How to Make TV Antenna From Coaxial Cable? 5 Methods

The capability of an outdoor TV antenna to give free broadcasts has not been altered by the advent of digital television. However, the typical analog antenna has become outdated.

Rather than paying for cable or satellite, you should learn about How to Make TV Antenna From Coaxial Cable and enjoy all the channels you want without the monthly fees. 

It is relatively simple to construct a DIY TV Antenna out of coax cable. You’ll need a coaxial wire long enough to stretch from the outside of your house to the TV.

In today’s world, it’s not uncommon for us to be watching TV when the signal suddenly drops or for our TV antennae to become damaged to the point that they require maintenance. 

There is no need to worry and spend a lot of money looking for the ideal antenna compatible with our televisions. Our only real option is to construct an antenna for ourselves out of readily available components in our homes. 

About Coaxial Cable

This type of copper cable has metal shielding and other components designed to prevent signal interference. It is utilized chiefly for connecting their satellite antenna systems to customers’ homes and businesses for cable TV providers.

Often, it is used by telecom companies to connect their central offices to telephone poles in the region of their customer bases. Coaxial cable is still used in some offices and residences, but it has been replaced mainly by twisted pair cabling as an Ethernet networking medium.

Uses of Coaxial Cable

• Coaxial cable is commonly found in homes and businesses to transmit television signals and link video devices.

• Besides carrying radio signals, it also serves as a connection point for receivers, transmitters, and antennas.

• Connecting devices to test equipment like signal generators is another common application for short lengths of coaxial cable.

• Twisted-pair cable has supplanted coaxial cable as the preferred linking of computers in local area networks (LANs).

• The coaxial cable used for cable television’s broadband service is still popular, and it’s the same cable used for cable broadband.

How to Make TV Antenna From Coaxial Cable?

Following are the most straightforward methods to construct the TV antenna by using coaxial cable: 

Method 1# By Using Empty Coffee Can With Coaxial Cable

Things To Require

• Emptied coffee can
• Coaxial cable
• Hammer
• Wire stripper 
• Nail  
• Ruler and utility knife
• Wire cutters

Procedure 

Step 1: To get started, lay down a layer of newspaper on the work surface. Lay the newspaper on its side and the emptied coffee can on top of it.

Step 2: Utilize the nail and hammer to make a hole in the middle of the empty coffee can, aiming to make the hole halfway down the side, closer to the bottom. The nail should remain in the hole created by pushing the pin through the hole about two-thirds of the way.

Step 3: Use the wire cutters to snip off the coaxial cable’s other end. Using a ruler and utility knife, remove the outer coating of the coaxial cable and discard it after 8 inches.

Step 4: Lay the wire against the inner sheath and measure 6 inches of it. With the wire strippers, remove the insulation from 6 inches of the wire resting against the inner sheath.

Step 5: You should wrap Coaxial cables with uninsulated wire around a nail that protrudes from an empty coffee can’s hole.

Step 6: Hammer the nail into the hole only with the hammer until it is completely inserted. It would assist if you placed a piece of duct tape over the opening in the coffee can to hold the coaxial cable.

Step 6: Put the coffee can into your yard or front porch. Place the empty coffee can on a window sill or a piece of outdoor furniture so that it is not touching the ground.

Step 7: Run the coaxial line from the coffee can that serves as your digital television antenna inside the house. Connect the coaxial cable’s connection to the antenna input on your television.

Method 2# By Using Baluns With Coaxial Cable

Things To Require

• A television coaxial cable with a standard length of one foot
• Pliers with a needle-nosed end (optional)
• Utility knife
• Grill screens 
• An electrical tape
• Heat-shrink tube of 3/8-inch
• Work gloves and rubber gloves 
• Use a hair drier if you use heat shrink tubes

Procedure 

Step 1: Your board should be the correct size, around one and two inches. It should have a minimum length of 22 inches. From left to right when the board is laid down horizontally. It would be best to use a pencil to draw a mark at the 2-inch. You then mark your paper with a line every 12.5 inches. Each line should have two dots spaced evenly apart.

Step 2: There will be a need for copper wire. Cut eight 14-inch sections of wire. Make a halved length of 7 inches of copper wire for each lamp and leave a 3-inch gap at the ends. The third side of the triangle should have a 3-inch gap in the middle, formed by the two wires.

Step 3: Next, copper wires with V tips are added to your wooden board’s dots. Wires should not be oriented upward but outward. Because of this, your board will look like it has grown a lot of legs. Wires are attached with the help of screws and washers.

Step 4: With the rest of the wire, you’ll need to weave them into the board. It would be best to cross the bent portion of each V-shaped wire one time. It is best if the cables are not in direct contact. To prevent sparking, at least one insulated wire must be utilized while weaving the cables. Vinyl is an excellent material to work with.

Step 5: Connect the first and second arrays of V-shaped wires using two X shapes wires. Two horizontal lines should connect the X patterns between the second and third rows of V-shaped wires.

Step 7: Grill screens can be utilized as reflectors on the board. The distance must be equivalent between the two reflectors to connect them. You will be using the reverse side of the board to attach these. Each of these reflectors will have a 15 by 9-inch surface area. Screws are needed for the attachment. The reflectors should not be directly in contact with them.

Step 8: Baluns are transformers that ought to be one in every electronics or internet-related firm. A user handbook comes with the balun that explains how to install and attach it. Please attach it to the wire’s two middle sections using the instructions supplied.

Step 9: It’s time to purchase your coaxial cable. Use this cable to hook up the balun to the television. If the coax cable doesn’t have any instructions, look for the correct plug on the television. Balun and TV connections should be obvious by looking at the cable.

Method 3# By Using Wooden Dowel With Coaxial Cable

Things To Require

• Coax cable
• Wood
• Tape measure
• Connector
• Soldering iron
• Utility knife 

Procedure 

Note: In many ways, a coax cable is like the connection that connects your cable box to your television. The wire should reach the wall where the antenna will be mounted from the back of the TV.

Step 1: Get a piece of wood long enough to hook the coax cable from. Various types of wooden skewers and dowels can be used.

Step 2: Using a tape measure, you can get the cable’s length and diameter measurements.

Step 3: Rip the coax cable with a wire cutter on one side. You must remove a connector to do this. 

Step 4: When you’re finished, use the other connector to hook the cable to your television. 

Step 5: Gently remove the cable’s outer jacket using a utility knife or scissors. Please do not attempt to remove the shield by cutting through it.

Step 7: Once you’ve got the cable’s shield unbraided, you’re ready to reconnect it to the jacket. The braid is then twisted together and bent at a 90-degree angle to the coax.

Step 8: Using a soldering iron, join the braids together at the breaks. Avoid melting the inner insulator by smoothing all edges together without a soldering iron. Leave about an inch between the shield and the center conductor to allow for expansion and contraction.

Step 9: Depending on the insulator’s length and depth, you’ll want to subtract or leave certain inches from your measurement. Remove around 5 inches and half an inch of insulation from the inside of the insulation, leaving about a half-inch for insulation.

Step 10: After bending the braided wire, twist the middle wire in the other direction. Tape the two wires that make up the center wire and soldered shield to the wooden dowel, and then you’re done! 

Step 11: Wrap the central wire and soldered shield around the wooden skewer or chopstick or whatever you choose to use as a host for the cable and secure it using electrical tape.

Step 12: Attach the antenna to the wall using a wooden dowel. Hang it wherever in the house that is convenient for you and your family to get to the TV. Attach the other edge of the cable to the TV’s coax video input and proceed.

Important Note:  HDTV channels can be accessed by turning on your TV. If you aren’t getting the full range of channels, try relocating or moving the antenna.

Method 4# By Using Aluminum Foil With Coaxial Cable

Things To Require

• Coaxial cable
• Aluminum foil
• An unbent paper clip 
• Coaxial splitter 

Procedure 

To Make TV Antenna From Coaxial Cable by using Aluminum foil, follow the instruction mentioned below: 

Step 1: Use a coaxial cable as an antenna by slicing off the insulation at the end of the cable. Acquire a coaxial wire long enough to stretch from your television to the nearest window to obtain the optimum reception. 

Step 2: Remove the last 15 cm (6 inches) of insulation from the coaxial cable’s end using a pair of wire strippers. 

Step 3: Straighten the wire by hand after being exposed and place it vertically near your window. You can find your TV’s antenna input port on the opposite end of the cable you just ran. 

You’re lucky to get five to ten channels with a modest antenna.

Step 4: To improve the antenna signal, try wrapping the coaxial cable’s exposed end in aluminum foil.

Step 5: Make sure that your TV’s input options are set to “Antenna” or “Air” instead of “Cable” if you are still unable to get channels.

Step 6: you can be accessed the coaxial port on your television by inserting an unbent paper clip into it. 

Step 7: You can get more channels from your television by using a jumbo-sized paperclip. Make an L-shape out of the paper clip by unbending it with your hands or pliers. 

Step 8: Push the unbent end of the paper clip into the coaxial port of your TV and insert it into the little hole. You’ll be able to watch a few channels once your antenna is up and running. 

Step 9: If you place a paper clip antenna near a window, it will operate better.

Step 10: If you wish to increase the range further, connect the antenna to a coaxial splitter and run a coaxial cable to your television.

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Method 5# By Using Plastic Clothes Hanger With Coaxial Cable

Things To Require

• Plastic Clothes Hanger 
• Coaxial Coaxial
• Two aluminum cans
• Duct tape

Procedure 

Step 1: Tape one of the cans to the hanger’s bottom. You should position the can in the center of the hanger’s entrance.

Step 2: The opening of the second can should be facing the interior of the hanger.

Step 3: The coaxial cable’s wires should be re-stripped.

Step 4:You should connect to a tab on one of the cans to the central coaxial line.

Step 5:  You should connect the outermost coaxial ground wire to the tab on the other container.

Step 6: Keep the coaxial cable in place by taping it to the hanger.

Step 7:  You should connect the coaxial wire to the antenna hung near the TV.

Step 8: Scan the TV channels in the TV settings.

Advantages of Coaxial Cable

• Compared to twisted pair cable, it is less vulnerable to noise or interference (EMI or RFI).

• Compared to twisted pair, it is capable of transmitting higher bandwidth signals.

• Due to its flexibility, it is simple to wire and expand.

• You can achieve High transmission rates with superior shielding materials in the coaxial cable.

Disadvantages of Coaxial Cable

• Because of its thickness and stiffness, it is more expensive to install over longer distances.

• The network will be down if a single cable fails because the entire network relies on a single cable for signal transmission.

• The security of the coaxial cable is a major worry since it is easy to break and put a T-joint (of the BNC type) between them.

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Frequently Asked Question

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Conclusion 

Thanks to recent technology advancements, consumers can now receive free digital transmission with a primary outdoor TV antenna. It is possible to connect a TV antenna using the coaxial line already in your television.

It is a do-it-yourself project that is much easier than it appears. Watch a wide variety of channels for free once you’ve completed your subscription! 

You don’t need any special electrical knowledge to build a TV antenna. I sincerely hope that this guide on How to Make TV Antenna From Coaxial Cable has been helpful to you. Making antennas is simple, but it is also a lot of fun.

You don’t need to hire an installation or specialist to get the materials you need to complete the project.

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