Las Vegas area OTA availability

[comfortably_numb]

I'm planning to move to the Las Vegas area next year. Vegas is my "happy place," and my daughter will be going to college in Southern California, so I'll be within driving distance of her.

Anyways, I've started looking at homes and rentals out there and beginning to think about moving my dishes and antennas.

Looking at the Rabbitears listings for Las Vegas, it seems that many of their OTA stations are VHF (3 of the Big 4, as a matter of fact) and they also have at least one VHF-LO.

RabbitEars.Info

RabbitEars, where you can learn all about local, over-the-air TV channels.

www.rabbitears.info

This is uncharted territory for me, as Kansas City's OTA stations are all UHF. Will my RCA ANT751R work for all of these stations?

Also curious as to why there is so much VHF in Las Vegas? Is it because of the relative proximity to Los Angeles?

 

[TheKrell]

This is uncharted territory for me, as Kansas City's OTA stations are all UHF.

Just get an antenna with bigger elements and you're done.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Just get an antenna with bigger elements and you're done.

Bigger than my RCA ANT751R?

 

[TheKrell]

Bigger than my RCA ANT751R?

Yes. According to Solid Signal, that starts at high VHF. So some channels should still be receivable and maybe even all if you have LOS to their transmitter. But to get that low VHF channel, you really should get a bigger antenna.

 

[TheKrell]

RF channel 2 is as low as they get! Maybe you could just ignore that one or stream it if possible.

 

[comfortably_numb]

RF channel 2 is as low as they get! Maybe you could just ignore that one or stream it if possible.

Yeah, I was surprised to see that. Far be it from me to pass on a challenge, though

 

[osu1991]

Vegas does have a large variety of OTA stations/subchannels. I can’t get everything reliably in our condo, but I’m currently limited to indoor antennas. It’s been a year or more since I last tried. We are a couple miles off the strip along Valley View Blvd with thick walls and terra-cotta roofs, so not very conducive to indoor reception.

Most of the transmitters are out towards Henderson on Black Mountain.

When you’re looking at homes, I would check for availability of CenturyLink Fiber otherwise you’ll have the choice of Cox and slow CenturyLink 3-6M DSL.

 

[comfortably_numb]

We are a couple miles off the strip along Valley View Blvd with thick walls and terra-cotta roofs, so not very conducive to indoor reception

I'll buy you a beer once I'm moved in

 

[osu1991]

RF 2 used to be NBC, but if I remember correct, Sinclair moved it to 22 and put the diginets on 2 a few years ago

 

[Jim5506]

Make the location of TV transmitters a part of your consideration when you buy or rent.

You do not want to be behind a mountain that blocks your OTA access to a favorite network.

You also do not want to be too close to transmitters 4-8 miles is good but closer that 3 can cause reflections of strong signals which plays havoc with ATSC signals.

Most of the majors are directly south of downtown by about 15 miles which begins to get marginal for indoor antennas but works well for normal outdoor antennas with maybe only one 100 inch set of elements at the rear.

Like this : Winegard FM VHF UHF Traditional Platinum 40 Mile HDTV Antenna (HD7000R) from Solid Signal.

 

[N5XZS]

The reason Vegas use VHF lo and hi is due to rugged terrain and using longer wavelengths to get over hills and mountains.

 

[waylew]

Hey,run what you brung when you get there,if it don't work then you get to start playing.

 

[dishdude]

Vegas is a pretty small market with a flat terrain so you shouldn't have any issue with OTA reception. I'd be more concerned with what area you'd be living in. I like Summerlin and Mountain's Edge.

 

[Jim5506]

Mountains all around Vegas. If you're down near Boulder City many signals are 1 edge. In the metro area all signals are one edge.

 

[TheKrell]

Can someone explain to me what one-edge means? I thought it was over-the-horizon but apparently not.

 

[primestar31]

Can someone explain to me what one-edge means? I thought it was over-the-horizon but apparently not.

The signal bounces OFF "one edge" of something before getting to you.

 

[primestar31]

IF you have issues receiving the LOW vhf station, just buy a FM radio antenna. That'll receive LOW vhf just fine. https://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/30-2460/outdoor-fm-antenna-four-element/dp/97W3565

Buy an HLSJ (NOT a UVSJ!) combiner, and you can combine it with your other antenna. NOTE: this is not a simple splitter, but is frequency specific. The HIGH side will go to at least 600mhz (channel 36): SEPARATOR / JOINER HIGH LOW VHF FREQUENCY OFF AIR CABLETRONIX HLSJ 736902313442 | eBay

 

[osu1991]

Vegas is a pretty small market with a flat terrain so you shouldn't have any issue with OTA reception. I'd be more concerned with what area you'd be living in. I like Summerlin and Mountain's Edge.

yep, Summerlin is nice. I've been watching homes there as I've thought about doing a vacation rental there if I don't find another home here in Broken Arrow to add as a rental.

I used to go out to the BJ's in Summerlin for lunch whenever there, but Lazy Dog has become the go to lunch spot now for the last year or so.

 

[comfortably_numb]

yep, Summerlin is nice. I've been watching homes there as I've thought about doing a vacation rental there if I don't find another home here in Broken Arrow to add as a rental.

I used to go out to the BJ's in Summerlin for lunch whenever there, but Lazy Dog has become the go to lunch spot now for the last year or so.

Have you had the Fat Baby at Amano? It's amazing. And their pizza is excellent also.

 

[osu1991]

Have you had the Fat Baby at Amano? It's amazing. And their pizza is excellent also.

I'll have to add it to the list. I'm rarely there by myself anymore, so I don't go out much by myself. I usually go out and visit my dad and stepmom when they're out there. She has health issues that affect what/where she can eat, so venues don't change much. California Pizza in the Mirage on days they play poker, Lazy Dog, Millers Ale House, McMullans Irish Pub are the main ones, along with they have to have their morning Starbucks. Ellis Island used to have good fish and chips, but haven't been there in a while, like BJ's its fallen off the list.