TV Antenna recommendations?

[brad614]

I want to replace the old antenna on my radar arch with a new one that will get the local broadcast stations. Any recommendations and/or advice?

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

Unless your existing antenna is damaged or of low quality, I doubt a new one is going to help out too much. A standard pair of rabbit ears will pick up digital stations as well as most anything else. I suppose you could look into a powered-unit like SeaWatch.

 

[brad614]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

Mine is from 2000, so it won't pick up stations since the digital conversion. Or is there something I can put inline that will convert?

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

Mine is from 2000, so it won't pick up stations since the digital conversion. Or is there something I can put inline that will convert?

I don't buy that. The antenna is an antenna, digital makes no difference. Any antenna that is marketed as a "digital" antenna is just fluff. You may not have a digital tuner on the television, which is a cheap add-on.

Something like this should be all you need:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/AccessHD-Digital-Analog-Converter-Box-1080D/14869369

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

yep... the antenna has nothing to do with digital or analog stations... that is in the TV.. if your TV has a digital tuner then you should be able to pick up digital stations... BTW the antenna on my rv is from 1999 and the one on the boat is from 1989 and they both work great with digital

 

[brad614]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

Great! Thanks - I will try that. I didn't even think about that. When I tried to watch on the old TV that was in there it didn't work, but the new flat screen might work just fine!

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

Just trying to help you save some cash, those marine TV antennas are pricey!

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

nah you can buy a regular old tv and paint it "marine black" n be fine LOL

 

[V153]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

Recommendations? I recommend no TV antenna!

Whuddya wanna watch that crap for anyway? Besides the crew oughta have better things to do ...

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

Catch a football game while fishing?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

boats with room for a bed and a tv are generally not limited to fishing activities

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

boats with room for a bed and a tv are generally not limited to fishing activities

Yes, but who'd be watching TV during the non-fishing activities?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

what u can't multitask?

 

[colbyt]

Re: TV Antenna recommendations?

Mine is from 2000, so it won't pick up stations since the digital conversion. Or is there something I can put inline that will convert?

You may also discover that if it was a 300 ohm lead (flat wire) from the antenna to the TV that you need to rewire it with coax. The digital signal is much more subject to loss.

Once you get the proper tuner in the form of a converter or new TV you can trouble shoot with a simple loop antenna made from a coat hanger bent into a loop with one end attached to each side of the loop and then to the antenna input. This should pick up the strongest UFH station in the area with no problem. Then you can test the existing one and tweak it. A 300 ohm to coax converter can added to both the existing antenna to convert to coax if needed.