how to connect old TV antenna to coax?

Michal Lorinc · May 17, 2012

hello,

I have found an old TV antenna and I want to use it for my PC's TV tunner. However, the antenna has no wiring and I can't figure out how to connect the coaxial cable to the antenna. There is some box attached to antenna, inside which is some simple printed circuit (I can take a photo if it's needed). There are several wires which look like input/output, but don't know which one to use for coax cable. Is there any universal scheme for these antennes?

Rockingit · May 17, 2012

Most of the pcb's will have a larger flatter area of copper and then a little node or screw - the braid clamps/fixes over the flat bit and the core goes to the other.

NB: You might find that an older aerial gives poor performance these days on digital reception.

telectrix · May 17, 2012

that box sounds like it's a masthead amp. this needs a PSU, so bin the box and connect coax directly to the aerial JB.

Michal Lorinc · May 17, 2012

Could you please put some marks on these photos?

Rockingit · May 17, 2012

the braid gets trapped in the clamp, and the inner core gets wired to the screw. Then clamp the whole cable in the clamp on the housing.

Michal Lorinc · May 17, 2012

Just to be sure, is it like this? (photo)

And what about the PSU or some power source? Is it neccesary or everything I need to do is just connect the coax to antenna, other end to TV card and it should work?

Mark_Burgess · May 17, 2012

Michal Lorinc said:
Just to be sure, is it like this? (photo)
View attachment 12435

And what about the PSU or some power source? Is it neccesary or everything I need to do is just connect the coax to antenna, other end to TV card and it should work?

That pretty much somes up what you need to do and see if it works.

Personally, don't get an amp, buy another aerial that connects with an F-Type on the end of the coax. To summarise it newer style aerials are shaped differently to the old style ones, in order to capture the signal better if you are in a poor reception area.

Michal Lorinc · May 17, 2012

Ok, it works perfcetly. Although I had some complications with putting a coaxial connector on coaxial cable, so it's a little bit unstable and it's all little bit rusty so there is some signal loss, but for now it's ok

thanks