Television antennas are very simple devices, yet if they are constructed correctly they can provide a significant boost to your reception. Commercial antennas can cost upward of $50, but you can make one at home using common household objects at a considerable discount. This antenna is designed to be used indoors but provides extremely clear reception, even in houses surrounded by trees or in other difficult areas.
Instructions
1. Mark locations for the antenna extensions along a flat piece of 1 by 3 wood at least 20 to 24 inches long. The first two should be 2 inches from the top and .75 inches from either side. The second two should be 7.25 inches from the top and .75 inches from either side. The third two should be 12.5 inches from the top and .75 inches from either side. The last two should be 17.75 inches from the top and .75 inches from either side.
2. Cut the hooks off of eight bare metal coat hangers. Unfold them so they are straight, then bend them in half so that they form a narrow V. Ideally, each V should be seven inches on a side and there should be three inches between each tip.
3. Place screws and washers into the positions you marked on the board. Fit each of the hanger V's into them so that they stick out from the board, then tighten the screws into place.
4. Run two lengths of insulated wire down along the board screws. The first should start at the topmost left-hand screw, cross over to the right-hand screw second from the top, continue to the right hand screw third from the top, and cross back over to terminate at the bottom-most left-hand screw. The second wire should reverse that path: starting with the topmost right-hand screw, crossing over to the second and third left-hand screws, then crossing back to the bottom right hand screws. When you are done, the two wires should cross over each other between the topmost and second topmost set of screws, then again at the bottom-most and second bottom-most set of screws.
5. Strip the insulation from the wires where they contact the screws, then strip a small piece of insulation from the center of each length of wire. The wires' bare metal needs to touch the screws, but they must be insulated at the two points where they cross.
6. Screw a pair of grill screens to the reverse side of the board, such that they roughly match the position of the 8 metal V's. Make sure they don't touch any of the V's.
7. Connect the balun to the wires in the centers of their lengths, at the point where you stripped the insulation.
8. Set the antenna up in an appropriate location in your house. Connect it to the TV through the transformer using coaxial cable and watch television.
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