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DIY Antenna for Murreta, CA?

2K views 13 replies 2 participants last post by  rabbit73 
#1 ·
The stations transmitter locations are almost without exception on Mt. Wilson, that's 314 true north. Real channels 7, 9, 11 and 13 would be nice, but 28 tends to be the most problematic in So. Cal. outlying areas.

TV Fool

Many thanks for all of you for the deep and wide quality resource!

Sincerely

Chris
 
#2 ·
Welcome, Chris:

Thanks for the report. I see it says "mom."

What antenna is being used now for reception, or is this a new installation?

Where will the antenna be located? Do you want only the channels you listed in your post, or do you also want the major networks listed on the report down to KNBC or even KPXN ION?
 
#3 ·
NBC would be nice as well, and yep it's mom's house. She's currently using, paying for, cable. There is an old, 1980s, radio shack?, antenna on the roof that hasn't been used in many years and it may be able to be reconditioned but it's blocked by trees that didn't exist when the antenna was placed. I can attach a very rough picture of the antenna if it's desired... The antenna was replaced by DirectTV and more recently this has been replaced by Time Warner cable.

Chris
 
#4 ·
You might want to try the old antenna first. If it uses 300 ohm flat twin lead feedline, that should be replaced with RG6 coax.

If the antenna is outside, the coax shield should be grounded with a grounding block that is connected to the house electrical system ground with 10 gauge copper wire for electrical safety and to reject interference. For further compliance with the electrical code (NEC), the mast should also be grounded in a similar manner to drain any buildup of static charge, but the system will not survive a direct strike.

Trees are a serious problem for TV signals, but the signals are quite strong in her area.

Have you read these threads?
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/186-antenna-research-development/140206-best-do-yourself-ota-antennas-see-these-links.html
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/186-antenna-research-development/81982-introduction-gray-hoverman-tv-antenna.html
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/186-antenna-research-development/248178-message-all-diy-antenna-builders.html

You can build separate UHF and VHF antennas and combine them with a UVSJ, or build a DIY UHF/VHF combo antenna like the Gray-Hoverman with NARODS or nikiml's UHF/VHF-hi mod for Jed's GH6 wideband:
nikiml's Antenna pages - UHF/VHF-hi mod for Jed's GH6 wideband

If you want to start with a simple DIY project just for UHF, try a GH or a 4-bay M4/bowtie antenna with reflector.
I can attach a very rough picture of the antenna if it's desired...
That would be helpful, and a picture of the trees that the antenna "sees" when it is aimed 314 degrees true.
 
#5 ·
The existing antenna is solidly shaped, not bent, but the connections into the balun seem strange. Heck the VHF layout is strange in that the trailing elements split in a vertical "V" 10degrees or so with these longest elements alternating from one side to the other. There is only one connection from the antenna into the balun but there may have been 2, my confusion is due to 2 seemingly orphan elements with loops on the ends.. Strange? Anyways, I've been through the suggested reads and intend to try a simple GH first, I'll revisit nikiml's "Jed's GH6"..

Thanks Rabit73!

Chris
 
#7 ·
Alas, it appears that my number of posts isn't sufficient to post a picture yet. Anyway, I ran a quick trial connection to the antenna last weekend and got nothing and this tells me that the antenna needs some attention. There's some corrosion on the feeds out of the antenna and a quick scrub and wiring cleanup may be the ticket, but that there was no signal at all and these orphaned wire elements, UHF feed lines?, tells me that I need more complete information about how this antenna should be setup. I suppose the balun may be shot.. I have a small, RCA: ANT751R and LNA-200 that I can test positioning and the new mount location with and I have a USB Tuner coming so I can check signal strengths from the laptop.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Alas, it appears that my number of posts isn't sufficient to post a picture yet.
Once you put your photos in your album, be sure to use the BB code to show it in your post. In order for the image to be seen by a forum member, he must log in and then refresh that page.

I use a combination of my DHC forum album and an image host for my photos. The photos in this post are from my image host library.

Sounds like you will have some good equipment to make tests.

There are two ways the UHF and VHF sections are combined in combo antennas. Winegard has a plastic housing for the combiner with wires coming into it from each section.





The more common way uses shorting stubs on the wires from the VHF section to short out the UHF signals picked up by the VHF section. The balun connects to the UHF driven element. The ANT 751 uses this method.



 
#9 ·
Thank you for the above info/photos, I suppose there are only so many ways to connect the leads. I have another balun that I can try if I need one, although from what I seem to be reading the one that came with the antenna may have been tuned to the antenna. Is this correct?


Chris
 
#10 ·


This is the only photo that I have of the subject antenna and it's less than ideal. The elements, the wires with loops on the end are centrally located and about 18 inches long pointing straight up, there isn't enough detail to see these approx. 8 gage wires. I don't remember that there was evidence of bending in these. I hope to better photos in the next couple of days.

Chris
 
#13 ·
Success!
The unknown vertical elements were in fact the VHF feeds and it looks like they were never attached. After some penetrating oil and a good scrub of the posts that the balun feeds connect to, I was able to swing the wires 90 degrees and connect the feeds.

Hurah!!

7,9,11 and 13 are now available, along with the desired UHF..

Thanks rabbit!!

Chris
 
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