High Gain UHF TV Antenna ideas

[k4otl]

So... my own OTA situation at my house is pretty great, I'm ~25 miles from the local transmitters, and get ~40 channels. I like my free TV and run split UHF/VHF antennas, mainly because I have a 13' monster from the 80s that works fantastic on VHF, it's on a rotor I use to pick up out-of-market TV and FM stations.

At my Dad's it's a different story: He is actually closer (by mileage) to the transmitters than I am, but there's a 3000' ASL mountain in the way. He can fairly reliably get 3 stations (2 very high power UHF and a VHF) but there's 1 UHF that's not always reliable, and 1 UHF that's just out of reach it seems (it'll flash on scan but never has locked in). My father is not keen on antennas all over the place (I am ), as long as he can't readily see them he's fine with it. Right now he has a small high-VHF beam that picks up the VHF station fine, and a Range Experts "Insane Gain UHF only" UHF ONLY VERS INSANE GAIN Outdoor HD TV Antenna
antenna that I put in the attic. For VHF if I turn that antenna 10-20 degrees toward the south I pick up WLOS from Asheville, but then I lose the local VHF . This (back to UHF) antenna (and it's attic location) greatly helped the reliability of the UHF stations, but I'm looking for more if possible. Tbh my father doesn't watch much OTA other than news occasionally, I tend to want to watch COZI and Weigel channels when I'm visiting.

Does anyone have firsthand knowledge of the Channel Master CM4228HD versus the Range Experts antenna(s)? I thought about experimenting with the 4228HD in the attic.

 

[cpalmer2k]

I have an older version of the Channel master 8 bay antenna and it performs very well in my area. That having been said, if there is a literal mountain in the way you may or may not have success with it.

If you could go to https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php and post the link to the report for your dad's address it would help us to give you better advice. That will give you an idea of exactly what you can receive under ideal situations.

It will even let you play with different heights to see at what level the antenna needs to be in some cases. For example, to get out of the "poor" signal range in my area I know from Rabbitears that my antenna has to be at least 22 feet high. Attics also hurt reception in most cases. You'd stand a much better chance outdoors, but the report will tell all.

 

[jorgek]

If possible try tilting the ant pointed at the mountain skyward about 10 degrees. Sometimes it works, no gauranty.

 

[k4otl]

https://www.rabbitears.info/s/2390735

So my Dads elev is ~2400', so not as insurmountable as initially made out to be. Note in the report that WJHL and WCYB tend to be very reliable, even with the small combo outdoor antennas (sidebar: WCYB was low-VHF till a few years ago, at that time I could pick it up with a split tail of coax onto a piece of HVAC duct grating, we never had problems with low-VHF). WEMT is generally reliable, WKPT is receivable >60% of the time, but is defnitely not as reliable. WAPK-CD is the one I'd like to receive, the report says it should be stronger than WKPT but it definitely isn't. WLOS is receivable but is a little too off axis and far away to pick it up along with WJHL
WLFG on UHF would be nice to have, but also too off-axis. If I get WLOS I can do w/o WLFG (GET TV!)

 

[cpalmer2k]

Not going to lie, that is a pretty bad reception report. Almost any setup is going to have issues from time to time under those conditions. If I were going to try that I honestly would look at something like this Televes 149884, DAT BOSS MIX LR Repack Ready! Antenna W/5G Filtered Pr from Televes myself, and I'd definitely get it up outdoors.

I honestly wouldn't waste any effort trying to get WLOS. They're supposed to move their transmitter from that location anyway, so if/when that happens they likely would be out of the picture.

 

[Triride44]

Before I moved ten years ago, I used a CM-4228 and it was fantastic. I originally purchased it about 1997. Very heavy and made from steel. Made by Channel Master in North Carolina. That CM went bankrupt, after losing a contract to make Satellite Dishes about 2000.

I now have the new CM4228HD. I am very disappointed with it. And cannot recommend it. Two other CM antenna that I use and are happy with are the CM-2016 and CM-2018.

 

[k4otl]

Not going to lie, that is a pretty bad reception report. Almost any setup is going to have issues from time to time under those conditions. If I were going to try that I honestly would look at something like this Televes 149884, DAT BOSS MIX LR Repack Ready! Antenna W/5G Filtered Pr from Televes myself, and I'd definitely get it up outdoors.

I honestly wouldn't waste any effort trying to get WLOS. They're supposed to move their transmitter from that location anyway, so if/when that happens they likely would be out of the picture.

Didn't know about WLOS moving, that stinks. Looked up new TX location, it's 2000' lower! I can get it from my house currently as well when I turn the rotor that way.
As far as reception, it's better than one would think looking at the report, and Holston Mtn is less than 15 miles away, but the dang mountain in the way doesn't help. 1 edge diffraction for sure. If it were my place I'd have it covered in antennas and Ku/C band dishes. I may sneak a Ku dish to supplement OTA.