How to Build Your Own TV Antenna for Cheap
Receiving free local HDTV broadcasts is as simple as making and hooking up an antenna to your HDTV. The good news is that, using many items you may already have around the house, you can make your own for a fraction of the cost of a store-bought antenna. Once you construct, connect and mount your antenna, you will enjoy the crisp, clear pictures and sounds of high-definition television.
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Things You'll Need
- 2-by-4 wood board, at least 40 inches long
- Measuring tape
- Wood saw
- 6 to 8 metal coat hangers
- Wire cutters/strippers
- Sandpaper, 200 grit
- Pliers
- Metal grate, 24 by 36 inches
- 14 wood screws, 1 and 1/2 inches long
- Screwdriver
- Washers, 1/2 inch
- Electrical tape (black)
- 75-Ohm balun
- 1/4-inch rope, 15 feet
Instructions
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1
Measure and cut the 2-by-4 board to 40 inches. Lay the board flat. At one end, label one flat side "top front"; flip the board over and, at the same end, label the opposite side "top back." This will guide you as you complete the remaining steps.
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2
Lay the board flat so that the labeled back side is facing up. Lay the grate on the board lengthwise, centering the 24-inch-wide side on the board with one end flush with the top of the board. Attach the grate, screwing the washers against the grate every 6 inches from top to bottom.
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3
Cut the heads off of each of the coat hangers using the wire cutters. Straighten each of the wires as much as possible. Sand any paint or finish off of each of the wires to expose the copper or other metal.
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4
Measure and cut eight 14-inch pieces of the wire hangers. Using the pliers, bend each 14-inch wire in the center, creating a V shape with two 7-inch legs. The legs should be 3 inches apart at the open end of each V.
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5
Lay the 2-by-4 mast flat on the table with the front facing up. Measuring from the top end down, make pencil marks at 4, 8, 12 and 16 inches; make each mark about one inch from the right edge of the board. Repeat this step down the left side of the board.
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6
Attach the V-shaped wires to the marks on the mast. Screw the washers down at the bends of the wires, with the legs of the V's opening outward, but do not fully tighten the screws.
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7
Attach one end of a 20-inch length of wire underneath the screw at the top right corner of the mast. Cross the wire over and attach it underneath the two middle screws on the left side. Cross the wire back over and attach it underneath the screw in the bottom right corner. Cut away any excess wire. Mount a second wire to the remaining screws, starting with the screw in the top left corner and finishing with the screw in the bottom left corner. Where the two wires cross in the middle of the mast, apply electrical tape to each wire to keep them from touching.
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8
Connect the balun--a cable with a coaxial plug on one end and a pair of wires with screw holes on the other--to the second pair of screws from the top.
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9
Tighten all of the screws, making sure the wires beneath them are secured. Connect the cable from the HDTV to the balun.
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10
Cut the rope into two equal lengths. Mount the antenna in the attic by tying one end of each piece of rope to each top corner of the reflector, and the other ends in opposite directions to a rafter. Mount the antenna so that the front--the side with the bowties--is pointing in the direction of the broadcast towers in your local area.
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Tips & Warnings
The metal grate could be a grill or cooking grate, and any type of metal or aluminum will work.
The metal grate serves as a reflector to catch and reflect signals to the antenna's elements to improve signal reception. To cut costs, you can build this antenna without the grate, but your picture quality will be much better if you use the reflector.
To ensure that the antenna is properly phased and performs at its best, double-check that the openings of the V-shaped wires are 3 inches across.
Never mount this or any antenna next to or near any power lines, as any contact with them could result in shock or electrocution.
