On 04/14/2011 04:58 PM, Anthony Carrico wrote: > I live in a very tricky area for reception, but I built an antenna and > it works great. I'll post details later. Until then... >
... as promised: http://memebeam.org/acarrico/photos/stock/antenna.jpg It is big and ugly, but it works. The design is John E. Davis's revisions [1], of the Gray-Hoverman antenna design [2]. I used his GH4 Parameters for my antenna. [1] http://www.jedsoft.org/fun/antennas/dtv/gh.html [2] http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/index.htm I live on the wrong side of a line of hills which block the transmitters, and probably too far south, but this antenna grabs the signals through whatever little notch it can find. I think we get everything. As you can see in the picture, I used blue foam to provide structure and part of the gap between the ground plane and the main elements. This seems like a good way to keep the geometry flat to stabilize everything, but it wouldn't work outside in the wind. * put nails in a 2x6 to define the geometry of an element * strip and straighten the heaviest wire you can find in the basement * zig-zagged it around the form (make two) * clip the ends to length * strip more wire and cut the ground plane elements to length * install everything in their precise locations * solder a matching transformer to the main elements * point the thing in the general direction of the transmitter [3] * run a length of cable from the transformer to the TV * watch in amazement as your TV pops to life when you merely APPROACH the its jack with the cable (even if you had no luck with commercial antennas). I have it indoors on the second floor pointing through the wall under a metal roof--not exactly the best arrangement, but this antenna can perform. I'm using a old fashioned TV with a converter box, but I'm slowly trying to get a HDHomeRun on the network. I've run CAT6 from a patch panel in the basement to the wall near the antenna, but no keystone jack on it yet. Soon. Now for the bad news: the only thing worth watching is Roy Underhill's Woodwright's Shop (PBS create at 4:30 TuTh), and Sherlock Holmes (used to be Saturday nights at 9 on PBS proper, but I haven't seen it in a while), the various NOVA spinoffs, Curious George, etc., and the Olympics if you can stomach the omnipresent corporate sponsors. Goodluck! [1] http://www.jedsoft.org/fun/antennas/dtv/gh.html [2] http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/index.htm [3] http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.asp -- Anthony Carrico
signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature
