Like new Antennacraft antenna: qusetions?

[Electronic M]

A find from the attic of my previous house in Florida that I've never had the time or place to mess with until now is this old Antennacraft antenna. I found it folded up like this.


It looks to be unused.






I'm going to guess it is meant for UHF TV, but I don't know much about outdoor antennas. What would this be good for these days, UHF DTV, FM maybe? Is this antenna directional?

Also the way it is built is like two loops in parallel with the center of the loops connected together to the frame. Was this for lightning protection(assuming grounded frame), or did the installer have to isolate the frame from ground?

Aside from a small bend in one of the loops(which I've mostly fixed) from me folding it wrong the first time it looks almost new. If this is a good antenna for anything I may try to receive then I will try to install it in my attic(or else where if it don't fit) and use it.

[Ed in Tx]

Looks like an omnidirectional FM turnstile type antenna for 88-108 mHz to me, basically two dipoles set 90° to each other. Won't work worth a hoot on UHF.

[W3XWT]

That's exactly what it is. No gain whatsoever.

[Sandy G]

...But I'd bet it'll be a DANDY FM DX rig... Or SHOULD be, anyhow...

[Electronic M]

Too bad it ain't UHF, but it should be fun listening to FM on it. I've got all kinds of FM radios from every decade early post war onward and am at the top of a hill overlooking a big lake(only place geographically similar I've been before had awesome DXing). I'm near Waukesha and about 20min east a college buddy in Milwaukee has DXed FM signals from the north suburbs of Chicago from the 8-10th floor of his dorm building on a home made antenna(and that is with the schools FM transmitter on the roof of the building and messing with nearly every electronic device he has).

Could be fun trying to get Chicago and small town stuff(Milwaukee and Madison can be heard here with many sets internal antennas).

[DavGoodlin]

That may work or not work well for different FM receivers and locations. I would suggest using a balun and coax cable to minimize unwanted twin-lead reception.

I had good luck using one on a tube tuner but not so much on a digital kenwood.
I think multipath issues may be a challenge for this antenna versus a directional 5-element FM yagi.

[Electronic M]

Well I got plenty of good tube sets to use it on. I'm glad you suggested using 75 Ohm coaxial because I doubt I have enough 300 Ohm twin lead to connect that antenna in the attic to most places where it would be useful, and was wondering if 75 Ohm leads would be appropriate. I'll probably split the 75 Ohm off to my bedroom, my upstairs radio room and my basement radio work bench. I may even try a booster just off the antenna to reduce splitter and lead losses.....

[DavGoodlin]

You may be surprised at how much signal you have before trying the booster. Especially if you are closer than 40 miles to Milwaukee. We're 55 mile west of Philadelphia and a 2-way splitter (-3.5dbB) barely affects things. An amp, especially too close to the antenna will overload on a few locals, creating image frequencies.

[beat_truck]

Depending on where you live, that antenna may or may not work well for you. I bought and put one of those Antennacraft omnis up on our roof, and it didn't work for crap for me. I ended up taking it down and replacing it with a small older TV antenna. It works a LOT better. The TV antenna probably picks up 10x more channels.

[Username1]

There are a lot of those on the roofs of my town........ and they claim to be one of the UFO hot spots in the country.... So its got to be a UFO Antenna, Not UHF or VHF.