Even in the digital age, it’s still possible to snatch free TV signals out of the air. It helps to live in a centralized location that receives unobstructed signals, and it’s usually necessary to have a powerful antenna connected to your TV.

You can always buy an antenna, or you could take a cue from Popular Mechanics and build one of your own.

Calculating that it takes two hours to complete the project, the March 2011 post guides you through the process. You’ll need pine boards, copper wire, a lazy susan, electrical tape, heat-shrink tubing, wood screws and fender washers, as well as an impedance-matching transformer.

Follow the instructions and you’ll wind up with an ugly contraption that, depending on your workmanship, may possibly net you the best of what broadcast channels have to offer. Or you can just spring for the $20 to $50 it costs to get one built by pros.

Cut the Cable! Build Your Own Digital TV Antenna [Popular Mechanics]

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