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:
Hi 300ohm, thanks for the advice. Would I be better off with a Gen I or Gen II or a GS? I'm willing to try out a few builds just for the heck of it. I've built a couple of prototypes and I'm having fun with the tinkering, so I'd be willing to try out a couple of options.
I think the DBGH gen1 for your postive NM range would do as well as others. You basically need your peak gain over the channel 40 to 47 range. Channel 51, your strongest channel, should come in over the back side.
Heh, yeah. It seems like the tri-cities are a pretty dark region for DTV reception. You'd think with all of the high-tech in the region we'd be a little more advanced than we are.
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.
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.
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.
epicDistortion: I have had the same trials and tribulations. Rona and Home Depot are completely useless for "antenna parts". Try Stan's Plumbing in Guelph for pvc fittings. I will have 200 ft of 6 gauge copper wire soon if you would like a piece.
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.
150psi first listed in the code is the thin walled stuff. Its really floppy for antenna use (or plumbing, heh), use thicker stuff, or the gray electrical pvc.
Yeah, the thin stuff is everywhere. My local Home Hardware moved to a bigger location, and they now carry the fittings. Sweet! I also saw they had the grey conduit sch 40 pipe, and was going to ask if it was suitable as well.
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.
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.
EpicD,
Are you building your own just for kicks or because we can't purchase an antenna in Kitchener? I would rather buy one and have someone install it for me, but I don't know where to start looking. (Other than this awesome forum.)
Seconding frustration of not being able to find sch40 stuff (except electrical 10' pieces) at Rona / HomeHardware. I had to order my fittings from the internet.
I feel your pain! I ended up going to my local fastenal, they ordered the fittings and brass bolts and copper washers for me, and should arrive tomorrow or the next.
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