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Best DIY Antenna For Cambridge & Kitchener, ON?

34K views 98 replies 18 participants last post by  c-sat 
#1 ·
What is the best GH antenna for Cambridge, Ontario that I should build?
 
#2 ·
First let's get your TVFool results to help us give you the best GH advice:
  1. use Google Maps Canada to find your home and get your exact Latitude and Longitude map coordinates
  2. enter your exact map coordinates at the TVFool site and wait for your results page to load
  3. after it loads, copy-and-paste the URL of your report into this thread
Once we see your results we can verify the Canadian stations using this site: http://www.user.dccnet.com/jonleblanc/Canada_TV_Stations/ and then recommend the best GH version for you to build.
 
#3 ·
Best GH for Kitchener East

Hi all, I'd love to build one of the GH antennas for my place. I would really appreciate some input on what type to build. My tvfool.com information is here:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=7d49f9f21e02fb

At the moment it's looking pretty bleak for DT reception. I'm hoping that I can build something to make the picture a little brighter ;)
 
#12 ·
Build has started

I've started working on the build of my DBGH antenna. So far I've had trouble sourcing the following:

6 or 8 ga copper wire. The biggest I've seen at the Rona's and Home Depots around here is 10 which will work for the phase lines as I understand it. A friend of mine suggested that some jewellery repair/supply shops may have it, or copper rods which would be ideal because they'd already be nice and straight.

Sch 40 1/2" PVC fittings are a hassle to find. I've found a specialized plumbing store that stocks the elbows and T's, but no cross pieces. Rona and Home depot have nothing in PVC, only CPVC which are different sizes. Oddly enough though they do sell 10' lengths of the sch 40 1/2" pipe. I'd like to find an actual contractor supply store that'd have the fittings, because the one source I have found sells the T's for $1.25 each and the elbows for $1.05.

Everything else I've found pretty easily, but what I'm missing is pretty critical. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
#13 ·
Home depot have nothing in PVC, only CPVC which are different sizes. Oddly enough though they do sell 10' lengths of the sch 40 1/2" pipe.
Thats hard to believe, thats common stuff everywhere. An option can be to order it from them and theyll have it in a couple of days. Use the grey electrical sch40 for the pipe. Its 60% cheaper and is UV resistant to boot.

6 or 8 ga copper wire
You could go the aluminum route from Metal Supermarkets. But then youll have to get approx 10 gauge aluminum for the phasing lines. You dont want to mix metals.
 
#15 ·
300ohm. I asked at both stores. The guy at the home depot is a retired plumber who I used to know from when I did drywall for a living. He said he's been trying to get the store to order fittings for a couple of years, with no luck. I wonder if it's something that isn't required for our codes in Ontario and that's why the stores don't bother.

Peano: Thanks for the tip. I'll look them up. If I'm unable to find anything else, I'd love to take a chunk of that wire off your hands. Thanks for the offer. I'll let you know if I find anything.
 
#16 ·
#20 ·
Help with CBC in Cambridge, ON

I live in cambridge, ontario and here is my tvfool : http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=23c57d26c7bd85.

I know it says that I absolutely NEED a roof antenna to get at least those 4 channels in red, but I don't. My current antenna is good enough to get analog channel 6, 13, sort-of-clear 79, terrible 82 and a fuzzy 112. I know my tv is set on "cable mode", but I cannot change it to antenna mode, because the remote is a universal remote.

Anyways, I basically need CBC, which for me is channel 112. It used to be channel 5 on cable, I think it still is. So, I need to make antenna for channel 5, I tried folded dipole antenna, but it didn't work well. Any help is appreciated.
 
#21 ·
Can't help but I live in Guelph and just did the tvfool thing after reading the post. I can't see ANY channels I'd want to watch apart from City-TV that I could get off air. I even set tvfool to a 50ft high antenna which I know that my wife would veto. Guess I'll stick with Rogers.
 
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