OTA Clone, Coat Hanger, and Junk Antennas - Page 2 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

mclapp · 2008-11-16, 08:20 PM

That's the video that gave DIY 4 bay antennas a bad name.

If someone made a good Utube video on making a G-H it would probably triple the amount of people using them. Especially if they could make them with cloths hangers and wood.

shark · 2009-01-27, 11:15 PM

see? the whole world is now jumping on the bandwagon...

http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/01/27...ime/#continued

xraycat · 2009-01-27, 11:47 PM

While checking my news feeds though tonight I came across this video on how to build a DIY digital antenna using some coat hangers. Kind of interesting. I was wondering what the forum gurus think of the design.

http://vimeo.com/2931902

BadLag · 2009-01-28, 11:36 AM

So, last night I built the coat hanger UHF antenna, this was free but not easy, took 3 hrs to construct this thing, I have a RCA Loop on my PC and a Jensen Amplified on my Sony....I did try the coat hangers on the PC with Beyond TV and the Canadian channels were fine...it was late at this point (1AM) and I went to bed....tonight I will try Windows7 Media Center as it is set to Niagara Falls already and see if I can get NBC....if that works I will bring this funky looking contraption downstairs and re-scan for OTA channels....so guys, I will also try to get the US feed, next project, some red and blue markers to make some 3d glasses as the Intel/SoBe promotion is only in the US....

stampeder · 2009-01-28, 01:02 PM

You can build a Gray Hoverman in much less time and you'll have a better antenna too:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=81982

Time and again people remark about how much easier it is to build and how much better performance they got.

zounder1 · 2009-01-28, 02:18 PM

Make Magazine did a video showing how to make your own OTA antenna. It is actually pretty nice looking. Though I'll stick with buying premade ones, I figure some folks might enjoy the challenge. (And low cost... some wood and 6 coat hangar and a few screws...)

Cheers.

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/200...C-0D6B48984890

stampeder · 2009-01-28, 02:36 PM

Yep, the Make video is the same one as the Engadget and Vimeo one... very tidy build.

I'd be interested to see what mclapp or any of the other bowtie antenna gurus has to say about that new video build.

keef · 2009-01-28, 08:46 PM

Anyone else notice the guy in the Make video calls the premade 4-bay bow-tie a Hoverman. That's not right, is it?

johnpost · 2009-01-29, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keef

Anyone else notice the guy in the Make video calls the premade 4-bay bow-tie a Hoverman. That's not right, is it?

you are correct it is not a Hoverman

stampeder · 2009-01-29, 12:54 PM

If you can leave a comment at those video sites please say that he's incorrect about the term "Hoverman" and also put in a link to our site's Gray Hoverman intro:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=81982

I find it irritating that on the Engadget site's description of the Vimeo video they have a hot link with the term "We've seen a few complicated DIY antenna projects" that directs to the Gray Hoverman. The GH is easier to build!

Maybe we'll clear some things up somehow.

mclapp · 2009-01-29, 02:25 PM

In the pdf on how to build that antenna he mentions that the design was invented by Doyt Hoverman in the 1960's.
I don't know maybe he did come up with that design as well.
All I could find is this 1964 patent which is very similar to the G-H devoloped on this site
http://www.google.com/patents/pdf/R_...IgaNuuTY_9Hqmg

I find it funny that in the beginning of the video he shows a factory made antenna then goes on to show you how to build one that has wayyyy different dimensions.

I've never built one of those to field test but the computer models show them to be very bad in the lower UHF channels. Many people have had success with them though.

stampeder · 2009-01-29, 08:35 PM

Ya, the doc you found is for one of the two original Doyt Hoverman patents that Autofils used to design the Gray Hoverman.

I've never heard anyone refer to a Hoverman patent on Bowtie Reflector antennas.

opilion · 2009-01-30, 11:09 PM

Has anyone compiled a step-by-step how-to, with a complete bill of best materials?

Also, would the double design work side by side, rather than vertically stacked? It might be easier to put in the attic side by side.

op

stampeder · 2009-01-31, 02:49 AM

Opilion, yes, you can find the details of how to build one in this thread:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=95898

And no, sorry, putting them side-by-side doesn't help things. You can read about that here in Posts #33 and 34:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=99907

xraycat · 2009-01-31, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stampeder

If you can leave a comment at those video sites please say that he's incorrect about the term "Hoverman" and also put in a link to our site's Gray Hoverman intro:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=81982

I find it irritating that on the Engadget site's description of the Vimeo video they have a hot link with the term "We've seen a few complicated DIY antenna projects" that directs to the Gray Hoverman. The GH is easier to build!

Maybe we'll clear some things up somehow.

I'm confused then, I would agree with Engadget that an antenna like this:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/show...87&postcount=8
Is a lot more complicated than a piece of wood, some coat hangers and screws.
However, I would also expect the GH antenna to operate quite a lot better, especially considering it's size!

2008-11-16, 08:20 PM	#16
mclapp Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 597	DIY antenna Utube video That's the video that gave DIY 4 bay antennas a bad name. If someone made a good Utube video on making a G-H it would probably triple the amount of people using them. Especially if they could make them with cloths hangers and wood.

2009-01-27, 11:15 PM	#17
shark Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: T.O. Posts: 186	Online DIY Antenna Videos see? the whole world is now jumping on the bandwagon... http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/01/27...ime/#continued __________________ SA8300HD, Integra 9.8, Earthquake Cinenova 7ch, Pioneer Kuro Pro-150FD, Oppo BD-83, PS3, HD-A35, Deftech 3000/7001/BPVX

2009-01-27, 11:47 PM	#18
xraycat Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 85	Vimeo DIY antenna While checking my news feeds though tonight I came across this video on how to build a DIY digital antenna using some coat hangers. Kind of interesting. I was wondering what the forum gurus think of the design. http://vimeo.com/2931902 Last edited by stampeder; 2009-01-28 at 02:39 PM.

2009-01-28, 11:36 AM	#19
BadLag Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 245	OK, I'll bite So, last night I built the coat hanger UHF antenna, this was free but not easy, took 3 hrs to construct this thing, I have a RCA Loop on my PC and a Jensen Amplified on my Sony....I did try the coat hangers on the PC with Beyond TV and the Canadian channels were fine...it was late at this point (1AM) and I went to bed....tonight I will try Windows7 Media Center as it is set to Niagara Falls already and see if I can get NBC....if that works I will bring this funky looking contraption downstairs and re-scan for OTA channels....so guys, I will also try to get the US feed, next project, some red and blue markers to make some 3d glasses as the Intel/SoBe promotion is only in the US.... __________________ Sony 46XBR3, STR-DE898, PS3 60GB, JBL fronts, Bose rears, Polk sub/center, HK-DVD22, BellTVHD, Harmony1

2009-01-28, 01:02 PM	#20
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	Build a GH (easier and better!) for Super Bowl and after You can build a Gray Hoverman in much less time and you'll have a better antenna too: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=81982 Time and again people remark about how much easier it is to build and how much better performance they got.

2009-01-28, 02:18 PM	#21
zounder1 Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 99	Online DIY Antenna Videos Make Magazine did a video showing how to make your own OTA antenna. It is actually pretty nice looking. Though I'll stick with buying premade ones, I figure some folks might enjoy the challenge. (And low cost... some wood and 6 coat hangar and a few screws...) Cheers. http://blog.makezine.com/archive/200...C-0D6B48984890 __________________ CM 4228, 9775 preamp, 9521A rotor. MythTV server. Details here.

2009-01-28, 02:36 PM	#22
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	Yep, the Make video is the same one as the Engadget and Vimeo one... very tidy build. I'd be interested to see what mclapp or any of the other bowtie antenna gurus has to say about that new video build. Last edited by stampeder; 2009-01-28 at 03:11 PM.

2009-01-28, 08:46 PM	#23
keef Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 84	Anyone else notice the guy in the Make video calls the premade 4-bay bow-tie a Hoverman. That's not right, is it?

2009-01-29, 12:54 PM	#25
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	A suggestion about those new videos... If you can leave a comment at those video sites please say that he's incorrect about the term "Hoverman" and also put in a link to our site's Gray Hoverman intro: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=81982 I find it irritating that on the Engadget site's description of the Vimeo video they have a hot link with the term "We've seen a few complicated DIY antenna projects" that directs to the Gray Hoverman. The GH is easier to build! Maybe we'll clear some things up somehow.

2009-01-29, 02:25 PM	#26
mclapp Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 597	In the pdf on how to build that antenna he mentions that the design was invented by Doyt Hoverman in the 1960's. I don't know maybe he did come up with that design as well. All I could find is this 1964 patent which is very similar to the G-H devoloped on this site http://www.google.com/patents/pdf/R_...IgaNuuTY_9Hqmg I find it funny that in the beginning of the video he shows a factory made antenna then goes on to show you how to build one that has wayyyy different dimensions. I've never built one of those to field test but the computer models show them to be very bad in the lower UHF channels. Many people have had success with them though. Last edited by mclapp; 2009-01-29 at 02:49 PM. Reason: Added link for hoverman patent

2009-01-29, 08:35 PM	#27
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	Ya, the doc you found is for one of the two original Doyt Hoverman patents that Autofils used to design the Gray Hoverman. I've never heard anyone refer to a Hoverman patent on Bowtie Reflector antennas.

2009-01-30, 11:09 PM	#28
opilion Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, ON Posts: 50	Has anyone compiled a step-by-step how-to, with a complete bill of best materials? Also, would the double design work side by side, rather than vertically stacked? It might be easier to put in the attic side by side. op

2009-01-31, 02:49 AM	#29
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	Opilion, yes, you can find the details of how to build one in this thread: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=95898 And no, sorry, putting them side-by-side doesn't help things. You can read about that here in Posts #33 and 34: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=99907 Last edited by stampeder; 2009-01-31 at 01:06 PM.

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