UHF TV in England...

[pgnl]

The one on the left, lasted me about 25 years (mine didn't have much plastic) but was attached to a high chimney and used to rattle. If it hadn’t been for the cable I think it would probably still work now. The aerial fitter disuaded me from having one of the fan type (like below) UHF arrays for the reason you mention, they tend to fall apart.

I will never understand why the UK didnt re-use VHF for TV after 405 line was switched off in 1985. I think we must have been the only country in the world to have TVs with UHF only tuners. Simple for tuning of course, but it meant portable TVs rarely worked properly without a rooftop aerial. Kinda missing the point, even so Casio sold loads of portable handhelds in the UK, just look on the ‘bay.

Of course we now have DVB-T and T2 digital TV which means most folk can receive 70 odd channels, not the previous 5. Plus free to air satellite with even more and we have the internet for portable devices..