vhf over the air out door tv antenna

[Mobilesport]

I'm trying to get a over the air TV signal from about 30 miles away .
What would be a good antenna for doing this?
Obviously i dont want a huge one since it will be mounted to
the vans roof.

 

[rvpopeye]

I just bought a yagi at Wally World , very directional . There was also a omni directional one . $50-$75 range.
Lots of indoor omni ones too $30-$50 range. I have a couple of those too for when I don't need or want the outdoor one.
For 30 miles any of them will work depending on terrain of course.
Some of them come with booster boxes and some don't , check the package.
(The RCA boosters use 12volts )

 

[jimindenver]

I use 6 large binder clips on a DVD case, a few bits of wire and a adapter to pull in Denver's locals as well as some from the cities north and south of here. The Denver antennas are over 30 miles from me, Colorado Springs is a lot farther.

 

[Txjaybird]

I use 6 large binder clips on a DVD case, a few bits of wire and a adapter to pull in Denver's locals as well as some from the cities north and south of here. The Denver antennas are over 30 miles from me, Colorado Springs is a lot farther.

So... Where's the photos of this contraption    you know we like pics!  I haven't watched TV in over 3 years at home.  When the cable bill was going to be more each mo. than the elec. bill to run my all elec. apt.  I had to let it go.  I need something EZ to set up, cheap and that I can use in my T.T. as well as in S&B.  I'm open to suggestions.  OP thanks for starting this thread     JID what kind of wire and adapter...please.

Jewellann

 

[SternWake]

Goto TVfool.com

http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13

See what stations are available in your area and what actual frequency channel they broadcast on.

VHF low is 2 to 6 and relatively unused for TV since the digital transition in the US
VHF high is 7 to 13 and in my location in S California, each of these channels are used.
UHF is 14 to 69, but they stop at 51 with digital nationwide and employ those frequencies for other things.

VHF hi channels work better with longer elements
UHF works better with smaller antenna elements.

What antenna will work best depends on what frequency the TV station you are desiring, uses.

A digital antenna, or antenna optimized for Digital TV,( marketing mumbo jumbo) is basically a UHF antenna designed for channels 14 to 51, but will be nearly useless if your local stations employ VHF HI(7 to 13)

Note that inverters and computer power supply/ transformers can negatively affect TV reception.

Also, Antennas inside the vehicle do not work nearly as well as those exterior to the Van's skin

Omnidirectional antennas are like a flashlight that does not use a reflector. Aiming them is not very important, but directional antennas aimed correctly can work very well and aimed improperly will work poorly.


I made a large antenna using the tired bowtie method for UHF, and added some rabbitt ears for the VHFhi stations, and it will pull in anything available when aimed at the transmitter.

But I now use a simple omnidirectional antenna and just watch what is there.

Similar to this.

https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Teles...F8&qid=1479415157&sr=1-76&keywords=tv+antenna

I bought it just for a smaller travel antenna, and was surprised at the reception enough that I quit using my larger antenna.
Use quad shielded RG-6 cable, not rg-59, and use minimal connections as possible.

Getting the antenna on the roof is important with weak stations, and perhaps even with strong ones. My channel 8 and 10( actual) are nearly full strength with my Omnidirectional antenna on my solar panel, but same antenna inside my van, and nothing, not even a pause on the station during an autoscan.

I do not use an amplifier. I tried one once but it reduced signal strength. For best results the amplifier needs to be as close to antenna head as possible.

 

[jimindenver]

It's pretty simple and inexpensive. I found it on youtube.

 

[Mobilesport]

I just bought a yagi at Wally World , very directional . There was also a omni directional one . $50-$75 range.
Lots of indoor omni ones too $30-$50 range. I have a couple of those too for when I don't need or want the outdoor one.
For 30 miles any of them will work depending on terrain of course.
Some of them come with booster boxes and some don't , check the package.
(The RCA boosters use 12volts )

I think that's the one I want , i'm thinking a outdoor antenna with fibreglass roof should work pretty good.

 

[SternWake]

Homemade antennas require one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/300-Ohm-UHF-...?ie=UTF8&qid=1479419269&sr=8-3&keywords=balun

This is my 6 tiered bowtie antenna with VHF rabbit ears. Works as well as a giant channelmaster antenna

I have reduced it to 4 tiers and have it on one of those extendable tarp poles, and can clamp it to my spare tire carrier and fully extended, the top of it will be over 15 feet high.

height is might

 

[Mobilesport]

Homemade antennas require one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/300-Ohm-UHF-...?ie=UTF8&qid=1479419269&sr=8-3&keywords=balun

This is my 6 tiered bowtie antenna with VHF rabbit ears.  Works as well as a giant channelmaster antenna

I have reduced it to 4 tiers and have it on one of those extendable tarp poles, and can clamp it to my spare tire carrier and fully extended,  the top of it will be over 15 feet high.

height is might

Love that pole , you could mount one of those Alfa wifi adapters up there and then run a long usb cable down the pole .

 

[Mobilesport]

I just bought a yagi at Wally World , very directional . There was also a omni directional one . $50-$75 range.
Lots of indoor omni ones too $30-$50 range. I have a couple of those too for when I don't need or want the outdoor one.
For 30 miles any of them will work depending on terrain of course.
Some of them come with booster boxes and some don't , check the package.
(The RCA boosters use 12volts )

What model did you get from wally world?
I only saw a ge brand

 

[SternWake]

Love that pole , you could mount one of those Alfa wifi adapters up there and then run a long usb cable down the pole .

Yeah, but be sure to slather the Alfa usb and antenna connections with Dielectric grease, and perhaps seal the plastic seam with RT or liquid ellctrical tape.  These were not designed with moisture intrusion as a possible factor.

USB cables also suffer losses at long lengths.  One can use remote antennas with interior adapters, but again there are significant losses on the wiring.

 

[rvpopeye]

Yup the GE , it's 40"widex27"long...7 elements

 

[Mobilesport]

Yup the GE , it's 40"widex27"long...7 elements

Thanks for posting the size ,  i was actually just at the store and i was trying to figure out
its size

 

[rvpopeye]

Short aluminum pieces held together with plastic .

 

[Spirituallifetime]

This is my TV antenna
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007RH5GZI/ref=twister_B015WV1A32?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
It works great and have been using it for 2 years now.

 

[Mobilesport]

This is my TV antenna
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007RH5GZI/ref=twister_B015WV1A32?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
It works great and have been using it for 2 years now.

Is that antenna mounted to your van?

 

[rvpopeye]

That's the other exterior antenna at Wally World , less directional , more omni than mine.

I've seen these on some of the rigs in RTR and Ehrenberg pics, (Bob's might have been one of them).

Not really sure how any of these would stand up to highway speeds so a removable mount might be the better way to go.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

Mobile sport I use the antenna at my property in northern Nevada, at this time I don't have it mounted to a van. It could be easily mounted on a van and removed, it's small and easy to store inside the van.

 

[Sameer]

You really don't need to go to a lot of expense to bring in television stations from a great distance.   My setup is a $39 antenna from Walmart.   It is rated at 60 miles which is the key to any antenna you purchase.   I am pulling in 29 stations from Yuma Arizona which is 76 miles from my campsite.   it is mounted with PVC pipe which unscrews into two sections with a removable top so it's stores easily. 
View attachment 10261

 

[Sameer]

I wanted to add this... an antenna rated at 60 or 70 miles is sufficient, these antennas can be found at a very reasonable price. The corridor that I have lived in for the past 5 years is from Yuma to Durango, Colorado. Durango, Colorado to Austin, Nevada. Austin, Nevada to Susanville, California and back. I have had no problem along this route in bringing in television stations with an antenna rated at 60 miles and an app called DTV Antennas. Broadcast towers are not just in major cities or even not just in major towns... they are everywhere and this app can show you Statewide where all the towers are located and with one click can direct you to the proper direction. All this without the need of a really expensive antenna.