Wacky old antennas
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I have had aluminum feever for over 35 years, compulsively looking for classic antennas every time I'm on the road.
Stacked Conical X2 appears to have been used to get Philadelphia VHF channels in Harrisburg, about 85 miles.Attachment 175261 Stacked single channel and yagi (redundant) for a local VHF channelAttachment 175263 Stacked VHF hi/lo aimed for Philadelphia VHF channels in Reading, 45 miles away. Attachment 175262 The Finco "bedspring" is another good one, but I have no picture...yet. Often I wonder if some are in use, even just for some FM reception.:scratch2: |
Great photos! Those antennas may not be up much longer, judging from condition. :(
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jr |
Finco "Bedspring"
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Was always fascinated by the Finco 400 series antennas. My mother took my brother and I to see them demonstate the antennas with a truck setup that hooked me on DXing for life. That was a LONG time ago. I found the Finco patents and used them to make a 400. It easily outperforms my Wade VIP-307 and nearly equals my CM4251 Parascope. Here is a picture of a 400 in Colorado (I think). My Finco reproduction is used in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi. It is also an incredible FM antenna but it takes a tuner that is hard to overload to use. (SAE MKVI)
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26KC20- Thanks for the photo. I will post a picture of the Finco antenna truck, I have an old advert from 1963. Maybe we need to go into business since everybody forgot how to make a truly good VHF antenna. I was really bummed when CM discontinued crossfires! |
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Making a Finco 400 was not difficult but it is BIG! From what I have learned, there was a smaller version, the 200. It was half the antenna. It seems the 400 is a stacked set of 200's. It is very directional. What is good about it is although big(!) it does not present a large wind load. My VU-937 SR Wade was a major "dancer" on the roof during storms. It was not a real performer. A CM3671 outperforms it. The VIP-307 is great for VHF. It's the one under the CM4251. This photo was taken after a tree came down on the house.
Patent #s 2566287 2630531 2655599 |
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jr Add: One of my favorite UHF only antennas for suburban use is the "bow-tie" style corner reflector, which was used in the earliest days of UHF and still useful on my roof for the local DTV channels. Note: Western Scrub Jay for scale. (about 11" tall, including tail) |
Since the advent of cable tv, the abudance of antenna's "ain't what it used to be". I always enjoyed road trips as a kid and seeing what was used in other areas. I remember what the Detroit area was like before subscribed service came along and DX'ing. Installed lots of antennas too, mostly Winegards. I had a small Zenith(Jerrold?) antenna on a rotor that would really outperform for it's size with it's staggerd elements.
I glad I'm not the only one....I guess it's not a sickness after all! |
I saved the antenna off of my great grandparents house, a JFD as I recall. It looks like a smaller version of that conical? Really rough shape, though, with most of its elements missing or beyond repair. I'm guessing it isn't really worth saving, but I'll have to post some photos before tossing it. There is a similiar looking array that I pass all the time. I need to stop and take a photo.
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I have to admit, these worked good as a fringe antenna on VHF, even giving clear reception of Lancaster channel 8 off the backside:thmbsp:. Also were damn cheap too, so the rooftops were full of them in the primarily VHF areas N+W of Philadelphia. And speaking of Philly, here is a good plug for GC colormagic antennas. Attachment 175318 One might ask why Philco did not endorse their good neighbor, Jerrold antennas. Someone may know, but I put up a few "Zenith" antennas in the late 70s that were made by Jerrold. They performed better than Channel Master and built as good as Winegard. I have my eye on one, so I am going to ask ASAP. |
This is a great topic. The antennas in the pictures Dave first posted need to be saved if possible; we collectors have hundreds of TV sets and lots of rabbit ears but how many early outdoor antennas have been preserved?
I remember when I first moved away from home into an apartment, one of the first things I did was to install a roof TV antenna for real reception (as well as a roof CB antenna). It was a huge used Jerrold that I also brought to my second apartment and kept until high winds knocked the whole assembly down. After that, I moved to California and wanted to watch MTV, so I subscribed to (puke!) cable TV for several years. |
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Another "oldie but goody", but for FM this time. Pictured is a Radio Shack 10 element Yagi for FM only made in the early 70s. It is about 10 feet long. Later in the 70s, RS changed the 10 element to a version that was a hybrid log-periodic/Yagi design, eliminating the folded dipoles. the 10 element design was discontinued in the mid 80s (I believe). RS also sold a 6 element hybrid log-Yagi until fairly recently. The Antennacraft FM-6 is still being sold at other outlets, and is a fine performer for the money.
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp...enna-%28FM6%29 This antenna is in use on my roof, pointed at a classical station about 110 miles distant. Tuner is a Yamaha 950 (with narrow IF filters installed)...Reception is fine! Not affiliated, jr |
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jr |
I STILL want a nice 30-40' tower, a rotatorator, mount my Winegard on top.. This area has spme UNREAL DXing opportunities...
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