Thread: Should have been trying this sooner! (OTA DTV)

ICE

Looking at the 41 dBu contour maps for the Sioux City channels, I am right on the blue arc between Blair and Fremont at the bottom of the image.

I don't think that I need to put forth a lot of effort or expense to improve my reception for the Sioux City channels. But, if they come in as a by-product, that will be great. However, I am most concerned with the NEWS / WEATHER, the PBS channels from Omaha and THIS TV and ME TV, also from Omaha. (I made a mistake in my channel list indicated in my previous post... The THIS TV channel I get is 42.2 (Omaha), NOT 44.2 (Sioux City). I wouldn't watch much of anything else, so I think I will concentrate on signals from the Omaha direction. That should simplify my antenna shopping.

I will look into the antennas that you and boba mentioned. Looks like the majority of the stations I want are between 28 and 40 miles away in roughly the same direction.

RADAR

Don't forget, you'll need a rotor.

I have a bat wing. I don't think much of it.

Here is one antenna that kinda caught my "antention".


Channel Master CM3000 Suburban Outdoor Amplified Omnidirectional SMARTenna TV Antenna (CM-3000A) from Solid Signal

.

Omni-directional, fair range, small, easy to set up, amplified, non-intrusive in appearance and not too expensive, etc. But, I don't see anywhere in the specs anything about low VHF signals (ch 2-6).

RADAR

VHF Low in most cases is no longer needed....I know in Western Nebraska it is (like in North Platte) but when the conversion happened most of those went to UHF (a few went to VHF Hi)

With digital in a lot of cases the channel you're use to (2,4,5,9,11,13 etc) is NOT the same channel that they broadcast on. Check tvfool report. With Omaha locals they are as such
# you're use to/number they actually broadcast on
6/22 NBC
7/20 ABC
3/45 CBS
42/43 FOX
15/38 CW
17/26 PBS
Sioux City 4 is on 41

If you want Omaha I'd get a HBU33 like I have...that will work just fine

you should might be able to get the Iowa PBS in Council Bluffs on 33.

Originally Posted by Iceberg

If you want Omaha I'd get a HBU33 like I have...that will work just fine

you should might be able to get the Iowa PBS in Council Bluffs on 33.

I think that the IPTV is better, they carry Red Green more often. That is a deciding factor for me.

RADAR

Originally Posted by AcWxRadar

Here is one antenna that kinda caught my "antention".


Channel Master CM3000 Suburban Outdoor Amplified Omnidirectional SMARTenna TV Antenna (CM-3000A) from Solid Signal

.

Omni-directional, fair range, small, easy to set up, amplified, non-intrusive in appearance and not too expensive, etc. But, I don't see anywhere in the specs anything about low VHF signals (ch 2-6).

RADAR

If you're going to consider the above, maybe you should consider the
Stealthtenna


also, if you're really trying to go low end. I've used them in high signal areas to great effect. Have one on the roof at work right now. It comes in amplified and non-amplified versions.

You will never get as good a signal from an omnidirectional as you will from a directional. Frankly, I think you need more than either of these two will provide. And the HBU33 is a good start.

NavyChop,

Thanks for the notion on the Stealthtenna, that's worth checking into and I am building a list of possibles now. I am not going to get overly excited about buying anything at this time since the indoor antenna that I currently have is doing a pretty good job for the channels I am after. Come spring, I will get serious about which outdoor antenna to buy. I will also consider one that accepts a rotor.

Right now I am really wishing that OpenSat provided an ATSC tuner for the AZBox Premium Plus IRD. They have a terrestrial tuner available, but it is not for the American market. Dang! My Sharp Aquos' internal tuner works fine, but I would love to have the signal go through the AZBox so that I could record programs and also to make my "remote" life more friendly (one remote only).

RADAR