Still needing a little help

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andy_horton

andy_horton

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Dec 28, 2010
901
158
Northwest Georgia
I bought a clearstream antenna (the single circle one with the grill on the back) and am using it indoors. It works GREAT with the VHF HI channels. I can't pick up a single UHF station. I'm going to move it to a different room to see what results I get. I'm also using one of those RCA amplifiers from Wallyworld. I'll try and attatch my TV Fool report. The VHF HI channels come in great when the antenna is right at the window facing NW which is where the towers are located but the other towers are only just a little off. For instance, ABC might be at 356 degrees and CW is at 3 degrees and nothing. Like I said, i'll try any post TV Fool. I can't put it outside. I do have another window facing N. Thanks. http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=f1f0fe6e1a6d80
 
Real Ch 16 to the NW doesn't come in?? Not very detailed specs on that C1C. Peak gain 8.25db but where that is, and what, and where does it drop to across the bands.??? May need an antenna with more UHF gain.

RCA amplifier - Sure you have the combined/separate switch in the combined position?? Flip it back and forth a few times. Another 'test', connect to the UHF input. Switch in the separate position. Do the UHF come in then??? (may likely lose the VHF) Try without the amp, antenna direct to the receiver.

Windows, if of the Low E variety, will attenuate the signals. There's actually a very thin deposit of metal on the glass or film between a dual pain style. If there's a metal screen, that's even more detrimental. might be better just on a wall. (hopefully the insulation isn't the foil backed variety)

can't put it outside - no balcony?? Only alternative that I can see in that case is move out of the HOA controlled, or over restrictive rental, area.
Personally, with those signal levels, I'd think the only thing that would be reliable would be an outside antenna.
 
UPDATE--I just moved the antenna away from a HUGE metal door. When I opened the door, the signal came in on ALL channels. when I closed the door, it went out. I moved it up against the wall and get all UHF stations, door open or closed. i'll just have to move the antenna back to the window to get the VHF HI channels and then back to the wall further away for the UHF channels. I now get 13 OTA channels instead of just 7. So almost double. I could position the antenna to get the 5 religious channels if I wanted b/c they are very close to my location. I also have rabbit ears with a built in amp for the HI VHF I could use an A/B switch for the VHF HI and then the UHF channels. Any thoughts? By the way, the RCA amp doesn't make that much difference on the UHF channels. I'm using 60 ft of wire but I think I can cut it to 30 with an A/B switch.
 
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Like I've said to many in the past: Some times it's more an Art than Theory when installing an antenna. There's many unseen variables when it's not installed in the open air.(10 ft above your roof line)
 
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FaT Air said:
Like I've said to many in the past: Some times it's more an Art than Theory when installing an antenna. There's many unseen variables when it's not installed in the open air.(10 ft above your roof line)
Click to expand...
agreed!

When I lived in my house I put it 11 1/2 feet above the roof (to piss off the HOA...protected up to 12 feet) and everything came in great. So when I moved into my apartment 2 miles to the east I tried the same thing. Realized if I lowered it about 2 feet on the pole it came in much better
 
If you are limited to an indoor antenna you might want to switch from the omnidirectional antenna to a rotatable one with more gain, a preamp, and directivity. You can mount the antenna on a tripod and put it as high as possible in the room (most rooms have 8 foot ceilings). For a mast you can use lightweight PVC.
 
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When buildings, trees, and terrain get involved, it's often necessary to move the antenna around to find the 'sweet spot'. Reflections and refractions will modify the 'ideal' that theory predicts.
Indoors you have even more unpredictability - wiring, metal doors, water pipes, insulation etc.
 
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The prior posts about finding a "sweet spot" is very true, even outdoors. It seems digital TV signals are more tricky than the old analog signals. One of the first OTA TV antennas I had was placed on the side of the house about 5 feet off the ground, using the mount formerly occupied by a Dish Network dish. It worked amazingly well. Then took the same antenna at the same height to another location about 10 feet away and the performance was not as good.

Sorta' like finding the best spot in the yard for an FTA dish. Different locations yield different results.
 
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spongella said:
The prior posts about finding a "sweet spot" is very true, even outdoors. It seems digital TV signals are more tricky than the old analog signals. One of the first OTA TV antennas I had was placed on the side of the house about 5 feet off the ground, using the mount formerly occupied by a Dish Network dish. It worked amazingly well. Then took the same antenna at the same height to another location about 10 feet away and the performance was not as good.

Sorta' like finding the best spot in the yard for an FTA dish. Different locations yield different results.
Click to expand...
Yeah, i'm still "playing." I'm like a little kid sometimes just trying to make it better...lol
 
My first outside TV antenna mounted where the pay TV satellite dish was on side of the house. Wasn't too bad. Has a great preamp. Later moved it to the roof, even better. Has a quirky rotator though, sometimes it gets stuck and have to get a 22 foot painter's pole to "nudge" it a bit from ground level.

When first purchased it looked kind of flimsy but its been on the roof through wind, rain, ice, snow, hasn't fallen apart yet.
 

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spongella said:
The prior posts about finding a "sweet spot" is very true, even outdoors. It seems digital TV signals are more tricky than the old analog signals. One of the first OTA TV antennas I had was placed on the side of the house about 5 feet off the ground, using the mount formerly occupied by a Dish Network dish. It worked amazingly well. Then took the same antenna at the same height to another location about 10 feet away and the performance was not as good.

Sorta' like finding the best spot in the yard for an FTA dish. Different locations yield different results.
Click to expand...
Agree with that. I was trying to get a 91XG antenna in place before winter started. Our old antenna received the few OTA stations we get fairly well but there were two weak stations just under 60 miles away with a hill between that we could not get. From the front porch, holding the antenna, we picked up both. When I mount the antenna on mast and raise it at end of house only one comes in. Back to the drawing board. :rolleyes: It's just trial and error until you hit that spot where you can get everything (or a reasonable compromise) of what you want. :)
 

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