Homemade HD Antenna

skipzeedoodle

Hello again! I watched the video, and the guy with the coat hangers didn't show insulation where the long wires crossed over, but your's does. Does that help the reception? Which way do you recommend?
My husband was so excited, he's going to build one tomorrow!
What a great idea!!!!!!

shortymet55

I think the stuff on the Hanger is good enough insulation. The stuff he scraped off in the other steps. Just with copper wires, you do need to insulate them, because they dont have any other insulation on them

tipstir

Wouldn't that make a good FM ANT also for your stereo in your photo?

XDRoX

I believe he did leave insulation on the crossing parts, he just didn't say anything about. I do believe it will help reception. I also believe that if they cross at a 90 degree angle, it will also improve reception, although I didn't really do a good job of that.
After seeing how good the thing works, I now think I could have built it out of paper clips and string, and it would have still worked. But this might just be where I live, I don't know. I do live in a very populated city (San Diego).
I did more research on the topic than just the youtube video. I just posted the link, because it was an easy way to show people how to make one. There are actually whole forums dedicated to this type of thing.
You can also build a backing out of cardboard and foil if you need more reception. And I'm sure putting it outside would also help. I doubt you'll have any issues, though. I even live in an old house with plaster walls, and it doesn't seem to have an effect.

XDRoX

If it weren't such a bitch to pull out the receiver I would try it. I actually get very bad FM reception. I could even use a cable splitter to share the signal. Next time I am back there, I will definitely try it.

skipzeedoodle

Thanks so much for your help! We just bought our first HD tv, and my husband was really excited to find this information. We're retired, so he loves new projects! We live in Wisconsin close to the lake, and we have to get our tv out of Green Bay. (Go Packers!)
We have an old house also, so we're anxious to see how this works. We'll let you know! Thanks again!

XDRoX

I just did a search on Yahoo and here is a much better one:

BrianO

As far as the construction is concerned it's not a bad video. However there are quite a few errors;

The antenna is a UHF antenna, not an HD antenna. (There is no such thing as an HD antenna). It probably provides very little gain for VHF and there will be digital/HD stations broadcasting on VHF after the analogue cutoff, but not necessarily in your area. The list of final post-transition channel allotments, released August 6 2007, is available on the FCC web site in the DTV section.

A Balun is not a VHF/UHF transformer. A Balun is a 300 ohm to 75 ohm transformer. It is required to connect this antenna to any modern TV that uses 75 ohm coaxial RF antenna connections (almost all, except for some small portables).

There is no HD mandate, only a digital mandate.

The analogue cutoff is Feb 17, 2009 (not the end of 2008). It applies only to Full Power stations. Low power stations and translators are not affected. However, the reduction of the RF spectrum used for TV to channels 2 -51 (excluding channel 37) applies to all stations, including Low Power stations and translators, effective Feb 18, 2009.

Loves2Watch

No. FM radio is broadcast on the VHF band and this is an UHF antenna.

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Violent31601

hell ya, for having a wii!

daleb

12 miles in what direction? ... well, here's how you find out. www.antennaweb.org

Being from SD originally, I believe most will be atop Mt. Soledad, Mt. Helix, perhaps, and other high places.
All SD digital stations are UHF, so you should be good there.

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XDRoX

If I remember from when I was a kid UHF was the high channels like 39, 51, 69, and VHF were the low ones, like 6, 8, 10. Maybe vise-versa I don't remember. Lastt night I tried using the antenna for SD channels and it was difficult. It didn't get channel 6 (Fox) good and the rest of them I had to move the antenna around in order to get them well. So your post explains this.

This is my question.
Am I to assume that all the HD channels are being broadcasted on UHF, because I get all of them great? And are you saying that after Feb, 2009, some will move to VHF?

tipstir

Well he said he can pickup VHF band so that's why I had mention this. But you're right if it's UHF it won't work... So this won't work with HD

tipstir

Thanks for you insight though... Just to go to be true.. Can't get away from Digital Cable with HDTV support..

XDRoX

Just wanted to point out amongst some of the confusion that this antenna does get High Definition for free.
When hooked to my TV, I get the following extra digital stations:
6.1 (fox)
8.1 (CBS)
10.1 (ABC)
15.1 15.2 (KPBS)
39.1, 39.2 (NBC)
51.1 (KUSI)
69.1 (???)
and many other Spanish stations (possibly coming from Mexico, I live 30 miles from the border).

Amongst these digital stations, yesterday I saw high definition being broadcasted in 16:9 picture ratio on:
6.1 (fox)
8.1 (CBS)
15.2 (KPBS)
I don't know how many other of these digital stations broadcast in HD, but I know at least these one do.

Everything that has been posted above by Loves2watch and BrianO is very true and worth pointed out, I just didn't want any new readers misinterpret and think that the antenna did not get HD.