722K + OTA Module

[CowboyDren]

Multipath interference is what happens when a broadcast signal hits your antenna, and then a fraction of a second later, an identical (but usually weaker) signal hits the same antenna. "Back in the analog days," this appeared as a ghost on the screen. Since the signals today just carry a stream of zeros and ones, the tuner chip has a hard time picking one of the signals out, and it simply gives up.

You don't have to leave the whole thing, just the foot and however many screws are holding the foot to the roof. It should be a matter of two cross bolts holding the mast to the foot; pull those, and take the mast down.

 

[j_met]

Could I just remove the whole thing and replace the shingles that I drilled through?

 

[TheKrell]

Could I just remove the whole thing and replace the shingles that I drilled through?

Of course. You could also just fill the holes with an appropriate waterproof compound.

 

[j_met]

Can't really spend any more money on this "guy project" or I'll have to spend double the amount buying something for my wife....lol

 

[j_met]

If being to close to the roof causes multi-path interference, do you have any suggestions how I can test the new location I plan on moving the antenna to without just laying the antenna on the roof while I run in and check the channels? (My wife isn't the most tech savvy so I will have to do it by myself)

 

[whatchel1]

simple but hard

Couple of questions:

What is "multipath"?

What causes it?

It was recommended not to remove that mount because the holes from the screws, so do I just leave that mount there protruding off my roof (with no antenna in it)?

Multipath is simple to explain. It is a signal that comes from 1 point but arrives at destination at more than one time. How this happens is that the signal bounces off objects that slow down part of the signal to arrive later than the first wave. Now the explaintion as to why this is a problem is hard to explain. It has to do with phasing. If a signal is 180 degrees out of time with the original signal it will completely cancel it out. If it comes in at 90 or 240 degrees out of phase it will partially cancel it. When the later happens is when different forms of pixelization take place. When the first happen there is no signal left. That is why when you were talking about the signal going from 100 to 0 then to 70 and back to 100 it was pretty obvious to those of us that have had experience with it knew exactly what was happening.
2 things you can do with J mount leave the foot there if it is sealed well. If it isn't sealed then it is going to leak anyway.

 

[j_met]

Its sealed pretty good...I put outdoor caulk all along the edges of the base before screwing it down tightly...

 

[whatchel1]

lag screws

Its sealed pretty good...I put outdoor caulk all along the edges of the base before screwing it down tightly...

What about the areas around the lag screws? That is where it is most likely to leak.

 

[j_met]

Pretty sure I did that too but, I'll double check tomorrow...

 

[j_met]

whatchel, can you answer post #65?

 

[whatchel1]

sorry

whatchel, can you answer post #65?

Not really. I do suggest that you have the ant at least 4 to 5 ft above the peak of the roof. When the early 942 was out I had one of these that had real problems with M-P. I had to raise it about 10 ft above the roof line. I had a 2 story metal roof house in direct line with some of the stations and that caused wicked multipath.

 

[CowboyDren]

If being to close to the roof causes multi-path interference, do you have any suggestions how I can test the new location I plan on moving the antenna to without just laying the antenna on the roof while I run in and check the channels? (My wife isn't the most tech savvy so I will have to do it by myself)

It's really not that bad. Have you seen the Local Channels setup screen? Your current setup is FAR from ideal, and pretty much anything is going to be an improvement. Get it away from the surface of your roof by moving the mast to the south end, make the antenna stand up straight and square (both are important), and you'll be doing exactly what a pro would do. If CBS still bounces, it's probably because you're fifty miles away, and at least you'll know it's not because you screwed up the installation.

 

[j_met]

When I had that cheapo indoor/outdoor Phillips HD antenna running out the bedroom window (on the south end of the house) I could pick up CBS pretty good but, there are alot of trees close to the house on that side...

 

[CowboyDren]

I had a 2 story metal roof house in direct line with some of the stations and that caused wicked multipath.

LOL. That, sir, is how you define "wicked" in the context of multipath...

 

[j_met]

I think this is what I may do but wanted to get yalls opinions first.

Buy this mounting kit from Amazon (kit contains the different pieces):

Mounting U-Bolts - [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master-3079-Universal-antenna/dp/B000BSI9VS/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_a"]Amazon.com: Channel Master 3079 - Antenna mount kit (pack of 2 ): Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31CjTKsVppL.@@AMEPARAM@@31CjTKsVppL[/ame]

Base - [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master-3078-Universal-antenna/dp/B000BSGCV2/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_b"]Amazon.com: Channel Master 3078 Roof/Attic Mount - Antenna mount kit: Electronics@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41PJAI%2B-Y7L.@@AMEPARAM@@41PJAI%2B-Y7L[/ame]

5ft Mast - [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Channel-Master-1607-galvanized-antenna/dp/B001CMB08Q/ref=pd_bxgy_e_img_c"]Amazon.com: 5' 16GA Antenna Mast: Home Improvement@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/1164HVu4OSL.@@AMEPARAM@@1164HVu4OSL[/ame]

Then mount the antenna on the other side of house (south side). I do not have gutters on that side so I was just going to mount it to the facia board.

I will try to get some pictures of this later if not raining..

If I go this route, I can leave the current base (not causing a leak when removing the screws) and just take remove the J pole.

I'll have to install a grounding rod for that side (but, thats not that big of an issue) and re-run the wires under the house to the other side.

 

[CowboyDren]

The attic mount you link to is for hanging 1.25" rods from inside your roof trusses...skip it.

Check Summitsource.com before you pull the trigger at Amazon. Going on the fascia board is fine, but remember that the db8 has quite a bit of mass to it; make it sturdy. Summit Source will also sell you a brand new copper grounding rod for, like, $4.

 

[j_met]

So I just need to get this:

Clamps - 4" Inch Wall Mount Mast Antenna Bracket Philips PH61410 W Support with 2" Clearance Complete Mounting Kit TV Outdoor Off-Air Side of House Hardware, Clamps and U-Bolts, Part # PH-61410: Oak Entertainment Centers and Home Office Furniture, TV Antennas

4ft Grounding Rod - Aspen Copper Grounding Rod 4' FT 5/16" Bonded Antenna Electrode Satellite Dish TV Aerial Electrical Wire Ground / Lighting Rod with Clamp, Part # GR-0004: Oak Entertainment Centers and Home Office Furniture, TV Antennas, Audio/Video, Satellite, Cable

Single Grounding Block - 2 GHz Grounding Block Single Port Coaxial Cable F Connector PH61011 Outdoor Satellite Dish TV Antenna Coax Adapter Lightning Power Surge, F Connection, Part # PH-61011: Oak Entertainment Centers and Home Office Furniture, TV Antennas, Audio/Video, Sa

5' Pole - 5' FT DIRECTV Mast Pole 1.66" OD Galvanized Pipe 1 5/8" Dish 500 18 GA Satellite Antenna Post Tube Ground Level Mounting Off-Air Outdoor Digital Steel Support: Oak Entertainment Centers and Home Office Furniture, TV Antennas, Audio/Video, Satellite,

 

[CowboyDren]

That should do it. As long as you know the dB8 will actually clamp to a 1-5/8" rod (I think you've already confirmed that), this setup should work. Summit Source also has good prices for the RG6 compression fittings you need, as well as RG6 cable that has a "messenger wire" bonded to it; useful for doing the antenna-to-ground section of the wiring (pick up 12' or so). NEC code says the ground wire needs to be 10ga, but it's really only used for discharging static, and there's nothing wrong with using the messenger wire.

 

[j_met]

Ok the first pic is from my back yard where you can see the south end and the trees near by:

The second pic (below) is of the south side from the opposite side (from the front yard)...as you can see there are quite a few trees in the way but, the window on the side you see in the pic is the same window where I had that indoor/outdoor antenna sitting in the window seal and I picked up all stations very good (so maybe the trees won't affect it as much as I thought it would)

 

[whatchel1]

trees

Ok the first pic is from my back yard where you can see the south end and the trees near by:

The second pic (below) is of the south side from the opposite side (from the front yard)...as you can see there are quite a few trees in the way but, the window on the side you see in the pic is the same window where I had that indoor/outdoor antenna sitting in the window seal and I picked up all stations very good (so maybe the trees won't affect it as much as I thought it would)

Your trees really shouldn't affect OTA very much.