TV antenna question

[labrador]

Have a KVH4 however don't use the TV a lot when out on the hook. Don't have a sat system at home so thought I'd save the bucks to put direct tv on the boat and just use a tv antenna. Anyone in N.C. know if I can get reception from an antenna out at Cape lookout or in Beaufort? I have an antenna on the boat however I think it's fried and I am gettin no signal at all. I thought these antennas were good for 50 to 75 miles.Am I right there?
Skip

 

[ThirdHatt]

I am not familiar with your cruising area but I highly recommend the Shakespeare 2030. I have installed one on each of my last three boats with excellent results. Analog, digital and HDTV signals over the air are no problem for this antenna.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[sgharford]

I'll second thumbs up Shakespeare 2030. I get about 20 stations with it, but I'm about 15 miles as the crow flies from NYC. Digital broadcasting is great - you either get it clear as a bell or you get nothing at all. I don't miss the ant wars one bit.

 

[REBrueckner]

I also used the Shakespeare 2030 (omnidirectional) cruising from NY thru Maine and into Canada....worked well. Reception depends on a number of factors especially the strength of the TV station and nearby obstructions.

I bought it, set it up temprarily on my roof in case I did not like it, and found it doubled my number of TV stations relative to rabbit ears.....

 

[labrador]

OK went and got the 2030 at lunch. The amplifier has an A/C or D/C switch with a plug for A/C power and a red and black wire for D/C power. The instructions say to connect the antenna wire to the amp then to the tv and there are 2 coax connections on the amp but the instructions show the one going to the tv as a screw on connection with 2 wires for vhf and uhf. Nothing in the inst about connecting with a coax direct from amp to the tv coax connection. I assume this is fine? Also if I'm using only A/C I assume I just tape off the D/C power wires? Again no instructions for this! GRRRR

 

[TROUBLE]

Thats exactly how i connected mine and works great
Art

 

[Trojan]

Just use the coax connectors. The screws were for the old type sets.Now a days their are only coax connectors on the TV.s.

Bill

 

[labrador]

Thanks for the quick replies, I'll get it working tomorrow night as soon as the anchor is down at Cape Lookout. Wife will be upset but that how it goes!!!!

 

[Boatsb]

The 2 wires are a 600 ohm antenna. The antenna is 50 ohm. The "adapter" is an impedance matching transformer.

 

[Trojan]

The 2 wires are a 600 ohm antenna. The antenna is 50 ohm. The "adapter" is an impedance matching transformer.

Twin lead is 300 ohm not 600. Coax is 75 ohm and the antenna with screw on type F connector is 75 ohm along with the TV. The little 2 inch long coax to twin lead adapter is an impedance matcher to balance 75 ohm coax to 300 ohm twin lead. It is used to connect coax to the old 300 ohm TV screw type connectors.

BILL

 

[Boatsb]

Sorry Audio is 600 ohm. You are correct on the twin lead but the antenna is 50 ohm as it is not a 75 ohm TV antenna but a 50 Ohm VHF. I bet the 75 to 300 works fine though.

 

[Trojan]

Sorry Audio is 600 ohm. You are correct on the twin lead but the antenna is 50 ohm as it is not a 75 ohm TV antenna but a 50 Ohm VHF. I bet the 75 to 300 works fine though.

Not if it uses an F connector to connect to the antenna. They don't make a 50 ohm F connector. It does not fit nor work using F connectors. New boat UHF or VHF TV antennas all use F connectors. At least all the ones that I have seen or used. Now an old style open aluminum TV type antennas are 75 ohm and use the twin screws.

BILL

 

[Boatsb]

Bill the VHF antenna has a Pl-259 ion the end. Probably RG-58.

its simple enough to put an F connector o it rot the adapter though.

 

[Trojan]

Bill the VHF antenna has a Pl-259 ion the end. Probably RG-58.

its simple enough to put an F connector o it rot the adapter though.

OK but if it's a vhf antenna It 's not going to do much good for UHF TV if any.
If the cable is RG58 it's 53.5 ohm then you need the reducer bushing UG-175/u and a PL259. I think you can screw the F connector directly onto the RG58 coax I don't remember for sure now without going out to my shop to check. The amp should have f connectors. And your good to go.
The TV antenna must not be a real TV antenna then. Is this antenna a vertical stick. I don't think it's going to work very well. At least not as good as a UHF antenna, but the amp will help. I was under the impression that the antenna was a real marine TV antenna. Mixing and matching like this usually doesn't work well. Good luck.

BILL

 

[Boatsb]

Its for AM/FM stereo not TV. Changing it out would be best but for AM/FM anything is better than nothing.

 

[Xmeter]

Anyone else notice that the Shakespeare 2030 is not made by Shakespeare?
I also have one and it workd very well.

 

[Boatsb]

Sorry My dyslexia kicked in. I am confusing the TV and the radio antenna threads.

 

[John Dickson]

Does anyone have any comments regarding Glomax vs Shakespeare?

 

[Trojan]

Have a KVH4 however don't use the TV a lot when out on the hook. Don't have a sat system at home so thought I'd save the bucks to put direct tv on the boat and just use a tv antenna. Anyone in N.C. know if I can get reception from an antenna out at Cape lookout or in Beaufort? I have an antenna on the boat however I think it's fried and I am gettin no signal at all. I thought these antennas were good for 50 to 75 miles.Am I right there?
Skip

Where does it say anything about radio in the title (TV antenna question) LOL Every dog has his day.

BILL

 

[Trojan]

Just about anything up high will work to receive FM radio.

BILL