Association Forum - Cheap HD TV antenna from Radio Shack

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Cheap HD TV antenna from Radio Shack

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

USA
1771 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/17/2008 : 08:44:02

OK, so the missus is getting antsy since we have been here in St. Augustine SO long, and watching "The Big Give" and "American Idol" has suddenly become a bigger priority than I would like to admit. Funny how when we are actually sailing/cruising we are in bed by "cruiser's midnight" which for those of you who don't know is 21:00, but put us at a dock for long enough and we watch too much TV, party with the "peeps" too much and wake up late with hangovers.

Anyhow, our TV is the Pinnacle Systems HD TV card on our laptop and the stock antenna does poorly in terms of reception, so I was looking at the offerings by West Marine. $140 and $190 respectively - not fitting into our cruising budget. Went to Radio Shack and found this weather resistant amplified antenna and it works great! $50 and we put 20' of cable on it for a total of $65. It comes with a mountable fitting that allows you to remove it easily when underway and it has a 9 volt amp that is easily wired in to 12 volts using a cheap step down transformer.

http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=15-2186&origkw=15-2186&sr=1

Sten

DPO C25 #3220 "Zephyr", SR, FK
SV Lysistrata - C&C 39 - St. Augustine FL for flipping ever!!!!

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2008 : 12:29:10

I'm fascinated by this idea of using laptops for TV, DVD watching, etc. Great way to multi-purpose! The RS antenna looks nice too and gets good reviews. How important is the "aiming" of the antenna? Maybe the more $$ ones are omnidirectional. How have you mounted the antenna?

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

Members Avatar

USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2008 : 14:58:15

Damn, I hate it when you people find cheap fixes, especially for stuff I categorize as excess. I really didn't want a TV, laptop or portable DVD player on Piseas II. I figure that's what home is for. That begs the question, what comforts are you willing to give up or prefer to give up when sailing/cruising? For me, this also includes many mods I have seen on this forum. The look great but......... I am kinda of a minimalist.
Steve A

Edited by - piseas on 04/17/2008 15:00:01

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2008 : 07:21:51

Randy, there is a website that will tell you based on your position which way to aim the antenna for best reception. I've lost the link, but HD is very aimable. We really didn't do much but zip tie the mount to the mast and put it on the mount. The key has got to be in the amplifier. As far as using the laptop for a TV, there are a few bugs. It will freeze sometimes and needs to be rebooted before you can watch again, seems like it happens at the same time during the same shows so there must be some station id signal that is messing with the tuner.

Volume is another issue - we often run the laptop into our stereo system for amplification. But for $100 the HD USB Tuner Stick comes with a remote control that is tiny and works well, and basically fulfills the need to watch the news or stay in touch. We are thinking about buying a flat screen tv that runs off of 12 volts becasue the laptop does suck more power when we are out on the hook.

Minimalists are cool, we have met quite a few of them. I like these folks and their hummus recipe is awesome. We will never buy hummus again. http://www.chelonidae.blogspot.com/

Since we are full-time cruisers, this IS our home. When we cruised on our C25, I would put 4 or 5 batteries onboard at the start of the cruising season and try to keep up with solar panels, but we always watched TV when on the hook. We always had heat, gourmet food, excellent wine, plenty of light, a nice head, comfortable bed and bedding, real silverware, real plates, real wine glasses, napkins, cloth towels, good knives, coffee maker, you name it, it was on our C25 and now we have even more crap that makes our boat feel like home.

I'll never forget anchoring for the first time with my wife to be on my C25. She had never been sailing before and we sailed to a secluded spot near a big mansion that was rented out for weddings on the weekend. A big band was playing as the sun set, wine glasses and cheese platter out, Cold gazpacho soup and fish tacos on the menu, lights on down below, lights in the cockpit gently lighting the food and my now wife says, "OK, now this is what I call yachting." 4 Years later and we are out cruising. Not camping, cruising. In my opinion the real minimalists sail open vessels with boom tents that they put up at night or they camp on shore.

Sten

Edited by - on

Renzo
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2008 : 07:49:34

Originally posted by redviking
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Randy, there is a website that will tell you based on your position which way to aim the antenna for best reception. I've lost the link, but HD is very aimable. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Sten Here's the link
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

Originally posted by redviking
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I'll never forget anchoring for the first time with my wife to be on my C25. She had never been sailing before and we sailed to a secluded spot near a big mansion that was rented out for weddings on the weekend. A big band was playing as the sun set, wine glasses and cheese platter out, Cold gazpacho soup and fish tacos on the menu, lights on down below, lights in the cockpit gently lighting the food and my now wife says, "OK, now this is what I call yachting." 4 Years later and we are out cruising. Not camping, cruising. In my opinion the real minimalists sail open vessels with boom tents that they put up at night or they camp on shore.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Sten, If you keep waxing poetic about moonlight dinners at anchor with the admaral people will think that you are an incurable romantic and you'll loose your hard earned status as a salty dog.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2008 : 08:13:13

Renzo, I think you meant 'Admirable'!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">with the admaral<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Paul

Edited by - on

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2008 : 08:17:10

Quote: If you keep waxing poetic about moonlight dinners at anchor with the admaral people will think that you are an incurable romantic and you'll loose your hard earned status as a salty dog.

Salty Dog indeed! I am a horn dawg first!

Do you know how many single sailors there are in the world? Too many! Back in the day, my viking ancestors were able to rape and pillage, nowadays we have to plead and cajole.

Speaking of which, aren't we supposed to meet at the Shady Lady for bevs and entertainment DOG?

Just 'cuz I'm married doesn't mean I can't look at the appetizers!

Salty Sten

Edited by - on

Renzo
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2008 : 08:12:01

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redviking
 Quote: If you keep waxing poetic about moonlight dinners at anchor with the admaral people will think that you are an incurable romantic and you'll loose your hard earned status as a salty dog.

Salty Dog indeed! I am a horn dawg first!

Do you know how many single sailors there are in the world? Too many! Back in the day, my viking ancestors were able to rape and pillage, nowadays we have to plead and cajole.

Speaking of which, aren't we supposed to meet at the Shady Lady for bevs and entertainment DOG?

Just 'cuz I'm married doesn't mean I can't look at the appetizers!

Salty Sten
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I was on my way to the Shady Lady when my admiral told me to belay and come-about and set course to the backyard for spring landscape duty

So I'll have to ignore my hunger pangs for awhile

But mark my words when I say that I will eventually mutiny, take command of the ship and set sail for your smorgasbord of debauchery as surely as we have hijacked this topic

Edited by - Renzo on 04/19/2008 08:14:32

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2008 : 09:00:58

How long before we get kicked out? Hey wait, wasn't this my topic? Can you hijack your own topic? How long will McDonald's offer the Siesta Mexican fest? Now there is a Hijack!

CHEERS - No need for TV - just broadband!

sten

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.