I just purchased a new antenna from Solid Signal, Winegard HD 7698P. This was to replaced an old damaged unit that worked well until it broke. This was a recommendation from SS according to my Zip Code. My question is about signal strengths because I can direct this 20 to 30 degrees and get the almost the same signal either way. I live about 50-60 miles from the towers and up in the mountains with little tree obstruction, I do have a rather tall tree in the path but it was never a problem before. The only thing I did was to relocate the mast on the roof and it is now about 4 feet lower that the original spot. I didn't know if this would have much of an effect. I am getting about 65-72% on 3.1 and all the NBC affiliates. Of course all the Spanish stations are at 95%! The CBS station comes in around 85-90% and it is in the same area as 3.1. I have a cheap amplifier on the system that actually increases around 3% but no more. I really thought this antenna would work well because it pixelates really bad and I lose the signal. I have a rerally simple system and do get Dish but "moved" so I don't get locals on the the Dish. Any recommendations on boosting the signal a bit? Thanks
New Antenna Signals
- Thread starter shodobe
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Would you post your TVfool or better still your zipcode? You know where you live and what broadcasts you receive we don't. Do you know what model antenna you replaced with the Winegard? Is 3.1 actually broadcast on VHF ch.3, if so that antenna won't work it starts at ch.7.
My zip is 95255 I don't know what was replaced, looks like an old RS. My NBC station out of Sacramento is KCRA. I did disconnect one of the cables going to another TV so I only split my signal twice. It picked up 6% on the other two so I am now at 85%. Much better but would like to get reception at 3 TVs.
Elevation on TV fool makes quite a difference in reception so I would suggest trying several locations for your antenna. Ch3 is used in your area but 3.1 is broadcast on ch 35. If ch3 is important to you you will need an antenna for low VHF channels but for the few channels that are available to you your Winegard is probably as good as it will get. A Winegard pre amp may give a little more signal to get that third TV.
If you are on one of the 4000 foot peaks in the area then you are in a dream location with 25+ stations available. Go down a 1000 feet and it looks like a nightmare to get anything more than a few locals. If TV Fool shows them to be LOS then you are really high up and that antenna should do great. Connect the antenna to one TV directly with no splitters or dish equipment in between if possible to see what kind of signal loss you are dealing with. If the problem is corrected then you know a quality preamp or possibly a distribution amp may be required. What kind of cable lengths do you have from the antenna to the splitter and out to the the three TVs?
I am at 4500 feet so I do have a good LOS. I had looked at a Motorola pre-amp that was recommended, can't remember the model though. It was bi-directional and got quite a few good reviews. So with a pre-amp you put this before the splitters? Actually I pick up almost 50+ channels but only want the Big 4, NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX. I think I have about less than 100 feet of cable. All I want is to kick up the signal about 5% because I lose signal at 65% or less, drives my wife nuts when she is watching Golf! When I took one TV off the splitter I did kick it up to 80% so right there the more splits you have the less signal you get.
The TV Fool reports I pulled up didn't come close to 50 channels so you do have a good reception area. Usually Winegard and Channel Master are the recommended preamps, I don't remember Motorola showing up in recommendations but Winegard and Channel Master rarely are cheap ones.
