On 10/30/2013 05:13 PM, Dick Steffens wrote: > On 10/30/2013 03:05 PM, John Jason Jordan wrote: >> I have ordered an HDHomerun to add TV functionality to my >> Xubuntu desktop. I will want to watch only over the air >> broadcasts. According to tvfool.com (a website that I learned >> about at the last Clinic) there are roughly 20 stations >> approximately 4 miles SSW of my house (about 220 degrees) and the >> weakest has a power of -47.5 dBm. I assume that means that I >> probably don't need cutting edge antenna technology, however, it >> would be most convenient to have it indoors and downstairs in the >> middle of the house, although putting it in the attic wouldn't be >> tremendously difficult. >> >> There are a bewildering number of indoor TV antennas on the >> market. I could use some suggestions and advice from real world >> users - not only as to makes and models, but also as to how it >> should be oriented. All I know about RF is that it is tricky and >> unpredictable. > > I suspect I'll need to follow John M's advice later on, but to get > started I went to Radio Shack and got a simple dipole, the kind of > antenna that's made from 300 ohm twinlead. I connected that to a > 300/75 ohm balun and plugged that into my HDHomeRun. Before the > clinic I got channel 10 easily. At the clinic and after I got home > I didn't get channel 10 easily. I found another dipole hooked up to > a stereo tuner I don't use anymore, and when I get time I'll give > that a try to see if it makes any difference. But, it's possible > that a simple dipole might work for you. It's cheap enough to be > worth a try. >
I am ashamed of all of you! You run Linux but have no sense of adventure. Build your own antenna!! No doubt you have a few scraps of copper wire (or metal clothes hangers) etc laying around. This project will also allow you to experiment with the design for optimal reception in you area. I am 11-13 miles from PDX towers, on the Vancouver side. I can pick up ALL PDX channels crystal clear with this two designs: Koch fractal (UHF/VHF, can be extended to higher order fractals) : http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-fractal-antenna-for-HDTV-DTV-plus-/ and a nifty artsy application of this design: http://www.htpc-diy.com/2012/04/diy-flexible-fractal-window-hdtv.html bow tie (UHF/VHF): http://makezine.com/projects/digital-tv-coat-hanger-antenna/ pdf: http://cdn.makezine.com/make/television/04/DTV_Antenna_FINAL.pdf See also: http://www.diytvantennas.com/ http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/index.htm (UHF GPLv3 designs) Enjoy! -Ed _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
