ATSC 3.0 and competing freqs.

trabin

New Member
Original poster
I am installing a second OTA antenna on my mast. In some instances I will receive two of the same freqs. from different directions. How will these competing signals affect my reception? I will be receiving two channels 21.1 both with different programming. Do I need attenuators to reject the competing channel?
Hummmm..
Todd
 
I am installing a second OTA antenna on my mast. In some instances I will receive two of the same freqs. from different directions. How will these competing signals affect my reception? I will be receiving two channels 21.1 both with different programming. Do I need attenuators to reject the competing channel?
Hummmm..
Todd
Depends on how you plan to connect the two antennas coax to your system. If you run two separate coax, connect one to your TV and the other to a "tuner", and the tuner to the TV by HDMI, should work without problems. But if you plan to combine the antennas with one coax down lead you may run into a couple of programs. The signal from the original antenna may be weaker depending on how you combine it. And the TV may see the same two freqs as interference and be unwatchable. Unless you can delete one from your channel list. Channel Master sells a combiner you may be interested in.......
 
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Depends on how you plan to connect the two antennas coax to your system. If you run two separate coax, connect one to your TV and the other to a "tuner", and the tuner to the TV by HDMI, should work without problems. But if you plan to combine the antennas with one coax down lead you may run into a couple of programs. The signal from the original antenna may be weaker depending on how you combine it. And the TV may see the same two freqs as interference and be unwatchable. Unless you can delete one from your channel list. Channel Master sells a combiner you may be interested in.......
More or less spot-on advice. You can also use a network tuner, such as an HD Homerun for one of the antennas. Or even two Hd Homerun's, one for each antenna.

IF you are an advanced person, and REALLY want to do a great system, and you aren't afraid to spend a little money (that'll pay for itself quickly, versus forever payments to a cable company) there's the Televes Avant-X. Which is the only TRUE "Jointenna" type device out there that's NOT hyped, and the best in class.


 
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First verify that the frequencies are the same. 21.1 is just a channel number and not a frequency.
Exactly. It's doubtful there are two stations with the same frequency close enough to be received in one location. trabin, what are the call letters of the stations?
 
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Here is a rabbitears report for the location trabin specified in his profile.
WLIW (RF channel 32) looks like the only 21.1 to me.
 
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In my experience they will be fine as long as they are not on the same RF frequency. Some TVs will stack them as 21.1, 21.1, 21.2, 21.2 etc. However a Sony tv for instance will not duplicate. So the tv will scan in order from rf 2 to rf 69. The first 21 it picks up(whichever has the lower frequency) will be placed appropriately as 21.1 and so forth. The second rf frequency that picks up the other 21.1 will address the channel number as it’s frequency instead of duplicating. Most TVs will allow the channels to duplicate in the lineup.

In my area a new transmitter went up on the same rf frequency as another channel and when you get one you typically can’t get the other.

Generally speaking combiners don’t work very well. I have tried many different kinds and you tend to have the same “success” with a backwards splitter.
 
In my experience they will be fine as long as they are not on the same RF frequency. Some TVs will stack them as 21.1, 21.1, 21.2, 21.2 etc. However a Sony tv for instance will not duplicate. So the tv will scan in order from rf 2 to rf 69. The first 21 it picks up(whichever has the lower frequency) will be placed appropriately as 21.1 and so forth. The second rf frequency that picks up the other 21.1 will address the channel number as it’s frequency instead of duplicating. Most TVs will allow the channels to duplicate in the lineup.

In my area a new transmitter went up on the same rf frequency as another channel and when you get one you typically can’t get the other.

Generally speaking combiners don’t work very well. I have tried many different kinds and you tend to have the same “success” with a backwards splitter.
Try the Televes Avant-X I posted above. Guaranteed to work. It can take 4 antennas, and IF there's two or more on the same RF frequency, it can shift one to another RF frequency. It can also adjust levels, etc.
 
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Do you mean you just can't take 300 ohm twin leads and connect them together with wire nuts like I did in the 60's? :)

Or you can get a rotor?
Of course you can, RF radiation is still the same whether it is flavored digital or analog.