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We are so accustomed to the flow of information that we feel insecure without it. Therefore, outside the city, having equipped more or less a house, the first thing that appears is a TV. And in order for it to work in rural areas, a television antenna is needed for giving. It is selected depending on the location of the nearest repeater – TV tower and the type of TV signal that you will “catch”.
Today there are several types of signals, and accordingly, the same number of types of antennas:
- Terrestrial analog television – the signal is encoded and transmitted in a certain wave range: UHF (decimeter waves), MV (meter). Terrestrial television antennas can most often be seen in summer cottages. Although there are quite a few questions with them, they cost very little. If the cottage is seasonal, then most of the time you spend on the site, and watch TV either in bad weather or in the evening, when it is no longer possible to work. Not everyone wants to install expensive equipment for several hours of viewing, but several channels that can “catch” such devices well are quite enough.
- Satellite television. The signal is broadcast from a satellite, the quality is usually good, the number of channels is in the hundreds. But dish antennas cost a lot. For good reception in rural areas, they must be large – at least 90 cm, which also affects the price. In addition, satellite broadcasting is paid, and payment is taken for the year. There are inexpensive packages, it makes sense to buy them, even if you periodically appear in the country in winter. But in the case of satellite dishes in dachas, the question of their safety arises. If one of the neighbors lives permanently or there is good (!) security, the equipment may survive. If not, it is better to dismantle it, and this is far from the easiest job.
- Digital television. The Russian Federation has adopted a program according to which by the end of 2015 the entire territory should be covered by digital television. If there is a tower near your dacha that broadcasts a TV signal in digital format, you can consider yourself lucky, using a conventional UHF terrestrial antenna and a Set Top Box with a DVB-T2 tuner, you can receive 20 channels in good quality. If you have a new generation TV that supports this format, then you don’t need set-top boxes, a properly oriented antenna is enough.
How to make an antenna for DVB T2 for giving (for receiving a digital TV channel)
On-air television antenna: what to choose for a summer residence
It is possible to say exactly which antenna to put in your dacha only in relation to each specific case. The choice takes into account:
- location — plain, hill, lowland;
- the presence or absence of forests and large trees near the house;
- distance to the nearest repeater.
The main thing is the distance to the TV tower and which one. height you can raise the antenna. Sometimes every meter matters.
Indoor or outdoor
Indoor antennas can only be installed if the repeater is in your line of sight. If a TV tower is visible from your summer cottage, you can try it. In order not to waste money, you can make the most uncomplicated antenna with your own hands: take a piece of wire, connect it to the appropriate TV connector, and walk around the room with this “antenna”, climb higher to the ceiling, closer to the window, etc. If at least some signals are caught, you can try to make or buy an indoor antenna.
If there is no sign of a clear signal during all movements, you need an outdoor antenna, but for a reliable reception area (with lower gain). For all other cases, when the distance to the tower is tens of kilometers, an external antenna is clearly needed.
Broadband or narrowband
Since terrestrial television is broadcast in two bands – decimeter and meter, there are antennas for these bands. If the receiver “catches” the signal in only one band, they are called narrowband. They are only for UHF or only for MW frequencies.
There are also broadband (also called all-wave) – their design is designed so that it is possible to normally receive a signal at all frequencies. They tend to be bulkier and heavier and have a longer stem. But they put up with this – a broadband television antenna for giving can “catch” more channels. That’s why most people buy them.
Active or passive
More attention should be paid to whether it is better to install an active or passive antenna. An active device is a device with an amplifier built into the case. Passive ones are only pieces of iron for which you need to buy an amplifier separately.
Active receivers with a built-in amplifier are cheaper, receive more channels, but they have a significant disadvantage: amplifier boards often break. Any more or less serious thunderstorm, and channels that were previously received clearly, begin to “snow” or disappear altogether. Replacing the board can help trouble. To do this, you need to climb onto the roof, remove the antenna, change the board, install and configure it again. This procedure can be repeated after each thunderstorm.
Even if thunderstorms did not affect the performance of your country antenna, anyway, after a year and a half, the number of well-received channels decreases. The quality gradually gets worse, and sooner or later, you notice that it is no longer possible to watch. The reason is the oxidation of contacts and elements on the board. The receivers on the antenna are far from airtight and dust and moisture get inside, destroying the contacts and tracks. Therefore, the average life of an active antenna is about a year. Not a thunderstorm, so oxidation will finish it off.
There is nothing to help with a thunderstorm, and oxidation can be significantly slowed down if, immediately after purchase, the board is filled with silicone on both sides. This will protect contacts and elements from oxidation. Nobody will repair it anyway, if the board “flew”, buy a new one and put it in its place. That’s the whole repair. It is also useful to seal the connection point of the cable. Here, too, due to oxidation, there are large signal losses.
Passive antennas with separate amplifiers are good because the piece of iron is installed above the roof, and the amplifier is in the attic. Replacing the board in the attic causes much less problems than on the roof. Especially in winter time. They “catch” fewer channels, but the picture is “cleaner”.
There is another plus: individual amplifiers have two adjustments – separately for the UHF range and MV. This is useful, because sometimes some signals come with a much higher level and they “clog” the weaker ones. Then there is an overlap of sound and / or images, in some cases, if some signal is very strong, it generally snows. By adjusting the sensitivity of the ranges, you can save the day. So passive antennas with separate amplifiers for summer cottages are the best choice.
Samsung and LG TVs generally have a “weak signal” function. In this case, you may not need an amplifier at all. Put a passive antenna in the country, turn on the mode, and tune the channels. It should be good to show at least 5-6 channels.
Ground or not
Another problem that needs to be addressed is whether a television antenna should be grounded for a summer residence. On the one hand, this is often the highest point. On the other hand, if it is grounded, it will catch any lightning strike that is nearby. Accordingly, every time you have to change the board, as it will fail.
For this reason, the “antenna people” insist that they do not need to be grounded. Especially if the device is located below the power wires. Lightning will then strike at the highest grounded point. The main thing is that this is not your antenna.
Which antennas are best
As usual, in addition to the type of equipment, you have to choose a manufacturer. And it probably doesn’t get any easier. Recommendations can help. There are several on the forums of popular manufacturers:
- Locus (Locus). Antennas of Russian production. A wide range, low prices (from 480 rubles to 1,7 thousand rubles). There are both active – with a built-in amplifier, and passive.
- Harpoon. Also a Russian-made antenna. Accepts in UHF and MW zones. Available only in passive form, designed for installation in areas of uncertain reception. Retail price – Harpoon-0416 – 1500 rubles, Harpoon-1028 – 2300 rubles.
- Antennas “Delta” manufactured by CJSC “NPP OST”. Here the range is very wide. There are both narrowly focused only for MV or only for UHF bands, and broadband. Moreover, UHF antennas can be used to receive a DVB-T2 digital television signal. Many models are equipped with an F-connector – a device through which the cable is connected: during installation, you do not need to disassemble it to connect it. Insert the stripped conductor into the socket. All. The cable is connected.
- GoldMaster (GoldMaster). There are few reviews, but according to the available ones, it accepts reliably even in the zone of uncertain reception. Even during rain, the signal quality almost does not drop. The picture is still clear, without “snow”.
All other manufacturers are not particularly popular.
For inactive antennas, amplifiers are also needed. Here, too, there are preferences:
- House amplifier LHA;
- TERRA (Terra);
- Powerful amplifiers with low noise Breeze, Alcad (Alkad).
Antenna installation
Before starting all work, it is useful to coat all the screws, nuts, antenna connections with Movil or Litol, with something similar in properties. If an active antenna is selected, it is better to seal the board with silicone. After such processing, the antenna will last not a year, but much longer.
About which cable to use for connection. Here it is better not to try to save: there will be too big losses. Therefore, take branded SAT 50 or SAT 703. The “picture” depends on the quality of the cable and the quality of the connections no less than on the reception.
TV antenna for giving: where and how to install
The installation location is selected taking into account where you will need to direct the antenna. If the roof and wind loads allow, it can be fixed on the roof. In order to raise the receiver higher, the antenna is attached to the mast. There are special clamps for this.
The masts are metal prefabricated, there are telescopic – folding. This view is more convenient, especially if the antenna is with a receiver – periodically you will need to change the board, and completely dismantling the mast every time is a pleasure. Telescopic masts can be lowered by unscrewing the locking ring. The antenna attached to the top will lower along with the top of the rod.
If you don’t need to raise it high, you can use a wooden beam or a skinned trunk of a young pine. This is a very good option. You can use a steel pipe of not very large diameter or a corner. Sea options. Selected support need to be fixed. Mounting methods are shown in the figure.
Most often there is an antenna mount on the pediment. It is the easiest to implement, but only if the decoration or wall material allows. So they don’t fasten on walls sheathed with siding, and on walls made of aerated concrete – it’s too difficult. Then the option is to fix the rod to the pipe, to the rafters, or on stretch marks to the roofing material.
When attaching to the gable, the distance between the fasteners must be at least 1,5 meters. If none of these methods can be implemented for some reason, you can try to install the antenna on a powerful tree growing near. It will be possible to attach the antenna to the trunk, and cut branches that interfere with reception. Sometimes this is the best way.
Cable fixing
When installing the antenna, the cable is lowered down along the rod. It is fastened with clamps every 50-80 cm. Having lowered the cable to the level of the roofing material, it is led along the ridge (so that it does not come off with snow) to the bracket, with which it is lowered from the roof. The bracket is mounted above the window near the TV. The cable is led into the room through a hole in the window frame. With an upward slope, a hole is drilled with a slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the cable. So rain drops will not get inside the frame. The cable in front of the frame should sag a little – so we give freedom to temperature changes.
If the television antenna for giving is inactive, the amplifier is installed in the attic, the cable from the antenna is led out to it, and from the amplifier to the TV.
One tip: when laying, you need to avoid sharp bends. The minimum radius is at least 5 cable diameters. When fastening with brackets, do not pinch it.
How to cut and connect antenna cables, see the video.