Need a Medium Directional Antenna

I have just purchased Dish and installed a Channel Master 3038 with an amplifier to get my locals. The problem is that the antenna isn't strong enough to pull in all of my locals and the ones it will pull in fades in and out. Does anyone have an opinion on an antenna that will work for me? I need one that can be mounted to the roof and is low profile to meet covenants of subdivision. My zip is 36870

Welcome to the forum!

Can you please go to www.tvfool.com and enter your actual address? Also, enter the approximate antena mounting height above ground level. Post the link for the results here. You most have 5 posts before you can post a link so simply post two test replies and then the final reply with the link. There appears to be many hills in your area. TVfool will give us a better glimpse of your tv reception challenges and opportunities.

Are there many trees at your location and are they taller than the planned antenna mounting height?

Which locals (call letters) are you hoping to acquire? Columbus, GA?

Phoenix City Alabama?

I moved my address over to a place in the middle of town on Lee Road, which all the roads around there seems to have the name Lee Road anyways.

I moved the antenna height up to 20 feet and I was amazed at how many stations were available.

You have 7 stations in the green, but unfortunately ABC is VHF - which rules out a UHF only antenna.

I also did a internet search for the CM 3038 and found that it is some sort of rinky dink amplifier.

In this case, I do not feel that you even need a amplifier, all you really need is one good UHF / VHF antenna - like the Winegard 7694P and a run of good RG 6 wire.

Mount the antenna and point it to the east of your location and you should be able to receive many channels with little difficulty.

You might even get away with a Antenna Craft HBU 33

Since there is multiple markets to chose from in your location, only you can decide how many you wish to receive. To receive the more distant stations in the pink - I would suggest that you BUY a antenna rotor and a better all around antenna.

But since you do not wish to put up a antenna - that other people can see, you will be limited as to how much reception you will receive.

Good Luck!

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks ID Rick. Yes, ID Rick there are trees that are taller than the antenna height and in the direction of where the signal is being transmitted and it will be the Columbus, GA. locals.

Thanks for your reply about the tall trees in the area and the interest in Columbus, GA locals. Here are your tvfool results based on zip code and a 20 ft mounting height: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d8ecd74a0a64b46 Your actual situation may be significantly better, same or worse. It would be very helpful if you can post your exact address data from tvfool (plus specify actual antenna mounting height). Please note, we will not see your actual address so you will retain your privacy.

Based on the generic report, your locals include one high vhf (ABC, ch 11) and the rest are UHF. Broadcast towers are grouped together in a fairly tight pattern and should be receivable with a properly aimed antenna. No rotor is needed. Great news, since you likely are planning on recording OTA to a dvr, correct? Based on the generic report, I would recommend a Winegard 7696 antenna. A pre-amp may be needed depending on the number of splitters and total cable run in your tv distribution system. The antenna recommendation could change depending on your actual report.

Take care!

Rick

JB Antennaman, yes just about every road here in Phenix City, AL is a Lee Road,can get very confusing when giving directions to out of town guest.
Thanks to you both for your help. I now just have to figure out a way to get a larger antenna approved by the HOA.

ID Rick here is the link from tvfools.com you gave me.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d8ecdcc744080da

Thanks, Jay! Signal strengths for several of your locals are higher on your actual report than on the generic report. Good news, but, still not high enough IMO to recommend the smaller Winegard 7694 antenna.

If you're interested, there are plans for DIY antennas that would receive your high VHF channel plus your UHF channels. Now, I should state there are many DIY designs on the web. Many poorly designed. The ones I am referring to have gone through extensive modeling and have been proven to work well in the field. For example, I use a 4-bay DIY antenna (measures 36" wide by 36" tall by 6" wide) that receives channels about 50 miles away. akaHooper on this forum is building a Gray Hoverman design with similar performance. Hooper includes a link to his website in his posts. Check it out! Very well built antenna!

HTH,

Rick

Yes, going by his TVFool I would think the Grey-Hoverman would serve him well - and could not be objectionable to any HOA. Finished with the NAROD element wires & reflector rods for VHF reception (which I have yet to add on mine) it measures: 30-1/4"W x 35"H x 11-1/2"D.

You welcome Hooper! :)

Yes, going by his TVFool I would think the Grey-Hoverman would serve him well - and could not be objectionable to any HOA. Finished with the NAROD element wires & reflector rods for VHF reception (which I have yet to add on mine) it measures: 30-1/4"W x 35"H x 11-1/2"D.


I hope it works, because it sounds butt-ugly to me! LOL!

Very funny Tiger! :D

Actually as it is now (for UHF only) I think it's rather handsome, as antenna's go. LOL

The NAROD wires are just 2 wires 1/2" above/below the driven elements, of the same diameter. Then 1 reflector rod 11-1/2" behind each of those wires.

I'll try and get those added so we see how it looks when finished for VHF. (And more importantly see how she works!:D)

I have just purchased Dish and installed a Channel Master 3038 with an amplifier to get my locals. The problem is that the antenna isn't strong enough to pull in all of my locals and the ones it will pull in fades in and out. Does anyone have an opinion on an antenna that will work for me? I need one that can be mounted to the roof and is low profile to meet covenants of subdivision. My zip is 36870

I see a problem that I don't know how to fix. Channel 16 is too strong for many preamps, and is powerful enough to make reception of channel 15 almost impossible, with or without a preamp.

The 3010 antenna should pick up enough signal and if it works without a preamp for everything except CBS, that may be as much as you can expect. If you are splitting to multiple TV sets, try an HDP-269 preamp instead of the 3038.

I don't know why the FCC allowed a class A station on an adjacent channel that close to a full power station.

74.703 (b) It shall be the responsibility of the licensee of a low power TV, TV translator, or TV booster station to correct at its expense any condition of interference to the direct reception of the signal of any other TV broadcast analog station and DTV station operating on the same channel as that used by the low power TV, TV translator, or TV booster station or an adjacent channel which occurs as a result of the operation of the low power TV, TV translator, or TV booster station.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2008/octqtr/pdf/47cfr74.703.pdf

Actually as it is now (for UHF only) I think it's rather handsome, as antenna's go. LOL



That's the nicest TV antennas that I've ever seen! It's a perfect construction job.

Well thank you Tower Guy!
Much appreciated! :)

Admittedly, it's a work of art, but where do you put in the Hash and light it?
LOL...Nice work, though!

I see a problem that I don't know how to fix. Channel 16 is too strong for many preamps, and is powerful enough to make reception of channel 15 almost impossible, with or without a preamp.

The 3010 antenna should pick up enough signal and if it works without a preamp for everything except CBS, that may be as much as you can expect. If you are splitting to multiple TV sets, try an HDP-269 preamp instead of the 3038.

I don't know why the FCC allowed a class A station on an adjacent channel that close to a full power station.

74.703 (b) It shall be the responsibility of the licensee of a low power TV, TV translator, or TV booster station to correct at its expense any condition of interference to the direct reception of the signal of any other TV broadcast analog station and DTV station operating on the same channel as that used by the low power TV, TV translator, or TV booster station or an adjacent channel which occurs as a result of the operation of the low power TV, TV translator, or TV booster station.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2008/octqtr/pdf/47cfr74.703.pdf

Good catch Tower Guy! The adjacent channel warning was not there in the first generic tvfool and I missed it on the second one...

Question: Is it possible if he sets an antenna aim of 120~125 degrees his ch16 will drop enough to allow reception of ch 15?


TB: Yeah I should've used a cross tee at the top, so there was a place for a bowl! :D
(But I gave that up years ago, so it wasn't foremost in my mind - LOL!)

Thanks everyone for the advice but this antenna stuff is over my head. Are you saying that I need the Winegard 7694 or the HDP 269 pre amp to go along with my CM 3038? Also you referenced 3010 is that another antenna?

Thanks everyone for the advice but this antenna stuff is over my head. Are you saying that I need the Winegard 7694 or the HDP 269 pre amp to go along with my CM 3038? Also you referenced 3010 is that another antenna?

The 3038 is not an antenna, but a preamplifier designed for the 3010 antenna. You can receive anything with only a 3038.

I don't really know what you have.

Sorry Tower Guy. Yes I have the CM 3010 with the 3038 pre amp that isn't working. Just got back in town tonight and I can not pick up any of my local channels and it's not even raining. Just wondering if I should purchase the winegard mentioned in this post?