Antenna Help for East Texas

[bubbles1987]

Hi, I need help choosing an antenna for a home in rural east Texas. There are lots of tall trees around which is why this antenna will be on top of a 45' pole. I could possibly get another 5' higher but that is pushing it.

Here is my rabbitears report. https://www.rabbitears.info/s/380135

If I left out any information please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[Trip]

Just eyeballing your report, it looks like if all you care about are network stations from Shreveport, any good UHF outdoor antenna aimed at about 25 degrees should do the trick for you. You may even get a few Tyler stations off the back.

If Tyler is also important to you, then it gets more complicated. If only KLTV is important, a high-VHF antenna aimed right at it with a UVSJ to combine the UHF antenna may work, though KLTV will be a tough catch no matter what, I suspect.

- Trip

 

[bubbles1987]

Just eyeballing your report, it looks like if all you care about are network stations from Shreveport, any good UHF outdoor antenna aimed at about 25 degrees should do the trick for you. You may even get a few Tyler stations off the back.

If Tyler is also important to you, then it gets more complicated. If only KLTV is important, a high-VHF antenna aimed right at it with a UVSJ to combine the UHF antenna may work, though KLTV will be a tough catch no matter what, I suspect.

- Trip

Thanks, this is for my old man actually. He is getting ABC and CBS out of Shreveport Currently. He wants NBC and FOX. I'm not sure why he isn't getting FOX since it is at the same heading as ABC and CBS.

NBC is going to be the tricky one. Any ideas for that one? Another UHF antenna? Do you have a preferred brand/model?

 

[FTA4PA]

Just putting my two cents in for a good UHF antenna. We have been using the Stellar Labs 30-2370 for several years. It is a great antenna and very inexpensive. Our reception is 2 edge at 42-57 miles from the transmitters and we have reliable reception about 99% of the time with it using an RCA antenna mounted preamp to boost signal before distribution. Of course, everyone's situation is different but just throwing it out there. Good luck!

https://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/30-2370/long-range-uhf-hdtv-91-element/dp/72Y2542

 

[Trip]

KTAL is further away and only slightly off from the other stations, so I'm not sure it's as big a challenge as it seems. Most antennas have a wide enough beamwidth that you should be able to easily aim for both KTAL and the remaining Shreveport-area stations.

You say two of the stations are being received now. What antenna is in use today?

- Trip

 

[pamajestic]

Just putting my two cents in for a good UHF antenna. We have been using the Stellar Labs 30-2370 for several years. It is a great antenna and very inexpensive. Our reception is 2 edge at 42-57 miles from the transmitters and we have reliable reception about 99% of the time with it using an RCA antenna mounted preamp to boost signal before distribution. Of course, everyone's situation is different but just throwing it out there. Good luck!

https://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/30-2370/long-range-uhf-hdtv-91-element/dp/72Y2542

I agree and it appears to be on sale. $32 delivered.

 

[Tower Guy]

My choice for your dad would be the Steller Labs 30-2436.

https://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/30-2426/hdtv-60-mile-fringe-bowtie-television/dp/25AC5066

The 30-2436 has a wider beam width than than the 30-2370, so the signals from 18.3-28.6 degrees true would all be in the main beam.

As suggested by Trip, could add a second ABC station with a VHF only antenna and a UVSJ, or combined in a preamp with separate UHF and VHF inputs.

 

[bubbles1987]

Just putting my two cents in for a good UHF antenna. We have been using the Stellar Labs 30-2370 for several years. It is a great antenna and very inexpensive. Our reception is 2 edge at 42-57 miles from the transmitters and we have reliable reception about 99% of the time with it using an RCA antenna mounted preamp to boost signal before distribution. Of course, everyone's situation is different but just throwing it out there. Good luck!

https://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/30-2370/long-range-uhf-hdtv-91-element/dp/72Y2542

Could you provide a recommended model for the RCA pre-amp? If it won't do any harm, a few extra bucks spent while re-doing this setup is preferred over having to add it later.

 

[FTA4PA]

Could you provide a recommended model for the RCA pre-amp? If it won't do any harm, a few extra bucks spent while re-doing this setup is preferred over having to add it later.

The amp I use is the RCA TVPRAMP1Z. This model has separate inputs for VHF and UHF antennas. It is still listed on their website ( https://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/connectivity/?sku=TVPRAMP1Z ) but be aware that when ordering you may get the newer model, TVPRAMP12E, that has a combined input for both VHF/UHF instead of separate ones. It's pictured with separate inputs but that's not what it has. That's what I received when I ordered the TVPRAMP1Z from Amazon and had to return it. Some very careful searching and questions to sellers on eBay got me a spare of the original design in case the one I'm using fails or takes lightning damage.

 

[billowens]

Hi, I need help choosing an antenna for a home in rural east Texas. There are lots of tall trees around which is why this antenna will be on top of a 45' pole. I could possibly get another 5' higher but that is pushing it.

Here is my rabbitears report. https://www.rabbitears.info/s/380135

If I left out any information please let me know.

Thanks!

I live in Longview and put up a Radio Shack omni-directional disk shaped antenna close to 10 years ago. I pick up Tyler/Longview UHF stations and all of the Shreveport stations 90-100 percent. KLTV decided to remain VHF after repack and their signal comes in a average 55 percent and is unwatchable.
The antenna is about 25 feet mounted to the house.

 

[bubbles1987]

I live in Longview and put up a Radio Shack omni-directional disk shaped antenna close to 10 years ago. I pick up Tyler/Longview UHF stations and all of the Shreveport stations 90-100 percent. KLTV decided to remain VHF after repack and their signal comes in a average 55 percent and is unwatchable.
The antenna is about 25 feet mounted to the house.

He is getting ABC from Shreveport currently so I guess the main difference is he will hear about all the crime in Shreveport vs Tyler. Shreveport is actually a good bit closer than Tyler too. There is an oak tree right beside the antenna that is about to get a haircut to hopefully help out a new antenna. Too many college football games on FOX to not get it!

 

[Lurker]

I live in Longview and put up a Radio Shack omni-directional disk shaped antenna close to 10 years ago. I pick up Tyler/Longview UHF stations and all of the Shreveport stations 90-100 percent. KLTV decided to remain VHF after repack and their signal comes in a average 55 percent and is unwatchable.
The antenna is about 25 feet mounted to the house.

Do you get KLTS (24 PBS) reliably? I used to, but not since the repack. I get all other stations great.

 

[billowens]

Same here. KLTS has always been up and down even before repack. Dish offers KERA out of Dallas with no pixelation. KLTS even at 100 percent, still pixelates.

Sent from my LM-K200 using Tapatalk

 

[Lurker]

I live in Longview and put up a Radio Shack omni-directional disk shaped antenna close to 10 years ago. I pick up Tyler/Longview UHF stations and all of the Shreveport stations 90-100 percent. KLTV decided to remain VHF after repack and their signal comes in a average 55 percent and is unwatchable.
The antenna is about 25 feet mounted to the house.

I am surprised you have trouble with KLTV. I can disconnect my antenna and still receive KLTV.

 

[Lurker]

I live in Longview and put up a Radio Shack omni-directional disk shaped antenna close to 10 years ago. I pick up Tyler/Longview UHF stations and all of the Shreveport stations 90-100 percent. KLTV decided to remain VHF after repack and their signal comes in a average 55 percent and is unwatchable.
The antenna is about 25 feet mounted to the house.

I noticed that KLTV has a simulcast on UHF channel 31 now. Maybe this will fix your reception.

 

[billowens]

I was not aware of that. I'll have to rescan my Hopper when I get home.

Sent from my LM-K200 using Tapatalk

 

[billowens]

I noticed that KLTV has a simulcast on UHF channel 31 now. Maybe this will fix your reception.

I just rescanned and it did not pick up a channel 31. It found all of the other UHF Tyler and Shreveport stations. Don't know...

Sent from my LM-K200 using Tapatalk

 

[Lurker]

I just rescanned and it did not pick up a channel 31. It found all of the other UHF Tyler and Shreveport stations. Don't know...

Sent from my LM-K200 using Tapatalk

31 must be low-powered. The signal is much weaker than the VHF 7 signal, but I still can receive it clearly. I used to receive 24 clearly before the repack, now it is terrible. It is the only channel that got worse in the repack.