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TV antenna

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/20/2010 : 15:56:36

for my birthday the family gave me a 9 inch flat panel TV for the boat. By the way - Office Depot, $40.

It works pretty good. I spend a lot of nights aboard (about 1 or 2 per week) and having a little entertainment in the evening and having the morning show on while making coffee was nice.

Positioning the built in whip antenna was not easy. I would like to have a piece of co-ax to some type of antenna to run up the flag halyard when I am watching TV, anyone have any ideas?

Cheap is the operative word, followed by effective.

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2010 : 16:10:03

I use this; it comes with a coax and amplifier, but I got it for $40. I works extremely well in my marginal reception area at the marina in Port Clinton. There is also a non-amplified version that would probably work where your are, and its cheaper. It says indoors, but I run it part way up the mast and put it in a bag if it rains. http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-Amplified-Digital-Flat-Indoor-Antenna/11080817

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5362 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2010 : 16:31:30

You could get the cheapest thing they make - a pair of rabbit ears! They are effective for VHF channels from channel 2 through 13. For UHF channels (14-68), you would need at least a 10" loop or bow-tie antenna.
Target, Wal*Mart and Radioshark all sell these VHF/UHF combos that are really cheap. If you live withing 10-35 miles of the transmitters, that's all you need.

But if you live farther than 40 miles out from your favorite channels, you really can't improve much on rabbit ears for VHF, but it drops off pretty quickly, esp chls 2-5. 6-13 are better. For UHF reception, a directional Yagi antenna (it looks like a space ship) will work a lot better than a bow tie.

The absolute best UHF antenna is marketed by RCA that's a phased array antenna. It looks like a 10" x 10" x 3/4" white metal box with a white coax cable coming out, but it requires 9VDC to operate correctly. The 9VDC is supplied by a small black "wall wart" AC adapter. You could probably supply it with 12 volts, but put four or five SI diodes in line to drop 2.8 to 3.5 volts.

None of the antennas cost more than $40, and many are in the clearance bin at dept stores for less.

One problem with DTV receivers is they have to "lock" onto the signals. They have an adaptive equalizer in them that cancels out reflections in the demodulator, so if your boat is rocking, the picture could freeze and unfreeze and freeze and unfreeze in sync with the boat's movements. This is a major problem in excessively strong signal areas, in areas with tall buildings or hills, or in fringe areas.

Portable DTV is coming, but it's not here yet. That will solve the movement problem.

Edit - looks like Dave beat me to the punch, but his antenna is black. Mine's white.

Edited by - Voyager on 05/20/2010 16:35:39

NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2010 : 19:12:44

Flo-TV?

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5362 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2010 : 22:04:40

That's one example of portable - a lot of competitors are coming

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2010 : 04:10:14

We have the Radio Shack spaceship antenna on the end of an 8' SS telescoping pole on the port catbird seat. Our 15" DTV/DVD/Monitor/etc. works great except that we sail mostly in the Miami area... so most of the channels are spanish, fire-n-brimstone, or both.

The whole setup (TV and Antenna Amp) draws less than 2amps!

Paul

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2010 : 05:29:12

Bruce, aren't UHF and VHF a thing of the past as far as tv is concerned? It's all digital now if I'm not mistaken.

Edited by - DaveR on 05/21/2010 05:31:34

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2010 : 06:03:50

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx

Where is what station is above, and the antenna they recommend.

it's all new to me.

I usta have a portable monitor "photolok ed"

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/63116-REG/Wein_W990200_PL_Photo_Lok_Tape_Mounting.html

above my bunk. Worked great. but analogue is dead. looking forward to a new digital TV when they work the bugs out, so I'm up for hearing anything anyone has used.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2010 : 07:30:35

<< anyone have any ideas? >>

So.. it looks like from the web page you might want to look for the direction and strength for a given channel you would like to look at and select an antenna specific to that station.

I use digital at home so now I know I want to "aim" my antenna to about a 250 degree bearing.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2010 : 07:37:13

http://www.homeantenna.org/antenna-hd600.html

12 volt and it appears to turn 360.

Looks like this would work for an inside application. Might be a good starting point.

30 bucks.

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2010 : 10:43:30

Jim,
This is more up your alley!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw"]Coat-Hanger HD Antenna[/url]

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5362 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2010 : 19:39:49

I love the You Tube antenna - I have an old radio shark rooftop antenna with a similar "coat hanger wire" type UHF section as that pictured in the video.

Television signals - whether the old analog - or the new digital signals - are carried on various RF frequencies.

Channels 2-13 are very high frequency while channels 14-68 are ultra high frequencies. On the old knob sets, there were two tuners - one for VHF and the other for UHF. Then with cable ready sets, they put all the channels into one tuner.

DTV tuners run through all the channels - from 2-68 on set up.

So long as there is TV there will be VHF and UHF frequencies.

Edited by - Voyager on 05/21/2010 19:41:03

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2012 : 11:33:59

I have the earlier version of this Radio Shack model http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3730720 For fifty bucks we pulled in TV in the middle of nowhere on the ICW. No cell, no internet, no nothing and we still watched Obama get elected. I use Antennaweb or move the unit slowly around the mast looking for a strong signal. It is not necessary to run up the mast. In windy conditions the antenna will blow about and reception will be poor if hoisted on the flag halyard. Ziptie in place just above the sailcover or use a folded sail to keep it in place and you are good to go if the heading is correct.

sten

Edited by - on

dreddick
Navigator

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117 Posts

Response Posted - 06/17/2012 : 20:36:32

I just picked up a RCA ANT800 antenna this week on sale at Menards. It has a 360 degree reception pattern and a pre-amp. I ran it up the mast using the halyard after attaching it to a couple of extra sail slugs above those for the main. I am at Catawba Island, OH and was very happy that it found around 35 channels...a mix from Toledo, Detroit, even Cleveland, plus a couple from Ontario.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 06/18/2012 : 03:43:07

Sweet... I will have to give that a try at home.

and then the boat on special occasions.

Edited by - on

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