I Can See Clearly Now
I’ve gone digital. No, I have not been digitalized. As far as I know, my body is still 97% analog. I’m talking about digital TV. Some of my shows use to come in a little fuzzy. Now they come in sharp. It’s a big deal you know. Everyone should be able to see all the imperfections of their favorite actors and actresses.
Digital TV requires a stronger signal than analog so I had to replace my rabbit ear antenna with a real antenna. You know, one of those metal thing you stick on your roof — like in the old days before there was cable TV, Madonna, or pit bulls with lipstick. I ordered and installed the ClearStream2 antenna (made by Antennas Direct). The antenna is awesome. Now I can pickup 23 stations off the air. I feel like I’m stealing from the cable company. And just like cable TV, I don’t watch most of the channels I’m now getting.
I was too cheap to pay an extra $20 for the antenna mount and mast. Instead, I constructed my own with scrap pvc pipe from my old sprinkler system. If you don’t have pvc tubing lying around, you can buy it at Home Depot. The cost of the pvc pipe, 90° connector, pvc cement, and fasteners is only a few dollars.
Installation Tips
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Use AntennaWeb to determine which direction to point your antenna
A compass would be helpful, but not needed. If you don’t have a compass, you can either use the AntennaWeb map to get an idea where to point your antenna or climb up on your roof and look for the transmission towers. -
You don’t need to mount the antenna on your roof
In general, the higher you mount your antenna, the stronger the signal. However, I’ve noticed that there was only a slight improvement from the roof (30′ up) compared to where I originally tested my pvc antenna mast (10′ off the ground). You can mount the antenna lower if you don’t have any obstructions between the transmitting towers and the antenna.
This concludes my manly post. No daddies were harmed during the writing of this incredibly manly post. However, one daddy almost cried like a little girl when he was trying to get back on the ladder from the roof.
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Now THAT is a cool-looking antenna. We’re lucky, I guess, to be able to pick up all the Spokane digital signals through the rabbit ears sitting behind our TV. That’s NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, WB, and some weird stations I’ve never heard of, all showing up in glorious hi-def.
I still find them hard to watch, because of the ads. I just hate ads now, after five years of relying on mostly DVDs.
I was able to pick up several stations with our rabbit ear antenna, but only on the south side. The north side had problems with the bunny ears, but works great with the new antenna.
Nice “manly” post. The digital age…crazy stuff.
Hugs,
Holly
Why is the pipe painted orange? Does it need to match the deck out back? Did you buy a new digital tv as well? Inquirying minds need to know….
It’s orange because I used the pipe to paint a straight line. The mast is on the roof now so no one can see it.
No digital TV yet. I got a DTV converter with the $40 off voucher.
It looks like the number 8 on a grill being cooked sideways.
Very manly. Don’t like heights, huh? They make John crazy, too.
Nice home made mount. I try to make everything my self but it usually ends up costing me more. Also not sure what my wife thinks since I am a computer geek trying to be a handy man.
My wife didn’t like my home made mount. That’s why I had to move it to the roof.
Very Nice…did your neighbours wonder what you were doing …what with high up on a ladder, camera in hand and all ?xoxox
Silly girl, that photo was taken from my deck before I moved the antenna to the roof. As for my neighbors, they already think I’m crazy.
You’re such a good geek. *wink*
i love the manly act on the last part while climbing down the ladder!
hehehehhe…
I’m impressed with your manliness!
That was a manly post - wow, I was lazy (unmanly) and just had DirecTV install the dish for me…now I pay lots of money every month for TV I don’t watch.