How To Make a TV Antenna

So, the big game is on. You invited some friends over. You have assorted chips served to serve as sustenance. You bought a keg to help you and your friends enjoy the game. The stage is set and you are ready for the biggest game of the year. You turn it on and then, to your dismay, the cable is out.

You call the cable company. They tell you that there was a problem with one of the major cable boxes in your area and it will soon be fixed. You scream and scream at the representative but nothing changes.  You ask for a supervisor but that didn’t do you any good either. You are starting to hear some grumbling from your guests saying they could have watched the game at home with their TV. They had an antenna at home, anyway.

Then it hit you why not make a makeshift antenna while you wait for the cable to be fixed. Thankfully we have just that, a detailed guide to making an antenna for your TV at home. You can even do it as a magic show where everyone watched you build an antenna like MacGyver.

1. You start by collecting all the materials. You are going to need a medium sized sewing pin with a plastic bulb at one end.  Then you will also need a speaker wire with a length of about a foot long. You will also need a small antenna. You can normally see this in your car. You can unscrew it and just put it back when you are done. You will also need a wire cutter as your tool to finish this.
2. Down the wire. Using your wire cutter, start by stripping each end of the wire by a half an inch. Then, tie one end of the wire around the needle. Make sure it is fastened closed to the plastic bulb and the wire touches the metal part of the needle and has good contact. Then wrap the other end of the wire and attach it to the metal part of the antenna.  Again, make sure that contact is good.
3. Test it out. Now that you have the antenna built, it is now time to test it. Get the needle end plug it in where the cable feed normally goes into. Then, adjust the antenna until you get a clear picture. When you get the picture you want fix it into place using some tape and sit back and watch the game.

Of course the quality won’t be the same as the way you would have it through cable but at least you get to see the game. When you see that the cable is back on, replace your makeshift antenna and put the cable back on. So, you averted a disaster and you manage to entertain your guest. The only thing you have to figure out is how to make your TV work when the power is out.