Antenna Spotting Through the Windshield

I admit to consciously scanning for antennas, towers, and other television and radio receive and transmit antennas and equipment, on the road.   Didnt know it was so common!



Surfin': Radio-Spotting Through the Windshield

By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
ARRL
January 29, 2010

On the road, Surfin' views the world of radio through the windshield

excerpt...  

Last week, I wrote how as a ham, I see radio everywhere. I cited, for example, spotting ham radios in motion pictures that I happen to be viewing for entertainment -- not for their ham radio content.

I am not alone. Some Surfin' readers wrote to say that they also view the world through radio-colored glasses.

One reader reminded me of a facet of radio-spotting that I do so automatically that I do not even think about anymore. In his memory-rattling comment, he wrote, "I am often reminded by my wife to watch the road as we drive along when I spot an interesting antenna on a house or a hill."

I am in the same driver's seat whenever I am on the road. You probably are, too. I am always making mental notes of new antenna installations that I spot during my travels.

It never gets old. Every day during my morning commute, I skirt West Peak in Meriden, Connecticut; this hill spots an impressive collection of antenna farms resting on its crown. Depending on traffic, I try to sneak a peek to admire the hardware installed up there.

continued...

Cool Site of the Day

EarlyTelevision.org 

This great site of a The Early Television Museum and Foundation in Ohio, has lots of photos and advertising scans of old televisions, television accessories and equipment and antennas.  Below is the legendary dual quad loop with reflector elements VHF Low & VHF High Telesine.

The Antenna as Art

Move over Charles Eames and Herman Miller.  Antennas Direct's design team has been changing the face of antenna design.  This photograph is from an exhibition last year at Abstrakt Art Gallery, sponsored by Objex Design.  Featuring the ClearStream line of antennas.  Hat's off to the people at Antennas Direct/Terrestrial Digital for bringing this innovative and beautiful line of antennas to market.

Link to original article.

Winegard FreeVision FV-HD30

Winegard FreeVision FV-HD30

I havent gotten my mind around this one real well. However it seems to be a rather uninspiring antenna.  It has negative gain on VHF High and the UHF gain curve is a huge hump producing 6 dB gain in the middle and sloping off at the upper and lower ends.   It may be better than the HD 1080, but you would think that Winegard would have improved from their last less than stellar performing offering.  The 76 series remains the last great series from Winegard.

Antennas Direct Micron & Micron XG

Antennas Direct now has available the Micron and soon the Micron XG.   Can be used on a table top, or mounted to the wall.  The XG version will also have a reflector screen for improved gain and directivity.  Looks pretty sharp.

Word on the street is that it is basically a ClearStream1 Convertible with a different skin that some may find more aesthetically pleasing, however the Micron is not designed to be used outdoors like the ClearStream1...and that is good news, because the ClearStream1 is a great small antenna that performs well with its tapered wide surface area loop!

Another great product from Antennas Direct!

Mircron 

EV's Favorite UHF/FM/VHF TV Amplifiers

Here is a list of some of the best amplifiers on the market.  I highly recommend these units.

AntennaCraft 10G212

The 10G212 is a mast mounted pre-amplifier.  It offers high variable gain of 20 dB to 30 dB on both UHF and VHF with low 3 dB noise.  Includes a switchable FM Trap and Variable Gain knob easily accessed on the Power Supply unit.  This amplifier has been sold for decades under the Radio Shack brand.  Weatherproof.

Channel Master Titan 7777
The CM 7777 is a mast mounted preamplifier.  It offers high gain on UHF and medium gain on VHF of 26 dB and 17 dB repspectively at the very low noise of 2 dB.  It also includes an FM Trap, switchable from inside the mast mounted box.  Plus UHF/VHF combined input, UHF only, VHF only, or VHF & UHF...essentially having a switchable UVSJ in the unit.  Weatherproof.


Winegard HDP-269
The Winegard 269 is a mast mounted preamplifier.  It offers 12 dB gain on UHF and VHF at 3 dB noise.  It has an integrated 12 dB FM Trap, non switchable.  Its claim to fame is that it is by far and away the most overload resistant amp out there.  Weatherproof.


KitzTech KT-100VG
The KitzTech is an ultra low noise UHF/VHF amplifier or preamplifier.  It's noise figure is 1 dB.  Variable gain 0 to 20 dB.  No FM Trap. Very high quality build and components. Made in Canada!


Motorola BDA series

This is a nice little series of bi-directional cable modem TV amplifiers.   Noise figure of 2.5 dB.   GAsFET design.  No FM Trap.  It comes in 3 flavors.  The BDA-S1 has one output with 15 dB gain, the BDA-S2 has 2 outputs with 11 dB gain, and the BDA-S4 has 4 outputs of 7 dB gain.  Solid high quality build.  Weather resistant.

Pico Macom TA-52
This is the ultimate monster amplifier.  It seemingly does it all.  Ill just post the description since it's so sophisticated.  More specs on the link.

54~108MHz, 174~216MHz, 470~806MHz frequency range (Chan. 2-6/FM Band, Chan. 7-13, Chan. 14-69)
52dB high gain typical, provides excellent carrier to noise performance for superior picture quality
3 independently adjustable band, gain, and slope controls (VHF-low, VHF-high, UHF) for optimal carrier to noise ratio and easy system balancing
Dual switchable input attenuators eliminate overloading and reduce harmonic distortion preserving picture quality
Convenient front access switchable FM trap filter eliminates high level local FM radio stations reducing harmonic distortion
-20dB output test point enables simplified setup and performance monitoring without service interruption
Combined or separate VHF/UHF inputs provide application flexibility
Internal power supply employs voltage surge protection circuitry for increased life

Rumors

Antennas Direct is rumored to be working on a new N-Bay bowtie collinear broadside array antenna, to supersede the the current DB Series. The DB8, DB4, and DB2. This new design will probably be tailored to the new more compact US digital television spectrum. 

Let's hope they keep the nice thick aluminum elements!

I also hope they keep the DB2 around as it makes a nice small indoor antenna.

Parents Say No to High Powered Wi-Fi Antenna at Elementary School

Big antenna brouhaha!  I don't know enough to comment, so presented for your illumination.

Parents: No Antenna at Elementary School

By Elisabeth Nardi

Via The Silicon Valley Mercury News

excerpt..

The simmering concern over exposure to omnipresent radio and other kinds of electromagnetic waves boiled over this week as parents angrily reacted to the idea of putting an Internet antenna on a school campus near its playground.

The district is looking at $15,000 a year; the parents fear harm to their children.

At a sometimes raucous meeting this week, Walnut Creek parents likened the antenna, which would emit radio waves 24 hours a day, to a "science experiment."

"I don't want my kids used as an experiment," said John Johnson. "Wi-Fi is not that important."

More than 100 people showed up to voice their concerns about the proposed 37-foot antenna tower, which would be disguised to look like an evergreen tree at Walnut Heights Elementary School. It would be at the back of school, on the edge of the neighboring Shell Ridge Open Space.

Proposed by Clearwire of Kirkland, Wash., the antenna would support subscribers to the company's WiMax broadband service, touted as much stronger than standard Wi-Fi.

If approved, the Clearwire contract could bring in around $15,000 a year for the district.

snip...

James Gray with TRK Engineering, which researched the antenna for Clearwire, said the tower would emit radiation only at levels considered acceptable by the Federal Communications Commission. But those levels have been called into question in recent years.

A Columbia University biophysics professor questioned the federal standards and said there is research that links radio waves to health problems.

Martin Blank cited numerous potential health effects of electromagnetic radiation, including Alzheimer's disease and leukemia, and studies backing the link.

Some districts have expressed concern about antenna placement. The Los Angeles school board adopted resolutions in 2000 and 2009 opposing cellular facilities on or near school campuses to minimize exposure to electromagnetic and radio frequency radiation.

Parents and neighbors at Wednesday night's meeting, frustrated by a lack of research on the effects of radio waves, said the Walnut Creek tower would not be worth the public health risk.

Some said the district did not properly notify parents and neighbors of the informational meeting. Chuck Carroll, whose house would be 300 feet away from the antenna, said he worried he would have to wear a "tinfoil hat."

contined...

Read it all on the link...

Two New FM Antennas from APS

Antenna Performance Specialties have 2 new FM antenna designs available.   My guess is that these are decent performers "out of spec'd band",  so that they would be good across the FM band for at least receive purposes.  

Catchy names too! 

FM High-5

Specs & Details

Price: $149.95 
Boom Length: 53.5"
Elements: 5 (1 driven)
Turning Radius: 29"
Frequency Range: 104.5-108 MHz
Average Gain: 5.3 dBd
Average Front-to-Back Ratio: 17 dB
Impedence: 75 0hms
Average SWR: <1.5:1

FM Low-6

Specs & Details

Price: $149.95 
Boom Length: 80" 
Elements: 6 (1 driven)
Turning Radius: 44.5"
Frequency Range: 88-92 MHz
Average Gain: 7.3 dBd
Average Front-to-Back Ratio: 19 dB
Impedence: 75 0hms
Average SWR: <1.5:1>

Features  Common to Both

Computer designed using State-of-the-Art software.
Weather sealed coaxial direct-connection for protection against the elements.
Closely spaced and coupled driven element/1st director for a superior impedance match.
Element lengths and spacings tapered for highest efficiency.
Real 75 ohm impedence; no balun transformer is used.

New TV Antennas Coming out of China

DigiWave out of Canada has a slew of new antenna choices....here are the highlights.

Digiwave ANT 3045



This Chinese antenna is designed for Chinese television bands which are slightly different than the US. This means that the VHF High loops are a bit undersized, and thus performance takes a hit. Furthermore the rotor is a disappointment and the electronics are horrendous. However I still love this innovative design with the VHF Double Loops around the UHF reflector screen, plus the UHF Double Loops. Very promising, design. The elements are nice thick aluminum as well, and the VHF and UHF sections each have their own circuit board matching transformer baluns. For myself, I removed all the superfluous electronics and keep the antenna and the baluns tying them together with a UVSJ, and performance is pretty darn good. The build quality is lacking, bu the design is promising.

Digiwave ANT 2075



Another Chinese import which is tuned to slightly different television bands than the US market. I however love the VHF High through UHF Log Perodic design of this antenna, and it works fairly well for the US. I know a fellow that has 2 of these ganged. Like the Double Double Loop from Digiwave above, would like to see something similar designed specifically for the US market. The double boom design adds strength to the antenna.

Digiwave ANT 7287 & ANT 7288





These are interesting twists on the 8 Bay Collinear Broadside Fan Dipole Array, commonly known as the 8 Bay Bowtie. They include a center hinge so that the 4 Bay sections can be angled wider apart or in toward each other. While aiming the 2 sections in these manner are somewhat unpredictable, I really like the versatility this gives the advanced antenna experimenter...or those with difficult situations, with TV transmissions coming from a wide angle of directions.

Dont know if I like the 7287 or 7288 better, as I havent had these to physically inspect there build and dimensions.

This Old House How to Install a Roof Antenna

Ask This Old House - Installing a Rooftop TV Antenna

There are several issues with improper installation in this video, but it gives you a nice overview of what an antenna installation entails.

Segment starts at about 5 minutes 26 seconds on first video, or about half way.