Well, we had antenna on the roof. It took two to troubleshoot. One had to fiddle with the antenna above and shout out loud to the one below “is it working now?”
we were too far out for rabbit ears, foil or not, we had a rotor tv antenna on the roof, only way we could get Pittsburgh and then turn to get channel 6 in johnstown. my dad signed up for cable soon as it went past the house in the mid/late 70s
Been there did that. It was worse when one of us had to keep holding it for a while b/c the reception was even better. It was a rare treat to climb up the outside antennae pole.
My grandparents had an antenna on the very top of a telephone pole in their backyard. They could get one channel (from Omaha, NE), usually in the evening. Mostly the picture was very snowy, so it was pretty much like listening to the radio except no one was describing the action.
Interesting that tin foil is used to enhance radio reception on our devices, and to reflect radio waves with tin hats. Both side believe – “… it’s a well know fact…”
I remember that, but i’m not sure I would call it less complicated… it sometimes took hours to figure out the exact configuration needed to get a signal sans snow
Dad invested in a Radio Shack “Archer” motorized antenna when we (finally) got a color tv. Being between DC and Baltimore it broadened our viewing choices…somewhat.
In olden times us engineers knew there was a microwave beam in our area with simple scrambling. We made microwave antennas out of tin cans. We made circuits to descramble the signal. Very simple when you had access to the transistors in the TV. Many movies for free and some pretty spicy.
Some dared to climbed poles near their homes and placed DC blockers (to block detection) on the cable junction box, routed their own cable and got free cable TV. Pirates!
Templo S.U.D. almost 3 years ago
Aluminium foil on rabbit ears, huh?
Caldonia almost 3 years ago
That stuff makes great hats, too.
Baarorso almost 3 years ago
A plugger remembers when TVs had external antennae. ;D
Gent almost 3 years ago
Well, we had antenna on the roof. It took two to troubleshoot. One had to fiddle with the antenna above and shout out loud to the one below “is it working now?”
Zykoic almost 3 years ago
I put up an antenna as back up to cable and it works fine. I can watch the nearly the same cr*p for free.
some idiot from R'lyeh Premium Member almost 3 years ago
OK, did that work? I remember mobingthe antenna to weird positions to best grab the transmission, but I never tried that.
Murt almost 3 years ago
we were too far out for rabbit ears, foil or not, we had a rotor tv antenna on the roof, only way we could get Pittsburgh and then turn to get channel 6 in johnstown. my dad signed up for cable soon as it went past the house in the mid/late 70s
juicebruce almost 3 years ago
No phone calls required for that tech support !
david_42 almost 3 years ago
The area I was born in was so flat, you could pick up all three channels with a sewing needle.
I'll fly away almost 3 years ago
Been there did that. It was worse when one of us had to keep holding it for a while b/c the reception was even better. It was a rare treat to climb up the outside antennae pole.
GreenT267 almost 3 years ago
My grandparents had an antenna on the very top of a telephone pole in their backyard. They could get one channel (from Omaha, NE), usually in the evening. Mostly the picture was very snowy, so it was pretty much like listening to the radio except no one was describing the action.
ctolson almost 3 years ago
And there was no remote to worry about programming.
some idiot from R'lyeh Premium Member almost 3 years ago
I remember aligning the antenna when we bought this place.
I don’t think it’s been plugged in for five years.
goboboyd almost 3 years ago
Now it has been suggested to do a similar hack for our WiFi.
goboboyd almost 3 years ago
Interesting that tin foil is used to enhance radio reception on our devices, and to reflect radio waves with tin hats. Both side believe – “… it’s a well know fact…”
tcayer almost 3 years ago
You can see the claw marks where he whacked the side of it!
KEA almost 3 years ago
I remember that, but i’m not sure I would call it less complicated… it sometimes took hours to figure out the exact configuration needed to get a signal sans snow
montylc2001 almost 3 years ago
Creating fractal antennas, which every cell phone has today. We were ahead of our time.
I Go Pogo almost 3 years ago
Dad invested in a Radio Shack “Archer” motorized antenna when we (finally) got a color tv. Being between DC and Baltimore it broadened our viewing choices…somewhat.
Zykoic almost 3 years ago
In olden times us engineers knew there was a microwave beam in our area with simple scrambling. We made microwave antennas out of tin cans. We made circuits to descramble the signal. Very simple when you had access to the transistors in the TV. Many movies for free and some pretty spicy.
Some dared to climbed poles near their homes and placed DC blockers (to block detection) on the cable junction box, routed their own cable and got free cable TV. Pirates!