If you answer yes to the above, then here’s a simple inexpensive project to make a modestly effective indoor HD TV antenna for less than $10. From our Snohomish home, this antenna picks up 31 HD channels from Tacoma to Bellingham using this indoor antenna. 4.1–2, 5.1–2, 7.1–2, 9.1–4, 11–1, 12–1, 13.1–2, 16.1–2, 20.1–4, 22.1, 24.1, 33.1–4, 42.1, 44.1–4. Sometimes 28.1–4 & 51–1. Obviously results will vary according to your location. |
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- Tools and Materials
- 7 ft of wire (Can be most any metal wire)
- Two 5/8″ self tapping flat head phillips head screws
- 30″ of 1/2″ PVC pipe
- two 1/2″ PVC Right Angle (RA)
- Needle nose pliers
- Coax Balun to coax cable converter.
- Drill, phillips bit and 3/16″ drill bit
- Garden loppers (or other way to cut PVC pipe)
- Frame
- Cut a 15″ and two 7″ section of 1/2″ pvc
- Connect the 7″ sections into one right angle connector.
- Drill a series of 6 holes, 1.75″ apart along the 15″ pvc tube, starting 1″ from one end.
- Connect into the remaining RA, and attach the RA to one end of the 7″ PVC sections.
- Bend the long PVC section so it stands vertical to the ground.
- Wire
- Thread the wire from the outside in thru the holes in an ever decreasing spiral.
- The spiral wire should be reasonably equal distant from those inside or outside of it.
- FYI, this doesn’t seem to need to be precise.
- Leave 5″ of wire at the outside end.
- Curl the ends of the wire with the needle nose plier.
- Bend the outside end of the wire towards the middle and attach in an open section of the PVC with one of the screws.
- This wire shouldn’t touch the spiral wire.
- Attach the inside wire end to the PVC with the remaining screw.
- Attach the wires to the balun.
- Connect the Balun to a coax cable to the antenna in of the TV.
- Tuning the Antenna
- Typically, the best pickup is found pointing the face of the antenna towards the most distant broadcast tower.
- Place antenna so there are few if any metal objects, or people traffic patterns between the antenna and broadcast towers.
- Run the scan mode of the TV. (In our area, we pick up over 30 channels with this antenna, some as far away as 60 miles!)
- Check to see what channels you pick up.
- Fine tune
- Pick a desirable marginal station for fine tuning…
- Slightly turn the antenna frame rather than holding the antenna wire itself. Note where the reception goes away, then turn the other way until reception again leaves. Presumably, the best reception is halfway between the opposing black out orientations.
- It is sometimes best to keep the right angle stand parallel to a wall or table edge so you can return to previous settings.
- Sometimes it helps to slightly tip the antenna away from vertical.
- Sometimes the antenna works better upside down, or tipped on it’s side, or moved towards the ceiling with another PVC connection. This may require additional frame modifications.
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