Introduction to the Gray-Hoverman TV Antenna

[johnpost]

Originally Posted by cwhlam

BTW, I mention my story to several of my colleagues, and three of them have build versions of the GH antenna. Two of them report success. The third one built the anteanna, but don't have a digital TV to test it with.

it would work on analog UHF too

[jonkulp]

I found this forum when looking for diy antenna instructions. I had built the famous coat-hanger antenna with decent results but channels still dropped out more than I liked, so I tried building a Gray-Hoverman. As a Linux/free-software enthusiast I appreciated the GPLv3 license of the Gray-Hoverman, and I was very impressed with the activity on this forum. I balked at the pvc frame and reflector and decided to try just attaching the two elements to a board. I used 6-gauge bare copper and bent it as precisely as possible to the shape I had plotted on a large piece of paper. Mounted in the attic, this antenna works very, very well. It gets all of the channels available around here with very rare breakups. It worked so well that I built a second one to feed signal into the converter box on top of my vcr (one of these days I'll get a Myth box going...). I really can't believe the beautiful picture I can get for free over the air with a homemade antenna. Love it! I've gotten at least three other people to build one and they all report success with it.

[rogerup]

What a godsend this antenna research forum is!! One of my applications is in the middle of Minnesota, over 100 miles from any major city (Fargo, Duluth, Twin Cities) having powerful transmitters. As a result, the transmitters available to me by antenna.org are mostly low power repeaters, or the like, only a couple of which will be digital, requiring antenna performance of violet to yellow and scattered from 20 deg magnetic to 92 deg magnetic, over a 12 mile to 48 mile range. I may even have to get one transmitter at 280 degrees magnetic off the antenna backside at 13 miles. After much looking, the only thing that came close to my needs was maybe the CM4221 with an amp since I need the wide beam width (~30+ deg) The CM4228 has more gain but narrower beam width, so that wouldn't do.
Then I stumbled onto this forum/website and I'm totally obsessed with reading the GH design and construction details. This is the solution that will save my bacon!! The only question now is which design. So far I'm gravitating to the second gen GH6 for its simplicity. I have an old tv antenna I've scavenged the aluminum elements from for the co-linear rods; don't much like the huge screen support (it gets a bit windy at times here), plus I probably will need some backside pickup. I'm not a construction weenie so will not have much to contribute - just sit back and absorb it all.
BTW, I hope your copyright is ironclad!! Thanks a lot to 300ohm, et. al..

[hutch67]

this mounth in populor communcation i get it in usa has a 3 page article on tv dxing the famous gh build was mentioned and picture and this forum mentioned
hutch67
pittsburgh ,pa.usa
congrads digital forum
fiy need a copy ?

[stampeder]

Thanks - do they have an online edition of that article?

[firimari]

No online edition, but the picture is in the table of contents...

[stampeder]

Yep that photo used by Popular Communications is DogT's original DBGH build as seen here in the Design Examples page:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/ota/superantenna/

BTW anyone heard from DogT recently? Its been quite awhile and I hope he's doing okay.

[Grem]

I stumbled across this site looking for DIY antennas and was amazed by all the different designs of GH. I lurked around for a bit and got the bug of wanting to build the best GH for my needs. I'm one of those people that likes to design and build things to the best I can and even make improvements if I am able.

I have read a lot of info behind the design and working principals of antennas but for me its like picking up a book written in a foreign language and hoping I can read it front to back.

I built my 1st SB GH and am seriously happy with it. I should just be happy with it and move on except on my weekends off I can't help thinking about what I would need to do to build another antenna. I have seem to been bitten by a bug in a subject I have very little understanding and can not explain it.


Excellent forums and people you have on it. I am totally amazed with the designs here and how hard your members work on improving them. Hopefully someday I can be some help.


p.s. To answer part of the topic I am a machinist that is use to building many parts and fixtures from scratch and even a bit of designing.

[300ohm]

BTW anyone heard from DogT recently? Its been quite awhile and I hope he's doing okay.

IIRC, the last posting I did with him we were discussing about high tree mounting the antenna. Uh-Oh.

[stampeder]

Originally Posted by Grem

I am a machinist that is use to building many parts and fixtures from scratch and even a bit of designing.

I once got a PM from a machinist who was irritated because his boss wouldn't give him the okay to use their shop machines to make a GH!

[johnpost]

Originally Posted by Grem

I built my 1st SB GH and am seriously happy with it. I should just be happy with it and move on except on my weekends off I can't help thinking about what I would need to do to build another antenna. I have seem to been bitten by a bug in a subject I have very little understanding and can not explain it.

Getting something to work better and learning new things is usually an enjoyment for me. Seems like some people are just wired that way.

You could continue to make better antennas and get the ones you aren't using to people that could use a good antenna.

[300ohm]

get the ones you aren't using to people that could use a good antenna.

Yep. But the sad fact is, after looking around about a 10mi radius of here, 95% are on cable, happily bending over and spending $30 plus dollars a month for it. eeewwww, how preverse.

While a lot of my neighbors are on cable, a fair amount are on directTV...

OK, I phrased my 95% figure badly, cable and direct TV etc. In other words, about 95% no outdoor VHF/UHF antenna installed is what I have observed. And around here, you cant get but a couple of stations clear and consistantly with indoor gear.

[firimari]

While a lot of my neighbors are on cable, a fair amount are on directTV... which doesn't carry the local channels in our market. Antennas for everyone!

[hutch67]

ill take one of your antenna
hutch67

[300ohm]

Yep that photo used by Popular Communications is DogT's original DBGH build as seen here in the Design Examples page:

The article writer, Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z, built a DBGH.