Aerial photography - Ancient Gallery

In the pre-ITV days of the early 50s, TV aerials were traditionally ‘H’ or ‘X’ shaped. The brand leader for ‘X’ shaped aerials was Antiference, with the ‘Antex’. As mentioned elsewhere this was not a distorted yagi, because the active element was away from the transmitter. The other three elements were connected to the coaxial screen. The active element and the one below it were a few inches longer than the other two, but all were significantly longer than the equivalent elements on an ‘H’ aerial, which was of course a yagi. After a gale the upper elements were often missing. Replacing them used to be a bit of a performance, by the way, involving the one-handed use of hacksaw, oil can, and pliers. When ITV came along in 1956 we had to fit Band III aerials onto the side of all the ‘exes’ and ‘aitches’. The one in this example is a five element. A contract type UHF aerial is a later addition, pointing roughly at right angles to the VHF aerials. The reason is that it is looking at Bilsdale, which never transmitted VHF TV. The Antex is on Holme Moss, and the ITV aerial is on Emley Moor. If you can work out where the picture was taken, let me know! The angle between Emley Moor and Bilsdale is about 105º, and town is famous for its provision of bed and ale!

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