Community Forums

jacwjames · 01-25-2017, 05:34 PM

I am currently building a new house. We have been cable/satellite free for ~7 years and rely on an antenna to pick up OTA channels. We live in a area with quite few channels available, currently getting ~25 channels but there are a couple more within reach if we had a better antenna.

Any suggestions for a good long range antenna either mounted outside or inside.

We will have a pretty good attic space above the 2nd floor for an inside antenna. Could also mount exterior attached to the chimney. If it would help I'd install a rotary actuator. Either application would be approximately the same height. Inside would be easier to service as the roof will have a 12/12 pitch.

Pusherman · 01-25-2017, 05:40 PM

I've been looking at the Winegard FlatWave - Best HDTV Antenna for outdoor mounting. It can be mounted in the attic as well. Whichever model you choose I think it's very important that it is an amplified antenna.

Sweetbriar · 01-25-2017, 06:10 PM

Roof mounting will provide better reception but the roof pitch is a bit dicey. I took the low budget route when the local cable company increased our rates dramatically. With the coach in the driveway I tapped into the roof antenna on it.

Which antenna? The list is pretty long. I'm a bit partial to a Yagi type. Something like one of these -

https://www.amazon.com/1byone-Motori...f_rd_i=desktop

The nice part is the rotor controls have gotten better that what we grew up with. Wireless remove and the position signal goes up on the signal coax.

Here's an interesting site regarding where and distance to the various transmitters in your area. Plus some info regarding antennas.

https://www.antennaweb.org/

jacwjames · 01-25-2017, 07:43 PM

I initially used the RV antenna and it worked great >> until my wife took the coach to a dog show. I then bought a Phillips outside mount amplifed antenna, it did OK, not as good as the RV. I now have a Jack antenna mounted, again OK, not as good as the Winguard.

I definately want one that is amplified and has the ability to rotate.

Wondering if the newer Winguard is worth the investment.

Davidjeff · 01-25-2017, 07:55 PM

I live 20-30 miles from the tv stations that broadcast with the terrain fairly flat. I mounted this:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-Attic-...tenna/20976617

This is not Amplified but they do carry some.
Mounted In my attic on a vertical 2/4 beam. Works fantastic, accommodates cat cabling and since OTA programming is broadcast in HD, the clarity beats my Dish Network picture hands down..... living in a prime tornado area, Moore/Norman in OK, I find it a necessity to have reliable weather coverage when storms are brewing.

focker · 01-25-2017, 11:54 PM

I mounted this one on our house and it has been excellent. There has been no need for amplification, all local channels come in very strong.

http://a.co/bEYEKyq

monitormix · 01-26-2017, 12:05 AM

I bought the following one and hooked it all up. Pulls all local channels by me with no problems. I do not need an amplifier either.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

jacwjames · 01-26-2017, 01:32 AM

OK, I've been given some options, how sensitive are these antenna's in regards to direction.

I have a Jack mounted now and it is very sensitive to direction, I can turn it just a little and drop channels. In some cases I can turn it and rescan for channels and pick up a couple more but loose some the others. Since I don't have a rotary device its not convenient.

I'd like to get one that's omnidirectional or is there a way to tie a couple antenna's together?

Oldman5145 · 01-26-2017, 06:02 AM

I live 1/2 mile from the base of a 200+' mountain that does a wonderful job of blocking any kind of signals, tv, cell, etc. I purchased this antenna https://www.amazon.com/Mohu-MH-11058...s=mohu+antenna and I get stations as far away as 75 miles. I get the most local station (25 miles) and about 12 or 13 others, depending on weather or whatever causes interference. I get ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX not all are my local market because of the mountain. I never move this antenna.

wa8yxm · 01-26-2017, 08:07 AM

Two things to remember about antennas.
First: Height is might (up to a point) I will prove this in a few paragraphs

Second: Channel Master... They make some really nice signal suckers Really nice. Their top end antennas can see VHF out to 100 miles or more on a good day. UHF is a bit shorter, but not much. They are directional so you do need a rotor.

Story 1: My parents lived in Union City MI. Per an engineer friend of mine that was in a "no television" area.. We got Gun Lake (Battle Creek, kalamazoo, Grand Rapids stations all transmit out of Gun Lake) Lansing/Jackson stations 100%, Detroit (Selected stations) South Bend, IN and more.. Channel Master's #2 atop a 100' Tower.

Story 2
I am a ham radio operator. Worked in Downtown Detroit evenings, Got off work one day just after a Tiger's game let out, Exiting the company lot, not going to happen... So I grabbed my hand held radio (1 watt, short antenna, about 1/4 watt ERP by guess) and got in the elevator.

Tuned around and found some hams in Toledo, OH, chatting on a repeater (Automatic relay station) in Adrian MI. NOTE I'm in Down town Detroit, Fr, Kern (6th st) and Porter.

Another ham tried to join in, about all we got was his callsign prefix which indicated he was across the river in Windsor.. So I ended up relaying for him.

He's running either 30 watts effective at 40 feet or the other way around (Forget which been 40 years later this year) He was not making it,, I was.

Of course that elevator took me to the 21st floor observation deck, over 250 feet in the air.

Bedlam · 01-26-2017, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacwjames

OK, I've been given some options, how sensitive are these antenna's in regards to direction.

I have a Jack mounted now and it is very sensitive to direction, I can turn it just a little and drop channels. In some cases I can turn it and rescan for channels and pick up a couple more but loose some the others. Since I don't have a rotary device its not convenient.

I'd like to get one that's omnidirectional or is there a way to tie a couple antenna's together?

A directional antenna will pull in weaker signal than an omni directional. If you are in a strong signal area with towers located in different directions, an omni works well. Otherwise you need that directional to pull in the signals and to realign the antenna for different station locations (think about the old days with rabbit ears on the back of the TV).

I used to design and install antenna arrays for medical telemetry. When setting up multiple antennas, the biggest problem is multi path interference. This is when more than one antenna picks up the same signal and the combined signal starts to cancel itself out because each antenna is slightly out of phase. If you are trying to capture stations that have a fairly wide arc between them you can use individual highly directional antennas pointed at the transmitters and combine the signal. I also know some people switch between multiple fixed antennas instead of rotating a single one between transmitters - This is another way to capture weak signals and not worry about multi path.

jacwjames · 01-26-2017, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldman5145

I live 1/2 mile from the base of a 200+' mountain that does a wonderful job of blocking any kind of signals, tv, cell, etc. I purchased this antenna https://www.amazon.com/Mohu-MH-11058...s=mohu+antenna and I get stations as far away as 75 miles. I get the most local station (25 miles) and about 12 or 13 others, depending on weather or whatever causes interference. I get ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX not all are my local market because of the mountain. I never move this antenna.

This looks like an interesting antenna. I looked at the listing and it doesn't say in Omnidirectional but on other sites it does indicate it is.

Anybody else using this.

Bedlam · 01-26-2017, 12:56 PM

Laying down one of those style antennas in a horizontal plane would give it omni directional characteristics. When vertical, it will be directional.

TDroma · 01-31-2017, 12:21 PM

I have been using the Winegard Metrostar amplified 360 omni directional for 2 years now. It works better than I every thought it would! It says it has a range of 30 miles but I get station well beyond that. Several station are 45 miles with a couple at 55 miles away. Every once in a while I will lose the station at 55 miles due to weather conditions but it always comes back.

The key for me is I have it mounted 11' above my roof which allows me to receive 64 stations. I live in Sarasota and can receive stations from Tampa and FT Myers which are in opposite directions. I now have Direct TV only because I missed ESPN and other football programs, plus I plan to use Direct TV on my fiver.

Here is the link.

Outdoor HDTV Antenna, Best HDTV Antenna - Winegard Company