An eight-bay TV antenna is a bipole antenna design that doubles the amount of wire whiskers from eight to 16. Doubling the antenna whiskers has the effect of doubling the reception strength, which can create an antenna range of up to 100 miles. The typical square frame of the antenna can be fashioned from PVC pipe, while the antenna V-shape whiskers that create the bowtie appearance are made from 16-gauge copper wire or wire hangers.

Things You'll Need

    PVC pipe
    Hacksaw
    PVC pipe cement
    Phillips screwdriver or power drill with Phillips head bit
    1/8-inch drill bit
    Metal cutters
    Steel wool or sandpaper
    Tape measure or ruler

    Marking pen
    75-ohm coaxial cable
    Wire coat hangers or solid 16-gauge wire
    28 pan-head screws
    28 metal washers
    UHF/VHF transformer/adapters
    Coaxial splitter

Instructions

1.Construct the antenna masts. Cut two lengths of PVC pipe to 36 inches with a hacksaw. Using PVC pipe cement, glue two 90-degree elbows to the ends of the mast facing the same direction.

2.Position each 36-inch PVC pipe segment with the 90-degree elbows' open ends facing each other.

3.Use a felt tip marker to mark each antenna mast at four positions. Measure 5 1/2 inches from the top of each pipe to make the first mark. Make three additional marks in the direction of each pipe's opposite end, with 7 inches between each mark.

4.Cut the PVC cross members. Use a hacksaw to cut a total of eight 2-inch segments of PVC pipe. This allows for four PVC cross members on each antenna mast.

5.Drill three small holes in each PVC cross member. Use a power drill to make the holes. A hole in the center goes through the pipe; the other two holes are one-half-inch from each end of the pipe and only penetrate one surface of the PVC.

6.Center one PVC cross member over each mark on a mast, and drive a 1 1/2-inch pan-head screw through the cross member to secure it to the mast. Do this for each of the four cross members on each of the two 36-inch masts.

7.Cut a slight grove just inside each of the outer screw holes in each PVC cross member. Use a hack saw or small metal file to do this. The groves hold the interconnecting wires in position.

8.Cut the hooks off of 20 wire coat hangers with a wire cutter. Untwist each hanger to create a straight wire length, and cut the curly end from the wire. Fold 16 wire segments in half, so a "V" is formed. Trim each hanger with the wire cutters so each V has 7-inch legs. Bend each V so that there is an opening of 3 inches at the open end. The remaining four straightened wires will be used to connect the wire whiskers.

9.Attach each wire whisker to a PVC cross member using a 1-inch pan-head screw and a metal washer. Two wire whiskers attach to each PVC cross member.

10.Attach the two straightened hangers between each PVC cross member. Start at the left top hanger position. Position the wire of the first hanger segment in the groove of the PVC cross member, and tighten the screw and washer to secure the wire with the wire whisker. Attach this wire length to the second and third V hangers on the opposite side using the same procedure. Make the fourth and final connection to the bottom wire whisker on the left side.

Repeat these connections with the second straightened wire segment, beginning at the top-right wire whisker position. Wrap electrical tape at each point where the interconnecting wires cross one another. Repeat this entire sequence on the remaining 36-inch PVC mast.

11.Attach the two antenna masts. Apply PVC cement to one end of the 28-inch PVC pipe, and push the glued end into a PVC elbow. There should be an elbow attached to each end of the 36-inch PVC pipe. Apply PVC cement to the opposite end of each 28-inch pipe segment, and push the glued end into a PVC elbows on the second mast. You should have a rectangular frame with two antenna "sides."

12.Connect a "balun" to each interconnecting wire. A balun is a UHF/VHF transformer with a 75-ohm cable connector on one end. Use a screw and washer combination to secure each wire end of the balun to one of the interconnecting wires.

13.Attach a 4-to-6-foot length of PVC pipe or other material to the back of the antenna frame to create a stand. Attach a two-to-one coaxial splitter at the mid-point of the stand.

14.Attach a 75-ohm cable between each balun and one of the two inputs on the splitter. Attach a 75-ohm cable to the single output of the splitter, and connect the remaining end of that cable to the coaxial input on your television.

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