How do I solve this problem

[TomCat4680]

I live on a busy road when traffic gets too heavy my distant stations drop out (multipath interference I think its called?). Theoretically, what's the best way to fix this: increase the height of the antenna? get a higher gain antenna? get a higher powered pre-amp?

 

[TheKrell]

Antenna height is always good. Get above that darn traffic! If this is multipath, a higher-gain amp is definitely not going to help. A bigger, more directional antenna, might also help.

 

[TomCat4680]

Antenna height is always good. Get above that darn traffic! If this is multipath, a higher-gain amp is definitely not going to help. A bigger, more directional antenna, might also help.

Well the antenna already is above the traffic, its on a flat second story roof. Not high enough though I guess.

 

[boba]

What is your zipcode which stations are giving problems?

 

[Mr Tony]

He's trying to get Detroit stations from near Flint (from his previous postings and PM's)

 

[TomCat4680]

What is your zipcode which stations are giving problems?

I'm in 48458 and I want to get the Detroit stations (45-60 miles away).

 

[boba]

From Icebergs answer You would probably be best getting a high gain antenna and a signal amplifier and setting it up as a separate system aimed for Detroit. I doubt your problem is multipath or traffic related, more than likely distance related and direction the antenna is aimed.

 

[boba]

Go to TV Fool and see where your broadcast towers are located. Second story height select 25 ft.

 

[No Static At All]

I suspect he U-75 antenna is inadequate for Detroit by running a generic TV FOOL report for Mount Morris. The HDP-269 preamp should be suffiicient for 1-2 TV's.

Are you trying to get FOX 7 from Detroit? If not, you can still get by with a UHF only antenna. Otherwise you will need either a 7-51 combo antenna, or better yet, separates.

Also, are you using a rotator?

 

[harshness]

Unless you can see the distant towers from your roof, there's little hope of reliable reception.

UHF doesn't bend very well.

 

[Jim5506]

UHF bends, just less than VHF - line of sight is not necessary

Single edge reception is very reliable, it's 2 edge and beyond that becomes difficult.

 

[boba]

I'll stand with my original answer. Put up a high gain antenna with a high gain pre amp aimed at the Detroit stations. Don't try to combine it with your other antenna. The broadcasts you are looking at are basically 180 degrees apart. On GOOD TV ANTENNAS the back of the antenna is designed to reject signals to improve reception from the main reception (front) of the antenna. Most of what you are trying to receive is 2 edge reception which means good expensive equipment not the local Wal Mart or Home Depot sold antennas.

 

[TomCat4680]

I'll stand with my original answer. Put up a high gain antenna with a high gain pre amp aimed at the Detroit stations. Don't try to combine it with your other antenna. The broadcasts you are looking at are basically 180 degrees apart. On GOOD TV ANTENNAS the back of the antenna is designed to reject signals to improve reception from the main reception (front) of the antenna. Most of what you are trying to receive is 2 edge reception which means good expensive equipment not the local Wal Mart or Home Depot sold antennas.

I already have my old antenna aimed at Detroit. I can get Flint stations on the satellite so its pointless to get them OTA.

 

[boba]

Are you trying to get Detroit wiyh a Chicken Shack U75 antenna that I see in an earlier post?

 

[TomCat4680]

Are you trying to get Detroit wiyh a Chicken Shack U75 antenna that I see in an earlier post?

Yes and it works most of the time.

 

[boba]

Yes "most of the time" You asked the question because most of the time wasn't good enough, the same is true of the antenna it isn't good enough.

 

[TomCat4680]

Yes "most of the time" You asked the question because most of the time wasn't good enough, the same is true of the antenna it isn't good enough.

Yeah well what I'm trying to figure out is theoretically, will a higher gain antenna actually make the interference from the heavy traffic go away or not? If it won't I don't want to waste the money and time putting it up. Or should I just get a higher pole, a stronger pre-amp, etc.?

 

[No Static At All]

We need a TV FOOL report to give the best advice, but 50-60 miles is a stretch for the U75-R to provide reliable reception. Here is what I would do based on the generic TV FOOL report.

-If you don't care about FOX 7, replace the U75R with a 91XG.

-If you want FOX 7 either get

1. A combo 7-51 antenna-Winegard 7698 or
2. Separate antennas, 91XG & Wingard 1713 (Best option for UHF reliabilty)

The HDP-269 preamp is fine for 1-2 TV's.

 

[TomCat4680]

We need a TV FOOL report to give the best advice, but 50-60 miles is a stretch for the U75-R to provide reliable reception. Here is what I would do based on the generic TV FOOL report.

-If you don't care about FOX 7, replace the U75R with a 91XG.

-If you want FOX 7 either get

1. A combo 7-51 antenna-Winegard 7698 or
2. Separate antennas, 91XG & Wingard 1713 (Best option for UHF reliabilty)

The HDP-269 preamp is fine for 1-2 TV's.

Its not Fox 7 its Fox 2. 7 is its actual channel and 2 is its virtual channel/old analog number. In Detroit virtual 7 (actual 41) is ABC.
Anyways yes I want to get WJBK, WDIV, WXYZ, WMYD, WPXD, WKBD and WWJ

 

[No Static At All]

Its not Fox 7 its Fox 2. 7 is its actual channel and 2 is its virtual channel/old analog number. In Detroit virtual 7 (actual 41) is ABC.
Anyways yes I want to get WJBK, WDIV, WXYZ, WMYD, WPXD, WKBD and WWJ

Thanks for the clarification Tomcat,

Is Fox 2 the only channel experiencing dropouts?