4 bay bowtie antenna only receiving uhf

[00V8]

I decided to start experimenting with OTA programming so I found some plans online and built a bowtie antenna out of some 10GA solid copper wire. I am around 30 miles away from any of the local stations. The FCC site shows I should be able to receive 9 channels good, another 2 look suspect.

After temporary installation of the antenna I do get 9 channels but 2 of them are UHF channels from another market around 71 miles away, which come in very clearly actually, unfortunately none of the Hi-VHF channels come in at all so I am missing my local NBC network.

Is my problem with spacing between the V's or length? Any ideas what I did wrong?

I tried linking to the plans I used but it won't allow me to.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[FTA4PA]

I decided to start experimenting with OTA programming so I found some plans online and built a bowtie antenna out of some 10GA solid copper wire. I am around 30 miles away from any of the local stations. The FCC site shows I should be able to receive 9 channels good, another 2 look suspect.

After temporary installation of the antenna I do get 9 channels but 2 of them are UHF channels from another market around 71 miles away, which come in very clearly actually, unfortunately none of the Hi-VHF channels come in at all so I am missing my local ABC network.

Is my problem with spacing between the V's or length? Any ideas what I did wrong?

I tried linking to the plans I used but it won't allow me to.

Thanks in advance for the help!

00V8! Try replacing the www in the link with with zzz. Example: zzz.antennaplans.com
Also, if you could generate a report for your location at http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29 and post the link here it will be easier for someone to help.

 

[00V8]

Here is the link to the plan
zzz.makezine.com/2009/01/23/maker-workshop-dtv-antenna-steadyca/

And my tv fool report.
zzz.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d2c15bccdf5a39a

 

[FaT Air]

The bowties are designed for UHF only. with your tvfool report shown VHF Hi (ch-8) I'd try a steath hawk up above the roof.
Other than that I'd go with something like a HBU33 - UHF plus VHF Hi. and aim it to the south east.

 

[FTA4PA]

Ok, posting the link to the PDF of the plan:http://cdn.makezine.com/make/television/04/DTV_Antenna_FINAL.pdf
Looks like the antenna is mainly for UHF (14 and up) and your NBC is two-edge at 42 miles away real rf channel 8. May need another antenna for VHF.

 

[FTA4PA]

FaT Air beat me.

 

[larrykenney]

It looks like you only need to add the high VHF antenna to get NBC on channel 8. Your home built antenna appears to be working great for you for the UHF channels. 71 miles is a good distance for UHF coverage, so congratulations on your work.

You can get a VHF/UHF combiner and, using a couple short pieces of RG6 coax connect the two antennas together. From the combiner you can use one coax line down to your TV.

 

[waylew]

Build another one to make it an eight bay,or try a vhf/uhf amplifier or both.

 

[00V8]

You guys are fast! Thanks for the help. I will fiddle with it more this weekend and try to add a vhf antenna.