811 OTA Question

[smodak]

The following is for my location from antennaweb

* yellow - uhf WYDN-DT 47 DAY WORCESTER MA 06-04 46° 21.1 47
* yellow - vhf WPRI-DT 12.1 CBS PROVIDENCE RI 161° 14.2 13
* yellow - uhf WLNE-DT 49 ABC NEW BEDFORD MA TBD 163° 14.8 49
* yellow - uhf WSBK-DT 38.1 UPN BOSTON MA 44° 20.9 39
* yellow - uhf WNAC-DT 54 FOX PROVIDENCE RI Awaiting FCC Permit 164° 14.2 54
* yellow - uhf WGBX-DT 44.1 PBS Boston MA 44° 20.9 43
* yellow - uhf WGBH-DT 2.1 PBS Boston MA 44° 20.9 19
* yellow - uhf WJAR-DT 51.1 NBC PROVIDENCE RI 163° 14.8 51
* yellow - uhf WBZ-DT 4.1 CBS Boston MA 44° 20.9 30
* yellow - uhf WBPX-DT 32 PAX BOSTON MA Awaiting FCC Permit 46° 21.1 32
* yellow - uhf WCVB-DT 5.1 ABC Boston MA 44° 20.9 20
* yellow - uhf WHDH-DT 7.1 NBC Boston MA 47° 21.5 42
* green - uhf WFXT-DT 25.1 FOX Boston MA 47° 20.9 31
* green - uhf WUNI-DT 29.1 UNI WORCESTER MA 340° 24.5 29
* green - uhf WUTF-DT 66.1 TFA MARLBOROUGH MA 8° 23.4 23
* red - uhf WMFP-DT 18 SAH LAWRENCE MA FCC Ext 46° 21.1 18
* red - uhf WLVI-DT 56.1 WB Cambridge MA 47° 20.9 41
* red - uhf WSBE-DT 21 PBS Providence RI 05-04 203° 12.7 21
* violet - uhf WHDN-DT 26 IND BOSTON MA LP DT 57° 29.0 26
* violet - uhf WLWC-DT 22 UPN NEW BEDFORD MA Awaiting FCC Permit 140° 32.2 22
* violet - uhf WWDP-DT 52.1 SAH NORWELL MA 113° 17.8 52

I have a Zenith Silver sensor which kind of picks up PBS/CBS/ABC/NBC. Sometimes I get signal in the range of 70-80%, sometimes get just 49% and 811 does not lock. Thinking of buying and installing a radioshack vu 190 xr
http://www.radioshack.com/product.a..._name=CTLG_003_001_002_000&product_id=15-2156
Would that be a overkill or would my reception improve?
Is there a better one? I am mostly trying to get the digital stations but getting good analog signals would be a bonus.
Thanks for all the help!

 

[beast37799]

sounds like u have the dreaded 49% problem

 

[smodak]

Yes, but would a better antenna like the one I mentioned help?

 

[Sparkman]

Yes, but would a better antenna like the one I mentioned help?

No. It is a problem in the 811, not with the antenna. I am able to pick up 2 channel OTA on my 6000 & my OTA receiver with 89-92% signal strength, but the 811 freezes @ 49%. There are a couple of workarounds on ways to gett the 811 to lock on those channels, but, honestly, I have forgot them since I'm not currently using the 811 for ota at all. I'm sure someone will post it for you.

 

[Kevinw]

Yes the VU-190 is overkill. You need a bit more than the Silver Sensor. The Sensor is a great urban antenna, under 20 miles wiht no obstructions. From 20 on out, a different antenna is needed. Look at www.antennasdirect.com - A miderange yagi should work great.
The 49% issue is about multipath. Most people us the an incorrect antenna combintion for there location making it difficult for the 811 to lock on the strongest signal.

 

[ride525]

a couple of quick quesitons:

1. Could one use a VHF and UHF antenna in tandem?

2. How do you combine their signals?

 

[GaryPen]

You need a bit more than the Silver Sensor. The Sensor is a great urban antenna, under 20 miles wiht no obstructions. From 20 on out, a different antenna is needed. Look at www.antennasdirect.com - A miderange yagi should work great.

I use a Silver Sensor , and pick up all the stations from a tower 40 miles away, with hills in between. It is very sensitive to placement. I suggest the user experiment with placement, both height and direction. Also, an inline pre-amp may help. (In some instances, it can actually hurt.)

If a larger attic or outdoor antenna will be used, a Channel Master 4228 or even 4221 will probably work better than a yagi. But, he does have one station on VHF, so he may still have issues with it, no matter which of the above UHF antennas he chooses. OTOH, one of my stations is also on ch. 12, and I receive it with my Silver Sensor. (Pointed in the opposite direction, no less!)

Another possibility is the new Terk HDTVi. I know they generally produce junk. However, it looks like the same design as the SS, plus it has VHF dipoles as well. Some have reported great success with it.

 

[smodak]

I am pretty sure at this point that my isses have to do with multipath. So, the Terk HDTVi may not be any better than Silver Sensor. If I did not have the Silver sensor already, I would definitely try it out! Also got a green signal from wife to install an outdoor antenna

I don't really care about the only VHF station.

So, my choice is either a channel master 4228
http://www.channelmaster.com/images/4228.jpg
or a midrange yagi
http://www.antennasdirect.com/42xg___extreme_gain_42_element_y.htm

Any idea which one should I buy or which one should work better?

Also if I did decide to go with the VU 190 from Radioshack, would I pick up new channels from distance which I would not pick up otherwise?

I have two other questions
Do I need rotor etc.?
What kind of cable should I buy?

Thanks a lot guys!

 

[Kevinw]

Gary, I remeber you saying this once before and I was very suprised. I think you are one of the fortunate few who can receive from that far out with the Sensor.
At 20-25 miles an amp would not help. Most of the better UHF ONLY antennas can pull in the higher spectrum VHF-12/13 with out a problem. As Gary said the 4 bay or 8 bay ChannelMaster are very good also for outdoor or atiic mounting.

 

[smodak]

Do you guys have any recommendations as where I should buy channel master 4228 antennas from?
Thanks

 

[IPAonTAP]

I am experiencing the 49% problem on one station. It used to lock at 75-80%, but recently i have been getting only 49%. I can't seem to find the posts with the workarounds. Can someone help me?

 

[Kevinw]

I am experiencing the 49% problem on one station. It used to lock at 75-80%, but recently i have been getting only 49%. I can't seem to find the posts with the workarounds. Can someone help me?

I hit the guide button and wait till it loads in the video window. I have 1 station that is mutlipath hell. Fortunately it is UPN and I rarely watch it.

 

[smodak]

Do you guys have any recommendations as where I should buy channel master 4228 antennas from?
Thanks

Hi, Anyone knows a good place in the internet to buy Channelmaster 4228 antenna from?
Thanks

 

[Kevinw]

http://www.warrenelectronics.com/
Heard good things about Warren Electronics
I would still look at the www.antennasdirect.com There meduim range bow tie has great reviews also

 

[GaryPen]

http://www.hometech.com/video/antennas.html#CM-4228

 

[IPAonTAP]

Thanks for the tip on the 49% problem KevinW. It seemed to work fine last night. Am I having a multi-path issue? If so are there ways to minimize these effects?