DIY HDTV ANTENNA FOR INDOORS OR OUTDOORS
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 มิ.ย. 2024
- An updated build for an inexpensive, easy to make indoor'/outdoor TV aerial - the omnidirectional Hoop antenna. Step by step video showing the complete simple instruction you need to make your own. This antenna was built for my AFrame camper, but it can be adapted for any application you have.
Yes, I'm well aware that there is no specific "HDTV" antenna design, but the antenna industry has set the standard for using the term and definition, so don't blame me for following suit. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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I made one of these today thanks to your vid. I am SOOO impressed. I used pex 5 footers from Lowes. Total was about $25. Im getting 4 of 5 bars on all my favorite local channels. Channel search got me 58 channels. I trimmed it down to my fav 30-35. Im so pleased. I twisted two 12 gauge copper wires. No problem.
Thanks Brother
Great! Thanks for letting us know about your success. Thanks for watching.
Thank you VERY much for being so generous with tour expertise in this DIY antenna project!!! Very good looking addition to any home or [portable home situation. You esplained it all so well that the project should be very do-able for most DIY inclined people. EXCELLENT VIDEO CONTENT!!!
Glad it was helpful!
My traditional OTA antenna is mounted in the attic under the roof of my 11-year-old home. I live within 20 miles of all the broadcast-TV antennas from local stations. I have distributed these channels through coax to 9 TV locations in my home and use this option whenever my primary TV distribution system (cable, satellite, streaming) fails. It works perfectly and I would spend the few dollars it cost to install it again in any home. In fact, I've added a Tablo and record lots of broadcast TV (especially PBS) programs since most of the currently popular distribution systems tend not to include PBS stations.
simple loop with a matching transformer works great. ive got a loop antenna for ham radio, 560ft long and its super quiet and a beast to use on HF. for those that do not know, loops are about the best antennas because the are very quiet and have good noise rejection to man made noise. great job.
Thanks so much!
For home install, I would change a few things. First, take out the cent pipe, feed the wire ends through the "T" fitting and add insulation to each then connect the balun to the wires and connect a length of coax to the balun. Feed those through both center. pipes and out through the other "T" on the opposite end. Second I would use pvc glue to connect all the pvc parts which would be better weatherproofing. If you used a four way fitting on the bottom you would have a place for a pipe for a mast. then a weatherproof coax connection to run into the house. I'd paint it black in case anyone might complain - like an HOA!
Sorry that was longer than I expected. You made a nice simple effective device. Maybe temporary use such as an RV, weatherproofing is not needed. I enjoyed watching you and learned a lot!
Carl, those are all really great suggestions. As you said, my build is for my RV so I didn't have to worry about some of those (like HOA...LOL). I did silicone seal the element wire at the holes before the balun - it just didn't make the final edit. Thanks for your feedback and support.
Very well put, I second your summarization, review, and conclusion!
You can't glue pex
I have made four of these and they all work well. Three are inside the house and one is outside. I will put the fourth one outside as well and route the wire down the chimney that I never use to get it to where I need it. I could wire it to old cable wires on the outside that are already feeding to the inside of the house, but I would rather strip them off the exterior and have the new coax wires hidden. Two antennas. one on each side of the house feeding through the chimney's. Both on masts when I get done. Great stuff. Thanks for the project.
You are welcome, and thank you for the great info.
Nice love the design thanks for the excellent tutorial
You’re welcome 😊
Shalom Mr. Hop to it, Nicely done and thanks for the demo. You are "that man'
Thanks for watching!
I ran the wire to my old Dish on top of the roof and it works super great ! Thanks
Thanks for watching my channel.
I have made a few of these and they worked good
Sorry, but it's well, they work well.
I've been looking for a new antenna this is so easy looking and so simple I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner I have looked up many TV antenna ideas I don't see this one getting around very much. I have a couple different directions and currently the antenna that's literally sitting on top of my chimney that I found on the side of the road 10 years ago is starting to not cut it anymore.
Thanks for watching my channel, Mark
Good video & I made one just like this but I used 1/2" PVC and glued it which made it VERY sturdy, must better than screws.
Thanks for watching. More videos to come!
this is pretty decent for a Diy RV or close range indoor attic antenna. I would however not use the amp that you used. it would be slightly better to add a pre amp like a winegaurd LNA-200 to the antenna mast just after the Balun. the preamp is then powered up the cable from an inserter you can place inside. The advantage of this is you are amplifying the signals closer to the active element and that will keep weaker signals from being too weaker by the end of your cable run to the tv tuner.
Thanks Michael. You are correct, but since this antenna is installed on a very short run on my camper, an amplifier works well. I should have clarified this for home users. My obvious mistake, and I appreciate your comment!
Put the wire through holes on the bottom,and seal with silicone.
Also put a strip of foil ducting tape on the inside exterior of the hoop to serve as a reflector.
Keep an eye on my channel - a new antenna design video will be posting very soon. and those concepts are actually addressed! Thanks for watching
thanks Mr hop to it, Saw video today got it done got dark, hook up Tomorrow. Pennsylvania.
Thanks for watching my video!
Awesome video
Thanks. I hope you checked out a few more videos I have on my channel
Not exactly pertinent to your particular project here, but I'd like to mention a source of excellent basically free extruded aluminum rod material, as well as some channel stock.
The rods are great for forming aluminum elements for use in DIY antennas.
When "mini blinds" fail, the discarded blind assemblies contain lengthwise Al rods with a star cross section, which can be easily removed and repurposed.
I'm talking about the blinds that have hanging plastic rods that hang vertically from the inside track to slide the curtain elements open and closed, and are twisted to change their angles to effect increased or decreased amounts of light that is allowed to pass through the blind assembly. In addition, the channel that it all moves around in (which can vary from fair to high quality and strength). These channels are basically the same design as unistrut), more useful useful project material.
Thanks Rich. I never thought of that. Looks like I will have some more future projects if I can dig up some of those blinds.
What you described is not a mini blind, but instead is called a vertical blind. Vertical blinds are commonly used on doorwalls.
Nice job. The only reservation I have with PEX is that it tends to deteriorate very quickly when exposed to UV light. I suppose if it was mounted in an attic where there is no UV light it would be fine for a home installation.
From what I read, the UV just accelerates the degradation that chlorinated water inside the pipe is causing. Since there is no water flowing in an antenna, the degradation process will be much slower. To be on the safe side, I always recommend painting any outdoor mounted antenna. A good layer of paint will block UV from reaching the plastic. This is also true for PVC. Thanks for watching my channel!
@@mrhoptoit78359
I hope I'm not duplicating someone else's comment. If you're going to bother with an amplifier, use a two-piece amplifier so the amplifier is located at the antenna and the power supply for it is located at the television or if at home, in the attic near the distribution coupler. The purpose of the amplifier is to strengthen the signal before sending it through the 75 ohm feedline, thus increasing your signal to noise ratio. The amplifier located at the television is simply amplifying signal AND noise, which serves no purpose whatsoever.
You hit the nail on the head there, I'm ex Comms, the Royal corps of signal's, British army.
Thanks Ron. Very good advice . As I made this antenna for my small camper and the length of cable is short, (less than 20' total) adding a two piece amplifier wouldn't have made sense for me. A lot of people are now making this for home use, which I really didn't go into, so thanks for your insight and great explanation. Thanks for watching!
You can use multistrate tube for hydraulic use with alluminum soul. So you don't need to insert a metal wire core.
Great idea
I have Winward Motorcycle Camper that I welded a tube on the Rear Bumper for a 25' Painters pole to slip into and the bottom of the Pole just sits on the ground. I use a LAVA 8000 Omni that uses a 12vdc Pre-amp
Gets all the stations with in 50 Miles of most places that I camp in Central Wis.
When My 120" Tower goes back up next Spring it'll be interesting what I can get with a pair of stacked Batt wing Antennas..
Mike M N9IAB.
I already tried it (with the stranded wire I mean). I used a piece of 14 AWG extension cord wire. I went from receiving 4 channels average to poor quality with just rabbit ears to getting channels from about half a state away in full HD. (about 85 or so stations.). So... WAAAAAY better than expected.
How far is half a state? (& which state). RI vs TX vs CO vs KS are very different things…
@@SFX95901 TN. I 'm on the Eastern side and I was getting Channels (with HD quality) from Nashville and Cookeville. also since TN is shorter N-S I was also getting Channels from Northern Alabama and Southern Kentucky, also Channels ALL OVER South Carolina.
There is no such thing as an "HD" antenna. An antenna from the 1950's works the same picking up DTV signals just as the ones manufactured today.
Rabbit ear am-fm and smart tv thats hdtv ready. Then coil up 20 loops of wire for a passive inductor. Maybe 80 ohms resistance. About the diameter of the am loop. Hang it with a bread twisty.
And an old cell phone car antenna works pretty good. The bnc is not exactly (rg45?) size but it works.
Enjoyed the video. Is there any changes you would make to add FM radio capability?
Although you may be able to receive some FM on this antenna, its designed for UHF reception (higher frequency). I am actually making a simple FM/VHF add on for those people that have requested one, and I hope to have the video posted within a few days. Thanks for watching!
I have a store bought antenna that is actually rated very well has an amplifier my problem is I have an old Sony flat screen TV and the tuner in the older Sony's from what I understand does not pull the signals in that well... So I will next purchase a tuner and hook it up to my TV should pull in signals really well.
The TV tuner deals with the signal it gets from the antenna. If you do not have a good antenna, the tuner has no signal to deal with.
If you have a good antenna, but live in a bad reception location, you may not get a good signal, for your tuner to deal with.
Moral of the story: Start with a good antenna, before putting money on a separate tuner, because you need a good antenna anyway.
P.S.: I see you say you have a supposedly good antenna. Maybe you only need to re-align it. If that is good, maybe try an amplifier.
Instead of cutting and splicing the wire, just make 3 antennas. X-mas presents.
That's a great idea!
Like DIY antenna, being cheap I wanted to make same, used TV cable 90" about $1.25 or less for 10' cable, stripped cover off and then stripped ground shield. You are left with foam like covering with wire core. Cut wire 90" same as this video and formed into 26" circle then connect 300-75 ohm balun and connect to TV. Getting same channels that received other HDTV antennas.
That's great! Like I said before, follow the dimensions and get creative with the materials. Your construction will work well as an indoor antenna. Thanks for watching and commenting!
What gets me about antennas is there is no one kind fits all environments for reception. After seeing this video Mr. Hop To It, I am wondering if this size antenna doubled up with a reflector on the back really increase the range of reception ?? This ring antenna you made is really amazing with performance, size, weight and easy on the eyes. One more thing, would winding the element around a dowel and fitting this inside the PEX tubing increase the surface area for more signals to be gained ?? One could change the diameter of the PEX if increasing the diameter of the spring to increase the surface area ?? This makes sense logically to me but only if the signal GODS smile on us both.
Good day Sir.
Interesting concepts that I may have to explore. Thanks for the comments!
Look forward to see what you come up with Sir. Thanks.....@@mrhoptoit7835
2 questions, first if you use an amplifier and connect it at the hoop prior to the coax as suggested, how do you power it as every one I saw has a usb for power and if the antenna is 15 to 20 feet from usb source where do get the power. Second looking at the pex that is being used it appears that it is 3/4 and the pvc maybe 1/2 I have tried many fittings to get a good fit of pvc to slide into the pex but can't find any sizes that work. What sizes are being used.
This is an amplifier, not a pre-amp, and is powered with a standard 110v wall plug. It's one piece and designed to be used at the TV. If your set up uses multiple TVs or has longer coax feeds, then use a pre-amp instead. 1/2" CPVC slides right into 3/4" PEX, so no special fittings are needed. The joints are not snug, but you aren't trying to run water through them. If you are concerned about keeping out the weather, you can use a little silicone sealant before you use the screws to secure them. Thanks for watching.
awesome
Thanks for watching👍
I just made this hoop antenna with a 1/4" copper tubing I had leftover . Only difference is with a length of about 67" the hoop diameter is about 21-22" so it is shorter than yours by ~4". I have good LOS from the broadcasting towers, about 18-19 miles away from me. To my surprise I am receiving 70 stations ranging from 40 to 92% signal strength with a very stable picture. I have one question for you or anyone who knows: Is this antenna design tunable to a specific frequency based on its dimensions? I was hoping to receive MeTV+ on real channel 18 (497 Mhz) which (in my area) is admittedly on the lower strength spectrum but I am not picking it up at all. Perhaps I should make one using your suggested dimensions; any other ideas, thanks!
You are correct. Adjusting the element length will alter the tuning of the antenna. If the distance to the transmitter is within the design parameters of the antenna, you should receive it. I suggest mocking up a loop antenna from wire per the original dimensions and see if it picks up the station. Thanks for watching!
Have you had that antenna deployed in wind yet? I suspect that the cpvc to brass adapter might be a fail point. It could be strengthened by wrapping it with wire or something before it gets a crack.
Ron, as of now its faced 30-32 mph winds with no problem. It has a small cross section so wind resistance is fairly low. I would think the weak area is going to be the spring clamp that holds it to the bumper, which might pop free if the winds get really high. Thanks for watching!
how about mounting a loop onto a cardboard if you are mounting it indoors, say in attic? will that work?
Sure that would work. Just keep the dimensions and layout the same as shown, and mount it with the antenna plane flat . Reception will be reduced due to the roof, but if you have good signals it will work. Have fun.
Drive way out to the mountains or a park somewhere hauling your camper where the constant noise of city life is finally gone, no constant ambulances or police sirens, no highway noises or worries of anybody possibly breaking in and robbing you or ringing the bell trying to sell you something. Where you can turn off the phone and not have to hear about work or possibly get called in for something. Where theres no lights everywhere to block out the stars in the sky. Just the flicker and sounds of your generator motor running your tv while you do the exact same shit you normally do at your house every other day….. yup.. merica..
Not a critical point, but that matching transformer is not a “Baylen”, it is a balanced-to-unbalanced line .. a balun transformer.
The Source or Radio Shack has them
So would this be a viable replacement for cable tv in a home? Great stuff! Ooops just watching your pan antenna vid
Yes
You can always give it a try without canceling cable to see what you get.
@@kensmith5694 I dont have tv I just use a laptop i got a tv for video games lol
@@tuffy16 I have a USB TV tuner for my laptop so I can watch TV on it.
There are some things worth watching like your local news.
From the design looks like UHF antenna and no VHF elements ?
Quarter inch copper tubing . . . And you can use joints and solder to connect the circle
Thanks for watching my channel
@@mrhoptoit7835 I live down in a hole. First 2 years here . . . No TV . . . Then I bought several sections of Rohn Tower . . . Yeah TV . . . then the wind came . . . No prob my antenna has a motor . . . then the motor quit . . . I lifted that tower up with my Smart and wire rope . . . When I lower it, one of these is going on! THANK YOU (and hopefully I can pick up channel 10 out of Springfield, Mo 70 miles due west)
@@gigmaresh8772 Good luck and thanks for sharing
I’m sure this antenna works, but I am confused about the length of wire used. I though the calculation for full loops is
Circumference (ft) = 1005/freq (mhz)
1005/525mhz = 1.91’ = 23 inch circumference, which is about 7.3” diameter. Your antenna is about 3x the size.
Am I calculating this incorrectly?
I have been trying to find one of those signal amplifiers for years. Where I live they don't exist. You mention it in an offhand manner but for me getting one is like finding a hen's tooth.
I end up buying a lot of things online. Its the way things are nowadays. Amazon carries them, including the one in my video. Search "TV antenna amplifier". If you prefer, Walmart.com carries them too, and will ship right to your local store. Thanks for watching my video, Bobby.
@@mrhoptoit7835 walmart carries them about $10
@@richarddegen6184 Thanks for the info. I bought mine there about 7 years ago, so its good to know they still carry it locally.
What brand of tv do you have with a built in guide like that? I had a tv with a guide like that but it was before digital tv came out.
That is an Insignia 24" Firestick TV that I got from Best Buy on sale. I think almost all the new Smart TVs have that menu. I actually find it annoying..lol Thanks for watching.
How far away would these antennas pick up adequate signals. I am about 60 miles from the nearest TV station?
At 60 miles you need to think of using a directional antenna. They favor the signal they are pointed at and reject the noise from other directions.
Should have cut the right length plus 2 inches at each end, strip one inch off EACH wire, connect them in SERIES, this will create a 3 wrap loop antenna that will be strong enough to hold itself up, if you live in an area where the wind is more than 10 mph, you should use a support. The 3 wraps will make the antenna have more gain, not really a lot but will pickup less noise, and use 300 ohm twin lean to bring it into your house, rv, whatever and use a balun to attach it to your tv. The twin lead is a way to reduce noise as well as being easier to bring in through a window or door as well as easier transport.
Will this antenna pick up VHF channels ? I need to pick up VHF channel 7 that is about 175MHz I think , as well as the UHF cannels .
The only local VHF channel is RF 8, and it receives it. It should pick up Hi VHF stations. If you make this, please let me (and everyone here) know how it works. Thanks
What is the average distance from receiver would this unit reception be Sir ???
Horizontal loop antennas work best for signals within 30 to 40 miles max, but actual performance depends on your particular situation. Thanks for watching.
If the plastic it transparent, would a lid to a say 40 gal trash barrel work? A hula hoop maybe ❓ 12-7-22 I like your pie pan better…..👍🏻🙋🏻♂️
David, many plastics are RF transparent, so I would think those would work. As I said in my video, use your imagination. Thanks for watching my channel!
Could you in theory Wire Multiple Hoops in Series and Stack them?
Or: if you are Patient, strip One Long Are Piece of copper and Weave it thru multiple Hoops Stacked?
Hidin' in Dryden, MI
Antenna elements are of specific lengths that correspond to the frequencies you are trying to receive. If you just add more element length, you "de-tune" the antenna and reception suffers. Thanks for watching my channel - more antenna vids to come!
@@mrhoptoit7835 Thats great to know! I legitimately was auuming in AA-AAA battery theory lol
Good to see you thinking of your fingers that knife blade can do DAMAGE WELL DONE
Thanks. I always say Don't go looking for trouble, it will find you on its own!
Stranded wire works fine as an antenna but you have to support it because it is flexible compared to solid core.
Thanks Ken. So stranded wire would work well in this antenna.
@@mrhoptoit7835 Yes and the size doesn't matter that much within reason.
@@mrhoptoit7835 So can coaxial cable, with the outside shield connected as the active element(s). The old style RG-59/U type with the full copper braid might be superior electrically for this use, and easier to connect by soldering.
Thanks for the info, Rich
@@richpayton7162 People have used coax in that sort of way. The outer shield of the cable is so much better of a conductor than the impedance of free space that better or worse shields have very little effect.
The diameter of the conductors (shields) matters only a little in most antenna designs. The exception that is common is when you make a folded dipole antenna. For that, you really need to change the distance between wires as you change the diameter of the wire.
There is modeling software that can help you experiment with ideas without cutting up wire. I have some and have tinkered a little. I made no huge breakthroughs. At some point I may publish a design based on my tinkering but that will only happen if I dream up something amazing.
It doesn't matter what color you is you gave me an idea for a. Parabolic pie plate antenna
Pie plates are easy to work with and cheap. Perfect to experiment with.
Nice design, but it could have been a lot cleaner and simpler.
I made an antenna for my CB/Ham radios some 30 years or so back and did something similar.
My element was a piece of solid stainless steel whip.
I incorporated a ground plane underneath the element as well.
Worked great, actually better than most store bought antennas. 50 mile transmit range on a good day for the CB, and using the ham was great too... on the 11 meter band.
Why the screws though ?
Just cement all the pipe together, better weather seal, no rusting metal and so on.
And you didn't use primer on your PVC joints either ???
Those tiny little pieces of plastic wire ties are going to snap... real soon.
All your wires could, and should have been on the inside of your PVC too.
Your black adapter is really just that, just an adapter, it's not a transformer.
I like the fact that you can rotate your element for storage, but the weather will get into those loose connections.
Thanks for the video sir...
Cheers.
Hi Vic. Thanks for the great comments and quetions. This particular build is for my camper so mine is not meant for permanent outdoor mounting. It's not glued together because there is no need to, and besides, gluing PVC to PEX does not work well. Because these PVC connections aren't being used to contain water flow, there's really no need to prime them before gluing. They will hold well. If you want to make the connections more water tight, I've previously suggested using silicone caulk before screwing together.
Since this antenna isn't permanent but just for occasional use, I didn't think mine needed the cable run internally, but it can be done if you desire, and other builders have told me they have done it that way.
I did end up using wire ties that are UV protected, so hopefully they will last, but if not it's no big deal for me to replace them. Thanks for watching!
Look online for a 300 to 75 ohm balun. Because that's what they are. So as not to mislead, it's 300 ohm to 75ohm impeadance.
Thanks for the comment
How far away are the tv stations from you antenna? I have a CBS station that I would like to receive and it is 69 miles away. Thank you
Hoop antennas typically work well within 35 - 40 miles. My Octagonal design with reflector might be a better choice - th-cam.com/video/Jqqpq4aq2cw/w-d-xo.html
My question is *how far are you from the broadcast antenna* Any terrain or trees or other obstructions between antenna and broadcast tower?
My closest transmitters are within 15 miles, while I can receive signals from towers 30-35 mile range. Rural/suburban location, no major hills , but trees, Thanks for watching.
@@mrhoptoit7835 i'm looking for something I can make that will grab broadcast antenna farm from 45 miles away. Permanent fixed location w/ antenna in the attic
My Octagonal design with reflector should do it, but there are too many variables (signal strength, clutter, roof construction, antenna height, etc.) to know for certain. You may want to try forming a wire hoop on a piece of cardboard, setting it in your attic, and seeing what you can receive. Also try with and without a pre-amp. Good luck.
Why does the antenna need to be 26 inches in diameter ?
That diameter will hold the element length that is tuned to pick up the majority of tv frequencies in the UHF band. Altering the diameter and element length changes this, and may alter reception. Thanks for watching.
What is the range for this antenna. I live in Altus, OK and Lawton with the channels is 54 miles away.
not likely
Antenna reception range is dependent on many factors and variables. For me, this antenna will receive a few strong stations over 40 miles away, but not consistantly. I suggest a larger, more directional antenna design for your needs.
I have the same camper, how do you have the TV mounted?
So glad you asked. Here's a link to my vid showing my hanging TV mount .Can I suggest that you Subscribe to my channel so you can see all the videos I've posted on our Flagstaff? Thanks.
th-cam.com/video/KTQF6u-NUPQ/w-d-xo.html
@@mrhoptoit7835 Thanks, I have subscribed and like the TV mount! Very well thought out. My camper is a little different setup but I like to conserve counter space. I just got the camper this year and working my way through little changes. I had seen another video where they actually hung the tv on the wall, but like you, I do not like the idea of drilling into the wall.
I have spent a few days attempting to do this now and I would really appreciate some help. I made a couple of these antennas of different designs, but none seem to work for some reason. I get okay signal strength (40-60%), but my TV says that signal quality is 0% no matter what I do. I don't have a matching transformer, other than the one I tried to DIY, but I'm wondering if I'm doing something else wrong. I know I'm trying to watch HD TV using pieces of scrap from my garage, but I'm seeing everyone here on YT get perfect signal from just a piece of wire, so I find it suspicious that I can't even budge beyond 0% signal quality.
This doesn't sound like an antenna issue, since you are getting signal strength. Have you tried this on another TV? Can that TV get a picture from another source, like cable, HDMI, etc? Are you sure you have the TV's input set correctly to antenna, not cable or something else?
@@mrhoptoit7835 I'm actually doing this for my mom. She doesn't have cable. She has a digital converter box and an old TV without a digital tuner. I couldn't get it to work on that, so I tried it with my TV which is usually connected to my PC via an HDMI cable because I mostly use it as a second monitor, so I know the TV works. I chose the DTV option when searching for channels, rather than ATV. I'm pretty sure that's correct. It just goes through each channel and says "No Signal". The digital converter that my mom has doesn't even display signal strength. It just has a signal bar that goes from bad to good and it shows nothing.
If I can't resolve this I'm just going to buy a cheap antenna, but I was hoping I could make one that would work better than a cheap one. It seemed pretty simple to me.
You are describing some pretty old tech so I'm trying to follow along. I know old digital converters have to have the TV on channel 3 or 4 to work. Did you set that right? As far as antennas go, all antennas will pull in some signal, so if you can't receive anything on your antennas, a commercial antenna shouldn't work any better. The only way an antenna won't receive is if it's constructed incorrectly, its undersized for the range, or it's built for the wrong frequencies that you are trying to get (for example UHF antenna trying to get VHF transmissions). I still suspect there is something wrong with the TV and/or setup.
@@mrhoptoit7835 It's not *that* old. The converter has an HDMI output and I just switch the source on the TV to HDMI. That part works just fine. I can see the output on my TV and I can browse through the menu using the remote that came with the converter box. The problem is that neither it nor my TV are finding any channels using the antenna I built. So I tried replicating the loop antenna in this video, as well as the pie dish antenna in another video. All of them give the exact same result. I get some signal strength, but no quality. The signal strength drops to around 4% when I unplug the antenna, so I know it's doing something, but it's just not getting any channels.
I was really hoping I was missing something obvious, but apparently it's a very unusual issue. Pretty much nobody uses OTA these days so Google can't really help me either.
Sorry I can't be more helpful. Good luck.
I didn't see ANY comments on how far away you are from transmitter stations & how many miles it'll pick up..just saying.
For my video demo, closest transmitters are within 15 miles, farthest signals are around 45 - 50 miles. Don't assume the same results for you. Your results will be based on distance, terrestrial interference, transmitter power, antenna height, and other variables. Thanks for watching!
Joe, this is an Omni directional antenna meant to pick up STRONG signs within 35 or less miles of the TV transmitter for moderate results.
With that being said, ALL results of this build are going to differ from each build.
@@SDS-1 That's understood..I have a good working knowledge of antennas..I've built my own trans/rec 4 element beams..I've moved since then & need to build a small TV antenna for the house..that said..transmission towers are 45 to 50 miles away..in a fairly straightforward northerly line..so 40' to 50' in the air is now out of the question..but thanks anyway for your input.
@@joezammit9659 for what frequency was the beam?
@@SDS-1 10 meter..2700mhz +..boom was approximately 20' as I remember..elements were 22' again as I recall..I've forgotten more than I remember..gave all that up in 2009..
DESDE URUGUAY MONTEVIDEO ..QUE PENA QUE NO ESTE LA EXPLICACION EN ESPAÑOL LATINO BUENTRABAJO .. 2 15 2023
Hecho! Todos mis videos de antena ahora tienen subtítulos en español.
@@mrhoptoit7835 MUCHISIMAS GRACIAS..,,NE GUSTO MUCHOSU TRAVAJO,, 73 CORDIALES 10 2 2023..
Why the specific diameter of the hoop?
The quick answer is the length of the element is tuned to the wavelength of the UHF signals that carry most TV broadcasts. Much longer or much shorter loops won't align with the wavelengths, and will not perform optimally. Any metal can receive TV signals, but properly designed antennas receive them much better. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching my channel!
we call them loops in ham radio
Thanks for watching
Why does it have to be 26 inches? Why not 20? or 30? etc.
Hi Mike. The quick answer is the length of the element is tuned to the wavelength of the UHF signals that carry most TV broadcasts. Much longer or much shorter loops won't align with the wavelengths, and will not perform optimally. Any metal can receive TV signals, but properly designed antennas receive them much better. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching my channel!
I must have missed him explaining why hes making it the hard way!!!!
All I will say is I have seen paper clips receive HDTV Channels.
👍😉
For local stations, yes it can work. Old fashioned rabbit ears will work better. Better antennas are needed for greater range.
Your instructions sure made a mountain out of a molehill and your camera work was sometimes terrible like doing things you talked about that were off screen. But luckily I got the idea.
I totally agree. That was one of my first videos I ever made. Forty -some videos later and I think I'm slowly getting better - at least I'm trying to. Thanks for watching.
There is no information about the distance from the transmitter, a piece of wire may well work in this location. Buy a cheap nanoVna, you'll know what you're doing. In the same way, this amplifier is unnecessary there, unless you have a 100m cable or you distribute it to 20 receivers.
Valid points. At my house I can normally receive 12 to 15 channels with just a 6 ft wire. My closest transmitters are less than 15 miles away. This antenna and amplifier combo gets 44 channels in my yard. I have tested it without the amp and received 39 channels. Also this antenna wasn't built for my location. Its on my camper which travels throughout many states and locations. TV Amplifiers are pretty much standard equipment on camping trailers. For me, 5 extra channels indicates that it is doing something, so I will opt to continue using it. Thanks and Keep watching!
I doubt anyone actually using this video to make a quick TV antenna with simple tools will actually know what a VNA actually is....... So this comment is actually useless
How do you get the analog signals?
The same antenna picks up what you are referring to as "analog". You are receiving a frequency. It doesn't matter whether it is sent in digital or analog over that frequency. An old antenna from the 1950's also picks up "HD".
Ok thanks
Now I’m trying to get some of the channels back that I lost
@@clintkuntz327 If you were replying to my "hd solder" comment, I was being sarcastic. There is no such thing, just like there is no such thing as HD antennas (you can thank the channel owner for choosing to perpetuate the myth because it was "easier" than educating his viewers.).
Why do you have to worry about a formula
The frequencies that TV channels broadcast on vary per channel. The length of the antenna element corresponds to these frequencies. The idea is to find the average frequency of the stations you are trying to pick up and size the element to that length. Fortunately, UHF is a bit more forgiving than VHF, so in many cases you do not have to be as precise. Thanks for watching.
damn
WHAT gain does this antenna have ??? Would making the antenna with double stack of wire increase the gain tremendously ??? Thanks for your time.
no gain, it is essentially a round dipole
@@richarddegen6184 Would putting two dipoles side by side increase the signal somehow ?? Thanks for letting me know Sir.
While you have all the necessary tools/materials handy, instead of spending time soldering short lengths of wire together, why not just cut the wire full length, and spend the saved time constructing two more antennas? Then, two friends who are incapable of this build will have their's on hand when they come calling! Lol!
Actually an amplifier will boost any antenna!
Thanks for watching my channel
Please call it what it actually is! I mean of course, Solder not Sodder and a little bit of flux would make a much better connection! Sorry, pedantry over. Great video otherwise.
Lol that's funny, Mike. BTW here in the States it's pronounced Sodder. Also, we can purchase soldering wire that is rosin core, so you don't need extra flux paste. I buy it from Walmart, but it's also available on Amazon. Thanks for watching!
It's HD solder.
aufn kidding.
Just a point to clear things up: There is no such thing as an HDTV antenna.
Well technically there is no DIFFERENCE between an analog, digital, 4k, or HDTV TV antenna. They do exist. If its hooked up to an HDTV, then you can refer to it as an "HDTV antenna" just like an anchor attached to a boat is considered a "boat anchor". Of course, I'm making an accurate but inane comment. LOL Thanks for watching.
Use a hoola hoop
th-cam.com/video/Tg0JjeotXq4/w-d-xo.html
Buy a hula hoop 😅
It's just a tv antenna. Stop promoting the "HD" nonsense.
You are right, it's no different than a "regular" TV antenna, but it's the way things are marketed, Heck, Channel Master and Antennas Direct refer to them as "HDTV antennas" so I must follow the expectations or many people wont give my vids a look., Thanks for watching, Mark
@Mr Hop To It Other TH-camrs do just fine and call these companies out all the time for false advertising. The $12 Phillips indoor antenna I have now, which works well BTW, is advertised as the 'HD Classic.' There's nothing HD about it, it's a simple UHF loop with Hi VHF dipoles. Channel Master and Winegard have given in to this nonsense unfortunately. They're trying to sell antennas and want their antennas to come up with online searches so they now have HD as part of the product name. 4K ready and Nextgen compatible are also BS terms that are used but they work to sell product and that's all that matters to these companies.
There is no such a thing as a digital antenna. An antenna is an antenna. Using the words "digital" and "HD" and "High definition" in describing any antenna is simply pandering to the stupidity of people who actually believe such garbage.
Leo, you are absolutely correct, but most antenna manufacturers and sellers have set the precedence of using these terms. Yours is one of many comments I've had regarding this, but you can't blame us TH-camrs for simply following industry established practices. Thanks for watching.
I just bought a high def antenna on eBay for $20. 900 mile range it says. 😜
900 Miles you say??? LOL
You’re talking way to much. Babble babble.
Thanks for watching my channel and sharing your opinion. I'm working on a lot more content, so stay tuned for more babble ...
ur fine. nice video. i will try this and compare it to my Yagi beam type antenna lmao..@@mrhoptoit7835