Distant OTA

[jjnemoiii]

Few facts first:
Dish 811 Rcvr.
My zip 54956
ota wanted 53201 ( about 100 miles)
antenna - http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F003%5F001%5F002%5F000&product%5Fid=15%2D2160

I gat very poor, but some picture, for analog milwaukee. On HD signals, back and forth from 49% back to 0% (back and forth), showing SOME signal is there. I would like to avoid going any higher up above my roof if I can. Will adding a second Rat shack ant. same kind and/or amp bring these in enough to regularly ( if not always) lock them? Any other ideas to bring these in without more height? I am using a Chimney mount, and 2 five foot poles to get it up higher. I have a separate cable ran from ant. to 811 rcvr. Cable is RG6, 50 ft. long.

 

[Lorenzo]

I looked at your RS antenna and it's a medium gain UHF yagi. You first need to get good analog reception from the same tower(s) where your digital transmitters are. If the analog reception from the analogs are snowy you won't be happy with the digital reception from those same towers.

I've put up lots of UHF antennas 90 miles from San Francisco in the analog only days and the minimum pole we would use was a 20 footer and 30 foot was more common and we always used a preamplifier. My town had an elevation 300 feet higher than San Francisco which was broadcasting from I believe a 1600 foot above sea level tower. I'm doubtful your low antenna will work well. I'd rather have a small antenna up high than a huge antenna down low. TV reception is like fishing- you've got to put the hook (antenna) where the fish (signals) are.

If you're going to spend more money on your instalation I'd first reccommend buying a UHF preamplifier. Typically the best value/easiest to purchase are Radio Shack preamps. There's a model that sells for around $45. In an older catalog I have it has a 15-1108 model number. Don't buy any preamp that costs less than this, most have too many limitations.
Slightly better UHF preamps are models by Channel Master and Winegard and the best mail order prices are in the $60 range including shipping. Your local Channel Master/Winegard dealer probably will want $100 for them. You could get a better UHF antenna but I think a preamp is a better first try, I think you're going to be using it no matter what.

I used the zip code for West Bend (53090) at http://antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx ... as your zip code won't bring up the distant Milwaukie stations.

If you're sure that you have the correct direction to Milwaukie look down the antenna boom to see if your antenna is pointed at any trees. I've seen huge inprovements from moving the antenna to a location on the roof so that local tree blockage is not an issue.

 

[roashru]

See post #6 i made here http://www.satelliteguys.us/showpost.php?p=645835 its better than antennaweb for finding distant ota hdtv stations. if you converted the zip code 54956 then entered the information and set it correctly you'll get this page. http://www.2150.com/broadcast/default.asp?latitude=44%2E181094&longitude=%2D88%2E479201&magnetic_north=%2D13%2E25&range=150&sort=distance&show_expired=False&show_construction=False&show_analog=False&show_low_power=False&action=Show+Stations

 

[jjnemoiii]

Thanks to both of you. Lorenzo, I guess maybe I worded my question wrong. I already understand Good analog usually means good digital is available, and have used antennaweb.org and 2150.com many times. I also understand the importance of height, and being outside, which I am. What I am seeking is mostly an opinion. I love the preamp suggestion, but am not sure about if I want to add it. Here is the heart of my question - How much improvement do you think that it will bring, and how much for a second antenna, more height, any other ideas, Generally speaking? Right now my picture is barely there, but I can tell that it is there (unwatchable though!). I do not "need" the second market, but would like it if I can reasonably get it. From a barely there signal, do you think, on average, that I have a long way to go to get a good, reliable signal? Also, I have heard of some people who add a second, similar antenna, pointed in the same direction, 1/2 wavelength apart, to gather more signal, using equal lengths of cable to a reversed splitter to join the signal together. any comments, experience, ideas are GREATLY appreciated!
Thank You again, Joe

 

[jjnemoiii]

Also, any recommendations on a small antenna that I would put up higher? Have heard bad things about 4-bay types because of weight and/or wind load...
Joe

 

[Carl B]

If you want to stay w/ the same antenna size and you aren't currently using a pre-amp, get a CM 7777 pre-amp and see what happens. There is a chance that those 49% signals will lock. What does antennaweb say you need for an antenna for the channels you can lock, but want to?

Stacking a pair of your current type of antenna might be useful if your problem were primarily multi-path, but I'm guessing it is just signal strength. For signal strength issues, stacking will be of limited value. A pre-amp would do much more, but what you really need for signal strength is a bigger antenna. To avoid wind load issues, consider a CM 4248 or a Winegard PR-9032 or a Antennas Direct XG91. These are all high gain Yagi type antennas that will way out perform your current antenna and may not even need to be amplified.

 

[Lorenzo]

I think increased height will give you the most improvement. I don't think you have much chance of success down low no matter what you do. I wouldn't bother getting a second antenna and combining it with your original antenna. Combiners (splitters) at UHF eat up some of the theoretical 3 db gain when stacking two antennas. Getting a yagi twice as long as your current antenna should be better than two stacked antennas of your current type. I think bottom line at your distance you'll need a great antenna with a preamp up in the air. I've seen situations where the UHF analog was very good but there still wasn't enough digital to give reliable reception.

 

[roashru]

If you want to stack or combine ota tv antennas make sure to use low loss foam insulated 300 ohm 20 gauge wire then connect a 300 ohm to 75 ohm transformer (soldering 300 ohm wire to transformer recommended) to a f male to f male adapter ( do not want coax use at this end) into the tv amplifier outside part if needed then output to rg6 quad shield coax if you can afford it to the house. also make sure to waterproof seal the wire and cable connections. All of those multi bay antennas are independent bow-tie antennas 300 ohm connected.