After purchasing a TerkTV32 UHF antenna and receiving 24 digital channels with excellent reception here in Pittsburgh, PA I decided to purchase an Antennacraft HBU33 high band VHF / UHF antenna for my parents this Christmas who live in Allentown, PA roughly 34 miles from Philadelphia.
I picked this antenna after reading the many excellent 5 star reviews I had read online and because it was rated for 60 to 70 miles I knew receiving the local Philadelphia channels would be no problem even if installed within their attic.
On Christmas Eve Day I went up into their attic and installed a cheap pair of rabbit ears to a video monitor and scanned in 10 digital channels with very good signal strength. The channels broadcast from Allentown, but I had great hope for the Anntenacraft HBU33 knowing that channels can be received using cheap rabbit ears.
After assembling the Antennacraft HBU33 in the attic I attached the coax to my monitor and performed a scan. I was expecting 30, 40 or more channels after reading that so many use this antenna in their attics having excellent results. To my surprise it scanned in only the same 10 channels and the signal strength wasn't much better than when using the 99 cent pair of rabbit ears. I aimed it toward Philadelphia (161 degrees) and received NO Philadelphia channels. I then aimed it toward Scranton and received NO Scranton channels. After about 4 hours of re-aiming I still only received the same 10 channels that the cheap rabbit ears receive.
I then brought it down into the garage and still only received 10 channels. being frustrated I placed it onto their back porch and performed a channel scan. A total of 23 channels were received including Philadelphia and Scranton, but the signal strength wasn't as good as I had expected.
Due to a snow storm on its way we returned to Pittsburgh last night, but I intend to go back soon and mount the antenna onto the roof of their back porch.
My dad said it's probably due to the metal roof shingles that are on top of the old asphalt shingles that is blocking the signals, but this doesn't explain why the Allentown channels are received from the attic having a high signal strength.
Overall I'm disappointed. I was hoping to install this antenna in the attic so that it won't be damaged due to the weather and my parents don't really care for the neighbors seeing a huge antenna mounted on the roof.
Any suggestions? Does anyone else live in the Lehigh Valley (Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton) area and have the antenna mounted in their attic? If so, do you receive channels from Philadelphia? Perhaps I should add a preamp?
I'm also thinking that perhaps since the attic was extremely cold I didn't take the time needed to adjust properly. I might purchase a preamp and give the attic installation another try before attempting to install it outside. My parents would probably prefer the attic installation. I just worry that a preamp would over amplify the Allentown channels.
I picked this antenna after reading the many excellent 5 star reviews I had read online and because it was rated for 60 to 70 miles I knew receiving the local Philadelphia channels would be no problem even if installed within their attic.
On Christmas Eve Day I went up into their attic and installed a cheap pair of rabbit ears to a video monitor and scanned in 10 digital channels with very good signal strength. The channels broadcast from Allentown, but I had great hope for the Anntenacraft HBU33 knowing that channels can be received using cheap rabbit ears.
After assembling the Antennacraft HBU33 in the attic I attached the coax to my monitor and performed a scan. I was expecting 30, 40 or more channels after reading that so many use this antenna in their attics having excellent results. To my surprise it scanned in only the same 10 channels and the signal strength wasn't much better than when using the 99 cent pair of rabbit ears. I aimed it toward Philadelphia (161 degrees) and received NO Philadelphia channels. I then aimed it toward Scranton and received NO Scranton channels. After about 4 hours of re-aiming I still only received the same 10 channels that the cheap rabbit ears receive.
I then brought it down into the garage and still only received 10 channels. being frustrated I placed it onto their back porch and performed a channel scan. A total of 23 channels were received including Philadelphia and Scranton, but the signal strength wasn't as good as I had expected.
Due to a snow storm on its way we returned to Pittsburgh last night, but I intend to go back soon and mount the antenna onto the roof of their back porch.
My dad said it's probably due to the metal roof shingles that are on top of the old asphalt shingles that is blocking the signals, but this doesn't explain why the Allentown channels are received from the attic having a high signal strength.
Overall I'm disappointed. I was hoping to install this antenna in the attic so that it won't be damaged due to the weather and my parents don't really care for the neighbors seeing a huge antenna mounted on the roof.
Any suggestions? Does anyone else live in the Lehigh Valley (Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton) area and have the antenna mounted in their attic? If so, do you receive channels from Philadelphia? Perhaps I should add a preamp?
I'm also thinking that perhaps since the attic was extremely cold I didn't take the time needed to adjust properly. I might purchase a preamp and give the attic installation another try before attempting to install it outside. My parents would probably prefer the attic installation. I just worry that a preamp would over amplify the Allentown channels.
