home-made hdtv antenna

[soccerballtux]

Nomination for Paper to receive Elite Member ranking...

So it puts little blocking capacitors in the signal line that allow all the signal through but block any DC voltage, and then uses the center and shield conductors of the cable to send the DC power up the cable to the antenna-mounted in-line amp.

Enough power for that? That's cool.

Regarding the transmitter power levels, it is common to start up a transmitter at reduced output power and debug it over the start-up period, raising output as the system is optimized. Since the cutover to all-digital OTA is done (or almost), I would sincerely hope that most broadcasters are nearly finished that phase by now and already up to max output.

From what I understood they are broadcasting at much lower power right now because we're still making use of some of those frequencies for analog TV. When those are shut off, then they can go to full power without concern over drowning the analog signal in the digital one.

 

[silverpig]

Hey guys, just wanted to give a little post-transition update. Despite being in a slightly below-grade apartment, facing entirely the wrong direction, with shrubs in front of the window, and being completely surrounded by concrete buildings, I am using the coathanger antenna from the OP's link with a 15 dB amplifier to pick up a digital OTA station located 50 miles away. I don't get a 100% steady lock all the time, but it is definitely watchable and most of the time it comes in just great with no stuttering. If I spent some more time on the antenna, making sure the bends were nice and sharp and the whiskers were straight, I'm sure it'd help out a bit.