Suggestions for Extreme Fringe Reception

[Jason S]

It's a long read, but I've tried to cover what I've tried thus far.

We moved to SE Kansas earlier this year. Previously we were in the Tulsa, OK market and could get very reliable OTA reception with a Winegard 7694.

Got to Kansas, researched channel options on TVfool.com and was very discouraged. Here is the TV fool report from August 2014:
23' -http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=ec2fc6c93debd8
35' -http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=ec2f35a2f5ba55
45' -http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=ec2f71fe7c7998

I put up the Winegard on a 20' pole and got RF channels 7 & 17 (KOAM & KDOR). I swapped the Winegard for an Antennacraft Y10713 and an RCA TVPRAMP1R.

Experimenting with the Y10713 and amp at 10', I could get KOED (11), KTUL (10) and KJRH (8) when pointed south toward Tulsa. Aiming toward Wichita at 10' or 20' gives nothing, even though KAKE (10) shows to be a possibility. I've scanned in WIBW (13) and KOLR (10), but with no actual picture.

With the VHF-hi Yagi-Uda, I can get RF channels 7 and 13 (KOAM & KFJX) at a mostly reliable reception. Looking at the signal meter on my Sony TV, these channels are on the low end of the signal meter.

So with multi-path and co-channels from at least three markets (Tulsa, Joplin, Witchita), etc. I'm not sure what if anything could easily be done to better receive OTA channels.

Here is a link to my posting about this on TVfool and the responses: http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=14802

In the meantime, I've been building up my FTA setup so really haven't spent much more time trying to improve the OTA antenna reception from the Y10713.

One suggestion from TVfool (apart from ganging/stacking antennas) was a Rhombic antenna, which wouldn't necessarily be out of the question.

I've built one 4-bay from the plans here: http://m4antenna.eastmasonvilleweather.com/index.html to see what I could get UHF. That antenna worked fine but didn't get anything more than I had; I've considered ganging a second to this one- I've also considered ganging/stacking a second Y10713 for VHF-hi... I've also considered constructing other antenna types, such as a Gray-Hoverman, Channel Master 4251 clone or Finco 400 clone...

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[FaT Air]

Sorry to see a tvfool like that. (I thought I had a poor one)
I'd try hard to get that CM4251 (if that's what it is for your UHF channels) on a 35ft tower with the rotor mounted inside the tower, pipe in bearings up to the antenna.
Hopefully, you don't need more than one direction 'tuned in' at the same time(multiple tv's on different channels/directions)
I see there may be 4 available on http://www.rocketroberts.com/cm4251/cm4251.htm (as of 14 March 2014)

 

[Jason S]

Thanks for the condolences, FaT Air.

Currently, one TV to wire to an antenna. Also, I do plan on a parabolic dish (rescued or constructed), if only just to have it...

The plan at this point to establish more reliable VHF-hi on what I do receive and maybe pull in any additional VHF-hi. I've had the Yagi antenna in various locations and heights which has yielded limited results. Maybe some more testing with location, but I'm thinking there just needs to be more reception area.

If there's something I may be overlooking I'd appreciate suggestions or comments.

 

[Mr Tony]

yeah that is a fugly tvfool report

I had the YA1713 when I had my house and that was to get a VHF station 72 miles away
For UHF I would say the 91XG and a pre-amp

 

[FaT Air]

Maybe a HDB8X - mainly for UHF. VHF performance isn't 'that' great. A YA1713 is better. Or the UHF only HD-8800. Maybe stacked above the YA1713 on a rotor with a U/V combiner???

 

[Mr Tony]

Maybe a HDB8X -

I had one in my apartment and wasnt impressed (I was 30 miles from the towers)

 

[FaT Air]

Or a 91XG stacked with a YA1713 ???