In multi-storey buildings and in the city, there are always providers who provide TV broadcasting via cable. It will be enough to pay for the connection and connect the cable to the tuner so that the user can have access to tens or hundreds of channels. However, outside the city, things will be different. It makes no sense to lay a cable in the suburbs, as it will cost a lot, so you should install your own antenna. Which model to choose so that it picks up the signal with high quality will depend on certain circumstances.
Content
The principle of operation and the device of the antenna
The question often arises of how to choose a digital antenna for a summer residence. TV stations broadcast via a radio transmitter that converts electrical vibrations into magnetic waves. This makes it possible to spread over extremely long distances and reach the end consumer.
To lengthen the signal, repeaters are used that maintain the strength of the wave and increase the radius of its impact.
In order for users to be able to use this, it is necessary to receive and convert magnetic waves back into oscillations, which can be done with an antenna. It has special metal elements that perfectly sense electromagnetic fields.
This design will capture the signal and transmit it through the cable to the tuner, where it is transformed into electrical vibrations and reproduced as an image and sound of a specific frequency.
Other antenna models will receive a signal not from the TV tower, but from the satellite itself. For this purpose, a large metal plate and other elements are used for processing purposes. This will make it possible to efficiently fish channels even in the wilderness or forest.
Antennas for summer cottages will replace the services of providers in urban environments and will help you enjoy watching your favorite programs in country houses, regardless of the distance.
For this purpose, fixtures are placed in the house, often on windows, outside walls, or on a high mast that is carried over the roof. Some products need to be clearly directed towards the TV tower, while others will pick up any signals that pass by and become omnidirectional.
The considered devices also differ in form. The following types of antennas are distinguished:
- vertical;
- horizontal;
- round;
- in the form of a butterfly.
Their use will cover installation in suburban areas, cottage settlements, houses in the woods and high-rise buildings.
The device of the product will include:
- central plank;
- clamp;
- vertical and horizontal components in order to increase susceptibility;
- antenna module box with terminals;
- amplifier;
- mirror;
- converter;
- vibrator.
Antenna selection parameters for giving
Key details to focus on:
- How far is the suburban area from the city?
- How far is the nearest TV tower from the summer cottage?
- How many TV channels are you planning to watch on the TV set?
- What is the terrain in the dacha village (is there a forest nearby, is it too dense, are there hills, ravines, etc.)?
- How much money is the user willing to allocate for the adaptation to a country house?
It is advisable to choose outdoor antennas for a summer cottage, since options for rooms will be effective only in a situation with a nearby radio tower. Choosing an antenna for digital television at the dacha, taking into account the key parameters.
Number of work items
Bare metal parts are captured by magnetic waves. This happens even on a cleaned wire, which is directed towards the television tower. The more metal rods on the antenna, the better it captures the TV show and the better the picture on the TV.
The number of components in the device varies from 2 to 62. The further the suburban area is located from the repeater, the greater the need for receptive elements in order to recognize the signal:
- When a dwelling is built outside the city, it is possible to choose from simple antennas for 8-20 components.
- Within a radius of 30 km, the transmission is received on antennas with 30-50 vibrators and small bridges.
- At a considerable distance, devices for 55-62 elements are used.
Wind load
In a situation with an external installation on a roof or wall, it is necessary to select a product with an appropriate wind load. It will be displayed in 2 parameters: the wind speed at which the device is held properly, the rate of destruction when the device breaks:
- In the village, which is located in a lowland, where strong gusts of wind occasionally rise, devices with 20 m per second of ordinary load and a maximum of 40 m / s will be sufficient.
- On a hill, the wind force is much greater, therefore, an assembly will be needed, which is designed for 30 m / s with ordinary work and a destruction rate of 50 m / s. This will help keep your device intact and save money.
Received frequency range
The key purpose of an antenna for a country house is to catch signal transmission from television towers. Different companies broadcast on their own frequencies. The wider the range of the radio receiver, the more TV channels are available for viewing:
- TV channels 1 to 12 are broadcast on meter waves, so fans of such broadcasting should make sure that the antenna supports this range.
- Frequencies from 21 to 69 will be transmitted at decimeter waves, but not every model has such a run-up and some will be limited to 790 MHz, which will capture a maximum of 60 TV channels from the list.
- Those who love high-quality picture and sound should look at the DVB-T2 and DVB-T markings, which indicate that they are working with a digital signal. Without such an indicator, the antenna can only catch an analog signal.
Active or passive
Some antennas work only because of their area of metal elements and pick up the incoming signal as far as the laws of physics and obstacles within a radius of 30 km will allow. Other products have a built-in amplifier and are called active products.
Their effect makes it possible to amplify the signal weakened due to a significant distance and transmits it to TV at a quality level, which will allow them to be used even at a distance of 70 km from the repeater.
Which antenna should be chosen for the suburban area will depend on the location of the building and the position of the nearby repeater. When all this is no more than 30 km, then a passive model will do.
With a considerable distance, you cannot do without an amplifier. However, it is also required for a short distance, when a tall building is located between the summer cottage and the television tower, or if the village is located in a lowland. Due to such obstacles, the signal quality will drop significantly and amplification will be needed.
However, when purchasing such a product, it should be borne in mind that, when installed outdoors, the reinforcing unit is always outdoors and is exposed to rain, snow and wind. This will significantly reduce the period of its operation and it will be necessary to repair or replace it every few years.
At a short distance, it is optimal to try the operation of an analog product, but only in a situation of a bad picture, buy an additional amplifier.
Gain
If the antenna enhances signal reception, then the coefficient with which it does this is important. The presence of an amplifier module will not guarantee that the device will be able to auto-capture all electromagnetic flows. Taking into account the model, the coefficient will vary between 2-50 dBi:
- When the summer cottage is located a little further from the influence of passive models, then it is required to select a product with indicators of 10-20 dBi for each type of waves.
- At a distance of 55 km, you will need to increase the signal by 25-30 dBi.
- If the dacha is located extremely far from a television tower or a nearby repeater, then 36-45 dBi antennas are used.
type of instalation
It is possible to catch magnetic waves from different places:
- When the country house is located on a hill and there is an unobstructed path to the repeater, then the room variation of installation is suitable, which is easier to maintain and keeps intact. At the same time, the window and the installed antenna must have an exit to the side of the television tower.
- If there is a large amount of interference nearby (densely built buildings, fences, elevator, elevation) or the building is located in a lowland, then the antenna is carried to the mast and fixed 5-7 m above the ground, taking into account the height of the obstacles.
- If you are close to the TV tower and insignificant interference (high brick fence), it is possible to fix the device on the outer wall, which will increase the susceptibility, and also protect against a gust of wind.
Reflector diameter
In the process of using satellite products, the diameter of the reflector will play a key role. It can be 50-150 cm. The option of capturing a signal from the satellite and their subsequent transmission to the irradiator will depend directly on its dimensions.
In good weather conditions, the picture will be of high quality, and in case of precipitation, the image splits into squares. In addition, there is a recommended standard for a variety of satellite transmission packages:
- Those who love satellite quality and a variety of channels need to purchase dishes with a diameter of 0.8-0.9 m.
- It is convenient to watch programs of proper quality in any weather conditions on a plate of 1.2 m and higher.
- It is permissible to work with reflectors 0.5-0.6 m in diameter, however, it is difficult to say how high the quality is during precipitation.
Cover type
Reflectors and a number of other antenna elements are coated with protective compounds in order to extend their service life and protect against corrosion. The following methods of protection are mainly used:
- Galvanized - more suitable for a warm and dry region.
- Powder spraying - suitable for wet regions with heavy rainfall.
Radio capabilities
At the summer cottage, you want to watch TV in the evening, as well as listen to music, weather forecast or TV news, without distracting from work. For these purposes, products are selected with the VHF capture option for broadcasting radio stations.
This eliminates the need to transport an auxiliary receiver to the dacha or connect the phone to acoustic speakers. The parameters for working with VHF will be registered in the antenna parameters.
Collective models
Dachas may have several TVs. Often these are old devices that were brought here after purchasing new ones to the apartment. To provide them with a TV signal, a collective type of devices is used.
It provides a large number of elements and is intended for the connection of several consumers. This option is also convenient for relatives living nearby, whose dwellings are located nearby.The signal from the device can be applied to several houses or a small street.
Types of country antennas
Before you buy a product for a summer cottage, you need to find out what they are. The choice of such a device for TV at the dacha is based directly on the correspondence of their functionality to the needs of the buyer.
Satellite
Such an antenna for TV has a large body with a metal disc, which effectively reflects waves and redirects them to the feed with a convector. Then the signal will go to the tuner and TV.
Such antennas are distinguished by the fact that they receive a signal directly from the satellite, where the trajectory will exclude the passage of forests, buildings, hills and other obstacles. This is particularly convenient in a dwelling remote from civilization and extremely uneven terrain.
Pros:
- high quality picture;
- good sound;
- variety of TV channels;
- the option of accepting foreign programs in order to master the language;
- viewing the broadcast schedule on the monitor.
Minuses:
- overcharge;
- extremely expensive repairs during a breakdown;
- poor signal quality during heavy snowfall.
Essential
Simple devices that work with a signal from a television tower or repeater. They are divided into analog and digital, where there is a different range of sensitivity and, as a result, differences in picture quality.
Suitable for occasional or continuous use in the country, not too far from the city.
Pros:
- small weight;
- easy installation;
- cheapness;
- there are products with an amplifier;
- variety of frequencies;
- can catch a digital signal;
- there are collective products.
Minuses:
- amplifiers inside the case often break;
- the device can deteriorate from the wind;
- the signal is significantly affected by weather conditions;
- to catch various TV channels, you will need to change the direction of the antenna.
Which antenna for giving to choose
To know which antenna to choose for a summer residence, you need to familiarize yourself with the following recommendations:
- For periodic news viewing on 2 TV channels, an antenna with 16 elements, with a mast installation, wind load of 25 m / s, without an amplifier, is suitable.
- When the dwelling is located in a lowland, then equipment of 45-50 elements will be needed, with a mast mount of 5-6 m in height.
- If the summer cottage is located on a hill, then the room version for 8 elements, with an amplifier and a coefficient of 12-21 dBi, is suitable. The option of capturing UC waves in the range of 88-108 MHz will be useful.
- To distribute the signal between several TVs or neighbors, you will need a collective antenna for 10-15 elements with large dimensions 220x290 cm, mounted on a mast, with a wind load of 50 m / s for destruction.
- To watch a large number of TV channels in the wilderness, far from the city, in high quality, a "plate" with a reflector diameter of 0.9-1 m is placed, which has a powder coating and is installed on the wall.
Often the question arises of how to choose a TV antenna for a summer residence. To find out how to purchase a quality product, you should read these recommendations.
