- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
How Many of You 45+ Year Old Baws Remember Old School TV Antennas?
Posted on 2/3/25 at 1:48 pm
Posted on 2/3/25 at 1:48 pm
Did your dad have one of these installed at your house?
And if you were really balling, you had one of those rotate motors installed, which was controlled by this:
One night we were asleep and I heard what sounded like a 12 gauge go off in the living room. Turns out it was a direct lightening strike on our tower. I went in the living room and the above pictured channel master box was lying on the ground smoking.
And if you were really balling, you had one of those rotate motors installed, which was controlled by this:
One night we were asleep and I heard what sounded like a 12 gauge go off in the living room. Turns out it was a direct lightening strike on our tower. I went in the living room and the above pictured channel master box was lying on the ground smoking.
50
Posted on 2/3/25 at 1:50 pm to AUstar
We had at least sixty feet of tower
Posted on 2/3/25 at 1:50 pm to AUstar
I have one now at the hunting camp. although with Starlink, it may become obsolete soon.
Posted on 2/3/25 at 1:51 pm to AUstar
Remember? I practically was one at times.
We had a motor, too (mid-1970s), not sure if it was a Channel Master, but probably. Now, we didn't have a direct hit, but lightning struck a huge dual-trunk pine tree in the front yard, about 40 feet from the antenna. TV was okay, but it blew out every light bulb in the house.
(ETA: He cheaped out on the tower, though - single tubular base anchored to the house, rather than a tubular triframe or whatever and only went up around 20 feet.)
We had a motor, too (mid-1970s), not sure if it was a Channel Master, but probably. Now, we didn't have a direct hit, but lightning struck a huge dual-trunk pine tree in the front yard, about 40 feet from the antenna. TV was okay, but it blew out every light bulb in the house.
(ETA: He cheaped out on the tower, though - single tubular base anchored to the house, rather than a tubular triframe or whatever and only went up around 20 feet.)
This post was edited on 2/3/25 at 1:55 pm
Posted on 2/3/25 at 1:57 pm to AUstar
We had a big arse antenna on the back of the house. My dad kept a pipe wrench on it and he'd send me or my brother out to turn it depending on what he wanted to watch. My mom was convinced that cable tv was full of pron so she got rid of it and made us all go luddite.
Posted on 2/3/25 at 1:58 pm to AUstar
quote:
Antennas
antennae
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:02 pm to AUstar
LEFTTTTTT
LEFTTTTTTT
STOP STOP STOP!!!!
TOO FAR
GO BACK RIGHT
PERFECT! KEEP IT RIGHT THERE!
DON’T MOVE A FINGER!!
LEFTTTTTTT
STOP STOP STOP!!!!
TOO FAR
GO BACK RIGHT
PERFECT! KEEP IT RIGHT THERE!
DON’T MOVE A FINGER!!
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:04 pm to AUstar
yes, had that same antenna setup and almost identical box.
The day we could pick up UHF channels was awesome. 26 and 38 out of new orleans .
The day we could pick up UHF channels was awesome. 26 and 38 out of new orleans .
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:11 pm to AUstar
We had one. Turn it one way to pick up stations from Bham, turn it another to get stations from Huntsville.
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:11 pm to AUstar
We had a few in the neighborhood. I remember one of my friends had the huge dish and then they had some kind of box with a card you insert and we could get porn channels.
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:11 pm to AUstar
We had an antenna. We didn’t have a fancy antenna turning device. I had to go out and turn it depending on the channel and time of year we wanted to watch. Then I’d have to change the channel because we didn’t have a remote either. Luckily it was only 3 channels.
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:13 pm to AUstar
Ours was about 15 feet tall and it took two to adjust. One to yell out the window, and a kid to turn it.
"...a little more...nope too much..., back...woah that's it!"
"...a little more...nope too much..., back...woah that's it!"
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:25 pm to AUstar
We had one that was at least 20 feet tall but no fancy rotating device. We could pick up the local channels from NO and BR without a problem.
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:28 pm to Darth_Vader
My dad would yell I was moving it on purpose. Rain or shine my job was to move the antennae.
I was also his tv remote, "put in on channel 2 for dragnet and turn up the sound.
I was also his tv remote, "put in on channel 2 for dragnet and turn up the sound.
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:30 pm to OlGrandad
Used to have one of those huge dishes at my duck camp. F7 & C4 were the pron jams. So weird we used to just turn it on....mute it and leave it on while playing cards or doing whatever. Used to smoke inside that thing too. Lucky it never caught on fire.
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:33 pm to AUstar
We couldn’t afford that skyscraper in the trailer park.
We had to make due with this:
We had to make due with this:
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:33 pm to AUstar
Those were some good days. The best of this country.
The 24 hours news cycle (started in the 80s, but really got going in the 90s with the first Gulf War), was the tipping point for the decent.
The 24 hours news cycle (started in the 80s, but really got going in the 90s with the first Gulf War), was the tipping point for the decent.
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:35 pm to AUstar
We were too poor to afford a tower with a rotating antenna. All we had were the old style 2 wire "Rabbit Ear" antennas and to make it pick up a bit better, we'd run rolled up tin foil connected to both ears.
When I was a kid, and the oldest in the house, it was my job to get up and head to the TV and rotate or move the rabbit ears to try to get better reception when changing channels.
I was also in charge of the vertical and horizontal hold adjustments on the back of the TV.
When I was a kid, and the oldest in the house, it was my job to get up and head to the TV and rotate or move the rabbit ears to try to get better reception when changing channels.
I was also in charge of the vertical and horizontal hold adjustments on the back of the TV.
Posted on 2/3/25 at 2:35 pm to AUstar
Used to go to my rich friend’s house down the street who had one of these:
Page 1 of 4
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News