looking for antenna

[robfwb]

I live about 60 miles from the nearest TV transmitter and with a cheap amplified piece of crap antenna, i can pull in two stations. possibly due to PC QRM.

What antennas would you suggest to me that will work on indoor (due to the fact we have frequent lightning) and will pull in the basics and some DX.

I'm looking at this:

TV Antenna Source Indoor/Outdoor TV antennas & acc Choice Select 5002 Digital Antenna

except the price is expensive. the range is 60 miles though.

-Rob

 

[roashru]

Oh no panel antennas from my experience are not good at all for long distances. Can you rig up an attic antenna or are you stuck with an apartment type setup. A multi bow-tie or a Yagi antenna would do better than that but they are bigger.

 

[robfwb]

anything good from that site? or should i go to radio shack?

-Rob

 

[Voyager6]

Check out this site for OTA antennas. For your location, I think the 91XG is your best bet. You should probably add a pre-amp but you can add that later if your SS is still low.

 

[robfwb]

we have some VHF stations and need VHF coverage. (a 9 and an 8)

-Rob

 

[Don_M]

Check out this site for OTA antennas. For your location, I think the 91XG is your best bet. You should probably add a pre-amp but you can add that later if your SS is still low.

I'll second this recommendation. The 91XG and the Channel Master 4228 are as good as it gets for the UHF side.

we have some VHF stations and need VHF coverage. (a 9 and an 8)

Fringe reception situations like yours are best tackled with separate UHF and VHF antennas. In addition to the 91XG, get a Winegard YA-1713 VHF-Hi antenna using a mast-mounted pre-amp like the Channel Master 7777 to combine and amplify the signals.

Together, this stuff costs quite a bit more than that panel antenna, but the performance will be magnitudes better!

 

[msadvertising]

I'll second this recommendation. The 91XG and the Channel Master 4228 are as good as it gets for the UHF side.



Fringe reception situations like yours are best tackled with separate UHF and VHF antennas. In addition to the 91XG, get a Winegard YA-1713 VHF-Hi antenna using a mast-mounted pre-amp like the Channel Master 7777 to combine and amplify the signals.

Together, this stuff costs quite a bit more than that panel antenna, but the performance will be magnitudes better!

Do what Don suggested. If you're putting the antenna in the attic (good idea), be aware of large metal objects like your water heater, air-handler, etc. in the direction of your towers and avoid them. Also, aluminum siding or metal-backed insulation, if you have it, will be a problem.

 

[Don_M]

If you're putting the antenna in the attic (good idea), be aware of large metal objects like your water heater, air-handler, etc. in the direction of your towers and avoid them. Also, aluminum siding or metal-backed insulation, if you have it, will be a problem.

Good stuff! Ditto for a steel roof. Asphalt shingles are generally OK, but watch for aluminum flashing around vent pipes. Also, mount both antennas above rain gutters. You want anything metal at least 2 feet away from the UHF antenna and 4 feet away from VHF-Hi antlers.

 

[robfwb]

how easy is it to install these style antennas? were about 60 miles to panama city, 30 miles pensacola and 40 miles to alabama.

i can hear the audio on my CC radio of 3,4,5, and 10

i'm looking at some non directional winegard antenna im going to stick in my computer room until i can get an outdoor mast.

-rob

 

[Jim5506]

Don't waste your money on a "non-directional". They aren't very helpful outside 20-25 miles.

Put the antenna OUTSIDE above the roofline. Attic installs generally cut available signal in half, plus the multipath you get from A/C vents and other stuff in your attic.

Go with the 91XG, YA-1713 and a Channel Master7777 pre-amp to join them together. If that combo can't get you signal it can't be 'got' for a reasonable price.

Give yourself a good ground connection. Correct grounding will reduce your chances of lightning strikes.

 

[jimjo3298]

i've been using this 100" boom length uhf for my HD for over 2 yrs. have never had hd breakup. I can pickup 2 pbs channels from red Oak Iowa which is over 94 miles away. I'm in fremont about 40 miles from Omaha. AntennaCraft MXU59 UHF Antenna Extreme Deep Fringe Maxus 59 Electronic Elements Directional TV Outdoor Television Signal Rooftop Local Off-Air Digital HDTV Reception Aerial, BLUE ZONE, Part # MXU-59: Oak Entertainment Centers and Home Office Furnitur

 

[robfwb]

i've been discussing this with the group on the Skyscanner satellite radio network IRC (see signature) i'm going to possibly get a medium length antenna. to be used inside until i can get an outdoor mast.

you folks are welcome to join the chat. it's fun and interesting.

thanks for the input.
-Rob

 

[ziggy29]

Fringe reception situations like yours are best tackled with separate UHF and VHF antennas. In addition to the 91XG, get a Winegard YA-1713 VHF-Hi antenna using a mast-mounted pre-amp like the Channel Master 7777 to combine and amplify the signals.

Together, this stuff costs quite a bit more than that panel antenna, but the performance will be magnitudes better!

This is exactly my setup (also about 60 hilly miles away from the towers) and I can vouch for it. Actually, I don't even need the CM7777 to get solid reception even on stations with TVFool listings in the -101 to -108 dBm range most of the time; some of these regularly show 80-90% signal strength without a pre-amp. Fortunately I don't need low VHF so the 91XG/YA-1713 combination works well. If you look around you can probably pick up both of these antennas for about $100-110 before shipping and/or tax. IMO, it might be the best, low-cost solution for deep fringe into one direction if low VHF isn't needed.

 

[Don_M]

This is exactly my setup (also about 60 hilly miles away from the towers) and I can vouch for it. Actually, I don't even need the CM7777 to get solid reception even on stations with TVFool listings in the -101 to -108 dBm range most of the time; some of these regularly show 80-90% signal strength without a pre-amp. Fortunately I don't need low VHF so the 91XG/YA-1713 combination works well. If you look around you can probably pick up both of these antennas for about $100-110 before shipping and/or tax. IMO, it might be the best, low-cost solution for deep fringe into one direction if low VHF isn't needed.

I'm about to order the '1713, even though I'm only 23 miles from Denver's major transmitters, because A) we use an attic setup; B) it's only about 20 bucks more than the AntennaCraft Y5-7-13 for twice the gain (>10 dB vs. 7 dB); and C) I'm a little concerned that if FCC's theoretical coverage maps turn out to be wildly optimistic for VHF-Hi, there's gonna be a BIG run on good VHF rigs like this one starting in late February. And even if the coverage maps turn out to be fairly accurate, a lot of people who put up UHF-only antennas for OTA HDTV may be in for a nasty surprise when they lose signals from stations that are moving back to VHF.
So, I'm gettin' one now!

 

[yobomba]

I have the Terk HDTVo antenna and I am 75 miles away from the broadcst towers and I get all of the channels with it mounted in my attic with no problem. I don't even have to use the ac amp that comes with it unless I go directly to my tv. I am pushing the antenna through the Dish 722 VIP with no amp assistance.