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Calculation of a car TV antenna. Equipment for digital television - this is what you can buy in our store

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Delta H1381AF

The plots are located from the city on different distances 10 km, 50 km and more, and from the TV tower the distance can be even greater and be 100 - 150 km. This is a significant removal and for sustainable reception digital television in the country you need an active antenna.

Perhaps I’ll start with the fact that passive antennas can provide stable reception at distances up to 30 km, and in order to ensure stable reception both in summer and winter at long distances, you need to use a more powerful one with an amplifier, and for hilly areas, as well as over long-range reception, also raise it higher using the mast.

For signal transmission in digital TV, the decimeter range (UHF) is used with frequencies of 470 - 862 MHz (channels 21-69), so when choosing an antenna for giving, you need to focus on them. However, you should not rest only on this type, for receiving DVB standard T2 are also applicable all-wave (broadband), capable of receiving both the decimeter range and the meter 48 - 230 MHz.


UHF antenna for dvb reception t/t2

Modern antennas are made of steel or aluminum and have an operating temperature range of -50 to +50 degrees with protection from external influences (snow, rain). Metal is heavier, but unlike aluminum, it is more reliable to deformations. Their forms are different, but the most effective, time-tested, so to speak broadband antenna MV/UHF - wave channel. Such an antenna to the country house for receiving digital TV is the best option.

The most common antennas today are Delta and Locus. They have different gains (measured in decibels, dB) or adjustable, so you need to look at their characteristics. It must be understood that the an-na itself has its own amplification, just like the amplifier.

Offered by sellers digital antennas and amplifiers are nothing more than a publicity stunt. Amplifiers, if it is not some special one, for their purpose simply amplify the signal, in this case television, in the entire frequency range of TV broadcasting. In the case of antennas, designating them as digital means that they are capable of receiving decimeter waves.

When installing the antenna on a mast, be sure to use grounding, even if the metal mast is on the ground. This will help drain static electricity into the ground during thunderstorms (and of course lightning strikes), which will prevent damage to the amplifier. Grounding the grid (reflector) of the Polish antenna improves its performance, as it reflects the signal back to the vibrators, which amplifies it.

If you intend to make an active antenna yourself, then you can find many various solutions, even from beer cans, the only question is whether they will work effectively and I advise you not to waste time, they are not so expensive. For example, an inexpensive so-called "Polish" for receiving digital television in the country, with a range of up to 100 - 120 km, will be the most.

Antenna amplifiers

In the "Polish" all-wave antennas, SWA amplifiers with different gains are used, you need to purchase them separately, depending on how far from the tower. You can navigate by the proposed table:

Amplifier type Range (km) Gain (db) Noise factor
SWA-3 10 -30 20.5 -28 3.1
=/= - 4 Lux 20 — 45 29 — 35 3.0
=/= — 5 10 — 40 25 — 31 3.1
=/= — 6 10 — 40 25 — 30 3.1
=/= — 7 30 — 70 25 — 32 3.0
=/= — 9 30 — 70 21 — 31 3.1
=/= — 10 8 — 30 22 — 27 1.9
=/= — 14 30 — 70 28 — 37 2.8
=/= — 15 30 — 80 35 — 43 2.8
=/= — 17 30 — 100 35 — 42 2.9
=/= — 19 30 — 100 33 — 42 2.9
=/= - 555 Lux 50 — 100 34 — 43 2.2
=/= - 777 Lux 50 — 100 34 — 45 2.3
=/= — 999 80 — 120 33 — 45 2.9
=/= — 5555 80 — 120 34 — 45 2.9
=/= — 7777 100 -120 34 — 45 2.8
=/= — 9999 100 — 120 35 — 47 2.9
=/= — 2000 100 — 130 40 — 47 2.8
=/= — 3501 100 — 130 40 — 48 2.0
=/= — 6000 80 — 140 50 — 52 1.2
=/= — 9000 20 — 100 10 — 40 1.5
=/= — 9001 100 — 150 42 — 54 1.5
=/= — 9501 70 — 120 42 — 50 1.7

So let's sum up. If you need a TV antenna for your dacha, then with a distance from the TV tower from 10 to 30 km, we choose among active indoor ones, with a greater distance, we choose among street (outdoor) ones. The greater the distance, the greater the gain should be. Nothing bad will happen if the antenna for giving will have a slightly higher gain than necessary, so to speak, the margin will not hurt and then 10 or 20 channels (depending on the region) will show without problems.


Digital television these days continues to spread day by day. Providers offer their services in this area by selling expensive devices. However, you can "catch" terrestrial digital television with a homemade antenna.

We offer you to watch a video on the manufacture of the antenna:

So, we need:
- decimeter antenna;
- calculator;
- antenna cable;
- connector for cable;
- ruler

First of all, it should be noted that for digital TV channels a TV with DVB-T2 support is required, otherwise the antenna will not fulfill its intended purpose. It should also be clarified that providers often advertise so-called digital antennas, which are supposedly created specifically for receiving digital TV channels. This is not so, since it is possible to catch such channels even with a wire. We figured out the materials and the introductory part, you can get to work.


Next, we find our district or city on the site to find out the advisory support center or, more simply, the broadcasting center. The next thing we call the support center and find out on which channel digital television is broadcasting. The author, for example, broadcasts on channel 27. At the end of this stage, we find out the frequency of the channel.

Now, using a calculator and a special formula, we have to find out the required length of our antenna. The formula is extremely simple: 7500 must be divided by the number of the channel frequency. The author has a channel frequency of 522000 kHz, that is, you need to divide 7500 by 522. It turns out 14.3 approximately. We round the result obtained after dividing and get the length of the antenna in centimeters.


Next, we take a regular antenna cable, strip it on one side and insert the connector.


Next, we take a ruler and measure the result obtained by dividing, leaving 2 centimeters at the base without hammering. That is, if the author needs a cable 14 centimeters long, he measures 2 + 14 cm.


Cut off the end. After that, we make an incision on the base line and clean it up to the conv. We remove the cable protection, since we do not need it. Also cut off the foil.


After that, we bend the cable at the base line at a right angle. The antenna is ready. It remains to install it outside so that it looks towards the transmitting antenna. It is worth noting here that if the distance from the transmitting antenna is more than 15 km, then an antenna amplifier will have to be used.

Which antenna to choose for digital television? How are antennas different? How to apply power to an active antenna? Which antenna is best? These and other questions on the site

Hello! By occupation, I have to deal very closely with connecting and configuring antennas for digital on-air television.

Therefore, based on the experience gained, I have the opportunity to share how to choose an antenna for digital television and set up dvb-t2 - free 20 channels.

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Which antenna is suitable for DVB-T2 digital television

With the advent of digital terrestrial television, many people have questions related to choosing an antenna for DVB-T2. For example!

  • Can I use my old antenna, if there was one?
  • Is an antenna of the "Grid" type suitable for this, it is also "Polish"
  • Do I need an antenna with or without an amplifier?
  • if there is a question about purchasing a new one?
  • Do I need the advertised antenna "Key to Free TV"

Let's first understand what antennas are in general.

To receive television signals, antennas of the meter (MV) and decimeter (UHF) ranges are used. There are broadband antennas, this is a “hybrid” when elements of the MV and UHF bands are used in the design of the antenna.

These antennas are easy to distinguish from each other by size.

In the MW range, the elements are longer. Everything according to the name.

So in MW antennas, elements are approximately from half a meter to one and a half meters in length.

And the elements of the UHF antenna, in length, are only about 15 to 40 cm.

It is the UHF antenna that is needed for digital terrestrial television.


Antenna meter band (MV)
An example of a UHF antenna (UHF)
Broadband antenna, MV and UHF bands.
Antenna type "grid"
Broadband antenna "Hummingbird"

So - To receive digital terrestrial television, you need a decimeter antenna, i.e. antenna with short elements. Or broadband.

Now you can evaluate whether your old antenna is suitable for receiving television in DVB format-T2 Only the question of its serviceability and effectiveness in your area remains open.

In addition to dividing by received bands, antennas are also divided into ...

Indoor and outdoor (External) - I think everything is clear with the application.

And also active and passive - more on that later.

Here you go, brief digression on a difficult subject terrestrial antennas held. Let's continue...

Features of the distribution of a television signal

The distance over which a signal is transmitted in the UHF range does not differ in a large coverage area. It is much less than in the meter range.

For example:

If you have used a radio receiver, you may have noticed that you will not be able to pick up distant foreign radio stations in FM or VHF bands, but only those nearby are local.
But on the other hand, you can catch a whole bunch of foreign ones in the NE or HF bands.

This is because the average short waves, as well as meter ones, extend over long distances, and ultrashort ones, like UHF, over small ones.

This disadvantage of the UHF range for digital TV is compensated by the location and number of television transmitters - by analogy with towers cellular communication, a lot of them.

Also keep in mind that the TV signal is perfectly reflected from the objects encountered on the way.

This allows you to receive transmissions when it is not possible to direct the antenna towards the TV tower. Or there are obstacles to the direct passage of the signal.

Look around! Is it possible to receive a reflected signal?

So at right choice antennas and correct installation you will surely succeed.


What else to consider when choosing an antenna

Conditions for receiving a television signal are very different in different places and these conditions must be taken into account when choosing an antenna.

Here are some factors that determine which antenna you need to purchase and how to install.

  1. TV transmitter power and
  2. The terrain is mountains, lowlands, plains.
  3. Standing nearby and blocking the antenna in the direction of the tower, tall, dense trees.
  4. High-rise buildings and your location in relation to these buildings and the tower.
  5. The floor on which you live - the higher, the easier it is to need an antenna.
  6. The ability or inability to turn the antenna towards the transmitting tower.

Active and passive antennas - what's the difference?

Antennas of any kind can be either active or passive.

Passive antennas are those that amplify the signal only due to their design, without the use of electronic amplifiers, such antennas are used in areas with a strong signal.

Active antenna - in its design it has an amplifier, such an antenna needs to be connected to a power source.
The amplifier helps to raise the level of the received signal in areas of uncertain reception.

How to connect power to an active antenna amplifier, several ways

Antenna amplifiers are powered by 12 or 5 volts. But in Lately Increasingly, manufacturers are focusing on the production of antennas with a five-volt supply.

And there is a reason for this! Such antennas are easier to connect for those who use a set-top box for DVB-T2.

Three ways to connect

A) Use a special power supply with a separator that produces a voltage corresponding to your amplifier.

The purpose of a separator is to separate. It passes voltage to the antenna, but does not pass it to the TV jack. However, this does not interfere with the signal from the antenna amplifier entering the TV.

B) If a DVB-T2 prefix is ​​used. A voltage of 5 volts can be applied directly from the console. And for any amplifiers and 5 and 12 volts.

This does not require any additional wire, power supply, etc. A voltage of 5 volts, from the antenna jack of the set-top box, directly through the antenna cable, will go to the amplifier.

You just need to turn on this power directly from the set-top box menu. Go to the settings section and find the item “Antenna power ON-OFF”, select ON, and exit the menu (in various models prefixes, the names of these items may differ)

C) If you have an LCD TV with an already built-in DVB-T2 tuner, then in addition to the method under the letter A), you can do the following.

You will have to purchase a special adapter to power the amplifier from any USB port, first of all, the USB port of the LCD TV itself is considered. But you can connect to any charger with USB output

Which antenna to choose - consider examples

As you understand from all of the above, when choosing an antenna for yourself, you need to evaluate various factors.

A few examples:

Distance to tower 5-15 km

You live in a city where there is a DVB-T2 signal transmitter. Or in a populated area, not far from the transmitter 5-15 km.

Most likely, an indoor antenna is suitable for you, even the simplest one. Especially if you live above the first floor.

And being not far from the tower, even a simple piece of wire instead of an antenna can be enough.

Given the prevalence of towers and quite a large number of places with a strong signal, scammers use this, offering various, in fact

Under the conditions described above, they will work well.

But keep in mind, the number of channels will be no more than what the TV tower broadcasts in your area! But not 100 or 200 as advertised.
Therefore, the question arises, is it necessary to pay off several hundred, or even thousands, for an ordinary indoor antenna from advertising ?!

Here are some low cost, compact antenna options for areas where there is a good signal.


Indoor antenna for locations close to the tower.
Indoor antenna for locations close to the tower. Another option
This variant may work in slightly more difficult conditions than the previous two, especially the amplifying version.

Indoor antenna - application features

The correct place for an indoor antenna is not where it will look good and stand comfortably, this is where it will receive a good signal. And these two circumstances - "to look" and "to accept" do not always coincide.

Because often the best, and sometimes the only place where you can catch a signal, is a place near the window overlooking the TV tower. Take this into account!

To solve this problem, you can add a cable of the desired length and for some antennas (for example, those in the photo above) this is not difficult.

But there is indoor antennas which have a built-in power supply in their case. They also have a power cord for connecting to an outlet. And of course the cable to connect to the TV.


This may seem convenient, but alas, this is not always the case.
Often, the place where the antenna is able to receive a TV signal is not at all near the TV and the outlet, but for example, by the window.

And in this case, a short power cord will become an obstacle to placing the antenna in right place. In addition to the cable, you will also have to pull the extension cord. In general, a bunch of wires.

You live at a distance of about 25-30 km or more from the TV tower.

Of course, much depends on the power of the transmitter.

But in general, at a distance of 25 km, a fairly small outdoor antenna. For example, those that are depicted at the very beginning of this post mean the UHF antenna or the broadband Hummingbird.

In my area, from a distance of 25 km in line of sight, a passive UHF antenna with an arrow length of about 80 cm has a confident reception without the need to raise the antenna above two meters from the ground.

You can also receive a good active, indoor antenna.

In some houses, even from the first floor, if there is a window towards the tower or the ability to receive the reflected signal from neighboring buildings.
Floor above the second significantly increases the likelihood of success.

There is a simple principle of how to determine the power of an antenna - the longer the antenna boom, the greater the coefficient of its own gain, and not due to the amplifier.

Antenna for difficult signal reception conditions

For example, an active antenna, the photo of which is below, in our area draws a signal from a distance of 60 km or more. It is successfully used in the most difficult places, in houses located in a strong lowland, its length is about 1.7 meters, but there are antennas under 4 meters in length.

In addition to the length, in difficult conditions or at a great distance from the TV tower, it plays important role the presence of an amplifier, i.e. antenna must be active.

There are options for powerful antennas, where instead of one boom, three are used at once, so the ability of the antenna to amplify the signal due to the design alone increases greatly.

And in tandem with an amplifier, this antenna becomes a very powerful trap for a television signal.

But impressed by this antenna, do not rush to run after it. It is needed only under really very, very difficult reception conditions.

In most cases, other, much cheaper options are sufficient. In addition, if the signal is already so strong in your area, then the amplifier in the antenna will only interfere.

Here is just the case when porridge can be spoiled with butter. An example of this is described below.

Polish antenna array for digital television

In some cases, the "Grid" antenna can work quite successfully when receiving digital television. Especially if you are not very close to the transmitting tower.

More than once, however, I came across a situation when, using their old antenna - the Pole (Grid), people could not get a digital broadcast signal from it.

Either in general, or the signal periodically "fell off" the picture fell into cubes, there was a freeze in the image and sound. One of the digital television packages could disappear, while the other worked fine.

The problem with these phenomena is the overamplification of the signal.

There is a way out, consider the options ....

1) Sometimes it's just enough to unplug the antenna's power supply from the outlet and that's it. But this does not always help, and then more serious measures are needed.

2) Reduce the amplifier supply voltage using adjustable block nutrition. Or supply power directly from the set-top box, bypassing the separator of the standard antenna power supply, by installing a regular plug.

3) Get to the amplifier board, the scarf that is on the antenna itself, and connect everything without an amplifier.

4) Throw away this old dilapidated antenna and buy a normal, UHF band.

P.S. New, grating type.

I hope this article will be useful to someone, leave your feedback, comments, share your experience.

P.S. If you are purchasing a new antenna, but not sure if it will suit you, ask your local antenna dealers.

Sometimes they are well aware of which antenna is better to take based on your place of residence.

And agree on the possibility, if it suddenly does not fit, change to a different type of antenna. At least in my shop it is possible.

Despite the rapid development of satellite and cable television, the reception of on-air broadcasting is still relevant, for example, for places of seasonal residence. It is not necessary to buy for this purpose. ready product, a home decimeter (UHF) antenna can be assembled with your own hands. Before proceeding to the consideration of designs, we will briefly describe why this particular range of the television signal was chosen.

Why DMV?

There are two good reasons to opt for this type of structure:

  1. The thing is that most channels are broadcast in this range, since the design of repeaters is simplified, and this makes it possible to set more unattended low-power transmitters and thereby expand the coverage area.
  2. This range is selected for broadcasting "numbers".

Indoor antenna for TV "Rhombus"

This simple, but at the same time, reliable design was one of the most common in the heyday of on-air television.

Rice. 1. The simplest homemade Z-antenna, known under the names: "Rhombus", "Square" and "People's Zigzag"

As can be seen from the sketch (B Fig. 1), the device is a simplified version of the classic zigzag (Z-design). To increase the sensitivity, it is recommended to equip it with capacitive inserts ("1" and "2"), as well as a reflector ("A" in Fig. 1). If the signal level is acceptable, this is not necessary.

As a material, you can use aluminum, copper, as well as brass tubes or strips with a width of 10-15 mm. If you plan to install the structure on the street, then it is better to abandon aluminum, since it is susceptible to corrosion. Capacitive inserts are made of foil, tin or metal mesh. After installation, they are soldered along the contour.

The cable is laid as shown in the figure, namely: it did not have sharp bends and did not leave the limits of the side insert.

Decimeter antenna with amplifier

In places where a powerful relay tower is not located in relative proximity, you can raise the signal level to an acceptable value using an amplifier. Below is circuit diagram device that can be used with almost any antenna.


Rice. 2. Scheme antenna amplifier for UHF range

Item List:

  • Resistors: R1 - 150 kOhm; R2 - 1 kOhm; R3 - 680 Ohm; R4 - 75 kOhm.
  • Capacitors: C1 - 3.3 pF; C2 - 15 pF; C3 - 6800 pF; C4, C5, C6 - 100 pF.
  • Transistors: VT1, VT2 - GT311D (can be replaced with: KT3101, KT3115 and KT3132).

Inductance: L1 - is a frameless coil with a diameter of 4 mm, wound copper wireØ 0.8 mm (it is necessary to make 2.5 turns); L2 and L3 are 25 µH and 100 µH high frequency chokes, respectively.

If the circuit is assembled correctly, we will get an amplifier with the following characteristics:

  • bandwidth from 470 to 790 MHz;
  • gain and noise coefficients - 30 and 3 dB, respectively;
  • the value of the output and input resistance of the device corresponds to the RG6 cable - 75 Ohm;
  • the device consumes about 12-14 mA.

Let's pay attention to the way the power is supplied, it is carried out directly through the cable.

This amplifier can handle most simple designs made from improvised means.

Indoor antenna made from beer cans

Despite the unusual design, it is quite functional, since it is a classic dipole, especially since the dimensions of a standard can are perfect for the arms of a UHF vibrator. If the device is installed in a room, then in this case it is not even necessary to coordinate with the cable, provided that it is not longer than two meters.


Designations:

  • A - two cans with a volume of 500 mg (if you take tin, not aluminum, you can solder the cable, and not use self-tapping screws).
  • B - places for fastening the shielding braid of the cable.
  • C - central vein.
  • D - the place of attachment of the central core
  • E - cable coming from the TV.

The arms of this exotic dipole must be mounted on a holder made of any insulating material. As such, you can use improvised things, for example, a plastic clothes hanger, a mop bar, or a piece of wooden beam of the appropriate size. The distance between the shoulders is from 1 to 8 cm (selected empirically).

The main advantages of the design are fast production (10 - 20 minutes) and quite acceptable quality of the "picture", provided that the signal strength is sufficient.

Making a copper wire antenna

There is a design, much simpler previous version, which requires only a piece copper wire. It's about about the narrow band loop antenna. This solution has undoubted advantages, since in addition to its main purpose, the device plays the role selective filter, which reduces interference, which allows you to confidently receive the signal.


Fig.4. A simple UHF loop antenna for receiving digital TV

For this design, it is necessary to calculate the length of the loop, to do this, you need to find out the frequency of the “numbers” for your region. For example, in St. Petersburg it is broadcast on 586 and 666 MHz. The calculation formula will be as follows: L R = 300/f, where L R is the length of the loop (the result is presented in meters), and f is the average frequency range, for Peter this would be 626 (the sum of 586 and 666 divided by 2). Now we calculate L R, 300/626 = 0.48, which means that the length of the loop should be 48 centimeters.

If you take a thick RG-6 cable, where there is a braided foil, then it can be used instead of copper wire to make a loop.

Now we will tell you how the structure is assembled:

  • A piece of copper wire (or RG6 cable) is measured and cut off with a length equal to L R .
  • A loop of a suitable diameter is folded, after which a cable is soldered to its ends, which goes to the receiver. If RG6 is used instead of copper wire, then the insulation is first removed from its ends, by about 1-1.5 cm (the central core does not need to be cleaned, it does not participate in the process).
  • The loop is installed on the stand.
  • An F connector (plug) is screwed onto the cable to the receiver.

Note that despite the simplicity of the design, it is most effective for receiving "numbers", provided that the calculations are carried out correctly.

Do-it-yourself indoor antenna MV and UHF

If, in addition to UHF, there is a desire to receive MV, you can assemble a simple multiwave oven, its drawing with dimensions is presented below.

To amplify the signal in this design, a ready-made SWA 9 block is used, if there are problems with its acquisition, you can use homemade device, the scheme of which was given above (see Fig. 2).

It is important to observe the angle between the petals, going beyond the specified range significantly affects the quality of the "picture".

Despite the fact that such a device is much simpler than the log-periodic construction with wave channel, however, it shows good results if the signal is strong enough.

Do-it-yourself figure-eight antenna for digital TV

Consider another common design option for receiving "numbers". It is based on the classic scheme for the UHF range, which, due to its shape, was called the "Eight" or "Zigzag".


Rice. 6. Sketch and implementation of the digital eight

Construction dimensions:

  • the outer sides of the rhombus (A) - 140 mm;
  • inner sides (B) - 130 mm;
  • distance to the reflector (C) - from 110 to 130 mm;
  • width (D) - 300 mm;
  • step between the bars (E) - from 8 to 25 mm.

The cable connection point is at points 1 and 2. The requirements for the material are the same as for the Rhombus design, which was described at the beginning of the article.

Homemade antenna for DBT T2

Actually, all the examples listed above are capable of receiving DBT T2, but for a change, we will give a sketch of another design, popularly called the “Butterfly”.


As a material, you can use plates made of copper, brass, aluminum or duralumin. If the structure is planned to be installed on the street, then the last two options are not suitable.

Outcome: which option to stop?

Oddly enough, but the simplest option is the most effective, so the "loop" is best suited for receiving the "digit" (Fig. 4). But, if you need to receive other channels in the decimeter range, then it is better to stop at the "Zigzag" (Fig. 6).

The antenna for the TV should be directed towards the nearest active repeater, to select the desired position, rotate the structure until the signal strength is satisfactory.

If, despite the presence of an amplifier and a reflector, the quality of the "picture" leaves much to be desired, you can try to install the structure on the mast.


In this case, it is necessary to install lightning protection, but this is a topic for another article.

Television antenna - when the need arises for a choice, many find it difficult to decide which antenna to purchase to receive free digital television. Many for this reason are bought for publicity stunts and there are Great chance buy an unimportant antenna for a lot of money.

Hello dear readers! The author of this blog, Vitaly, is in touch! In my previous article on this topic, I talked about the antenna known as the "Key to Digital Television" And readers of this article very often ask the question of which antenna they should choose?

In order to answer most of these questions at once, it was decided to write another article in which there will be a selection of antennas recommended by me and other specialists. As well as some explanations and recommendations. Please read them carefully, perhaps this will remove some of your questions.

P.S. The article gives the names of the antennas, but please note that different manufacturers they may differ. This means that antennas of similar type and characteristics can be named LOCUS, DELTA, MERIDIAN, ETHER, etc. Therefore, it is not necessary to focus on the given names, look at the appearance!

All images in the article will be numbered, but this is only so that I can easily indicate the recommended antennas if this is asked in the future. There is no rating in this numbering! Just for convenience. So! Go!

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indoor antennas


Indoor antenna Sirius 2.0 without amplifier. Designed for use in the area stable signal. This settlements in which there are transmission towers and at a short distance from them, 5-15 km. With line of sight. Signal gain 5 dB. Such antennas can also be made with an amplifier, but this does not make them suitable for difficult signal reception conditions.

Indoor antenna with amplifier DVS-Z2. Although this antenna has a large gain, up to 32 dB (due to the amplifier), there will be little sense from it. I also recommend using it in areas of reliable reception and on short distances from the tower 5-15 km. With line of sight. It is good to use such an antenna in the city, to receive the reflected signal, an amplifier can be useful in this. And it is powered by a 5 volt antenna plug.

The next group of indoor antennas

They have approximately the same characteristics. These are passive (without amplifier) ​​antennas. Signal gain 4-7 dB. But they will be few more efficient than antennas provided above.


Is not bad antennas, they can be successfully used to receive digital television in areas of both a strong signal and at some distance from TV towers. For example, I receive a signal on antennas of this kind from a distance of about 20 km. and from the first floor, but not everyone is so lucky!

All this depends on many factors. Transmitter power, terrain, clutter with high-rise buildings .... In general, if there is nothing very close on the way from you to the TV tower, then these antennas can quite cope.

Amplifier indoor antennas

These antennas do the same job as those without an amplifier. But an amplifier in some cases is useful and helps to stretch the attenuated signal to an acceptable level. They can be used not only in areas good signal, but also, let's say, a slightly complicated or reflected signal.

But still, these are indoor antennas and this limits them. For example, if your windows do not face the TV tower, and there is no way to catch the reflected signal from the opposite side, they may be useless.

By the way! There is no need to evaluate the reflected signal, you can watch digital television perfectly on it.


Locus L999.06 Next — Active broadband antenna. Supplied disassembled. The amplifier is powered by 12 volts from an external power supply. UHF gain 23-27 dB.

Locus L922.06 Not a bad indoor antenna. It looks neat, there are options with and without an amplifier. The version with the amplifier is equipped with a power regulator, which can be very useful.

Delta K131A.02 and the other two from the above group are also active antennas, but with a 5 Volt amplifier supply voltage. It can be fed directly from the DVB-T2 set-top box or through a special injector from the USB port of the LCD TV. The gain of these antennas is up to 22-27 dB.

Active Antenna Cayman , — can be in two versions 1) Powered via antenna plug. 2) With an already built-in injector for USB power, which is very convenient for use with LCD TVs that have this port. There is no need to purchase an additional 5 volt power supply with an injector and take up another outlet.

Outdoor antennas for digital television

We turn to more serious constructions, the task of which is to provide quality signal where indoor antennas cannot cope. Gain from 19 dB to 35 dB.

These are antennas that can be used in more difficult conditions and at somewhat greater distances. If you notice, then they are structurally similar to indoor antennas, but only a little larger. And this is the one important factor which makes them more powerful. The longer the arrow in the antenna, the greater the coefficient of its own gain. This is the gain that is achieved not due to the amplifier, but due to the design of the antenna. And the installed amplifier only “shakes” this signal even more.

In addition, street installation allows them to be more accurately directed to the TV tower bypassing obstacles in the form of walls.

hummingbird - Interesting antenna. Works in both meter and dmv bands. Its feature is an unusual design, which, with small dimensions, provides quite good reception signal. It is very convenient in urban environments and for searching for a reflected signal, the short length allows you to install it in a limited space. It has several modifications and can be supplied with an amplifier powered by both 12 and 5 volts.

Locus-14AF - This antenna also has several modifications, the designation AF - with an amplifier, F - without an amplifier. There is also Locus - 20 AF / F has a longer arrow, and therefore an even greater self-amplification factor. The amplifier operates on a voltage of 5 volts.

Delta H3111.02 - There are also options with and without an amplifier, in addition, it may be under a different name (depending on the manufacturer) and differ in the way the television cable is connected to it.

Meridian - 07 AF Made from aluminium.

Antennas numbered 11-14 This good antennas, and affordable, only "Hummingbird" will be somewhat more expensive

They can be used at distances up to 30 km. But then again, if there are factors that interfere with the passage of the signal, then even at shorter distances, even more powerful antenna.

Powerful digital TV antenna

These antennas are good for long distances and even more difficult conditions, for example, if your house is located in a strong lowland.

At what distance can they be used? For example, I had to put Ether 18AF (by the way, not the strongest in this trio) on a house located 45 kilometers from the TV tower. At the same time, the house stood in a lowland, and fixed the antenna on the ridge of the roof of the house, some kind of pin stuck out there, and fixed the antenna on it. Everything is well accepted!


Ether 18 — Antenna steel, painted with powder paint, there are options with an amplifier and without it. The letter A in the name indicates that the antenna is active, with an amplifier. If there is only F in the name, then this is an antenna without an amplifier. Meridian -12 AF / F antennas are also marked

Meridian-12 and Triton - Made of aluminum and even more powerful than Ether-18. The reason is not only in the material, but also in the design. For example, the Meridian antenna is about 1.5 meters long. And the "Triton" has short arrows, but there are already three of them. It adds up to one long one.

Active antennas from this trio have amplifiers powered by 5 volts. Which is convenient for use with DVB-T2 set-top boxes. The Triton antenna also has an injector for power supply via USB, which is indicated on the label. The gain of these antennas reaches 35 dB. by the amplifier. But thanks to their design, the amplifier has something to strengthen)))

THOSE. the antenna itself draws a signal from the air with a level of about 10-12 dB (this is called the antenna's own gain) And the amplifier already accelerates it to a level of 35 dB.

The most powerful antenna for DVB-T2

Well, if you carefully read the previous descriptions, then you should understand why these antennas are the most powerful ones presented in this review.


For example, the GoldMaster-GM500 antenna is a passive antenna, without an amplifier. But the coefficient of its own gain, only due to the design of as much as 22 dB. Such amplification is given by mid-range antennas, and then at the expense of the amplifier. Here it is in its purest form!

The following antennas from this "red zone" are just as effective, plus they are also active. Their amplifiers are powered by 5 volts. Ie they are sharpened for digital set-top boxes. Or, if you don’t use the set-top box, since you bought a TV set with DVB-T2, then you will need either a separate power supply for antennas, 5 volts or an injector for USB power.

This is the class of antennas that you need to take if you live at a distance of 50 km or more from the transmitting tower and have a very difficult area for receiving a TV signal.

Why you shouldn't aim for an antenna with an amplifier

It is noticed that the word "Amplifier" has some kind of magical property! And when a person chooses an antenna, he prefers just such active antennas. Why is this an erroneous point of view?

  • In the zone of reliable reception, the amplifier can lead to the fact that your TV / set-top box will not receive anything at all! Cause, overamplification of the signal!
  • The amplifier amplifies not only the useful signal, but also radio noise. And it is the design of the antenna that draws the useful signal!
  • The amplifier is always the weak link in the design of the antenna. It breaks down, it is hit by a thunderstorm, it oxidizes from moisture. As a result, periodic intervention in the repair of the antenna is required.
  • It is required to provide power to the amplifier located in the antenna, and this is another additional weak link, adapters fail and require replacement. In addition, one more connection point, socket or USB port is required, and this is not always convenient!
  • In the case of connection, this is much easier to do with an antenna that does not have an amplifier.

When You Need an Amplifier

  • If the total length television cable exceeds several tens of meters.
  • If you live at a great distance from the transmission tower, in the zone weak signal and the design of the antenna itself does not allow you to "pull out" the signal to the desired level.

Conclusion! - If at your place of residence it is possible to confidently receive a signal on an antenna without an amplifier, always strive for an antenna without an amplifier!

How to supply power to an active antenna amplifier

There are several ways to supply power to the antenna amplifier.

  • If you use a digital set-top box, then power is supplied directly from it, via the antenna cable. You don't have to be smart about anything. Just go to the set-top box menu and find the item “Ant power. on" In different models prefixes, this inscription may differ, but the essence is the same. Turn on the power to the antenna! Even if the amplifier in the antenna is 12 volts, often 5 volts from the set-top box will be enough.
  • If you do not use the prefix, then for power active antenna you will need either a special adapter with an injector that can be connected to USB port TV and so power the antenna. Or purchase a USB-powered antenna. These methods are very convenient for LCD TVs, especially those hanging on the wall.
  • The classic way, through a power supply for antennas with a voltage corresponding to the amplifier.

Well, I guess I'll end here! In the "Television" section of this blog, there are many more articles on the topic of antennas, digital set-top boxes and television.

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