The Jeta aerial or antenna as some may call it is the most popular aerial in Kenya today. I know cheap is a relative word but at a retail price of Ksh1000, this is the cheapest aerial if we compare it to the GOtenna (GOtv aerial). All the features and components of the Jeta aerial make it more cheaper. I mean its much bigger in size and also comes with a power supply, coaxial cable, connectors and UHF amplifier circuit. But there are one or a few things wrong with this aerial that make it a low performer when it comes to TV reception. So here are 5 tricks to help your Jeta antenna improve its performance. I will not repeat everything I wrote about in this article but you should check it out too.
- Install the antenna according to the manual included and tighten every bolt and nut.
- The dipoles usually fall down after some time so during installation, use gum or super glue to fasten them. The dipoles are the “smaller antennas” that point outwards. They are usually four in number and are made of plastic with 3 aluminium wires of different lengths through the plastic. The dipoles are shown below
- It’s not a must you use the built in amplifier that is located on the aerial. Connect your coaxial cable to the two main terminals (which are the aluminium wires that enter the junction box) and fasten them. If you dont use the amplifier, the you also wont need the power supply.
- Do not use the provided thin white coaxial cable. Instead buy your own jacobs or astel coaxial cable and connect it securely without a joint from antenna to TV or decoder.
- If your reception is still yielding low signal qualities, then use the provided inbuilt amplifier. Connect it to the intended terminals on the inbuilt amplifier inside the junction box. Seal this junction box using gum or silicon. Now connect the power supply too and plug it in.
Some other additional tricks include using F connectors, a metallic pole (aluminum is the best because it doesn’t rust) and running the coaxial cable some centimetres away from the pole.
Lastly here is the comment by Bernard Baraza that inspired this post. It appears in the article on digital TV reception.
Thanks Dominic for the educative material on Digital TV, in fact I just came to learn about this site like a day ago. There are some few tips that I would like to share for those who are having challenges like I had. I stay in a very remote area where digital TV signal is very weak and I dont believe anyone will be putting up a transmitter any sooner. The area is Magadi and we use frequencies from Nairobi – 120kms away. I have tested almost all the antenna boosters and used my antenna without a booster and came to discover that the best antenna for a very weak signal is Jetta, but after you replace its cable with an astel Coax-cable as you pointed out. This is because there is practically no distance between the antenna and the booster giving it a maximum amplification. Try using nippon or whichever booster and the signal strength will not be the same. Hope this will help those living in areas with very weak signal.
I am using Nippon with Ellis pointed aerial to receive GOtv in Eldama Ravine. The signal is from Menengai in Nakuru – some 70 Km away. I cannot receive some channels like CNN and Select2 for Gotv plus bouquet. Will try Jetta.
Hello Tonui, ellies antennas are one of the best antennas we have. Try and set the gain on your nippon america amplifier to maximum and set the selector switch to split and feed the antenna to the UHF port because VHF is no longer used nowadays.
Ellies is a good antenna, probably one of the best because of the quality in the making, but i have tried with all these options, ellis on nippon probably i did not set the amplification to max, Jetta gave me the best reception in all.I bet you try it out. The signal power is also depended on the power of transmission and location. Menengai being at a high altitude I guess the transmission is lower as you say you are at 70km away, you also need to check if there might be anything obstruction and change the position of your antenna before you try out with the jetta antenna. One thing that i need to point out is that jetta antenna is that there is no way to know which antenna is faulty as in probably 1 in ten may be faulty and may not work at all.
Those are some very useful tips Bernard, in your opinion which is better Ellies or Jeta antenna?
How is the performance of Jetta aerial between wote town and mukuyuni makueni county
I need to buy it
I wish to buy 1 piece jetta aerial,I am located in industrial area,would wish to know if you deliver and at what cost.thank you