Would this antenna need to be grounded?

[CK SatGuy]

Well it's summer and I'm looking at antennas again. Never got around to replacing the old rooftop antenna last year because 1) I got really busy with work and 2) I was able to adjust the old one on my end to get CBC regularly from Windsor, ON and therefore gave me a incentive to wait on an upgrade and not make it a big priority. Anyway, I'm looking again and this one from Spectrum Antenna has really interest me quite a bit.
http://www.antennahub.com/television-antenna.aspx

I like it because it has it's own gain adjuster so I can increase or decrease the antenna gain amplifier whenever needed and it also comes with it's own 4-way splitter according to their installation instructions.
http://www.antennahub.com/sp813.pdf

If I do decide to get it, I'd probably would mount it on the chimney. My question is if I were to do that, would it need to be grounded? It doesn't say in the directions that it would need to be grounded but I'd like to her other opinions as well as if this antenna is actually a good antenna or if it's all hype. I know the 150 claim is probably BS but beside that point, it sounds to me that this antenna would be a good choice. What do you guys think?

 

[Jim5506]

I must presume you are in the Detroit area, either in Ontario or Michigan.

That antenna may work for local programming, but two od Detroit's stations are VHF, FOX is 7 and ABC is 13 and that antenna probably is not really good on VHF.

I operate off the principle that if an antenna does not look like an antenna, then it will not operate like an antenna.

Now as for grounding, it depends on whether you have really good insurance on your house or not. If the installation instructions for that antenna do not include proper grounding instructions (I do not see any in the documentation), avoid it like the plague.

On the other hand if you install it by their directions and it draws a lightening strike, you may own the company - assuming they are still in business.

PS - OUCH I just saw the price, look at a Winegard HD7697 or similar for 2/3 of the price and ground it, too.

 

[boba]

Well it's summer and I'm looking at antennas again. Never got around to replacing the old rooftop antenna last year because 1) I got really busy with work and 2) I was able to adjust the old one on my end to get CBC regularly from Windsor, ON and therefore gave me a incentive to wait on an upgrade and not make it a big priority. Anyway, I'm looking again and this one from Spectrum Antenna has really interest me quite a bit.
http://www.antennahub.com/television-antenna.aspx

I like it because it has it's own gain adjuster so I can increase or decrease the antenna gain amplifier whenever needed and it also comes with it's own 4-way splitter according to their installation instructions.
http://www.antennahub.com/sp813.pdf

If I do decide to get it, I'd probably would mount it on the chimney. My question is if I were to do that, would it need to be grounded? It doesn't say in the directions that it would need to be grounded but I'd like to her other opinions as well as if this antenna is actually a good antenna or if it's all hype. I know the 150 claim is probably BS but beside that point, it sounds to me that this antenna would be a good choice. What do you guys think?

I am not familiar with Canadian rules or broadcast standards being in Texas but I would assume they are similar to U.S. rules. Just remember a fool and his money are soon parted. In the U.S. I would be very skittish about the antenna that has so much hype and so little fact

 

[CK SatGuy]

I must presume you are in the Detroit area, either in Ontario or Michigan.

That antenna may work for local programming, but two od Detroit's stations are VHF, FOX is 7 and ABC is 13 and that antenna probably is not really good on VHF.

I operate off the principle that if an antenna does not look like an antenna, then it will not operate like an antenna.

Now as for grounding, it depends on whether you have really good insurance on your house or not. If the installation instructions for that antenna do not include proper grounding instructions (I do not see any in the documentation), avoid it like the plague.

On the other hand if you install it by their directions and it draws a lightening strike, you may own the company - assuming they are still in business.

PS - OUCH I just saw the price, look at a Winegard HD7697 or similar for 2/3 of the price and ground it, too.

Yes I'm in the Detroit area. Yes Fox is on VHF 7 and CBC is on VHF 9. ABC is actually on UHF 41 in Detroit and VHF 13 in Toledo, Ohio.
So basically, if there's no directions on there for grounding, don't mount it outside and only use it indoors.

 

[CK SatGuy]

I am not familiar with Canadian rules or broadcast standards being in Texas but I would assume they are similar to U.S. rules. Just remember a fool and his money are soon parted. In the U.S. I would be very skittish about the antenna that has so much hype and so little fact

Of course I'm not falling for the hype. Like I said what interest me the most was the antenna gain adjuster and the splitter that came with it. If you guys recommend something more traditional, the other one I was looking at was the channel master cm-5020.
http://www.channelmasterstore.com/Masterpiece_Digital_HDTV_Antenna_p/cm-5020.htm

 

[Jim5506]

I only see one VHF-low station in the list (Ch 5), so unless you need it I would go with the Winegard VHF-high/UHF like the HD7697 @ 1/2 the price of the Channel Master, even the Winegard HD7698 is lower priced than that CM antenna.

 

[TRG]

I use a grounding block on my OTA antenna mainly as a means to discharge static. If your antenna gets hit with a direct hit no amount of conventional grounding will help. But by all means do follow the grounding codes for your local area.