OTA with antenna possible?

[Neutron]

Please take a look at this tvfool report and tell me if getting OTA in HD via antenna is a lost cause?

The antenna would be on our roof and I want to say it would be 10-15 feet off the ground.

All I care about are the 4 big Tyler locals in HD

TYLER ABC-KLTV
TYLER CBS-KYTX
TYLER FOX-KFXK
TYLER NBC-KETK

 

[mike123abc]

It looks like they would be easy to get with a standard large antenna (like they sell at lowes or home depot).


Green An indoor "set-top" antenna is probably sufficient to pick up these channels
Yellow An attic-mounted antenna is probably needed to pick up channels at this level and above
Red A roof-mounted antenna is probably needed to pick up channels at this level and above
Grey These channels are very weak and will most likely require extreme measures to try and pick them up

KYTX is the only one on your list in read indicating a roof mounted antenna needed.

 

[Neutron]

So would this antenna work?

Shop RCA Outdoor Digital HDTV VHF UHF FM Yagi Antenna at Lowes.com

I like that the price is affordable for me. I did see one from Antennacraft and I can get it, but with shipping it's $92. AntennaCraft CCS1843 TV Antenna VHF / UHF / FM 54 Element Extreme Fringe Outdoor Television Aerial for Off-Air Local High Definition Digital Signal HDTV Reception, BLUE ZONE, Part # CCS-1843 | With 50' FT Coax Cable: Oak Entertainment Centers and Hom

Would the Antennacraft one be overkill for what I need?

 

[danristheman]

What I use is this one from Antennacraft U-4000 put a booster with adjustble gain on it. Try that model out I am not a fan of arrows tv antennas. Its $40 at radioshack.

Dan Rose

 

[Neutron]

What I use is this one from Antennacraft U-4000 put a booster with adjustble gain on it. Try that model out I am not a fan of arrows tv antennas. Its $40 at radioshack.

Dan Rose

What is the range of that antenna? Also, I don't think I can use an amplifier with a DISH box.

 

[Mr Tony]

sure you can. Most amps are just inline. The ones with a pre-amp have 2 pieces. One goes near the antenna and the other is in the house. Its all inline

I have an amp on my one antenna that is hooked to the 211k

 

[pamajestic]

So would this antenna work?

Shop RCA Outdoor Digital HDTV VHF UHF FM Yagi Antenna at Lowes.com

I like that the price is affordable for me. I did see one from Antennacraft and I can get it, but with shipping it's $92. AntennaCraft CCS1843 TV Antenna VHF / UHF / FM 54 Element Extreme Fringe Outdoor Television Aerial for Off-Air Local High Definition Digital Signal HDTV Reception, BLUE ZONE, Part # CCS-1843 | With 50' FT Coax Cable: Oak Entertainment Centers and Hom

Would the Antennacraft one be overkill for what I need?

I would not recommend either of these antennas, they both have the wide elements needed for VHF-LO, which you do not require. You do however need an antenna capable of VHF-HI as your ABC station is on channel 7, so the UHF only U-4000 is also not a good choice.

Both Antennacraft and Winegard make channel 7-9 antennas that should work good for you.

At 51 - 73 miles you are fringe and deep fringe at 2edge for most of your channels, so the second largest or largest antenna would likely work best. Antennacraft HUB44, HUB55 or Winegard HD7697P or HD7698P. All are available from Solid Signal with the Antennacraft being cheaper, but people report the Winegard are better built with the performance being similar. The Antennacraft are also available from Radio Shack with free shipping to your local store or your house.

A pre-amp will also likely be required, but you can try the antenna first without to see how you make out.

 

[Neutron]

What about the HD Stacker antenna? HD Stacker Best TV Antenna

 

[Bob2011]

What about the HD Stacker antenna? HD Stacker Best TV Antenna

There is no way I would spend $129 for that antenna! The guy has no published performance numbers other than his tuner test. For the same money I could buy two high gain antennas.

It is pretty clear that you are at some elevation based on your TVFool report showing decent signal strength at 60 miles. If you are only going for those four stations then you probably could get away with something like an Antennacraft HBU-33 which can be found for less than $70 shipped online. The other option is to go with a small VHF-hi antenna and combine it with a larger UHF antenna to rule out any issues with that weaker station.

 

[Neutron]

I ended up getting the Antennacraft HBU33 from Summit Source online for $58 shipped. I liked the reviews I read online for this one and decided to try it. I'm really hoping to get the big 4 which is all I care about.

When the guy installed DISH system yesterday I told him I was going to be adding an antenna to pull the locals in HD since DISH doesn't provide Tyler locals in HD. He was surprised that those aren't offered....

He said he installed a diplexor outside and capped the antenna in outlet with a red cap. I'm really hoping it will be as easy as installing the antenna on our roof and connecting the cable to the ant in on the diplexor, then connecting the ant port of the triplexor near the 722k to the OTA module that is being shipped to me.

If I have to get a preamp should I install that behind the triplexor before I connect it to the 722k?

 

[Mr Tony]

There is no way I would spend $129 for that antenna! The guy has no published performance numbers other than his tuner test. For the same money I could buy two high gain antennas.

damn that is spendy. Both my HBU33 and the YA-1713 I didnt pay that much total

 

[Mr Tony]

I ended up getting the Antennacraft HBU33 from Summit Source online for $58 shipped. I liked the reviews I read online for this one and decided to try it. I'm really hoping to get the big 4 which is all I care about.

thats the antenna I use here in Minneapolis. Its a nice antenna but I dont know how well it will work being that far away from the towers. I would have got one that had a huge UHF setup and a small VHF. Since most of your stations are UHF. Thread with a pic of the HBU33
http://www.satelliteguys.us/digital-over-air-ota/250210-my-antenna-has-buddy-now.html

When the guy installed DISH system yesterday I told him I was going to be adding an antenna to pull the locals in HD since DISH doesn't provide Tyler locals in HD. He was surprised that those aren't offered....

He said he installed a diplexor outside and capped the antenna in outlet with a red cap. I'm really hoping it will be as easy as installing the antenna on our roof and connecting the cable to the ant in on the diplexor, then connecting the ant port of the triplexor near the 722k to the OTA module that is being shipped to me.

In all honesty you can try that but a diplexer has usually a 3.5DB drop of signal so if they are borderline with a straight shot cable they may not come in at all

If I have to get a preamp should I install that behind the triplexor before I connect it to the 722k?

I havent used a triplexer before but checking pictures only the one sat connection has power passing. The antenna input doesn't have power passing so there is no way to hook up an amp unless you ran a second (separate) cable

 

[Neutron]

Hopefully I'll get it in time before the holiday and I'll be able to install it.

There's an old unused Dish 300/500 mast on the roof I'm hoping I can use to mount the antenna. It comes with 50' of RG6 so I'll have to find a way to run it and make it look neat so that our landlord doesn't get upset. He shouldn't as he hasn't cared that we had satellite installed, or cared about the number of pets we have.

 

[Bob2011]

Hopefully I'll get it in time before the holiday and I'll be able to install it.

There's an old unused Dish 300/500 mast on the roof I'm hoping I can use to mount the antenna. It comes with 50' of RG6 so I'll have to find a way to run it and make it look neat so that our landlord doesn't get upset. He shouldn't as he hasn't cared that we had satellite installed, or cared about the number of pets we have.

Well the good thing about the HBU33 is that it should mount ok on a small mast like that. Most of the other antennas discussed in this thread were 10 foot long or better and would have been difficult/questionable on a small dish 300 mast.

The CBS station at 71 miles may need an amp or larger UHF antenna to be perfect.

 

[danristheman]

My antennacraft antenna has a 45 mile range to I can pick up Fort Wayne from Angola pretty easy. Plus South Bend.

Dan Rose

 

[Neutron]

Got the antenna delivered yesterday. I'm going to try to get the thing installed this Friday. I'm excited!!

 

[Mr Tony]

keep us updated

 

[Neutron]

Is there a way to attach this antenna to an old DISH 300/500 mast? The U bolt looks like it will do it but I don't want a gust of wind to move it.

 

[Neutron]

Well I was hoping to get the antenna on the roof yesterday but we had to go into Tyler for family reasons (not shopping). I was hoping to do it today but it has been raining all morning.

 

[Mr Tony]

Is there a way to attach this antenna to an old DISH 300/500 mast? The U bolt looks like it will do it but I don't want a gust of wind to move it.

if you have obstacle clearance it would work fine. Seen a few posts where folks have put the antenna on a D500 mast. Just clamp it down good and it wont move