622 OTA Signal Strength - What is enough?

[Jolard]

I just bought an indoor OTA antenna yesterday, and I am trying to determine if I should just spring for an external antenna.

I am getting all the stations I want (after a lot of fiddling) but while some are in the 80 to 90 range for signal strength, others are hovering between 65 and 70. I seem to have noticed that anything less than 65 seems to loose channel lock all the time.

What is the minimum? Is there a recommended range?

Also, for some reason some channels seem to hold lock better at 65 (Fox) than at 75 (PBS). Is that some weird quirk in the signal?

 

[garys]

If it is a constant signal, 51 is all you need, flucuations is what causes dropouts. A higher level will give a constant picture. You might want to put in a pre-amp to raise signal about 5-10 points before trying an exterior antennia install.

 

[Jolard]

Thanks Gary, that makes sense, I am assuming that is why Fox doesn't lose lock with a lower signal, while PBS with a higher signal sometimes does. It is the fluctuations, and I am assuming Fox is just steadier.

I will have to think about the pre-amp, they seem pretty expensive. My antenna (the cheap $25 one from Radio Shack) has a built in amplifier, and that actually makes a big difference, in fact without it turned to the correct position (the amplifier strength) I couldn't get any signal at all.

Also, when I turned the amplifier all the way up (thinking that would be best) I actually had worse signal strength. It was a matter of trial and error to find the correct level of amplification. I am worried if I add a pre-amp it will just send the signal over the top again like turning the internal amp up did.

 

[rrdupre]

I had a cheapie HD attenna with amp and got about 3 out of 5 local channels. No PBS, no UPN, no ABC. Then a buddy of mine got a Wineguard Sharp Shooter HD antenna (with built-in amp) and let me borrow it. I tested signal strengths on both the cheapie and the sharp shooter and determined that the difference was in its ability to pull in distanct stations through its unusual design. It pulls in all the locals at nearly 89-95%. The design clearly makes a difference and I highly recommend this antenna. It is sold under the TERK brand and Best Buy, but you can lop off about half the price by shopping the net under the wineguard brand.

http://www.winegard.com/offair/sharpshooter/flash/sharpshooterflash.html

P.S. I don't work for these guys!