High Gain Antenna Suggestion

[Doskiez]

Hello all,
I have searched around AK and haven't really found what I am looking for. I like listening to radio, I have a couple different tuners and am currently using large dipole antennas in the attic for them. I have also hooked up one of them to my quad bay bowtie TV antenna with an amplifier. These works great for most of the "local" stations I listen to but I would really like to pick up a station that is about 50 miles away. .
My house is in a good location on top of a small hill, I am ok with adding an antenna on the roof, if I use a 10 foot mast the antenna would be 35 feet above the ground. Most of the radio stations I listen to are within about a 150 degree arc on the west side of my house. That being said if I need to use a directional antenna I am ok with that. I am also ok with, and would prefer for cost reasons, a DIY solution.
Any advice from people would be helpful for design options, antenna styles that would work. I don't think I could do a 25 foot long Yagi antenna but something in the 10-12 foot long range isn't out of the question.
Thanks!

 

[mars_volta]

I would think a small Yagi would do it. 50 miles isnt that far.

 

[wlhd1610]

I've been using a Terk FM-PRO(around $80 Amazon) powered antenna mounted about 25' up for several years now with fantastic results.
Maybe 50' of 75ohm coax.
Most stations are 30-50 miles away and I'm on the flat not a hill.
I get great stereo reception from about 30+ stations.

Bob

 

[ConradH]

Much stuff that can be built here- http://www.ham-radio.com/k6sti/

 

[c.coyle]

A three element FM broadcast yagi can have a boom length under 5 feet. You could build a "broomstick" yagi like this. This type of antenna doesn't hold up as well in adverse weather as a yagi built from aluminum components. Plus, every yagi I have ever built required a little tinkering to get working right, usually with the feed line, feed point, or matching network. If you're a geek like me, this is OK. But if you just want to be in your comfy chair listening to your favorite station, I would just buy an antenna. Homebrew yagis always have at least a little PITA factor.

You might consider buying a small yagi, like this one.

You may (probably will) also need a rotor if you can't find a single compass point that gets all your desired stations at full quieting.

Just my two cents.

 

[RxDx]

...
You might consider buying a small yagi, like this one.

You may (probably will) also need a rotor if you can't find a single compass point that gets all your desired stations at full quieting.

Just my two cents.

I'd agree with the MCM yagi- cheap and probably pretty effective at 35' above ground level.

 

[loudnoises]

http://www.qsl.net/yt1vp/CUBICAL QUAD ANTENNA CALCULATOR.htm

very happy with mine, easy to make. just 2 loops, a driven loop and a reflector. huge improvement over a dipole. i made mine from 3/4" sq poplar sticks and some hookup wire.

 

[Doskiez]

I will look into the cubical quad and the MCM type yagi. They look like they both might be feasible solutions. The rotor on the other hand would probably be more expensive than the antenna by a good margin. I might have to figure out a homebrew solution to that.

 

[c.coyle]

I will look into the cubical quad and the MCM type yagi. They look like they both might be feasible solutions. The rotor on the other hand would probably be more expensive than the antenna by a good margin. I might have to figure out a homebrew solution to that.

When I lived with my parents, way back when, I put up a vhf yagi right above a window, and the mast extended down to the sill. I could literally open the window, grab the mast, and turn it with my hands. This was known as an Armstrong Rotor.

 

[Doskiez]

Armstrong would be fine other than the fact that I would have to use a ladder and climb the roof every time I wanted to change channels. I am wondering if a fixed high gain in the direction of the far off stations plus an omnidirectional with a diplexer would solve my dilemma? Has anyone used a diplexer with good results

 

[c.coyle]

Armstrong would be fine other than the fact that I would have to use a ladder and climb the roof every time I wanted to change channels. I am wondering if a fixed high gain in the direction of the far off stations plus an omnidirectional with a diplexer would solve my dilemma? Has anyone used a diplexer with good results

Why not put up two antennas, one directional, one non-directional, and run two feedlines? Either switch them manually at the receiver, or get a coaxial switch.

A diplexer, as I understand the term, allows a common feedline to be used by two devices operating on far apart frequencies, like VHF and UHF, which is not your situation. Plus, you always have some insertion loss when you install a device in a feedline.

Two antennas could be a good way to go, and, depending on how long a run you need, separate coax feedlines can't be that much additional bother or expense. I would put the two antennas as far apart as practical. The general rule of thumb used to be (it's been a long time since I did this) at least 1/4 wavelength apart for the lower frequency. Since you're basically on one frequency, say 92 mhz, that would be a wavelength of a little over 3 1/4 meters. Wavelength in meters = 300/frequency in megahertz.

 

[loudnoises]

space them at least 34" apart to avoid being within the 1/4 wave for FM. (same as above)

You can also space them vertically apart, and they can be closer. Really it depends on horizontal or vertical polarization of the antenna; 2 horizontals space them vertically, 2 verticals can be side by side.

If you haven't been to fmfool.com you should visit. Amazingly handy for deciding how tall that tower needs to be, and what you can tune in you might be missing.