Free HDTV with DIY Antenna for Less Than $3

  • 6 years ago
Free HDTV with DIY Antenna for Less Than $3

This video will show you how to build a digital TV antenna with at least a 45 mile range for under $3 using materials using aluminum foil, cardboard, glue and duct tape.

The first thing is a piece of cardboard. I am using part of a pizza box. Aluminum foil, heavy duty is easier to work with and less likely to tear. Glue stick. Duct tape. A couple of push pins and the cap from a water bottle. Finally, a transformer to connect the coaxial cable from the TV to the antenna. We are assuming you already have a coax cable.

Tear off 2 sheets of foil, each 6 inches wide. Use the glue stick to apply some glue to the cardboard and lay one of the sheets on the glue. Leave a couple inches of space between the bottom of the aluminum sheet and the bottom of the cardboard. You will need this room to attach the transformer. Do the same with the second sheet and make sure the aluminum sheets do not touch each other. The glue stick works right away and is not messy. Check for any spots where the foil isn’t attached to the cardboard and add some glue under those spots.


The transformer has two wires sticking out from it.Attach one on each aluminum sheet using a small piece of duct tape. Make sure the yoke of the transformer is over the cardboard. Use the other push pin to attach the transformer to the cardboard.

Once you have the pin attached , turn the antenna over and push the bottle cap onto the pin. Without the pin, the weight of the coax cable would eventually pull the transformer wires away from the aluminum foil. A push pin will hold the transformer in place. The cap will also prevent the pin from scratching your wall. And that's it.

Now you are ready to hang it on the wall, attach it to your TV using the coax cable and program your channels. Go to part 2 to see how to use your $3 antenna to pick up as many channels as any $40 antenna.

We will also give you some tips and tricks that will make your antenna work at its best. Part 2 is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR6QLvkmKfw

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