Best antenna to get

[Clarbear]

What is the best antenna to get over the air stations for digital stations and subchannels? I have a smart TV in which have I have an antenna with I have one with wifi but need one to get all of the channels and substations. The one that I have don't get all of it.

 

[harshness]

There is no single best antenna for all applications. Further, what works now may be less than ideal after phase 6 of the repack (when most of the Milwaukee channels make their moves).

After you've got four or five posts under your belt, you should be able to post a URL to your tvfool.com results. This will help us pin down what you're up against.

It wouldn't hurt if you gave us the call signs of some examples (i.e. WIWN) that you think you're missing.

 

[Clarbear]

Harshness the channels that I am missing is from WIWN 68.1- 68.8 and 21.1 WMKE-CD1 (21.1). I know that I had these channels when I had my other television until I got my smart television.

What is a URL to your tvfool.com results. I don't understand that is.

 

[Voyager6]

Harshness the channels that I am missing is from WIWN 68.1- 68.8 and 21.1 WMKE-CD1 (21.1). I know that I had these channels when I had my other television until I got my smart television.

What is a URL to your tvfool.com results. I don't understand that is.

Go to the TVFool website and enter your address to check your signals. The site will generate a map for you and a link to it. It will look like this.
TV Fool

 

[navychop]

Alternatively, you can give us your zip code. Not terribly accurate, but better than nothing

 

[harshness]

WIWN broadcasts on VHF low at RF channel 5 so that's going to require an antenna capable of VHF low. WIWN's coverage area should improve if they're granted their application but the broadcast frequency will remain unchanged.

WMKE is kind of low-powered and broadcasts to the WSW so your relationship to the tower is important. It appears that going forward, the situation may get worse as the number of viewers covered will go down (though the covered acreage will remain the same) as they're shifting the pattern a little more westerly.

If WIWN is important, you need a full-range antenna (VHF-low, FM, VHF-high and UHF) or a combination of antennas (not recommended). How large that antenna is depends on how close you are to the various broadcast towers and how many obstacles (typically hills) are present between. The TVFool report is a starting point in the discussion.

 

[Yragha]

What is the best antenna to get over the air stations for digital stations and subchannels? I have a smart TV in which have I have an antenna with I have one with wifi but need one to get all of the channels and substations. The one that I have don't get all of it.

Oh your in for a treat asking that question 'round here with this gang.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[Clarbear]

WIWN broadcasts on VHF low at RF channel 5 so that's going to require an antenna capable of VHF low. WIWN's coverage area should improve if they're granted their application but the broadcast frequency will remain unchanged.

WMKE is kind of low-powered and broadcasts to the WSW so your relationship to the tower is important. It appears that going forward, the situation may get worse as the number of viewers covered will go down (though the covered acreage will remain the same) as they're shifting the pattern a little more westerly.

If WIWN is important, you need a full-range antenna (VHF-low, FM, VHF-high and UHF) or a combination of antennas (not recommended). How large that antenna is depends on how close you are to the various broadcast towers and how many obstacles (typically hills) are present between. The TVFool report is a starting point in the discussion.

I know my other television that I have received all of those channels. Since I gotten a newer television is when I stop receiving the channels. I am wondering if I get a antenna with a longer range of miles like 60 miles or longer range would help receiving the channels. Or there's another antenna that I am able to get to get them? If it helps I have is a Samsung smart television. I do have a wifi antenna already but I would like a regular antenna so I am able to get all channels. I would like to switch of between the both them so I am able use the best of both worlds. Anything suggestions would help. Thank you.

 

[jayn_j]

I know my other television that I have received all of those channels. Since I gotten a newer television is when I stop receiving the channels. I am wondering if I get a antenna with a longer range of miles like 60 miles or longer range would help receiving the channels. Or there's another antenna that I am able to get to get them? If it helps I have is a Samsung smart television. I do have a wifi antenna already but I would like a regular antenna so I am able to get all channels. I would like to switch of between the both them so I am able use the best of both worlds. Anything suggestions would help. Thank you.

Hi Clarbar. I also live in Milwaukee and receive stations OTA. As others have asked, can you narrow down your location a bit? I live in Bayside on the northeastern edge of Milwaukee County. I am able to receive everything with a cheap RCA yagi hanging in my garage rafters. I also get most everything in a guest bedroom with a cheap amplified flat antenna.

But your post brings up some interesting questions. Are you trying to receive TV reception from the wifi antenna? Antennas are designed to work at a certain frequency and the antenna length determines this. WIFI antennas are tuned to work at 2.4 and 5 GHz. TV antennas are tuned to three different bands as follows: (approximate frequencies)
VHF LOW (Chan 2-6): 54-85 MHz
VHF HIGH (7-13): 175-216 MHz
UHF (14-37): 470-610 MHz

An additional problem is that since the digital transition, the actual channel frequency may not match the displayed channel number. In Milwaukee it is as follows

Displayed channel Actual broadcast channel
4.1 (NBC) 32
6.1 (FOX) 33
10.1 (PBS) 8
12.1 (ABC) 34
58.1 (CBS) 46
24.1 (MyN) 25
18.1 (CW) 18

So, under the current setup, you need an antenna that receives VHF-HI and UHF. But as harshness pointed out, you probably want something for VHF-LO to futureproof for the upcoming repack.

BTW, here is my tvfool

 

[Clarbear]

Hi Clarbar. I also live in Milwaukee and receive stations OTA. As others have asked, can you narrow down your location a bit? I live in Bayside on the northeastern edge of Milwaukee County. I am able to receive everything with a cheap RCA yagi hanging in my garage rafters. I also get most everything in a guest bedroom with a cheap amplified flat antenna.

But your post brings up some interesting questions. Are you trying to receive TV reception from the wifi antenna? Antennas are designed to work at a certain frequency and the antenna length determines this. WIFI antennas are tuned to work at 2.4 and 5 GHz. TV antennas are tuned to three different bands as follows: (approximate frequencies)
VHF LOW (Chan 2-6): 54-85 MHz
VHF HIGH (7-13): 175-216 MHz
UHF (14-37): 470-610 MHz

An additional problem is that since the digital transition, the actual channel frequency may not match the displayed channel number. In Milwaukee it is as follows

Displayed channel Actual broadcast channel
4.1 (NBC) 32
6.1 (FOX) 33
10.1 (PBS) 8
12.1 (ABC) 34
58.1 (CBS) 46
24.1 (MyN) 25
18.1 (CW) 18

So, under the current setup, you need an antenna that receives VHF-HI and UHF. But as harshness pointed out, you probably want something for VHF-LO to futureproof for the upcoming repack.

BTW, here is my tvfool
View attachment 133405

The only reason that I have a wifi antenna is to access to the internet and I thought that I can also receive all the OTA channels as well. I see that I was wrong about that. I did go tvfool that was suggested and I have gotten this is what I gotten.
These are the channels that I am able to receive.

 

[harshness]

The only reason that I have a wifi antenna is to access to the internet and I thought that I can also receive all the OTA channels as well.

Wi-fi wavelength is a small fraction of the wavelength of TV broadcast. There's also an issue that Wi-fi antennas use a different "impedance" (50ohm) than TV antennas (75ohm).

At 7 miles, a modest set-top antenna or even a short chunk of cable (with no antenna at all) may be sufficient. The key is that whatever you use, it should be full-range because you have channels in all bands.

 

[navychop]

No channel 37. Reserved for astronomy and certain special uses.

 

[spongella]

With OTA TV there are many antennas to choose from. You can suffer from option paralysis as to which to purchase. Sometimes you just have to "buy and try." Also, moving your antenna to a different spot can make a difference. In this way, digital TV is a lot different than former analog TV. In addition to an antenna you may need a preamp too, and a rotatable antenna might be preferable.

Here I use one of those inexpensive "150 mile" antennas and it works well, but don't take this as a recommendation as it might not be useful in your area. This was a "buy and try" purchased on the Internet.

The old-time TV-Radio shops are for the most part gone forever so the consumer is pretty much on their own.

Also, read through old OTA posts on this site, lots of useful info. Hope you are successful in getting an aerial up.

 

[navychop]

Bigger, in antennas, tends to be better. For VHF especially.

 

[Peter Parker]

Bigger, in antennas, tends to be better. For VHF especially.

The one disadvantage to a bigger antenna is that they have a narrower beam width. if all of your stations are co-located (or roughly so) this will not matter but if they are spread out it may.

 

[harshness]

The one disadvantage to a bigger antenna is that they have a narrower beam width. if all of your stations are co-located (or roughly so) this will not matter but if they are spread out it may.

Looking at the Clarbear's TVFool results, most of the stations are within a 15 degree beam and within 8 miles with Line-Of-Sight.

 

[jayn_j]

Most of the Milwaukee towers are in the same general area, less than 3 miles apart. His zipcode seems to indicate he lives in Walker's Point neighborhood and he should be able to use a paperclip for an antenna there.

In that location, a very large (fringe) antenna can actually overload the tuner with too much signal.

 

[Wescopc]

I would try something like the Winegard FV-30 for $35 at home depot. Always take it back if it doesn't work. You are close enough that I don't think you need anything fancy.
Bob

 

[harshness]

I would try something like the Winegard FV-30 for $35 at home depot.

In this day and age, buying an antenna that isn't rated cover VHF low perhaps isn't a good idea. While the repack itself may not bring much VHF low, simulcasting Next-Gen (ATSC 3.0) will probably force at least a temporary residence there.

Given the TVFool projections, picking up signals in this situation is like fishing in a barrel. The biggest concern is getting too much signal.

Now if the TS was trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat and get WTAS, that would be worthy of discussion.

 

[Kyle91]

The best outdoor tv antenna too buy today is the Winegrud 8200U for your low&hi band vhf&yor uh F
broadcasting channel's of to day and don't forget your cm-7777 mast mount AMP!!
good luck