Need helping getting all channels

[bighick]

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/5592/digital.png

^ that is my tvfool lookup. The antenna that I have can not pick up the signals from the 2 locations. Pretty much the group towards the north and towards the west, I am not interested in the ones towards the south

I looking to max out at $100
I am willing to have 2 antennas with some type of combiner
I am not willing to use a rotar
I am willing to roof mount (what I have now)
I am willing to attic mount.

I am looking to get rid of my dish since they put it up in the winter and when there are trees i loose a lot of signal.. to the south.

 

[Tower Guy]

I looking to max out at $100
I am willing to have 2 antennas with some type of combiner
I am not willing to use a rotor
I am willing to roof mount (what I have now)

Option 1

A 7-69 antenna for west: HBU-22 or HD7694P on the roof
A UHF only antenna for NE: HD-4400

There's no cost effective combiner that is sure to work. Try a splitter backwards, your signals are strong enough to combine inefficiently.

If a splitter doesn't work you have two options;
Use an A/B switch.
A UVSJ would add CBS and ABC but miss KFXL (Fox).

Option 2

If you want to give up on KFXL even before you buy anything do this:
HD-4400 aimed NE
Y5-7-13 aimed west
UVSJ
The antennas will combine easily.

 

[CowboyDren]

I'm with Option 2. It's simpler, cheaper, and only requires one mast. The only thing I might do differently is substitute the Winegard HD-4400 for an Antennacraft U4000 or U4500 (when it comes out). Put them on a nice, tall mast, with the VHF antenna on top and the bowtie antenna a couple of feet down. One mast, one downlead. The VHF Yagi is $23, the UHF bowtie is $25.

If you need amplification, namely for the VHF channels, replace the UVSJ passive combiner with a Channel Master 7777 preamp or a Winegard AP-8780, which each have separate VHF and UHF inputs, and cost about $50.

 

[Tower Guy]

I'm with Option 2. It's simpler, cheaper, and only requires one mast. The only thing I might do differently is substitute the Winegard HD-4400 for an Antennacraft U4000 or U4500 (when it comes out).

If you need amplification, namely for the VHF channels, replace the UVSJ passive combiner with a Channel Master 7777 preamp or a Winegard AP-8780, which each have separate VHF and UHF inputs, and cost about $50.

The U4000 should do fine to.

If you want an amplifier the AP2870 has plenty of gain, is more immune to overload, and also combines VHF and UHF.

 

[bighick]

You would think somebody would make something with 2 inputs and you could program it to block signal xyz from feed 1 and allow xyz from line 2.

I had a nice day so i tried to reaim the antenna and picked up all but that fox from the west. I will stick with that and see how it works on a bad day. If that doesnt work I guess I will have to go with option 2. Luckily the channel I will be missing is just SD so I will be happy until they flip on the HD switch and then i will be upset.

 

[boba]

You would think somebody would make something with 2 inputs and you could program it to block signal xyz from feed 1 and allow xyz from line 2.

I had a nice day so i tried to reaim the antenna and picked up all but that fox from the west. I will stick with that and see how it works on a bad day. If that doesnt work I guess I will have to go with option 2. Luckily the channel I will be missing is just SD so I will be happy until they flip on the HD switch and then i will be upset.

Before satellite and cable TV had such a large percentage of the TV market Channel Master had the "join-Tenna" (spelling?) but due to slow down in sales product was discontinued. In 2009 Digital TV has reawakened interest in TV antennas. There has been a shortage of VHF antennas because UHF was expected to become the standard for Digital broadcasts. Right now it is going to be what products will show a profit that is where money will be invested, signal combiners will be low on profit priorities. Antennas, masts, mounts & amplifiers will give the best returns on investments.

 

[CowboyDren]

Before satellite and cable TV had such a large percentage of the TV market Channel Master had the "join-Tenna" (spelling?) but due to slow down in sales product was discontinued.

Tin Lee Electronics also makes custom circuits that do the same thing, but at $180 per solution (requires 2 boxes at $90 each), they're not very popular. Blonder Tongue also makes even more expensive solutions. Winegard makes a fine antenna combiner for about $20, but it doesn't hold a candle to the Join-Tenna for functionality.

I have contacted Channel Master and voiced my concern that discontinuing their $35-50 solution was a mistake. I would encourage everyone else to do the same.

 

[PEDROJOSE]

this is what i did with a 6 dollar splitter and 1 vhf/uhf antenna and 1 uhf antena works fine for me here in Puerto Rico almost all tv stations are south except the ABC afiliate wich is west. aprox 120.00 total

 

[bebop]

You would think somebody would make something with 2 inputs and you could program it to block signal xyz from feed 1 and allow xyz from line 2.

You could get/make a notch filter for the one feed you don't want to have it pass through. And since it already comes through on the other feed, you shouldn't need to do anything in-line with that antenna.

What channel do you want to 'block' out? If it is channel 4, it looks like you could live with filtering everything below channel 8 with a low-pass filter.

 

[highdefjeff]

I believe you can get what you want with this homemade antenna:

GrabBit Ears

 

[bebop]

I believe you can get what you want with this homemade antenna:

GrabBit Ears

I tried this setup since my wife hated the coathangar antenna. I only spent about 45 minutes on it, so the signal coud improve (I'm guessing). I went down about 10% signal over the coathangar method that I had tuned the best I could get it.

The main reason the 'grabbit ears' are going to stay is that I was able to make it small and light enough to hang on the back side of my blinds so they are virtually unnoticable. Thanks Jeff! Maybe I'll experiment when I get some time and try to get a better signal.

 

[highdefjeff]

I tried this setup since my wife hated the coathangar antenna. I only spent about 45 minutes on it, so the signal coud improve (I'm guessing). I went down about 10% signal over the coathangar method that I had tuned the best I could get it.

The main reason the 'grabbit ears' are going to stay is that I was able to make it small and light enough to hang on the back side of my blinds so they are virtually unnoticable. Thanks Jeff! Maybe I'll experiment when I get some time and try to get a better signal.

Your welcome, bebop! One of the great things is the small size. I was originally thinking of truckers and RV'ers because it is so small and light. (That's why I made the one on the back of a clipboard - so it would have a stable back and would hang on any vehicle window.

What coathanger antenna did you make previously?

Would you post or send me your TVfool for reference?
What are your signal readings?

 

[bebop]

Would you post or send me your TVfool for reference?
What are your signal readings?

I could make mine lighter and better looking if I took 15 minutes, a white clip board and some nuts and bolts.

I made the youtube coat-hangar antenna with a 2x4 at 32".

Signals are upper 60's to lower 80's when I checked last night. Here's today's signals:

• Channel 2, 4, 9 & 12 are in the low 70's
• Channel 6 is no signal
• Channel 7 is 94
• Channel 39 is in the low 60's and cutting in and out (and I never watch it).

I attached my TV Fool readout and a shot of the antenna I made. I drilled a hole in the top and instead put a string in it and hung it on the window with a suction-cup.

 

[highdefjeff]

I finally got my hands on an old amplifier that I had loaned out.
Its a uhf/vhf/fm 24db amp.

It adds very SIGNIFICANT increase in signal strength and signal quality! Give it a try bebop and see if you can get all the rest without the fiddling and still hidden from view.

 

[bebop]

I finally got my hands on an old amplifier that I had loaned out.
Its a uhf/vhf/fm 24db amp.

It adds very SIGNIFICANT increase in signal strength and signal quality! Give it a try bebop and see if you can get all the rest without the fiddling and still hidden from view.

I'm confused. Are you suggesting that I get a similar amplifier and try it out on my setup? If so, can you point me in the right direction with more details or a product? If not, I think I'm missing something. Glad it worked for you.

 

[highdefjeff]

I've started to compare some TVfool projections for a some antennae that are out there and I've changed my mind on you needing an amplifier. The performance of Grabbit Ears out of coathangers far surpasses what you are getting. (I didn't need the amplifier, I used it to see what difference it made. It is in use on the one below that is over 40 miles out.)

Nothing is certain with signal (hot spots, cold spots) but I think you should get all your greens and maybe some yellows.

I have attached 4 tvfools and comments (you'll see when they're full size). I also attached two more pictures of Grabbit Ears. The side view is the way they usually end up (with the bowties slighty raised from the plane of the fractals). They do work completely flat, though. When I put them on sticky paper, I make them flat and they work the same.