuitive. White is "hottest" with Red, Yellow and Orange as progressively weaker but still good, and green is supposed to be weak. So you want to be towards red and away from green.
So if you are upto the yellow range in the heat maps then you might be able to get away with the youtube or a coat hangar antenna, if in the green you will need a serious roof top antenna.
Another good thing is that all the stations are in the same direction. Almost(4 degrees west) straight north. So should be easy to point as well.
I hope these links below work - the first is a heat map of the most powerful signal at your location, and the second is of a much weaker station. You get these by clicking on the station in the table in your original url. Now are you right behind the small mountain on the bottom right ? or in front of it ? and if behind then are you right at the foot of it ? If you are the foot then you are in the diffraction zone but just a further out you might be ok.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3dec12203efabd54%26t%3dALLTV%26n%3d1
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3dec12203efabd54%26t%3dALLTV%26n%3d26
The color scheme is a bit counter intuitive. White is "hottest" with Red, Yellow and Orange as progressively weaker but still good, and green is supposed to be weak. So you want to be towards red and away from green.
So if you are upto the yellow range in the heat maps then you might be able to get away with the youtube or a coat hangar antenna, if in the green you will need a serious roof top antenna.
Another good thing is that all the stations are in the same direction. Almost(4 degrees west) straight north. So should be easy to point as well.
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Originally Posted By: youdontwannaknow
Now are you right behind the small mountain on the bottom right ? and if behind then are you right at the foot of it ? If you are the foot then you are in the diffraction zone but just a further out you might be ok.
I'm behind the mountain at the footbase.
Now are you right behind the small mountain on the bottom right ? and if behind then are you right at the foot of it ? If you are the foot then you are in the diffraction zone but just a further out you might be ok.
I'm behind the mountain at the footbase.
Bummer. Thats a tricky hit or miss situation for any general antenna recommendations. What kind of reception are you getting right now with what type of antenna ?
I'd say give the youtube antenna a try otherwise look at Winegard and Channel Master for external antennas.
I'd say give the youtube antenna a try otherwise look at Winegard and Channel Master for external antennas.
ok,i'll be doing it this week.
I am in San Diego, But I have my homemade U tube style antenna pointed at mount Wilson above LA, 92 miles away, and I get, or with a little tweaking, can get every station broadcast from that mountain.
The humidity seems to be the biggest climatological factor in my reception(fog is good, Santa Anas bad). While pointing my antenna, it really needs to be within 5 degrees of exact to pull in the weakest of stations, another factor, how far forward or back it leans also has a huge effect on reception. Some frequencies( channels) need the antenna to be rotated e/w depending on many factors, despite the towers being the exact same direction.
My neighbor has a channelmaster antenna that does not perform that much better considering how much bigger, and professional it is. That antenna can only pull in the strongest stations from it's backside, whereas my homemade antenna seems to have 75% the gain on the back of the antenna as compared to the Front.
The humidity seems to be the biggest climatological factor in my reception(fog is good, Santa Anas bad). While pointing my antenna, it really needs to be within 5 degrees of exact to pull in the weakest of stations, another factor, how far forward or back it leans also has a huge effect on reception. Some frequencies( channels) need the antenna to be rotated e/w depending on many factors, despite the towers being the exact same direction.
My neighbor has a channelmaster antenna that does not perform that much better considering how much bigger, and professional it is. That antenna can only pull in the strongest stations from it's backside, whereas my homemade antenna seems to have 75% the gain on the back of the antenna as compared to the Front.
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Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
I am in San Diego, But I have my homemade U tube style antenna pointed at mount Wilson above LA, 92 miles away, and I get, or with a little tweaking, can get every station broadcast from that mountain.
The humidity seems to be the biggest climatological factor in my reception(fog is good, Santa Anas bad). While pointing my antenna, it really needs to be within 5 degrees of exact to pull in the weakest of stations, another factor, how far forward or back it leans also has a huge effect on reception. Some frequencies( channels) need the antenna to be rotated e/w depending on many factors, despite the towers being the exact same direction.
My neighbor has a channelmaster antenna that does not perform that much better considering how much bigger, and professional it is. That antenna can only pull in the strongest stations from it's backside, whereas my homemade antenna seems to have 75% the gain on the back of the antenna as compared to the Front.
Hmmm, I think i should be very good,considering you can get the stations 92 miles away.I'm only 17 miles away.
I am in San Diego, But I have my homemade U tube style antenna pointed at mount Wilson above LA, 92 miles away, and I get, or with a little tweaking, can get every station broadcast from that mountain.
The humidity seems to be the biggest climatological factor in my reception(fog is good, Santa Anas bad). While pointing my antenna, it really needs to be within 5 degrees of exact to pull in the weakest of stations, another factor, how far forward or back it leans also has a huge effect on reception. Some frequencies( channels) need the antenna to be rotated e/w depending on many factors, despite the towers being the exact same direction.
My neighbor has a channelmaster antenna that does not perform that much better considering how much bigger, and professional it is. That antenna can only pull in the strongest stations from it's backside, whereas my homemade antenna seems to have 75% the gain on the back of the antenna as compared to the Front.
Hmmm, I think i should be very good,considering you can get the stations 92 miles away.I'm only 17 miles away.
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