New "adorable" antenna for OTA TV Broadcast

[p1879]

I wonder just when a set-top antenna with VHF elements became so "ugly" in home fashion? I guess this coincides with attitudes about outdoor TV antennas. During the digital tv transition, great effort went into convincing folks that broadcast reception was only possible with a "digital" antenna.

That made possible the Great Flat Panel Miracle Antenna scam.

Back from the senile rant and on-topic, here is an experimental antenna prototype likely to provoke an amusing comment:

You Can Build This Adorable HDTV Antenna

Use this adorable Quad Tetrode “Shrink Ray!” HDTV antenna designed by Marc G for free channels.

www.hackster.io

 

[AB5ID]

That is adorable, I wonder what it looks like an a network analyzer.

 

[WB5UOM]

at least it is a "HD" antenna, wouldnt want amyone trying scam us with a "analog" antenna

 

[sallen07]

Looks like a weapon to me.

 

[merlin]

I wonder just when a set-top antenna with VHF elements became so "ugly" in home fashion? I guess this coincides with attitudes about outdoor TV antennas. During the digital tv transition, great effort went into convincing folks that broadcast reception was only possible with a "digital" antenna.

That made possible the Great Flat Panel Miracle Antenna scam.

Back from the senile rant and on-topic, here is an experimental antenna prototype likely to provoke an amusing comment:

You Can Build This Adorable HDTV Antenna

Use this adorable Quad Tetrode “Shrink Ray!” HDTV antenna designed by Marc G for free channels.

www.hackster.io

I had a gut bustin laugh at this. No such thing as a digital ATSC antenna. Channel frequencies are still the same as they have been for 70 years.
HD ? LOL, that is a digital format on any number of sub-channels, but the station has to encode and transmit that.
Those flat panel miracle antennas are a simple 'butterfly' antenna and very poor below channel 13.xx, poor across the spectrum.
The DIGITAL and HD sold a LOT of inflated $$ worth to the non savy.
You should have kept that Winegard platinum on your roof.

 

[merlin]

Looks like a weapon to me.

A Japanese ray gun from a bad sci-fi movie.

 

[sallen07]

A Japanese ray gun from a bad sci-fi movie.

THAT'S IT!!!!!!!

 

[KK4JUG]

I don't think I want an antenna to looks like it was left behind after a UFO visit.

 

[vagrant]

@prcguy testing one of his smaller amplifiers

 

[BinaryMode]

What's an "HDTV" antenna? And most of all, will it support re-banding and new modulation techniques? For that matter, will it make your current TV obsolete because the Feds and stuff...?

I mean, after all, they want to push you to to use Internet for OTA one day...

 

[krokus]

Made me think of a satellite, like MilStar.

 

[prcguy]

@prcguy testing one of his smaller amplifiers

Wrong…. There would be nothing left.

 

[prcguy]

The original article must be an April fools joke as nobody would build such an abortion and think it could work for VHV/UHF. You can build an axial mode helix for parts of the VHF/UHF TV band but the helix diameter would be around 2ft and require a 5 to 6ft reflector. A 10 turn version of that would be about 14ft long. For the upper UHF TV band the helix diameter would be about 8” with a 24” reflector and a 10 turn version would be about 5ft long.

Does the author of that article think we are all that stupid? Or is he……