DIY TV antenna: step-by-step instructions for assembling popular TV antenna models

Real craftsmen differ from ordinary people in that they do not run to the store when necessary, but try to build the necessary device themselves. At the same time, they often produce devices that are not inferior in characteristics to factory analogues.

As it turned out, a DIY TV antenna assembled with your own hands perfectly catches the signal from the nearest television tower. Moreover, you can design and assemble many effective functioning devices for home use. In this article we present a selection of the best models with detailed instructions for their manufacture. First, let’s look at their advantages over purchased ones.

What are the benefits of homemade antennas?

Even with the advent of computer technology and the Internet, the popularity of television does not decrease. A large number of different programs and channels satisfy the needs of both children and adult family members.

But sometimes TV fans are faced with circumstances in which they need to quickly and competently make an antenna with their own hands.

The signal enters home television receivers in different ways: through a satellite dish mounted on the outside of the house or roof, a television cable, a special set-top box

Here are just a few reasons to get involved in technical “amateur activities”:

• the residential building is still new, providers have not had time to master it;
• the house is located far from the city and shops;
• cable television was turned off for professional work;
• the old device is out of order, but there is no money for a new one, etc.

And some home inventors are abandoning purchased devices for new experiments. This hobby often helps out and also saves the family budget.

The cost of homemade products is much less than the price of models presented in stores. And if you have a whole warehouse of old parts at home, then you can get a brand new antenna for nothing

Skeptics may object and say that a homemade television antenna cannot be compared in quality to branded devices.

However, practice has shown that with a favorable position of the building and correctly performed calculations, the signal is caught perfectly, and the homemade product copes with its task perfectly.

Models for home making

It should be understood that digital signal transmission is limited by both distance and visibility. It is believed that the transmitter can provide a good signal at a distance of 60 km, although in practice there have been cases when 90 km did not serve as an obstacle, especially when using amplifier.

Ideally, the TV tower should be in a clear visibility zone, that is, not blocked from the antenna by other buildings or volumetric structures

Under such conditions, even a weak signal will be enough for the image and sound to satisfy the needs of consumers.

However, the following requirements apply to antennas:

• location – along the axis of the incoming electromagnetic wave;
• all work is carried out carefully, in accordance with calculations;
• do not forget about polarization orientation;
• If co-frequency interference exists, additional protection is required.

For signal reception to be of high quality, it must be 1.5 dB above the background noise accompanying the interference.If cable damage or phase distortion occurs, even a strong signal will disappear.

Model #1 - a simple device made from beer cans

This is the simplest modification of a home antenna that does not require special knowledge or calculations. Of course, the device cannot be called powerful, but under favorable conditions it is capable of capturing several channels.

To make it, you will need two beer cans, a meter-long piece of television cable with a connector, a construction or stationery knife for cutting the cable, electrical tape, and a small wooden block.

To learn how to make a simple TV antenna at home, just use the photo instructions below. The device is very popular, so the manual is detailed and accessible to everyone.

Step-by-step instructions for making a “can” device:

The antenna is completely ready, all that remains is to connect it to the TV.

For those who are doing this for the first time, we present another short photo guide:

This is a primitive version of the antenna; you should not hope for an excellent image or a large number of captured channels.

But with a favorable location of the house relative to the broadcast source, you can find from 5 to 8 different channels that will be displayed in satisfactory condition.

To improve the quality of signal transmission, you can try to change the position of the antenna or slightly increase the length of the wire to move it to the balcony.

Model #2 - biquad antenna for digital broadcasting

The biquad antenna, so beloved by self-taught craftsmen, was invented in the last century by the engineer Kharchenko, by whose name it is still called.

The dimensions of the zigzag frame structure are not taken from the ceiling. In order for the image on the TV screen to be clear and the sound to be free of extraneous noise, precise calculations are needed

To increase directivity, the double square is equipped with a grating or screen, but if the waves have good conductivity, it is not required. We offer two similar options that differ in material and manufacturing nuances.

Option #1 - made of copper wire

To receive an analog or digital signal, an easy-to-make, small antenna made of copper wire and coaxial cable is suitable. The design of the device is simple: a biquadrate with a central housing made from a junction box. It can be installed in an apartment or outdoors.

The cost of the antenna is low, since almost all materials can be found at home or purchased inexpensively in a store that sells components for televisions and other equipment.

For work you will need: a piece of coaxial cable, 1 m of copper wire with a cross-section of 0.3-0.4 cm, a television connector, flux, solder, a plastic junction box

Nowadays digital television is widespread, so the antenna is designed specifically for it. You shouldn’t set the dimensions at random; it’s better to make calculations. First you need to find out the reception range of digital channels; the necessary information can be gleaned from reference books posted on the Internet.

For digital, the average frequency is 690 MHz. If you are still using analog channels, you will need 470 MHz (for UHF waves).

Next you need to calculate the dimensions - and here the easiest way is to use an online calculator, which is designed for calculating antennas of this type. You insert the frequency into the top window and other parameters are automatically calculated.

For a biquad with a frequency of 690 MHz, one side of the square (L1) is approximately 105 mm, and the length of the entire device (L2) is 295 mm. These are the main dimensions you need to know.

Step-by-step instructions for making a homemade TV antenna from copper wire:

After installing the antenna, you need to put a plug on the other end of the cable, if it is not there, and then plug it into the corresponding connector on the TV.

To check the signal quality, turn on auto search. Most likely, the reception quality will be good.

Option #2 - made of aluminum wire

The second model resembles the first in design and manufacturing method, but also has distinctive features.

In fact, the antenna is simpler and less expensive, since aluminum wire is used instead of copper. Soldering is not provided, which simplifies the assembly process

It will take very little time to assemble the structure and connect it.

If all the materials are prepared and the tools are at hand, then one free evening is enough.

To better catch the signal, the finished antenna must be taken out to the balcony or placed in a window.

If the nearest TV tower is located on the side, then to improve the direction, you can attach the biquadrat to a stick and put it forward. The quality of wave reception is not as negatively affected by distance as by the presence of various obstacles - for example, residential high-rise buildings.

Model #3 - spiral device for TV

This is a country version without an amplifier, assembled from scrap materials: a remnant of a power cable and an old shovel for clearing snow. The cable is used to make a spiral, and a fragment of a shovel is used to make a good reflective screen.

The design of the antenna is simple; even an amateur can handle its manufacture. No soldering was performed during assembly; all connections were made either by twisting or screw fastenings

A decimeter antenna picks up digital broadcasting if the reception range is satisfactory. To calculate the pitch between turns, it is necessary to clarify the frequency of “digital” transmission in the region, and convert the resulting value into meters.

Calculations for this model:

• frequency – 522 MHz
• wavelength (λ) – 0.57 m
• ⌀ of each turn – 0.177 m
• pitch between two adjacent turns – 0.137 m
• distance from cable to screen – 0.074 m
• reflective screen width – 0.35 m

Before starting work, it is recommended to record all measurements on a diagram, which will serve as a guide.

As a sample, you can take a typical diagram of a cylindrical helical antenna, on which you need to indicate the main elements of the device, the number of turns and the calculation results

To work, you will need the flat part of a snow shovel, which is made of stainless steel. If there are no similar items on the farm, then just a steel sheet.It is not necessary to cut a circle out of it; the workpiece can be in the shape of a square or rectangle.

For the spiral you need a regular electrical wire with a diameter of 0.2 cm, or rather, one of its copper cores in polymer insulation. In practice, it is better to use a wire whose cross-section is 5 times larger - this will give a wider reception range. You also need a second cable with a connector - coaxial, with a resistance of 75 Ohms.

Procedure:

1. Build a base for winding the cable from a sheet of plywood and wooden slats. Ideally, there should be a dielectric cylinder instead.
2. Straighten the steel sheet and fix it perpendicular to the base using a fixed screw fastening.
3. Wind the cable with turns according to the calculations.
4. Twist the coaxial cable.

To test, the product must be moved to the upper part of the house and installed in the attic or attic - where the antenna will be protected from rain. But this is provided that the roof is covered with a material through which waves freely penetrate - for example, soft tiles.

In addition to this model for your dacha, you can build other, no less simple and effective, antenna options from scrap materials. In another article on our website, we provided a selection of the best country models with detailed instructions for their production.

Several recommendations for the use and operation of a homemade spiral:

The spiral antenna showed good results at a distance of 90 km from the nearest UHF wave transmitter - two TV channels worked in satisfactory quality.

It is not necessary to use an amplifier.It is used if the length of the downward coaxial cable exceeds 3 m or 1-2 more TVs are connected to such an antenna.

If all the considered homemade models seem complicated to you or you don’t want to bother and waste your time assembling them, you can always buy a ready-made antenna in a store, for example, a satellite one. In this case, it will be useful to you installation instructions plates and self tuner settings.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Express antenna from television cable:

Biquadrat Kharchenko with reflector:

Calculations and manufacturing of an antenna on a lattice:

Here are only four guides on how to quickly make a home antenna for a TV; in fact, there are many more. There are also more serious options, with precise calculations using formulas and using additional amplifiers. You can choose the simplest device to start with and check whether it really can work.

Are you using a homemade TV antenna? Which model did you prefer and how long did it take you to build it? Please tell us in the comments section about your experience in making the device, show photos of the finished product and attach them below. If you wish, share useful assembly tips with beginners - your successful experience will inspire the creativity of other home craftsmen.