Will this antenna & wire work?

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detroit_fan

detroit_fan

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Mar 9, 2008
331
0
SE Michigan
I have an old antenna on a 30 foot tower outside, but it is not hooked up and I have never used it. Here is a picture of the antenna and wire coming from it.

067.jpg


068.jpg


070.jpg


Is there some way to use this antenna & wire or do I need a new antenna? IS that a directional or multi-directional antenna?

I have directv and they give me detroit locals, but I am closer to toledo and would like to get their locals too, and also the sub-channels in the detroit market that direct doesn't give me, like AntennaTV or MeTV.

Here is my TV Fool readout-

TV Fool
 
The antenna is missing a rear reflector radial but I would give it a try, before I bought another one. That is a directional antenna, and that wire will work just go by your favorite electronics place and a 300 to 75 Ohm balun. You need to get that rotor working or replace it though and it will need its on wires and controller box.
 
ke4est said:
The antenna is missing a rear reflector radial but I would give it a try, before I bought another one. That is a directional antenna, and that wire will work just go by your favorite electronics place and a 300 to 75 Ohm balun. You need to get that rotor working or replace it though and it will need its on wires and controller box.
Click to expand...

I looked up that adapter, how to the bare wires i have now connect to the adapter? do i need to crimp or solder on some type of connector first? Also, How would I get to the rotor to replace it? The tower is 30ft high and has no hinge.
 
I agree, that antenna should work just fine. But you MUST get that rotor working. And while you're at it, you might as well run the coax up to the antenna and replace that 300 Ohm stuff. I suspect the rotor is working, but where are the controls and power supply? Might be ahead to but a replacement rotor. You might call somebody like Solid Signal with the specifics on that rotor and they might tell you how to test it and if new controls are still available for that particular model.

Please report back how this works out for you.
 
I tried climbing up the tower but only got about 2/3 of the way up before i chickened out. I have no idea how i would replace the rotor or cable at the antenna connection. Since toledo is south of me and detroit is north, would i just be better to get a really good multi-directional antenna and mount it up on the pole as high as I can get it?

Th rotor control box is in my basement, but there are no wires running to it or anywhere else that i can find.
 
OK, now I've read your post #3. No hinge, eh? No friend with a bucket truck, either, eh? ;)

From the weight, I would not try unbolting it and laying it down, unless you have somebody experienced in that sort of thing. It will be heavier than it looks. Hiring this job out will not be cheap, but perhaps you can get free estimates. If you do get it down, check to see if Rohn has a hinge you can add to it, for future use.

Hmmm. Gotta think about this. Hopefully somebody else will have a brilliant idea.

Actually, you can rent scaffolding and work your way up there for not too much coin of the realm. (pats self on back)
 
Climbing it is double ungood.

For the distances, you really need a directional.

Look into the scaffolding, or even the cost of a one day rental of a scissors truck. Transporting that baby will require a trailer, which the rental store might also have.
 
navychop said:
OK, now I've read your post #3. No hinge, eh? No friend with a bucket truck, either, eh? ;)

From the weight, I would not try unbolting it and laying it down, unless you have somebody experienced in that sort of thing. It will be heavier than it looks. Hiring this job out will not be cheap, but perhaps you can get free estimates. If you do get it down, check to see if Rohn has a hinge you can add to it, for future use.

Hmmm. Gotta think about this. Hopefully somebody else will have a brilliant idea.

Actually, you can rent scaffolding and work your way up there for not too much coin of the realm. (pats self on back)
Click to expand...

would i be better to get a really good multi-directional antenna and mount it up on the pole as high as I can get it?
 
navychop said:
Climbing it is double ungood.

For the distances, you really need a directional.

Look into the scaffolding, or even the cost of a one day rental of a scissors truck. Transporting that baby will require a trailer, which the rental store might also have.
Click to expand...

what about 2 directional antennas? 1 pointed towards detroit and 1 towards toledo?
 
detroit_fan said:
what about 2 directional antennas? 1 pointed towards detroit and 1 towards toledo?
Click to expand...

Yes, there are posts here somewhere where people have successfully balanced two directional antennas. But they would presumably go on top of the tower. Or somewhere else entirely. Probably meaning, lower, and thus less effective.
 
That's quite the DX setup. If DX weren't so problematic, I'd keep it (replacing the twinlead with coax).

As it is, I think replacing the very directional yagi with a pair of UHF antennae and a combiner is probably a better move.
 
thanks for the replies. looks like a have a few options-

find a way to get the rotor replaced/repaired

go with 2 directional antennas

go with 1 multi directional (detroit stations about 40 miles away so not sure how good that would work)
 
detroit_fan said:
I have an old antenna on a 30 foot tower outside, but it is not hooked up and I have never used it. Here is a picture of the antenna and wire coming from it.

067.jpg


068.jpg


070.jpg


Is there some way to use this antenna & wire or do I need a new antenna? IS that a directional or multi-directional antenna?

I have directv and they give me detroit locals, but I am closer to toledo and would like to get their locals too, and also the sub-channels in the detroit market that direct doesn't give me, like AntennaTV or MeTV.

Here is my TV Fool readout-

TV Fool
Click to expand...

OPEN MOUTH INSERT FOOT

i AM GOING TO OFFER DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS;
You already have everything mounted and 300 ohm flat lead run down to a point you can reach. I believe from your post you already have a 300ohm to 75ohm coaxial adapter. You haven't indicated where the antenna is aimed Toledo or Detroit but the odds are the last time it was used it was aimed at one or the other. Try connecting the cable you have to a TV with ATSC tuner and scanning to see what channels you can get NOW. If you get watchable channels make the connections as permanent as possible and enjoy. If it dosen't work spend several hundere dollars hiring a professional and set it up correctly so no one gets hurt falling 30 feet.
 
boba- i don't have the adapter but that's what i'm going to try. do i just cut the"U" shaped ends off the adapter and solder the the adapter to my twin lead wire?

as far as direction, the widest end of the antenna is pointing west for some reason, not sure why.
 
detroit_fan said:
boba- i don't have the adapter but that's what i'm going to try. do i just cut the"U" shaped ends off the adapter and solder the the adapter to my twin lead wire?....
Click to expand...

Depends upon the adapter. I'd expect you could just screw them on.

Of course, trying what you got first, with little or no expense, is the obvious thing to do. Now excuse me while I administer a dope slap to myself.
 
navychop said:
Depends upon the adapter. I'd expect you could just screw them on.

Of course, trying what you got first, with little or no expense, is the obvious thing to do. Now excuse me while I administer a dope slap to myself.
Click to expand...
I don't have an adapter yet, but was thinking about this one-

Amazon.com: 75 to 300 Ohm UHF/VHF Matching Transformer: Reiss Innovations, LLC

since i just have bare wire ends i didn't know if i should just cut the u shaped connector off or if i should solder on a spade connector to my wires coming down from antenna
 

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