Jim O'Dell
Member
- Messages
- 2,783
- Location
- Between Aledo and Fort Worth, TX
OK, I'm through with Charter TV. Last couple months, price has increased a little with another increase this next month. All in all about 10 dollars, they say mostly taxes. At the same time I noticed that several channels dropped out. I called last week and evidently they had me on a plan level we had not been paying for, so 40 channels all in all dropped. So to get our internet and the channels we have had for 25 years or so, it would cost about 135.00 a month plus taxes. That is no premium channels!! Ain't gonna happen. We have been with Charter for almost 30 years, and this just ticks me off.
I made a prototype of an antenna last week, installed it Friday late, and I'm getting 39 OTA channels in digital HD. This design: http://www.mikestechblog.com/joomla/misc/hdtv-antenna/127-build-high-gain-hdtv-antenna-plans.html I cleared off the foreign, to me, language stations, and I ended up with about 29 English speaking channels. Not bad. Only issue is I need to supplement for sports. Still looking into that online.
So I now need to rebuild the antenna with materials that won't disintegrate so fast. The plans for this antenna call for PVC pipe and aluminum. I dislike the idea of mounting the feelers on a curved surface, so thought I might use some PVC trim material like this: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...&keyword=PVC+trim"&storeId=10051#.URAV1zmn9pU The aluminum angle and flat material in the original instructions are expensive, so I'm wondering if I can use the PVC material for those parts as well.
My question to you is, if I rip this material into thinner strips, how will it hold up? I could seal off the cut edges with caulk if need be. Can you think of another material that would be better and still be cost effective? Here is a drawing of my version of the antenna: The piece on the center outside would be 2 1/4" wide and about 72" tall. This is what the 20 feelers are mounted to. The horizontal pieces of the boxed area would be 1 3/4" wide and about 24" long. The vertical parts of the box about 1 1/8" wide and 68" tall. The parts, except for the 68" vertical parts of the box, will be held together using long stove bolts that attach them to the aluminum mast(s) so everything is secure. The small animal fencing will be held on to the boxed parts with stainless steel machine screws, washers, and lock nuts on the pole side of the 3 horizontal members. Not sure how to attach the vertical parts of the box. They may go behind the fencing material and be held together with the stainless steel screws, sandwiching the fencing material between them and the horizontal parts.
Any insight you can offer on the materials I'm thinking about or alternatives would be greatly appreciated! Jim.
I made a prototype of an antenna last week, installed it Friday late, and I'm getting 39 OTA channels in digital HD. This design: http://www.mikestechblog.com/joomla/misc/hdtv-antenna/127-build-high-gain-hdtv-antenna-plans.html I cleared off the foreign, to me, language stations, and I ended up with about 29 English speaking channels. Not bad. Only issue is I need to supplement for sports. Still looking into that online.
So I now need to rebuild the antenna with materials that won't disintegrate so fast. The plans for this antenna call for PVC pipe and aluminum. I dislike the idea of mounting the feelers on a curved surface, so thought I might use some PVC trim material like this: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...&keyword=PVC+trim"&storeId=10051#.URAV1zmn9pU The aluminum angle and flat material in the original instructions are expensive, so I'm wondering if I can use the PVC material for those parts as well.
My question to you is, if I rip this material into thinner strips, how will it hold up? I could seal off the cut edges with caulk if need be. Can you think of another material that would be better and still be cost effective? Here is a drawing of my version of the antenna: The piece on the center outside would be 2 1/4" wide and about 72" tall. This is what the 20 feelers are mounted to. The horizontal pieces of the boxed area would be 1 3/4" wide and about 24" long. The vertical parts of the box about 1 1/8" wide and 68" tall. The parts, except for the 68" vertical parts of the box, will be held together using long stove bolts that attach them to the aluminum mast(s) so everything is secure. The small animal fencing will be held on to the boxed parts with stainless steel machine screws, washers, and lock nuts on the pole side of the 3 horizontal members. Not sure how to attach the vertical parts of the box. They may go behind the fencing material and be held together with the stainless steel screws, sandwiching the fencing material between them and the horizontal parts.
Any insight you can offer on the materials I'm thinking about or alternatives would be greatly appreciated! Jim.