Does the OTA need to be grounded or is the ground from the receiver enough? Does it improve the signal in any way the fact that it is grounded?
Sorry For the easy question.
Sorry For the easy question.
OTA need to be grounded?
- Thread starter blanquitoman1984
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Your OTA antenna should be grounded. Grounding does affect signal in a positive way by draining stray Rf signals and reducing noise. Grounding is much more important in regards to HD signals. Good HD comes from the best, uncorrupted signal possible. While strong signals would not normally show any difference, weak or marginal signals can be corrupted resulting in a less than great picture.
Ask any Ham radio operator if grounding makes a difference in performance of an antenna and they will tell you "YES"!
Ask any Ham radio operator if grounding makes a difference in performance of an antenna and they will tell you "YES"!
I tried the antenna before grounding it and the signal strength is between 80-100. The strength would probably be better. Is there anyway to improve the signal even more?
Grounding per the NEC and any local codes is most important if you want to protect your investment from the insurance standpoint as well !! NO practical ground will protect your system from a direct lightning strike, or even a close one that causes a strong EMP. But if that strike/pulse enters your house via the antenna or downlead and your system is found to be ungrounded, your could also find yourself uninsured!
Your current strength seems adequate, assuming a scale of 100 max. You can increase signal strength at the receiver with a properly chosen antenna, fine-tuning its direction (i.e., using a rotator), adding a pre-amp, and/or using the best leadwire and accessories. If you are not experiencing excessive pixelation or drop-outs (occasional is to be expected) then you probably don't need any changes to your current system. In other words, if it's working OK now, then why mess with it? Adding a pre-amp in your situation is likely to cause more problems than it would solve...
Your current strength seems adequate, assuming a scale of 100 max. You can increase signal strength at the receiver with a properly chosen antenna, fine-tuning its direction (i.e., using a rotator), adding a pre-amp, and/or using the best leadwire and accessories. If you are not experiencing excessive pixelation or drop-outs (occasional is to be expected) then you probably don't need any changes to your current system. In other words, if it's working OK now, then why mess with it? Adding a pre-amp in your situation is likely to cause more problems than it would solve...
I have never tried an attic antenna, but I think if you used an outdoor antenna it would probably be better. I have the biggest outdoor antenna they sell at THE HOME DEPOT. The signal is very strong.:up
When I moved from analog to digital I moved the antenna from the roof into the attic to keep it out of storms since the reduction in signal strength wasn't enough to hurt the digital signal (analog is worse but I don't care). Anyway I just threw it in the attic but I've wondered if it mattered to ground it.
What about static electricity build up on the OTA antenna that is mounted in the attic? Will that cause some problems of some kind?
Lots of devices can build up static electricity and have no way of dissipating it.
You could use RG6 with a ground feeder and ground it at your receiver (maybe ?).
You could use RG6 with a ground feeder and ground it at your receiver (maybe ?).
