Trying to ID big old antenna

Back in 1979 (well before the Internet), I went to Radioshack and ordered the biggest antenna they sold for TV. I have no idea if it was VHF only or VHF/UHF. Back then, UHF wasn't an issue here anyway. I'm in an extreme-fringe area and was attempting to get channels 2, 6, and/or 10 at that time. As I recall, it didn't work too well, and I wound up building my own 14 foot satellite dish.

Now, 30 years later, I pulled this thing out of my farm-dump, and hooked it up trying to get Channel 6 again. To my surprise, it worked, whereas the new Winegard HD8200 did not.

Now, I'm wondering what this thing is. It's corroded, all the elements are bent, and I removed half antenna before installing. Originally, it was around 200" long. But, the front half, where the boom comes apart into two pieces, has elements that are not hooked to anything. They all are attached to the boom with plastic insulators - but no wire attachments. All in the same plane. I'm kind of wondering if parts are missing maybe? The insulators look as if they are cast to allow conductor wires to pass through them.

If I knew what this half did, I might try putting it back on the antenna. The rear half that I am using, has wires attaching all the elements, and running to the 300 ohm connectors. For all I know, it's working better because I removed the other section.

Here's a crude drawing of the front half that I removed. Has 7 elements on each side of the boom. Each element one each side of the boom is 19" long and also, each element has a U-shaped wire attached to it. That U-shaped wire has three sides - 11.5" by 1.5" by 22.25". So, if you add the wire length to each main element, total length of each element is 54.25". Also, the spacing of these rows of elements changes, front to middle. First spacing is 17.5", then 15", then 10.5", then 10", then two with 9.5" spacing.

Anybody got any idea if the half I removed is some sort of UHF rig?

It's an old Jerrold VIP series antenna: it's hard to know exactly whioch model because the tail section is missing, but I would guess that it was a VIP-306 or VIP-307: a terrific VHF-only antenna in it's day. Based on your description of it 's original length of almost 200", I would guess that it was a VIP-307, which was 189"

It's an old Jerrold VIP series antenna: it's hard to know exactly whioch model because the tail section is missing, but I would guess that it was a VIP-306 or VIP-307: a terrific VHF-only antenna in it's day. Based on your description of it 's original length of almost 200", I would guess that it was a VIP-307, which was 189"

Thanks - and now I feel pretty dumb. I've been looking and calling all over trying to buy a VIP-307 - to no avail. Now it seems I've had one sitting in my dump all these years? Maybe that's why I'm getting channel 6 now.

I looked at the only image I have, for the Wade 300 series, and yes - that is it. Mine has more elements than the one in the photo, but the one pictured is probably a smaller VIP model. Mine has to be a VIP-307 - sold by Wade, and originally made right in my neighborhood of Delhi, New York. That's why Wade used to call it the"Delhi."

Do you have any idea if I'm missing parts on the section I removed? I can't figure how it did anything, but I'm not antenna engineer. Wade states that the VIP-397 came with special elements to stop incoming FM signal. Could that be their purpose? I ask again, because the elements on the removed section are all insulated - i.e. no continuity with the boom or anything else. I'm trying to figure if they were wired at one time.

I know what a VIP-307 looks like, but I don't know what parts you are missing. It doesn't surprise me that it is picking up channel 6, however. Is that WRGB from Albany-Schenectady?

I know what a VIP-307 looks like, but I don't know what parts you are missing. It doesn't surprise me that it is picking up channel 6, however. Is that WRGB from Albany-Schenectady?

I don't know if I'm missing parts or not. The section that I removed and am not using at the moment, has all the elements insulated from the boom and all else. I.e., no wires of any sort connecting them to the 300 ohm connector. Each element is hooked to a plastic insulator at the boom. And, each insulator has a hole in it that would allow a conductor to pass through - but there is NO wire. That may be just because the same insulators are used in different applications.

I bought the antenna new in 1979, and for all I know, it's been missing parts since I bought it. Or, maybe it's designed this way. I need to see a close-up of anohter VIP-307 or maybe any 300 series, to find out. I remove the section simply to cut down antenna size, since at first - I thought it was some sort of weird FM or UHF section. Now, I'm more confused if this is a pure VHF antenna.

In this diagram from Wade, I outlined the section I removed in red. The antenna shown though has less elements, so it's probably not a 307. Must be smaller. I also attached a diagram I drew that shows the elements and spacing of the section I took off. I still have it and might stick it on to see what it does. I'm just trying to figure out if those elements are supposed to be somehow hooked to the 300 ohm connector, or left as -is.

And about channel 6, yes, that's the one. Started by General Electric and claims to be the first TV channel in the USA.

I think I see what you are asking: there is no separate electrical connection between the directors on the front of the antenna and the active components on the antenna itself. The VIP series of antennas used a crossed harness to connect the ACTIVE components of the antennas, but the front directors are PASSIVE components, and don't require a separare connection. If you have the pieces of the front directors, and they are n good shape, by all means, reinstall them: they may not help you much whth channel 6, but they wlll help on the high-band Albany channels which operate on channels 12 and 13

The VIP series of antennas used a crossed harness to connect the ACTIVE components of the antennas, but the front directors are PASSIVE components, and don't require a separare connection. If you have the pieces of the front directors, and they are n good shape, by all means, reinstall them: they may not help you much whth channel 6, but they wlll help on the high-band Albany channels which operate on channels 12 and 13

Thanks for the info. When I removed it, I had thought it was some sort of UHF component. I'm going to put it back on and see what happens. There's a channel 12 here I'd like to get.