Over-the-air TV channels are a great option for free TV but usually require an antenna to get the best reception.
TV antennas are not high cost items, but DIY units often work just as well as store bought units.
This is especially true if you live in a city close to the broadcast towers compared to rural areas that may be farther away.
Building a homemade TV antenna can be done in a pinch when no store-bought unit is available.
While buying a TV antenna is usually the best, broadcasts TV signals can be greatly improved with a DIY TV antenna.
There are many methods for building a TV antenna with a simple option below.
What is the Best Material to Use for a TV Antenna?
Aluminum is the best material to use for a TV Antenna.
It is low-cost and widely available, from soda cans to tin foil.
Most TV antennas are built from aluminum, including both commercial and homemade DIY units.
Items Needed To Make a Homemade DIY TV Antenna
- Plastic Clothes Hanger
- 2 Aluminum Cans
- Coaxial Cable
- Tape
Several items will be needed including two aluminum cans, tape, plastic clothes hanger, and a coaxial cable to connect to the TV.
How To Make a Homemade TV Antenna
- Tape one of the cans to the bottom of the clothes hanger. Point the can opening to the middle of the hanger.
- Tape the second can to the other side of the hanger with the can opening pointed to the inside.
- Strip the wire back on the coaxial cable.
- Connect the middle coaxial wire to one of the cans tabs.
- Connect the outer coaxial ground wire to the tab on the other can.
- Tape the coaxial cable to the hanger so it doesn’t pull off.
- Hang the antenna near the TV and attach the coaxial cable to it.
- Go into the TV settings and scan for TV channels.
How Do You Make a Simple TV Antenna?
The TV cable that attaches to the antenna port can have everyday items such as a paperclip attached as a simple antenna.
The paperclip can be inserted into the center of the cable and can give a small boost.
If the cable is long enough, moving it around can also boost a TV signal.
The paperclip TV will not give a huge boost but a small improvement that may work for someone clip the the TV broadcast towers.
Can You Use a Wire Hanger as a TV Antenna?
Yes, a wire coat hanger can be used to boost a TV signal.
The coat hanger is cut, and one side is attached to the center of the TV antenna cable, and the other side is the outer side.
The hanger can then be moved about or even hung from a pole to try and receive reception.
While not as good as a store-bought antenna, they can work for some people depending on how far away the TV broadcast towers are located.
Summary
The above homemade antenna should help improve free over-the air TV signals.
The unit will need to be moved about to get the best reception.
Often, once an antenna is moved the TV will need to be re-scanned to see which channels can be picked up.
How many TV channels can be received will depend on the terrain and how close the TV transmission towers are.
For example, if big hills or trees are blocking the line-of-site to the transmission towers it may not improve the quality.
If you have a clear line-of-sight to the towers there should be an improvement which can be tuned in by moving it about.
Do you have a good outline for a TV antenna? Let us know in the comments below.
Did the same thing w two beer cans.no coat hanger using only the middle coax wire and lots of tin foil.screwed both cans together and .mounted the cans on your basic one rabbit ear antenae works great 48-55 channels and counting..h