Is this antenna right for me?

[ducttape38]

I have been talking to a local antenna installer and have scheduled him to come out and do an installation for me. He wants to put a Channel Master 3000a antenna on my roof. The antenna is rated as yellow by the CEA. I live in southern Charlotte, and the farthest station from me is 29.7 miles. The specifications on the antenna say that the UHF range is only about 30 miles which seems to be cutting it close. Therefore, will this model antenna be good enough for what I need?

I have been able to pick up one of the furthest stations, 36.1, with only a pair of bunny ears around my house (with a fluctuating signal strength, highest sustained around 55). All my stations on antenna web are yellow UHF, except for PBS (42.1) which is a green, medium multidirectional. For the most part, I was not able to receive PBS with my bunny ears. Even though it is rated as green, the station is only 20 miles away, so should i be able to get it? Maybe I'm thinking too much into this, but I just want to make sure before I make the plunge.

Info on the antenna is: http://www.channelmasterintl.com/terr/SMARTENNA.html. It's rated yellow by CEA.

Thanks

 

[boba]

I've never liked omnidirectional antennas, but he works in your city and hopefully know what works there.

 

[Islandguy43]

I have been talking to a local antenna installer and have scheduled him to come out and do an installation for me. He wants to put a Channel Master 3000a antenna on my roof. The antenna is rated as yellow by the CEA. I live in southern Charlotte, and the farthest station from me is 29.7 miles. The specifications on the antenna say that the UHF range is only about 30 miles which seems to be cutting it close. Therefore, will this model antenna be good enough for what I need?

I have been able to pick up one of the furthest stations, 36.1, with only a pair of bunny ears around my house (with a fluctuating signal strength, highest sustained around 55). All my stations on antenna web are yellow UHF, except for PBS (42.1) which is a green, medium multidirectional. For the most part, I was not able to receive PBS with my bunny ears. Even though it is rated as green, the station is only 20 miles away, so should i be able to get it? Maybe I'm thinking too much into this, but I just want to make sure before I make the plunge.

Info on the antenna is: Channel Master by PCT - Manufacturer of Structured Wiring and Terrestrial / TV Antennas Products. It's rated yellow by CEA.

Thanks

I have seen them around here. I have an indoor unit from Radio Shack which looks like Starship Enterprise and it works quite well.
Indoor VHF/UHF/HDTV Antenna with RF Remote Control - RadioShack.com

Just curious, what is he proposing to charge you for the antenna and install?

 

[ducttape38]

I have seen them around here. I have an indoor unit from Radio Shack which looks like Starship Enterprise and it works quite well.
Indoor VHF/UHF/HDTV Antenna with RF Remote Control - RadioShack.com

Just curious, what is he proposing to charge you for the antenna and install?

He's charging $70 for the antenna and $140 for the install, to take down all the dish equipment that I have, set up the antenna, fool with the wiring, ext. Does that sound about right?

I could only find about two companies in town that would do an OTA install, and this company was the cheapest of the two. I would look into that indoor antenna you suggested, but I'd really like to go with one antenna for the whole house.

 

[Islandguy43]

He's charging $70 for the antenna and $140 for the install, to take down all the dish equipment that I have, set up the antenna, fool with the wiring, ext. Does that sound about right?

I could only find about two companies in town that would do an OTA install, and this company was the cheapest of the two. I would look into that indoor antenna you suggested, but I'd really like to go with one antenna for the whole house.

I suppose that is pretty good price. My HDTV's have qam tuners in them and with the basic broadcast cable I get from TWC with my roadrunner internet; I pick up another 10 or so HD channels that way in addition to the ones on my OTA starship.