How to mount a TV antenna for best two way reception

[radicalbill]

I have always mounted the TV antennas I used to monitor all the scanner traffic horizontal,

but I just realized today that they are designed to receive TV, which must be horizontally polarized.

All two way communications are Vertically polarized


I am wondering, should I turn the antenna sideways, like a standard Yagi ?

Would this improve reception ?

I know it will decrease the width and limit my direction greatly, but will it increase the signal strength and clean up the signals ?

Has anyone ever tried this?

Thanks

Bill

 

[mmckenna]

Yes. Yes. Yes and Yes.

You are loosing some signal because the polarization is wrong. Changing it to vertical will help quite a bit.

 

[Nasby]

Just curious as to what frequencies a TV antenna would receive?

My neighbor has one of those things on his roof. He's the only one on the block with one.

 

[nd5y]

Just curious as to what frequencies a TV antenna would receive?

They are built to receive TV frequencies.
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Television_Frequencies

 

[radicalbill]

I used it on low and VHF

I used to have a TV antenna in its regular position that worked well for low and VHF bands

I am thinking using it vertical will be even better.

The freqs are close in the VHF band to what the antenna normally gets

and UHF it was designed to receive and now the 700 mhz bands are used for public safety, so it would be worth trying to see if it is better than the cellular yagi I am using now.

Digital and weak signals are what I am trying to receive that I am having a lot of trouble with using only inside antennas.

My stick VHF does not seem to do any better than the rubber duckie the scanner came with.

I have not tried a yagi VHF yet.

Bill

 

[mmckenna]

On VHF, some of them were log periodic designs, good from 6 meter band up to FM broadcast. Higher end of the VHF band, and from the upper end of the 400MHz up to 800MHz.

While it will be directional, it should work well. If you have neighbors close by, expect some quizzical looks.

 

[iMONITOR]

Bob Grove of Grove Enterprises used to sell the 'Grove Scanner Beam' which was a modification of a TV antenna design, mounted vertically. He must have sold a million of them over the years!

Looks like Scanner Master is carrying what appears to be an updated version.

SB-2 Scanner Beam II Antenna
https://www.scannermaster.com/SB_2_Scanner_Beam_II_Antenna_p/34-541847.htm

 

[Ubbe]

Those tv antennas have high gain and still have good signals way below their designed frequency.
Having it horisontal could give you only 1/10 of the signal compared to vertical. Antennas with elements that look like a X are not so picky about polarisation but use it vertical anyway.

Going lower in frequency the gain is less but the directional loobs will change and it picks up more from directions where the antenna are not pointing at.

/Ubbe

 

[spongella]

Part of the fun in this hobby is experimentation so I would try that TV antenna vertically and see how it works.

If you have the antennas' make/model# see if you can find information on what frequencies it was designed for by checking the Internet. If it is a combo VHF/UHF that's good - wider range of reception.

The TV band starts at 54 MHz so not sure how well the antenna would work below those frequencies, again, try it out.

If you mount it with a rotor, even better.

Let us know how you made out.

 

[kb7gjy]

I use two UHF/VHF TV antennas with mast mount preamps on each. They are mounted horizontal because I use them for TV as well and they work great. I don't do much low band monitoring with them. The antennas feed 3 scanners and a TV. At times I will also connect my SDR into the array for testing and was pleasantly surprised with the performance. Normal TV reception is great, on the scanner end it is very good. Aircraft, vhf public safety, MilAir UHF, 700 Mhz on a P25 Phase 1 system which is about 50 miles away in mountainous terrain. ADBS works well.

With my location I don't have the problems many do by running preamps as I am out in the sticks and not flooded with RF near by. Some experience to much signal by running preamps so your mileage may vary.

As others have stated, try it, experiment, thats half the fun on the tech side.

 

[majoco]

Here's my modified TV antenna - the Band 1 elements were shortened to be in the VHF AM aircraft band.

https://forums.radioreference.com/s...s/356452-another-stupid-antenna-question.html

Third post down.

 

[cmdrwill]

The TV band starts at 54 MHz so not sure how well the antenna would work below those frequencies, again, try it out.

Not since the change over to so-called digital TV. The VHF DTV starts at 174 MHz now.

 

[nd5y]

Not since the change over to so-called digital TV. The VHF DTV starts at 174 MHz now.

Wrong. All US TV stations didn't move to UHF. There are still some in the 54-88 MHz (ch 2-6) range.

 

[RFBOSS]

There may be changes in the wind, we shall see.