Nowadays, many people are looking for ways to watch TV without paying for a subscription.
A simple and economical solution is to make a homemade antenna with accessible materials.
Here’s how to do it step by step.
Materials Needed
- 1 x coaxial cable of approximately 60 cm
- 1 x longer coaxial cable for connection to the TV
- Insulating tape
- 4-screw connection strip (16 mm)
- Support for attaching the “antenna”
- Coaxial cable adapter for TV
Procedure
1. Cable Preparation
- Cut the coaxial cable into two equal parts of 30 cm each.
- At each end, remove 4 cm of the outer cover to expose the wire mesh and center wire.
- Remove the aluminum coating and unroll the wire mesh to form a metal cable.
- Peel the white coating off the center to expose the main copper wire.
- I repeated these steps on both ends of the two wires.
2. Creating the antennas
- Take one of the wires and form a “U” shape with it.
- Attach the ends by winding the copper wires together and make sure they make good contact.
- Also wrap the wire mesh around each other and make sure they are connected.
- I covered the joint with electrical tape, leaving only the tip of the copper wire exposed.
- I repeated the process with the other wire.
3. Connection to the main cable
- Take the longer coaxial cable and remove the outer sheath, exposing the copper wire and metal mesh.
- Connect the copper wire and wire mesh to a 4-screw power strip, occupying only 2 ends.
- Connect the two homemade antennas to the remaining 2 screws on the power strip, making sure the copper wires are securely attached.
4. Installation and connection to the TV
- Attach the antenna to a bracket making sure it is in an elevated position.
- On the other end of the long cable, attach a coaxial adapter for your TV.
- Connect the antenna to the TV and select the over-the-air channel search option.
Tips to improve the signal
- Place the antenna in a high, clear location for better reception.
- Try adjusting the direction of the antenna until you find the best signal.
- If you live in an area with a lot of interference, you can use a signal booster.
Explaining this in text is very complicated, that’s why we recommend you watch the Inventor 79 video:
By following these steps, you will be able to enjoy your air channels without having to pay subscriptions, taking advantage of an economical and effective solution.