Can placing a sat dish reflector behind a bowtie antenna help?

[miguelaqui]

I read on amazon where someone placed a satellite dish reflector behind one of those outdoor bay or bowtie antennas and the reception was better. I think he just knocked out some interference . Does a.satellite dish reflector really reflect RF frequency and improve reception on a fixed directional antenna?

 

[raoul5788]

I know virtually nothing about antenna design or theory, but it sounds like it shouldn't make any difference one way or the other. Why not try it and let us know what your results are?

 

[boba]

I read on amazon where someone placed a satellite dish reflector behind one of those outdoor bay or bowtie antennas and the reception was better. I think he just knocked out some interference . Does a.satellite dish reflector really reflect RF frequency and improve reception on a fixed directional antenna?

In theory a satellite dish is a reflector of radio waves because of the curve it will concentrate the reflected signals at a focus point. Now finding the focal point for UHF waves would be the question mark then mounting the bow tie at that focal point. Yes it could be done but is there enough gain to make it worth while? That metal grid behind the bow tie from the manufacturer is a reflector for the frequency that antenna is designed to receive.

 

[Jim5506]

Look at the lnb that was attached to the reflector on the sat dish, then look at the bow tie.

The bow tie is soooo much larger that the orifice for the lnb that most of it will lie totally out of the focal point of the dish.

It may block some radiation from the rear, but satellite dishes are too small and the focal point is too small for it to work efficiently on UHF TV reception.

Look at the old Channel Master parabolic antennas, they were about 6 ft in diameter and the reflector was about 3-4 ft behind the bow tie, and these worked because that was what they were designed for.

A small 18" reflector will have a small effective gain.

Look at the standard reflector for bow-tie type antennas they are maybe 3-4 inches behind the bow tie and that works, too.

For best reception get and antenna and use it for the purpose for which it was designed.

 

[Joe Diamond]

I know virtually nothing about antenna design or theory, but it sounds like it shouldn't make any difference one way or the other. Why not try it and let us know what your results are?

Hey Chip,
The Wineguard SquareShooter is actually a bow tie design. The square plastic thing with sat like mast is all cosmetics. It works just as well without the plastic....but it looks like a bunch of tubes or rods, much like having a distillery on the roof.

Joe

 

[andy_horton]

I read on amazon where someone placed a satellite dish reflector behind one of those outdoor bay or bowtie antennas and the reception was better. I think he just knocked out some interference . Does a.satellite dish reflector really reflect RF frequency and improve reception on a fixed directional antenna?

I tried it a few years ago and had no improvement in signal strength. Make sure and get the right antenna. Honestly, to avoid 2 antennas, you need a rotator. It's much easier to install.