Field of HDTV dreams
The DB2 TV antenna and its analogs DB4 and DB8 (doublet and quad of DB2) are considered better "general use" designs for pulling in HDTV signals. Commercial DB2s are available for around $40. The DIY DB2 referenced here is constructed for a lot less. The finished product is only a board with wires and screws. One builder calls it "ugly" and offers a mission style modification (see References).
Building Your Own Basic DB2 TV Antenna(s)
Gather the needed parts from your spare parts box or local hardware store. You will need a two-foot, one-by-three-inch wooden board, screws and washers, 15 feet of wire, a reflector grid and a balun with a coax cable plug on one side and two wires with screw holes on the other (buy at local dollar store for 30 cents). For tools, you will need a drill, screwdriver, wire cutter and pliers. Refer to reference for step-by-step instructions and in several simple steps you will have a fully operational DB2 TV antenna. You may wish to build another and increase your antenna gain with a DB4, doublet, or two more again for a DB8, a quad array. It depends on your location from the transmitters. If you start with the basic unit inside, in the attic, and outside later, you will be able to compare the increases in signal strength with the various configurations.
The DB2 TV Mission Style Furniture
If you are satisfied with an antenna that is out of site in your attic or hangs on a boom 50 feet above your rooftop, then this extra step is not necessary. Please look at the construction changes (see References) and how the author like all good artists attempts to take obvious defects and mold them into a thing of beauty and style. You can have good reception and a new decor all for a few dollars and your time and effort to create a modern antenna system.
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