Help with Picking out Antenna TV FOOL report included

[bpete]

HI Everyone,
I'm interested in picking up a PBS station about 50 miles away (WGVK 52.1). My TV Fool is atached:

Is it possible for me to pick this station up. Any suggestions on an antenna. I already have an antenna mounted just above my roof off a tower which is bolted to the side of my house. Since it is in the opposite direction as many of my local stations, will I have to have a dedicated antenna for it pointed in its direction, or will a high powered antenna pointed NE still Pick up local stations broadcast from the SE. Thanks a lot.

 

[boba]

HI Everyone,
I'm interested in picking up a PBS station about 50 miles away (WGVK 52.1). My TV Fool is atached:

Is it possible for me to pick this station up. Any suggestions on an antenna. I already have an antenna mounted just above my roof off a tower which is bolted to the side of my house. Since it is in the opposite direction as many of my local stations, will I have to have a dedicated antenna for it pointed in its direction, or will a high powered antenna pointed NE still Pick up local stations broadcast from the SE. Thanks a lot.

I would say be content with WNIT for PBS WGVK is broadcast on low VHF channel 5 with a 2 edge rating. With the rest of your broadcasters being UHF a UVSJ signal combiner could be used. What are you using now for an antenna?

 

[Jim5506]

I would say that with a VHF-low antenna pointed NE, you should have a pretty good chance of stable reception of the station you want.

The lower the frequency of the station (it's on channel 5 RF) the better the signal refracts over the horizon.

Growing up we lived in an area where our NBC station's channel 8 transmitter was over 80 miles away and with a rooftop antenna everybody in town was able to pull in a nice crisp analog picture from that station 24/7 (of course they did not broadcast 24 hours but that is beside the point).

With a NM of 17.7dB at 25 ft, you should be OK.

 

[Peter Parker]

Perhaps but I have not spoken to anyone that reports better reception on VHF lo since the transition. I am not sure what the problem is but I suspect a combination of interference and lower power at those frequencies. still i hope you are right about this.

 

[danristheman]

hi there bpete you are not to far away from me welcome to satelliteguys.

Dan Rose

 

[boba]

If you want to try for this station Solid Signal lists a Winegard HD5030 VHF low for $56.99.

 

[bpete]

If you want to try for this station Solid Signal lists a Winegard HD5030 VHF low for $56.99.

Would I replace my existing antenna or install the winegard in addition to it? Will I need (or will it help) to get an amp or any other equipment. Thanks a lot

 

[boba]

Would I replace my existing antenna or install the winegard in addition to it? Will I need (or will it help) to get an amp or any other equipment. Thanks a lot

What is your existing antenna?

 

[bpete]

What is your existing antenna?

Not really sure...its really old...looks like lots of the tines are broken...it could really probably be replaced. Would i be well served to install some type of combo UHF/VHF antenna or is it best to use a specialized VHF like the one listed above when attempting to tune into marginal VHF signals?

 

[boba]

Would I replace my existing antenna or install the winegard in addition to it? Will I need (or will it help) to get an amp or any other equipment. Thanks a lot

The Winegard is in addition to your existing antenna, you are looking to get just the one PBS station using VHF low CH5. Now how bad is your existing antenna?? I can't see it but I wouldn't want to wait for three feet of snow to fall if I was going to replace it. Seeing your main broadcasters are all UHF I would suggest From Solid Signal an Aspen Eagle DTV2BUHF 2 bay antenna $14.99. The 2 antenna are combined using a Pico Macom UVSJ $1.79 also at Solid Signal. I am using Solid Signal seeing they have every thing on there web site there are other good sources.

I'd hold off on the amp until after you replace the equipment you decide to replace you probably won't need it.

 

[bpete]

Thanks for the suggestions Boba. I was lookng at the Winegard HD8200U Heavy Duty Platinum VHF/UHF/FM HDTV Antenna on solid signal. Do you think that the combination you suggested would provide a better signal (for both VHF and UHF) than this antenna?[h=1][/h]

 

[boba]

Thanks for the suggestions Boba. I was lookng at the Winegard HD8200U Heavy Duty Platinum VHF/UHF/FM HDTV Antenna on solid signal. Do you think that the combination you suggested would provide a better signal (for both VHF and UHF) than this antenna?[h=1][/h]

That's a $200 gamble to point it NE at one PBS station and hope that your main stations will come in from the backside of the antenna. That is a good antenna for fringe reception, just can't tell you for sure what it will do at your location

 

[Jim5506]

Look at the Antennacraft Y526, less than $40 for channels 2-5.

 

[bpete]

Here is a picture of what i currently have for an antenna(s). there are two sets of wires coming down which have been simply combined using wire nuts. The quality of the wires is pretty bad...looks like one may have been struck by lightening as most of the copper filaments are fried. One of my issues with my current antenna is that it makes a ton of noise when it gets windy. The tower is fastened to our house right above our bedroom window and I think the tower and the bracket to the house transmit the noise right into the house..:-/ (Has anyone heard of this issue/know a way to fix it...I was thinking of sandwiching some rubber in between the bracket and the house) It looks like some of the elements are broken and flopping around. If I got up there with a ladder and removed those elements would that be detrimental to the current antenna? Is it worth trying to fix up with current VHF setup with new wires (it has the flat brown double wire), maybe a proper combiner or should I just put up a new one. Thanks for the advice.

 

[boba]

WOW you definitely are a novice. You have 2 antenna not one the small rectangular is about the equivalent of the Aspen Eagle UHF antenna. The larger one is a VHF only antenna about the equivalent of the Winegard, in fact I think it is a Winegard from the front elements. The cable you are describing is FLAT LEAD 300OHM and hasn't been used in about 10 years. The plastic insulation failed in sunlight and ended up as you describe breaking off the actual copper wire. Just replacing the flat lead and using a UVSJ to replace the wire nuts would probably improve your reception. From the age I would strongly suggest new antenna and new RG6 cable asap before winter weather shuts down outside work. Making connections and tightening bolts is no fun with frozen fingers.
Replacing the antennas will probably quiet them down also.

 

[bpete]

You got me...I'm definitely a novice..but I'm learning.... Should the UVSJ be used inside or outdoors up on the tower? If I choose to just replace the wires, what type should I use...do they make UVSJ connectors for non-coax connectors? Thanks a lot

 

[boba]

You got me...I'm definitely a novice..but I'm learning.... Should the UVSJ be used inside or outdoors up on the tower? If I choose to just replace the wires, what type should I use...do they make UVSJ connectors for non-coax connectors? Thanks a lot

As stated in the previous post RG6 coax I doubt if you could find anything besides coax so that also answers the UVSJ question (UHF VHF Signal Joiner) Preferably the UVSJ would be near the antenna so you only need 1 cable down to the house but it can be joined in the house if you want to bring 2 cables inside.

 

[bpete]

Thanks again for the help. I ordered the aspen eagle UHF antenna for the time being. My new plan is remove both the VHF and UHF antennas from the tower to cut down on audible noise in the house and to mount the new UHF in my attic. My current UHF antenna is "behind" my roof (its on the north side and doesn't stick above roof line and TV transmitters are to the south), so I'm hoping that an attic mount UHF will pickup all the stations that I currently receive. I've been doing some online research and am thinking about setting up a DIY dipole (http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/misc/dipole.html) constructed specifically for channel 5 using this sites plans and then orienting it in my attic towards 44 degrees and then combining to UHF using a UVSJ. Sounds like these DIY antennas can be pretty effective, does anyone have experience using one for picking up a VHF? Think it will work in my situation?

 

[boba]

Thanks again for the help. I ordered the aspen eagle UHF antenna for the time being. My new plan is remove both the VHF and UHF antennas from the tower to cut down on audible noise in the house and to mount the new UHF in my attic. My current UHF antenna is "behind" my roof (its on the north side and doesn't stick above roof line and TV transmitters are to the south), so I'm hoping that an attic mount UHF will pickup all the stations that I currently receive. I've been doing some online research and am thinking about setting up a DIY dipole (http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/misc/dipole.html) constructed specifically for channel 5 using this sites plans and then orienting it in my attic towards 44 degrees and then combining to UHF using a UVSJ. Sounds like these DIY antennas can be pretty effective, does anyone have experience using one for picking up a VHF? Think it will work in my situation?

How much experience do you have building an antenna? Locating in the attic is probably lower than outside mounting. No I don't think your odds are great but it will give you experience and you just might be succesful.