What antenna do I have?

redalicat

Going to cancel Sky, so I need to be able to get the terrestrials. The house I'm in is a rental; I've located the aerial in the attic.

Not the best photo, I know but:



Anyone able to tell what it's supposed to pick up (UHF, VHF, red, black)? Landlord wouldn't have a clue. It's not amplified and plugging it into the telly the signal wasn't very good for any of the four, though RTÉ One was viewable.

Galway

redalicat wrote: »

Going to cancel Sky, so I need to be able to get the terrestrials. The house I'm in is a rental; I've located the aerial in the attic.

Not the best photo, I know but:



Anyone able to tell what it's supposed to pick up (UHF, VHF, red, black)? Landlord wouldn't have a clue. It's not amplified and plugging it into the telly the signal wasn't very good for any of the four, though RTÉ One was viewable.

Looks like a VHF band 3 log periodic horizontally polarised for Kippure Rte 1 channel E and RTe 2 channel H. No good foe TV 3 or TG4 on 62 and 59.

redalicat

Thank you, I suspected it wasn't going to work as is. Since cancelling Sky is an economy reason, I'm trying to handle this on the cheap. I have one of these in an old box:



Should I just set it up on top of the TV set? I've had problems in the past in another location with it getting knocked over, reception changes, etc. I'd prefer the antenna in the attic situation, but would it be terribly expensive to get another one, keeping in mind I'm renting the place?

BTW, I have a non-digital CRT TV so I'm not concerned about the DTT signal for now.

Sponge Bob

You will need a UHF aerial sooner or later , that yoke will not pick up TV3 or TG4 properly. Best you will manage is good RTE1 and RTE2 with a bit of fiddling and even that will stop working by 2013.

The sky box will continue to work for BBC ITV C4 and some other channels, I advise removing the card once the sub is deactivated.

redalicat

Sponge Bob wrote: »

You will need a UHF aerial sooner or later , that yoke will not pick up TV3 or TG4 properly. Best you will manage is good RTE1 and RTE2 with a bit of fiddling and even that will stop working by 2013.

The sky box will continue to work for BBC ITV C4 and some other channels, I advise removing the card once the sub is deactivated.

Yeah, we'll use the Sky box as a freeview-type thing.

So, what's my cheapest option on the UHF, considering I don't own the place? Is outdoor still better or can I use the attic?

Sponge Bob

I would buy a UHF aerial and a vhf/uhf combiner amp and take them with you if you leave seeing as DTT will all be UHF in future ( and TV3 analogue and TG4 analogue today). About €50 the pair and use the attic.

You would need a group c/d uhf aerial for Kippure I think.

redalicat

I haven't a clue which transmitter I'm getting.

Any suggestions on where to source the antenna and amp? Should I get a "better" antenna in view of future digital? I know I'll need a box as my telly's a CRT non-digital.

rabbitsears

There's only one transmitter you can get with that lash-up in your loft and that's the VHF transmitters at Kippure.

You will probably have a moderately ok RTE 1 & RTE 2 and your TV3 and TG4 will be snowy or ghosted.

Sam Russell

Looking at the aerial you have, the directors look damaged or missing. You could start by correcting that. Use old wire coathangers to replace missing parts. On this site there was a post giving instructions for a simple(?) aerial built from wire coat-hangers - zero cost if you have them. It should give you decent reception from inside the attic. It is amazing what you can get away with.

I would start by trying to sort out and clean wires/contacts of what you have.

Antenna

Galway wrote: »

Looks like a VHF band 3 log periodic .

looks like a Yagi not LP type to me.

bits missing

Is the 'folded dipole' also missing (can't see what the co-ax is connected to)?

redalicat wrote: »

I have one of these in an old box:

You could try installing the set-top aerial in the attic on top of a cardboard box etc, with the UHF loop facing the transmitter, and the two rods horizontal and extended approx 40 cms each

redalicat

Sam Russell wrote: »

Looking at the aerial you have, the directors look damaged or missing. You could start by correcting that. Use old wire coathangers to replace missing parts. On this site there was a post giving instructions for a simple(?) aerial built from wire coat-hangers - zero cost if you have them. It should give you decent reception from inside the attic. It is amazing what you can get away with.

I would start by trying to sort out and clean wires/contacts of what you have.

Once I posted the photo full size I had noticed things appeared to be missing. I would like to try the coat-hanger post you suggest first before buying anything.

redalicat

Antenna wrote: »

looks like a Yagi not LP type to me.

bits missing

Is the 'folded dipole' also missing (can't see what the co-ax is connected to)?

Got another photo here of what I think is the dipole and connection:

Sam Russell

Try this, it will cost nothing if you have about 8 to 10 wire coat hangers and some wood and screws. Do not bother with the balun, at first anyway.

http://uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/

Best of luck with it. I have not tried this, but made a much simpler folded dipole that gets perfect reception.

See how it goes.

redalicat

Sam Russell wrote: »

Try this, it will cost nothing if you have about 8 to 10 wire coat hangers and some wood and screws. Do not bother with the balun, at first anyway.

http://uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/

Best of luck with it. I have not tried this, but made a much simpler folded dipole that gets perfect reception.

See how it goes.

Cool, definitely willing to give it a go.

redalicat

Just now realising that once I get some UHF antenna up in the attic, I'll need to get both the VHF and UHF signal down the coax.

Would this work up in the attic to send it down to the TV?
http://tvtrade.ie/show/254,VHF-and-UHF-Diplexer-Fringe-

Sam Russell

Probably, but put your UHF up first and see what you get. Fix the VHF one and see what you get. If each work, then look at a diplexing. The cheapest is a Y connector, it loses signal, but if you have enough, that is OK.

Try each as you go, if you want a low cost solution.