the old aluminum foil trick

People have been posting on Facebook that they've gotten improved results from their OTA antenna by using aluminum foil.  So I decided to put it to the test.

Plugging in my rabbit ears antenna and orienting it toward the door, I'm getting the following channels

2-1 KHON-HD

2-2 KHON-CW

2-3 KHON-GT

2-4 COURT

4-1 KITV-HD

4-2 MeTV

4-3 KITV-D3

4-4 StartTV

4-5 H&I

4-6 OCTV

14-1 KWHE-D1

14-2 Dabl

32-1 KBFD-D1

32-2 KBFD-D2

That was the old lineup, when I rescanned

2-4 became KHON-LF

14-2 became KWHE-D2

and the following channels were added

26-1 TBN HD

26-2 Hilsong (weak signal)

26-3 SMILE

26-4 Enlace (weak signal)

26-5 POSITIV

Now let me put the large toaster oven pan (black) without aluminum foil and put it behind the antenna and rescan

No new channels, but 2-1 signal looks weak

Now let me try the smaller toaster oven pan (with no foil).

Looks like the 2-1 signal becomes weaker

OK, let's take the last of the foil (about 7" x 11") and stand it a few inches behind the antenna and rescan.

I lost the 26-* channels.

Let me move the sheet of foil right behind, partially touching the antenna and rescan.

No change.

Now move it right in front, between the rabbit ears and the rectangle antenna and rescan

 No change, but the 2-1 signal seems stronger.  Up to about 72%.

Now take away the foil and rescan.

Got the 26-* channels back.

[Then tried wrapping the foil directly around the antenna ears.  No change.  In fact, maybe the 26-* channels got even weaker.]

Still no KGMB or KHNL that I got with the U-Must-Have antenna.  Granted I got those by moving the antenna to the window above the couch.

So YMMV.

the 4-day workweek

Study shows that working less improved well-being.

(That was my excuse.)

cows against plastic

July 2 (UPI) -- Microbes found in a cow's stomach can break down plastics, according to new research.

Researchers found the polymer-munching microbes in the rumen, one of four compartments comprising the bovine stomach.

The bacteria, described Friday in the journal Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, could be used to reduce plastic litter in landfills and polluted ecosystems.

The discovery wasn't entirely unexpected, as the diet of cows and other ruminants features a significant amount of natural plant polyesters.

Scientists figured the bacteria could probably break down synthetic plastics, too, which are similar in their construction and chemical composition.