How to make a TV antenna for HDTV, under 10$ - yes, it does and you can

Update 2010-3-10:

Since I didn't get the ABC or NBC signal, I decided to improve the original one. Here is the updated and portable version.

Please notice that I use a cardboard covered with aluminum foil as the reflector. I modified a paper clip (pointed by red arrow) to secure the antenna and the reflector.

Also, because the connection "wire" is much thicker, all the Vs are actually tilted forward, which seems like not affecting the signal strength.

The direction is really important! It is one reason I modified the original one to this portable version. With one direction, I got several extra channels: 20-1, 20-4, 32-1, 32-2, 32-4, 32-5, 36-1, 36-2, 36-3. However, I lost 5-1, which is CBS and comes back when I turn the antenna set. I still didn't have 11-1 (NBC) and 7-1 (ABC). Will try during day time and see ...

The other reason I modified my wire version is I was hoping to improve the signal by making the exact "clothes hangers" version. Because as shown in the commercial DB4 multi-directional HDTV antenna picture, the connection lines for the Vs are made of solid material not wire.

However, based on my test, changing the connection from thin wire into thick "clothes hangers" does NOT improve the signal. It suggests that only the Vs are the critical elements in receiving TV signal. Good night!

The oscar night motivated me to setup my HDTV. I got my 1080p HDTV sitting there just as the monitor for Wii - what a waste @#$% Since the cable service is expensive, I choose to use TV antenna to receive the free TV signals.

If it was ten years ago, I would go to a shop and buy one, maybe go to a library to check some reviews on different designs. But now, with google, I search! After some web reading, I decide to build one by myself. The reasons are:

• It is very easy and much cheaper to build one
• The quality of home-made version is better than some commercial ones
• I want the TV working right now; cannot wait for the shipping ...

The first two hits on google about "how to DIY antenna HDTV" are http://www.tvantennaplans.com/ and http://uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/. They use the same design - modified DB4. It is an very easy choice for me to follow them.

watch at youtube.com

I made it in 3 hours, including 30-min walk/searching in the hardware store to get the BV-19 indoor VHF transformer. My version is the method described in the youtube video with some modification. The cost is $1.14 for the transformer, since I have all the other goodies. Starting from the scratch, all the material costs less than $10.

Here is the shopping list:

• 13 wood screws and 12 matched washers
• 4 metal clothes hangers
• 1 pierce of wood (2 1/2 - 3 foot)
• 1 VHF/UHF transformer, also called Balun
  
• some wire
• some tape
• 1 pin
• cable TV cable to connect the antenna to HDTV

Tools I used:

• ruler
• screwdriver
• knife
• pen/pencil for marking
• pliers with wire cutter
• solder and soldering ion

It is very simple to make. Just follow the youtube video embedded above. Instead of using cloth hangers to link the Vs, I used wire and some soldering. I put a screw on the back of the wood to help mount it to the wall. I use aluminum foil covered wall as my reflectors. Please notice that in the youtube video, the author didn't put the reflectors. Using it significantly increases the signal.

Here is my very first working draft (easily get 18 channels, more than the 11 channels my friend gets in the same location with a commercial antenna)

Close looks!

The thing!

Side view. It took me some time to adjust all the Vs to make sure they are on the same plane.

The Balun connects to the thing, with a pin to fix it.

Wire connects the Vs, using soldering to ensure good connection.

The screw I put on the back of the board to help wall mounting.

I tape the ends of the Vs just in case the Vs would touch the foil.

The metal cloth hanger before processing, with the top cut off

The metal cloth hanger after processing

The red circle indicates how this antenna is mounted.

The working version!

Use http://www.antennaweb.org/, fake the antenna as multiple stories high, I estimate how many channel I should be able to get. Here is the result:

I was able to receive the following without adjust the direction of the antenna.

2-1	KTVU-TV, FOX
2-2	KTVU-SD
4-1	KRON-SD
4-2	KRON-HD
5-1	KPIX-DT, CBS
38-1	KCNS, SAH
38-2	KCNS-2
38-3	KCNS-3
44-1	KBCW-DT, CW
60-1	KCSM, PBS
60-2	KCSMMHZ
60-3	Jazz-TV

... missing ABC ...

Enjoy!

Oops, a by-product of this project, haven't using the pliers for a while ...