Winegard TV Antenna Modification Improved Performance

In this video I demonstrate a simple modification you can do to this Wingard HD7694P TV antenna, which will greatly enhance its reception on channel 5 VHF, by adding a little more wire to Two of the elements. I was delighted see this worked because this antenna has always been one of my favorites, except for it's weakness on channel 5.

[@hydrocrab74]

Great video thanks. Beautiful area over there Grant, micco. Etc..Hate to see its getting all mowed down and developed.

[@keithking1985]

that was great thinking, not many would have thought of it. AND definitely none of them wouldn't of climbed on to their roof to see if it did work ; ) AWESOME! : )

[@TampaTec]

Good info, peaceful scenery there. 👍

[@kensmith5694]

I am happy it boosted your signal so I hopefully will do the same with this if you get my drift.

[@frankowalker4662]

Nice fix. Merry Christmas.

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

Thanks Frank. Merry Christmas.

[@1Knightwolf]

I remember every once in a while when I was young,my dad would have to do that very same thing but at different times of the year. Mind you, this was a very long time ago.

[@Art-jl6pt]

Thanks for your video -I got the 8200 XL -- waiting for 20 ft telescoping pole to get here -I should not have to worry about the add-on wiring -but your information-I can try to apply it to a couple of other smaller antennas that I have -Thanks again-

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

Have fun!

[@russellborrego1689]

This is such a valuable video. You're doing, with success, things that people have commonly been told over the years will not work or will not work well. Twisted wire to make a thicker single element? Bad. Joining different metals? Bad. And mechanically at that? Double bad. Unless I'm wrong and you didn't take what looks to be 14 gauge copper, hand twist it for strength, and electrical tape it to the existing elements to make them longer. Haha This is pretty awesome. 👍👍

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

Yep ;-) I'm sure there are better ways to extend the elements, and more exact calculations to fine tune this mod, but I saw such a huge increase in signal strength I left good enough alone.

[@davidleonard8369]

It's refreshing to see that not all consumers fall for all of the hype used to advertise antennas today. Digital, hd, ultra 4k and other nonsense used to sell television antennas. element lengths that match the broadcast frequencies in your area are much more important than snake oil advertising.

[@JackAgainski]

Great Idea.

[@goldenpearlzs]

Interesting video...country...looks like a great place to live...:-)

[@MrRadioGypsy]

It is around Southwest Oregon. The climate in this area is mild compared to points both farther East and North.

[@lutherp40]

What are you using as a "signal meter" It would appear to be a portable TV as best I can tell from the short time it was on screen? Which one? tyvm for this tip.

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

My digital to analog meter works best for measuring signal strength. I also have the winegard signal meter but it's not as sensitive. I plan to do another video on this topic so you might want to subscribe, but in the mean time check out this video where I mention the model number of my D TO A converter kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6vbep2HqZ2toqs

[@waltschannel7465]

Very interesting video thanks for sharing. Would it be possible to do the same thing by replacing the aluminum tubing used in the original antenna construction with a similar sized aluminum tubing from say Ace, Home Depot, or Lowe's, instead of extending it with copper wire? I thought about doing that for an antenna, an old Radio Shack VU120, that was damaged in windstorms.

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

No doubt there are better ways to do this, but I bet the antenna mod could out live both myself and the woman I did the job for with no problems. ;-) Perhaps I will have a better solution in the future.

[@waltschannel7465]

@@GrantsPassTVRepair I don't necessary think that one way is better than another. You were tuning the antenna to receive a particular channel (VHF 5, if I recall) that it was not well designed for. Experimenting with the copper seems to me like the easiest to get that done especially since you have to tweak the length on the fly for optimal signal strength. I'm glad for you that it also appears to be a durable enough fix to last for the foreseeable future. The antenna I'm thinking of worked fine before it was damaged, and still sort of works, but one of its aluminum dipoles is mangled. Replacing that tube might be difficult if the plastic insulators are rotted and crumble while I'm drilling out the rivet that holds it. Plus that operation extends the time on the roof. 😉

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

​@@waltschannel7465 Yes. it was an on the fly modification that saved me from having to order a more expensive antenna. In the past I repaired one of those plastic insulators you mentioned with bondo hair.which is a fiberglass reinforced auto body filler. It looked strange, and may have issues over time from UV degredation, but that's one way to fabricate a new part rather than replace the antenna.

[@AugsterA]

There's a fellow I know that fixes things and sells and he asked me if needed an antenna, anyway I'm out here in the Desert in Montello Nevada. My question to you is, pretty good in picking up a multitude of channels? Curious is all..

[@stuartstuart866]

How did you figure out how many wraps around the element, and how far out to extend the wire, and which element to add the wire to? Just looked up that antenna. Looks like it’s not made for low-band VHF frequencies (channels 2-6) . We ( Las Vegas ) still use a lot of VHF broadcast frequencies

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

I didn't use any formula to figure out the length, I just experimented by adding additional wire as I watched my signal reading going way up. The amount of turns of wire around the aluminum element didn't really matter. It was the additional length that mattered. I added about 14 inches to each of the Two elements.

[@davidho2977]

@@GrantsPassTVRepair Good job. I think it's amusing that you used a trial and error approach. I thought maybe you need a degree in Electrical Engineering to calculate how long to make the extensions.

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

@@davidho2977 I gut lucky based on my memory of building resonant dipole antennas. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWKXnXmDq8tpqck

[@unclefester6033]

36" is the max width for High VHF when you go into channels 2 proper width is 96 by the time you get to 5the width decreases to 48 these measurements are for broadcast assigned not virtual you see

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

@@unclefester6033 Are your numbers for a half wave dipole?

[@be236]

Seems you have black electrical tape to tie the wire extension to your elements. Does that tape hold up through the weather (eg, rain, snow, summer heat)?

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

It will be fine regardless of the electrical tape because I also twisted the wire around the elements, but I've often encountered electrical tape on TV antennas that are several years old, and I've been impressed at how long it can last in the weather as long as you wrap several turns around the wire.

[@be236]

@@GrantsPassTVRepair Ok, good to know. I might do something with electrical tape soon.

[@sherrilmason1195]

What type of wiring did you use and why did you just put it on to the elements not all the long ones

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

I used a twisted pare of 12 gage copper wire. I tried putting the wire extensions on other elements but the two I chose were the only ones that improved the signal.

[@B-in-Norva]

As a former MATV installer, that Winegard antenna is just installed too low. Height would have made more of a difference than lengthening the passive or driven elements. Every 5' mast extension would gain a 2-3 dB or several dozen microvolts easily. At that height, it would be the same as mounting it in the attic, and there it would be protected from the weather. BTW, most antenna manufacturers shy away from recommending additional height out of fears of electrical feeds and electrocution hazards. Channel Master didn't put much in their student guides, but off the record, the instructors pegged height as the number one determinant for increasing signal strength beyond increasing the number of driven elements. Also, don't forget to include a drip loop in the coax....saves on callbacks!

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

As a general rule going up higher is better, but that's not always the case in these parts .There have been a couple occasions where i had to lower my antenna to get a stronger signal. In one case I had to remove an antenna from the roof and mount it 4 feet above the ground to pick up a channel my customer wanted. This antenna is not designed for channel 5, so extending the element helped a great deal, and when my signal meter shows 70 or above I know the signal will be stable enough to be reliable. I've done a couple attic antennas, but seeing how antennas don't perform as well when they are surrounded by an outside structure, it's not my first choice unless the signal I'm trying to pick up is exceptionally strong.

[@ArlynEmrys]

@@GrantsPassTVRepair, Refraction is why you lower.

[@Allenmar73]

Please Help. What is meant by drip loop in coax, and what is the best way to include it??

[@B-in-Norva]

@@Allenmar73 A drip loop is simply a sag point in the coax, close to the antenna. When rain hits coax, it likes to travel the surface of the coax insulator, and if not redirected, will eventually encounter either the mast, an F fitting, or other key part of the antenna system. By forming a "U" shaped drip loop (close to the antenna), the water from rain will stall at the bottom of the loop and drip from there, traveling no further along the coax. After fastening the balun to the antenna, we would go about 6" along the coax, form a "U" and tape the other side of the "U" to the antenna to form the drip loop. Climbing up a ladder (or two) to fix a rain induced problem is no fun - so with the drip loop, you could avoid callbacks at installation just by creating the drip loop. BTW, power lines have a similar drip loop at the insulator crossover on high tension lines - think transmission towers, not poles. The rain settles at the bottom of the drip loop and drips, never reaching the mechanical connections.

[@arthurmabeejr8752]

The increased height is not always the case and, in fact if he would have went up just another 6 inches, he would not get a clear signal. In fact according to how he pointed the antenna was perfectly directed, the other main thing is how long the coaxial cable is, as well as the type of coaxial used. If it's greater than 30 feet coaxial cable to the TV connection its wise to use a RG6 Quad shield coaxial, never wise to use anything less than a RG6. The other problem I see is people using a Pre-Amp for improved reception, in some cases it make the signal more distorted, get an antenna that will work better, stop buying junk antennas that make no hill of beans. You done your work well sir, great idea with the 14" addition of copper conductor on each end.👏👍💯❤

[@Jaydtv614]

How many miles are you from the transmitters in your area?

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

Our transmitters are spread out on 6 or more mountains in these parts. From my shop in town it's between 1.6 and 18.6 miles. Some are on VHF but everything can be picked up on UHF at my location. Here's a map to see more detail. tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=90

[@unclefester6033]

Needed to be added to the last pair of VHF elements & not the middle pair🤔

[@glennsvoboda6602]

I just put up the same winegard antenna it's smaller size out performed my old channel master 8' boom

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

In a different location you might discover your Channel Master does a better job than the Winegard, but the Winegard is certainly a good antenna.

[@glennsvoboda6602]

@@GrantsPassTVRepair morning. I'm in the Catskills, N.Y. we get heavy snow and freezing rain. I know I'm a bit low in hight as the top of my mast is about 10ft below my 2nd story.

[@GrantsPassTVRepair]

Due to all the mountains and pine trees around here, sometimes it helps to have your antenna just a few feet off the ground in these parts. @@glennsvoboda6602

[@fernandoantoniobernalbarei1415]

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