Antenna TV

[Weedhopper]

So we cut the cord with Comcast TV and phone. Kept the Internet.

Before we separated I bought a $60 RCA flat indoor antenna. About the size of an IPad. It works well enough for us, not big time TV watchers, and the picture is noticeably clearer.

I want to mount an outdoor antenna on the roof and cut down a few trees to help reception. Most of the transmitters are Southeast but to the North I have picked up Springfield MA, about 25 miles away. For that reason I think I need an omni directional antenna.

If the best antenna is directional, like to the southeast, I would go that route and skip to the North.

Any recommendations?

 

[Fast Eddy]

You could get two directional antennas and mux them with a combiner as long as you don't have conflicting channels.

 

[e9999]

if unidirectionals are better (no idea), it should be easy to mount it on a rotating mast

 

[Weedhopper]

I don't know what brand or model. I know there is Winegard, Channel Master and a few others. I can't find anyone who has done it.

BTW the picture is WAY better than cable

 

[Fast Eddy]

Amazon.com: 1byone OUS00-0357 Digital Attic/Outdoor HDTV Antenna Extremely High Performance for UHF/VHF: Electronics gets good reviews. You could pay a lot more, but get a couple of these and mount them on a pole with a combiner like this: Amazon.com: Winegard CC-7870 Antenna Coupler: Electronics

A rotator will cost as much or more and require a more complex install.

The cable guys compress the crap out of their signals to get maximum channels onto their limited bandwidth. The OTA guys have a ton of bandwidth to work with.

 

[Weedhopper]

Awesome. Thanks, I will look into that one.

 

[honk]

You want to go to one of the sites that maps the direction from your home to the various transmitting locations in your area. AntennaWeb.org was useful several years ago and a quick look tells me they haven't changed much.

Once you know the direction and distance from your home to the towers then you can buy an antenna with a chance of giving you the best reception.

A couple of things: terrian cuts signals - if there are canyons or mountains between you and the station you'll have to amp up antennas and maybe look into alternative signals which transmit what you want. You're cutting the convenient and expensive satellite out of your loop and going for line-of-sight radio signals instead. The upshot is that once setup it's a no cost deal and you're right - the HD signal from any major network direct is worlds better that the stuff the cable folks give you.

Another thing: take the claims for range estimates of the various antennas with a lot of salt. Those estimates are derived under ideal signal conditions and ideal signal conditions are very rare. I'm saying that if the mapper shows that you're 25 miles from the signal source it won't hurt much to buy the antenna which claims 50 miles range or more. Better antenna = better signal.

 

[honk]

The site I linked to above, AntennaWeb, is no longer very good. Seems they've become commercialized. Although their little mapper thingy did show azimuths and distance to the big guys in Portland there was no info about all the other transmitters that operate around here.

There are better ones, and if you want to know about all there is to know about HDTV go here: FREE HDTV RECEPTION - How to receive high definition tv off the air with an antenna!

 

[Weedhopper]

Ya

TV Fool is the site I used. Plug in your street addy and it gives the channels you can receive in increments, best to worst. Very accurate. And that is with the indoor antenna.

I figure if I get the antenna outside, 10 or so feet above the roofline I'll do better.

I am thinking more expensive means better to a point otherwise I am lost as to which type or brand is better. Maybe there is "no better one " lol

 

[Bogo]

Anybody have ideas on antennas to handle stations 75 miles away? Luckily they are all in the same direction, less than 2 degrees separation. I have the option of putting the antenna on top of a barn or grain bin so I won't have to put up a tall mast. I'll still have to give it quality lightening protection. My place is on top of a ridge line.

 

[micruz60]

Anybody have ideas on antennas to handle stations 75 miles away? Luckily they are all in the same direction, less than 2 degrees separation. I have the option of putting the antenna on top of a barn or grain bin so I won't have to put up a tall mast. I'll still have to give it quality lightening protection. My place is on top of a ridge line.

If the sky scrapers have the transmitters, and they are tall enough? Difference in elev. where you are to broadcst site, and curvature of the earth.
Check this out
David Senesac Visual Line of Sight Calculations dependent on Earth's Curvature

 

[Bogo]

I know I can't get line of sight, sucks. The towers are 2000 feet tall, but still a good 1500 feet to short for direct line of sight, assuming a perfectly spherical earth. On the other hand curvature effects on the broad cast signal means I should still be able to receive them with really good antennas, and maybe a booster too. I also have the advantage there is a broad wide valley between me and the transmitters. Even though they are up river from me, I'm actually at a higher elevation than their bases. Counting the river valley between, and my additional elevation, I'm still a good 1100' feet below the horizon for LOS.

BTW, three of the 50 tallest structures in the world, are there within a few miles of each other in central IA. All are TV transmission masts, 2000ft, 2000ft, and 1999ft tall.