I've been looking at the channel master CM-3000A antenna. Any pros and cons to using this type of antenna as a primary antenna for my apartment?
Channel Master
Channel Master
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- Thread starter havenx
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I'm a little skeptical of these types of antennas. Especially when its rated as a small omnidirectional antenna (yellow) and then they say it will receive signals from up to 45 miles away. That doesn't compute for me.
How close are you to the TV antennas? Whats your zip code?
If you do but this try to find a local shop that has a good return policy. That way you can try it out before committing long term.
Oh and one more thing. These type of antennas typically don't work with VHF very well. If your area has any channels in the 2-13 range it might not work.
How close are you to the TV antennas? Whats your zip code?
If you do but this try to find a local shop that has a good return policy. That way you can try it out before committing long term.
Oh and one more thing. These type of antennas typically don't work with VHF very well. If your area has any channels in the 2-13 range it might not work.
My zip is 62326. Is there a web site that shows where all the towers are?
At the moment I have an old 12 inch aluminum antenna off a radio soldered to some coax. With that I am pulling signal from about 50 miles away (line of site). I have the antenna zip tied to a piece of wood that sands three feet tall which is zip tied to my 1m channel master satellite dish which is situation on the third floor roof of the building I am on.
At the moment I have an old 12 inch aluminum antenna off a radio soldered to some coax. With that I am pulling signal from about 50 miles away (line of site). I have the antenna zip tied to a piece of wood that sands three feet tall which is zip tied to my 1m channel master satellite dish which is situation on the third floor roof of the building I am on.
TV Fool is one option:
TV Fool
AntennaWeb is another.
The FCC has their own version
The Digital TV Transition: Reception Maps
My thoughts are, if I can get 40.3 miles, or slightly better, with a 12 inch aluminum antenna I swiped off a radio, surly anything is better. I also have the option of going 10 feet higher. I learned with my ham stuff, higher is better. I was wondering, can I place five directional antenna in a circle on my rooftop and then hook them all together?
Does anyone make a hollow 8 or 10 foot aluminum antenna uhf vhf?
Lastly. What frequencies are covered in the whole HDTV band? Perhaps I might be better off making a dipole or something.
Does anyone make a hollow 8 or 10 foot aluminum antenna uhf vhf?
Lastly. What frequencies are covered in the whole HDTV band? Perhaps I might be better off making a dipole or something.
I just installed one of these (actually an Antennacraft 5MS921) three weeks ago, but it was for a VERY specific situation. The house is on a hill, in a direct crossfire of all of the towers in KC. The crossfire location may not have mandated an Omni, but I was just playing around.
The real problem with Omnis is that they have very low gain; they're actually worse than rabbit ears if there's no amplification used (Antennacraft says -10.8dB on VHF-Hi and -5.9dB UHF). The amplifier circuits are rated at 20-ish dB of gain, which should make things better, but if you're in a situation where you need an Omni, any amplifier is a bad idea. For the antenna I installed, I didn't connect the included power supply. If I was putting this more than 10 miles from a tower, I wouldn't use an Omni at all.
The only advantage to an Omni is that you don't have to constantly tweak it for best reception; you get the same level of suck all the time.
The real problem with Omnis is that they have very low gain; they're actually worse than rabbit ears if there's no amplification used (Antennacraft says -10.8dB on VHF-Hi and -5.9dB UHF). The amplifier circuits are rated at 20-ish dB of gain, which should make things better, but if you're in a situation where you need an Omni, any amplifier is a bad idea. For the antenna I installed, I didn't connect the included power supply. If I was putting this more than 10 miles from a tower, I wouldn't use an Omni at all.
The only advantage to an Omni is that you don't have to constantly tweak it for best reception; you get the same level of suck all the time.
Just looked at your report on TVFool.com. Looks like your best chance is something like an AntennaCraft HBU-22 or HBU-33 (VHF-Hi + UHF combo) pointed out a southwestern window. This won't help you with your PBS (WMEC-22) or CW (KGCW-26), but it should get a CBS, NBC, and a distant PBS.
What direction do your windows face?
What direction do your windows face?
You guys won't believe this... I was playing around today and went to the lumber store and got a 10 foot piece of 1 inch PVC. I went on the third floor roof and stood that baby up on end with a 12 inch radio antenna zip tied to it. OMFG, I was pulling in St. Louis and central IL TV stations!!! That's like, over 100 miles away. It was odd though. The stations would be clear as a bell, then nothing for a few min, then they would come back for awhile, and then go away.
So now I've got this hair brained idea to climb back up there with a normal vhf uhf outdoor antenna. Here's the prob, I won't be able to get it 10 feet above the roof of the third floor.
The second prob is that the roof is metal, and it's a big flat metal roof! If I mount a normal uhf vhf antenna on that roof will the metal affect it. I can probably get the antenna 5 or 6 feet above the metal roof.
Right now I have the same antenna tied to a 3 foot stick zip tied to my satellite dish on the 2nd floor roof. It's pulling in yellow stations.
I went on the third floor roof and stood that baby up on end with a 12 inch radio antenna zip tied to it. OMFG, I was pulling in St. Louis and central IL TV stations!!! That's like, over 100 miles away. It was odd though. The stations would be clear as a bell, then nothing for a few min, then they would come back for awhile, and then go away. So now I've got this hair brained idea to climb back up there with a normal vhf uhf outdoor antenna. Here's the prob, I won't be able to get it 10 feet above the roof of the third floor.
The second prob is that the roof is metal, and it's a big flat metal roof! If I mount a normal uhf vhf antenna on that roof will the metal affect it. I can probably get the antenna 5 or 6 feet above the metal roof.
Right now I have the same antenna tied to a 3 foot stick zip tied to my satellite dish on the 2nd floor roof. It's pulling in yellow stations.
You guys won't believe this... I was playing around today and went to the lumber store and got a 10 foot piece of 1 inch PVC. I went on the third floor roof and stood that baby up on end with a 12 inch radio antenna zip tied to it. OMFG, I was pulling in St. Louis and central IL TV stations!!! That's like, over 100 miles away. It was odd though. The stations would be clear as a bell, then nothing for a few min, then they would come back for awhile, and then go away.
So now I've got this hair brained idea to climb back up there with a normal vhf uhf outdoor antenna. Here's the prob, I won't be able to get it 10 feet above the roof of the third floor.
The second prob is that the roof is metal, and it's a big flat metal roof! If I mount a normal uhf vhf antenna on that roof will the metal affect it. I can probably get the antenna 5 or 6 feet above the metal roof.
Right now I have the same antenna tied to a 3 foot stick zip tied to my satellite dish on the 2nd floor roof. It's pulling in yellow stations.
I went on the third floor roof and stood that baby up on end with a 12 inch radio antenna zip tied to it. OMFG, I was pulling in St. Louis and central IL TV stations!!! That's like, over 100 miles away. It was odd though. The stations would be clear as a bell, then nothing for a few min, then they would come back for awhile, and then go away. So now I've got this hair brained idea to climb back up there with a normal vhf uhf outdoor antenna. Here's the prob, I won't be able to get it 10 feet above the roof of the third floor.
The second prob is that the roof is metal, and it's a big flat metal roof! If I mount a normal uhf vhf antenna on that roof will the metal affect it. I can probably get the antenna 5 or 6 feet above the metal roof.
Right now I have the same antenna tied to a 3 foot stick zip tied to my satellite dish on the 2nd floor roof. It's pulling in yellow stations.
havenx
there has been some tropospheric ducting going on the last couple of days. Earlier tonight I was sitting in the truck listening to fm stations from Missouri, southern il wisconsin and michigan here in the Chicago area.
Get a non penetating roof mount and mount a converntion antenna on top of that roof, what stations are you looking to receive??
there has been some tropospheric ducting going on the last couple of days. Earlier tonight I was sitting in the truck listening to fm stations from Missouri, southern il wisconsin and michigan here in the Chicago area.
Get a non penetating roof mount and mount a converntion antenna on top of that roof, what stations are you looking to receive??
The problem with your location is that signals are coming in from several different directions. I assume that's why you were thinking about an omnidirectional antenna. The problem is that omni's are poor performers for your application. You could put up a large directional antenna with a rotor. That would give you the most flexibility. Or you could buy two antennas, pick two directions to aim and use a coax combiner.
So I can take a splitter, turn it around, and use it to combine? Also, does anyone know the wavelength range of uhf vhf signals? Since I am on a metal roof, if this is anything like ham radio and scanner reception, I need the antenna at least a wavelength from the roof.
Not exactly. Companies make a combiner just for this pourpose. Here is an example, there are others.
Antennas Direct | UHF / VHF Antenna Combiner from Antennas Direct
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