DIY RV TV ANTENNA

Aaron · Veteran Member

DIY RV TV ANTENNA

Whenarewethere · Guru

Or just a bit of wire behind plastic trim panels.

PeterD · Guru

Aaron wrote:
Step 1. Measure three lengths of soft wire - I used some old power cord - measured and cut to be resonant on three Australian UHF TV frequencies - that is 550Mhz = 54cm, 650Mhz = 46cm, and 750Mhz = 40cm - which will give you three loops to glue inside the bottom frisbee.

Aaron, you may care to reassess the cut frequencies of your three elements. Since you have considered your frequencies the Australian frequencies in the 700 MHz band have been cleared and the spectrum reassigned to mobile data. The bottom channel is CH 28 with a lower frequency of 554 MHz. The top channel is CH 51 with an upper frequency of 698 MHz.

You may also consider adding a filter like this one - 4G/LTE Filter for Digital TV Reception - to eliminate interference from the new mobile data channels.

Aaron · Veteran Member

Hi PeterD - yep I already considered that - the 750 Mhz element is to give a little bit of extra bandwidth top and bottom of Band IV and V and the interference issue was deliberately left out for the sake of KISS - let them have fun Peter THEN if they have a problem they can always post here for a solution that won't cost the earth - what do you reckon !

PeterD · Guru

Aaron, forget Band 5, it has been given over to the LTE data services. If you bring your elements closer together in frequency then the reception response acrosss the bane will be a little less lumpy.

Aaron · Veteran Member

PeterD - maybe you should write an article about antennas instead of posting a critique of my article - did you find anything positive in my post ?

PeterD · Guru

Yes, that is why I gave a suggestion for you to improve your device.

Aaron · Veteran Member

How about you find someone else to critique

-- Edited by Aaron on Sunday 22nd of August 2021 12:12:39 PM

Mike Harding · Guru

Aaron wrote:
How about you find someone else to critique

PeterD has good knowledge in this area, if you listen you may learn....

Aaron · Veteran Member

I am removing the post to avoid a serial pest

Mike Harding · Guru

For a working lifetime I have been deeply involved in both electrical engineering and advanced electronic hardware and real-time firmware design. Every time one completes a design it is subject to a design review by peers or people brought in with the specific knowledge required to undertake such a task. It is never pleasant role for the designer, having his lovingly created design which may have occupied him for months, taken apart with forensic precision and then being required to justify every decision he made within the design especially when one cannot justify it or a fault in ones skill or thinking is discovered.

However such a process is essential because it stops people being killed or injured or product recalls which may cost millions - it is not a personal process and should not be seen as such by the designer because *we all* make mistakes and *we all* can learn from others who have good knowledge in areas where we are lacking. The wise man learns from such a process and does not repeat his errors.

Do not take constructive criticism of your efforts personally Aaron and if you feel it's incorrect then ask for clarification or challenge it from a technical viewpoint.

Blues Man · Guru

Well said Mike Harding.

Aaron · Veteran Member

well said indeed - likewise I spent over 30 years fault finding in the industry - with electrical engineering background - frequently fixing the mistakes of others (usually industry engineers who were quick with throwing stones but slow when asked for a remedy) - if it were a pissing competition here then who wins ? I did note that nothing was said about the impedance mismatch which gave rise to suspicion of a lot of knowledge about very little - nor was there any mention of front end selectivity in a modern receiver that easily blocks digi coms even while standing under the tx - or the dozen or so grammatical errors - however what was singled out was one loop !!! yet not a mention of what the correct length is that gave rise to the authors bona fides - fortunately the post has been removed to another platform where babies are not thrown out with the bath water and arm chair critics are few and far between - as a first time user it is sadly my last here

-- Edited by Aaron on Monday 23rd of August 2021 03:08:02 PM

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Years ago I was putting a you beaut aerial up . I dropped the cable on the floor and the TV worked absolutely brilliant ! The days of old flex cable .

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Aaron your right ! To be fair ? This is text and we tend to say one part of things . It often comes through as the cure to things ? Or often misunderstood being text !! We dont want to print out 10 paragraphs to explain what we dont really mean !! Aha

Are We Lost · Guru

Aaron, I appreciated your write-up. Your design gives an inexpensive yet relatively elegant solution to replace more expensive commercial antennae. I read the comments as suggestions for improvement rather than criticising your design. So I suggest you continue to post such ideas.

Dick0 · Guru

Aaron wrote:
PeterD - maybe you should write an article about antennas instead of posting a critique of my article - did you find anything positive in my post ?

Aaron, I found your post very informative. Your endeavor to provide a low cost DIY antenna with step by step instructions was admirable and I am sure will be helpful to others.

I would, also, like to see the critics of your project post a detailed DIY solution, as you have, supported with data and explaining the reasons, and provide visual and pictorial and parts source assistance as you have.

I am all for critical opinions and welcome comments but more importantly I would prefer to see the results of the claimed better solutions.

Aaron · Veteran Member

I was waiting for the author to state how many antennas they had personally built or designed but only heard crickets - its always easier to throw stone - thanks for the comments - I have a killer gorilla folded J-Pole with 3dB or gain for under $10 that I built that I am keen share but reluctant to do so here

Aaron · Veteran Member

Awesome - your post hit the mark as indeed the one above - thanks for the encouragement, it is MUCH appreciated

Aaron · Veteran Member

Thanks - the story of a new suit with a soup stain on the tie comes to mind, or is the glass half empty or half full etc - its always easier to pull down then build up - I am still waiting on a answer to my original question - "how many antennas" has the author "designed and or built" ?

I have made it a lifetime endeavor to build simple yet elegant solutions to specific needs - I have published and had peer review all of my designs and received glowing accounts from those who have replicated the design/s - my days go back to correspondence with the legendary Dickie Bird from before him going silent key. I hoped I could one day emulate his efforts. Sadly all I have been capable of were iterations - yet with an eye to improvement so I do get the "critique".

In the scheme of things a single dipole loop in a three loop array being a little shorter (or longer, we know not yet from the author - although I have adjust the calc) would make little if any difference in real life.

What I really was hoping for was questions that would lead to solving other problems . . . I have a UHF CB antenna I built the other day for under $10 with a great band with and almost zero SWR that is ground plane independent and ideally suited to some of the new composite RVs. I am writing it as we speak.

Dick0 · Guru

Aaron wrote:
Thanks - the story of a new suit with a soup stain on the tie comes to mind, or is the glass half empty or half full etc - its always easier to pull down then build up - I am still waiting on a answer to my original question - "how many antennas" has the author "designed and or built" ?
I have made it a lifetime endeavor to build simple yet elegant solutions to specific needs - I have published and had peer review all of my designs and received glowing accounts from those who have replicated the design/s - my days go back to correspondence with the legendary Dickie Bird from before him going silent key. I hoped I could one day emulate his efforts. Sadly all I have been capable of were iterations - yet with an eye to improvement so I do get the "critique".
In the scheme of things a single dipole loop in a three loop array being a little shorter (or longer, we know not yet from the author - although I have adjust the calc) would make little if any difference in real life.
What I really was hoping for was questions that would lead to solving other problems . . . I have a UHF CB antenna I built the other day for under $10 with a great band with and almost zero SWR that is ground plane independent and ideally suited to some of the new composite RVs. I am writing it as we speak.

Keep at it mate!

Ignore the detractors. Put your ideas forward and let the majority decide if they like your projects.

Lap up the objective opinions and dismiss the subjective ones.