Do it yourself Guide on How to build a HDTV Antenna, CHEAP!
If you don’t want to spend 40 to 100 dollars like my brother did on a not so good performing HD antenna. Then build one thats better for less than $20, and in most cases you will get much better results. My brother purchased one online for 80 dollars which was getting about 60-85 signal strength on most channels. The only problem with it was it would always drop the signal at the worst times making it impossible to watch Free digital HDTV.
Finally after listening to his complaining about the antenna we did some research and discovered a free do it yourself guide was available that offered claims of a reliable HD signal using their plans to build one. We built the antenna and I must say it is a much better improvement. It took about an hour to build taking out time, double checking everything to ensure it was going together right. He now gets about a 90 to 99 signal strength and no more drop outs period.
The above posted video guide by John Park who shows you how to build this HD antenna from: coat hangers, wire, scrap wood, and some misc inexpensive parts costing you less than $20 USD. So you have a better understanding whats going on here, television antennas are comprised of a series of metal rods cut to exact lengths and positioned so they receive a particular television frequency. So you will have to follow the instruction to the exact requirements for this to work.
No worries, this is so easy to build. Whats really cool about this antenna is the design was invented in the 1960s by an engineer named Doyt Hoverman. It’s very sensitive in the UHF frequency range, the same range used for the majority of digital television transmissions. Digital TV signals are strongest when the path from the transmitter to your antenna is not obstructed by buildings or trees. So putting your antenna up high as possible or in the attic will improve your reception.There is also a PDF file available for download here .
Here’s what you need to get started:
Tools
Electric drill
Screwdriver or screw shooter
Screwdriver bits
1/16” drill bit
3/32” drill bit
¼” drill bit
Scrap wood
Materials
6 each Wire hangers
Wood board, approximately 3” x 20” x ¾“
10 each #6 round head wood screws, ¾” long, and washers
2 each U-bolts, ¼” diameter, 2 ½” long, nuts washers
¾” diameter iron pipe, 24” long, one end threaded
¾” pipe floor flange
4 each #10 wood screws, flat headed, 1” long
Wood board, approximately 12” x 10” x ¾”
75 to 300 ohm matching transformer with spade clips on one end and female F connector on other
How to build a digital HDTV Antenna
