What is this antenna on my neighbor's roof?

I live in an HOA community where antennas are frowned upon. My neighbor has one of these up on his roof (see picture) and I'm wondering what exactly this is. I'd ask him myself but I almost never see him out of the house.

I do NOT want to get him in trouble and I'm assuming it's some kind of FCC-protected TV antenna. But if it's something that could be useful anywhere in the ham-radio sphere I'd vey much like to learn more about it.

 

I believe that is an HD TV antenna. A WA-2608 specifically.

 

Yup, WA-2608 is exactly what that is. Thanks!

 

If you are going to do a TV antenna, look for an old school one.
All of these mini antennas are junk. Many actually have 1 element fed, unlike the good old Log antennas of old.
THey also come with an amplifier, because, they are junk.

Ed

 

I must "ditto" 7OO's comments. I tried one of these forstationary off air mobile truck (TV station use) one year. To say they are adequate is an exaggeration. Yes, JUNK is closer to reality. As I recall they have just one folded element for hi-band (ch 7-13) so if you live where VHF is used for DTV good luck. But I believe this one to be model #1-POS.

 

Yes, it's a television antenna, and contrary to what some of the others have said, that model actually works rather well. Have one of them myself. The model I have came with it's own built in rotator in the mount and preamp. Think it cost <$50. I didn't expect much out of it and was rather surprised at how well it worked. I'll be surprised it if lasts through the Wisconsin winter, but if it doesn't it's no big deal because it's still a heck of a lot cheaper than cable or satellite.

 

I was going to get one ,but I saw it was made in China .
I think I will build my own.

 

Offer to remove an old TV antenna from a neighbor or friend's house.
Otherwise, Frys has good ones.
HD, Lowe's, Walmart all have junk.

Ed

 

I have a cheap one along those lines - and it works great, for the money. Mine is up about 9 feet above ground, and thru all the trees, picks up the tower in S gawja quite well. About 6-8 decent stations.

 

I got one of these antennas to use when the satellite TV link goes out (heavy rain, cloud cover, etc.). It came from Fry's (just a couple of miles away from my house) and was on sale for less than $20.00 including a rotor, control box, amplifier, etc. I mounted it on my "short" tower, on a "yard arm", about 30-feet above ground.

I was surprised, but the antenna actually works very well. Not only do the local Dallas / Fort Worth stations come in, but I can copy a fair number of relatively low powered stations to the north of my house that I could not copy, years ago, with the old analog stations and a fairly good antenna.

Now, I have not tried transmitting with the antenna in use. I need to see if there is any interference caused by overloading the TV amplifier.

Glen, K9STH