Rugged version of HDTV coat hanger antenna

Proving that you don't need to be MacGyver. Using left-over vinyl outdoor railing balusters, some strapping material and aluminum rivets we fashioned this decidedly more sturdy version of the now famous coat hanger antenna. Tools used were snips, drill, tape measure and riveting tool. Next ... we'll make a version of the Gray-Hoverman antenna to get better distance and more VHF gain, we'll probably make it from the same materials. After that we'll dally with Fractal antennas... but bigger of course.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• coat hanger antenna
• DIY antenna
• antenna
• build your own antenna
• HDTV antenna
• HD antenna
• build your own HDTV antenna
• make your own antenna

[ozlo]

Simple but impressive results! Are you actually getting 61 channels without having to rotate it for some of them? I just finished an antenna based on Jwmm's design, and it's working great but I am concerned with the longevity of it.

I am in Pinellas County and not too close to the water but still experience the same humidity and salty air.

Are you on the east coast of FL?

[harmony850]

Oslo, We are on the E. coast near the Sebastian inlet. Don't need a rotator because being on a coast most towers are either N. or S. Got 75 channels as a one time record, the weaker ones come and go. You really want to just count RF signals to be accurate. Each RF signal can carry up to 5-6 channels. This is why you get 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and so on. We get all our channels from 18 RF's, (11 to 48). If you made yours from copper wire and stainless hardware it should last a while.

[harmony850]

msskimbot, If I was at your place the first attempt would be a carefully made 4bay with no reflector. Aim it at the towers 44 miles away, the others you can't help but get, they are so close to you. Get it over the trees as leaves absorb alot of signal. I would like to see/hear about it when done OK?

[harmony850]

With further tweaking, and mounting the antenna as high as possible to approx 30 ft. it looks like all available channels are pretty much found for this area .... "more height equals more options"

Final antenna ended up with a small haircut, jwwm2 suggested that the whiskers might be a tad too long. Took the snips and subtracted half an inch ... didn't seem to make any difference.  The reflector addition didn't happen either as this would limit the antenna to directionality.

Bye, M

[cadmiumblue]

It looks nice too.

[supressorgrid]

I like this design.

[msskimbot]

Thanks, I'm prepping to make some kind of antenna myself. I have coax that I can use. Will probably mount above the treehouse and need two directional settings but want three. 252 degrees gives two channels 7 miles away one vhf and one uhf, at 122 degrees, 12.7 miles away 3 channels are available, then at 163 degrees 44 miles away, 8 channels are available. I want to make a bi or tri directional antenna to capture all three directions without having to fuss with a rotor.