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How to Make a TV Dish Antenna

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  • anacondama
    Banned
    • Jul 2010
    • 865

    How to Make a TV Dish Antenna

    Maybe you're the type of person who likes to make things with your hands or from scratch. Maybe you need a quick TV antenna replacement using common household tools and items you can find in your garage. This TV dish antenna may not look great, and your friends may laugh at this contraption, but hey at least you can get some type of reception.

    Things You'll Need:
    * Aluminum foil
    * Copper wire (preferably insulated)
    * Duct tape
    * Several pieces of cardboard
    * Scissors or wire cutters
    * Empty wine bottle with bottom cut out or thick cardboard roll
    * Wire Stripper (optional)


    Instructions

    1.Visit Home Depot or your local hardware store to gather the following tools if you do not already have them at home: copper wire, duct tape, cardboard boxes, wire cutters, and wire strippers. If possible, take a carpenter or person who is knowledgeable about electronics with you.

    2.Cut a 36 inch long piece of copper wire. Then strip a small piece of either end of the wire using your wire strippers; only about a five inches or so. Many people choose to use wire hangers for this purpose, so keep in mind that your wires do not absolutely need to be insulated.

    3.Wrap a 10 x 10 inch piece of cardboard in about four layers of aluminum foil and tape it in place if needed. Be sure it's wrapped securely.

    4.Wrap another piece of cardboard, this time only about 4 x 10 inches, in aluminum foil and tape one end of the smaller cardboard piece to the larger aluminum wrapped cardboard, leaving one end of the smaller piece pointing toward the sky; sort of like a satellite dish. This will help achieve better reception.

    5.Reinforce the copper wire using a wine bottle that has the bottom cut out. Run the wire through the bottle and tape it so that the other exposed end of the wire is sticking out of the bottle's mouth. You can also use a sturdy cardboard roll that can stand up on it's own. Keep your wires pointing toward the sky.

    6.Tape the wire that is protruding out of the mouth of the wine bottle or cardboard **** with your duct tape to the "dish" like aluminum wrapped cardboard piece. Make sure that the wire is fully touching the aluminum. Secure the dish with tape to the wine bottle or cardboard roll so that it will stand on its own.

    7.Plug your wire into the TV's cable connection. Check that everything is solid. Adjust and play with the TV antenna to achieve the best reception possible.
  • satman72
    Experienced Board Member
    • Jun 2010
    • 3550

    #2
    Re: How to Make a TV Dish Antenna

    I don't suggest to build a dish, the way explaned into this post is more expensive then buy a dish into a shop. Also is really diffucult to give the right form to allumin foil. Why you should do it?
    Just click on thanks button if my post has helped you
    Don't send me cline requests, technical or premium server questions in PM! I'll not answer!

    Comment

    • anacondama
      Banned
      • Jul 2010
      • 865

      #3
      Re: How to Make a TV Dish Antenna

      just for fun or a challenge because that give a reel sensation by doing something
      i know that there is norms to follow but just to feel proud that you built something

      Comment

      • zoran89
        Experienced Board Member
        • Mar 2010
        • 1618

        #4
        Re: How to Make a TV Dish Antenna

        And it still need somthing to hold LNB and something sturdy to screw dish to wall, and when some stronger wind come on you can say bye-bye to you dish and hope it didnt fall on car or destroy something more.

        Comment

        • noxonstaff
          Senior Member
          • Jun 2010
          • 110

          #5
          Re: How to Make a TV Dish Antenna

          Originally posted by satman72
          I don't suggest to build a dish, the way explaned into this post is more expensive then buy a dish into a shop. Also is really diffucult to give the right form to allumin foil. Why you should do it?
          It is probably more economical to buy the antenna at the store.
          But the immense pleasure you feel when you do one thing for your own in a Bricoleur way... is much much much higher than the price paid.
          My opinion

          Comment

          • satman72
            Experienced Board Member
            • Jun 2010
            • 3550

            #6
            Re: How to Make a TV Dish Antenna

            Originally posted by noxonstaff
            It is probably more economical to buy the antenna at the store.
            But the immense pleasure you feel when you do one thing for your own in a Bricoleur way... is much much much higher than the price paid.
            My opinion
            Well I wanna make you happy: build 2 mt dish for my roof
            Just click on thanks button if my post has helped you
            Don't send me cline requests, technical or premium server questions in PM! I'll not answer!

            Comment

            • runmo
              Experienced Board Member
              • Jun 2010
              • 6123

              #7
              Re: How to Make a TV Dish Antenna

              If you are good as Mac Yver to build things, must be fun
              We can always ask Satman to build a few

              Anyway thx for the info about how building a dish and congrats to those that managed and had the patience to make one.

              regards
              runmo

              Comment

              • sonc
                Experienced Board Member
                • Jun 2010
                • 1568

                #8
                Re: How to Make a TV Dish Antenna

                Originally posted by anacondama

                Instructions[/COLOR][/B]
                1.Visit Home Depot or your local hardware store to gather the following tools if you do not already have them at home: copper wire, duct tape, cardboard boxes, wire cutters, and wire strippers.

                If possible, take a carpenter or person who is knowledgeable about electronics with you.
                I never was much good at making things, but I think I could manage to buy some wire and cardboard without needing professional help

                I agree with anacondama, making something that works feels so much better than buying it and plugging it in

                Comment

                • satman72
                  Experienced Board Member
                  • Jun 2010
                  • 3550

                  #9
                  Re: How to Make a TV Dish Antenna

                  I think this post is not useful, no one build a dish because it is more expensive then buy a dish builded into factories, also you'll never reach same preformances with a selfmade dish, so I close this thread.
                  Just click on thanks button if my post has helped you
                  Don't send me cline requests, technical or premium server questions in PM! I'll not answer!

                  Comment

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