OTA Antenna Preference?

cyberl1 · 10-23-2007, 04:54 PM

Does anyone feedback what OTA antenna works best?

I have an old style anntenna on my roof that was there when I moved in years ago. I just plugged into the cable this weekend and get several channels but about 30 percent of the channels do not come in. A friend of mine says I need to get a Bow Tie HDTV anntenna as this gets the best signal with no real effort in where I point the antenna. I live in Simi Valley Zip 93065. I am 49 miles from the stations. I am high up in the city with a very good clear shot towards Los Angeles. I am confident I can get all the stations with the right antenna.

Thanks

dahur · 10-23-2007, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberl1

Does anyone feedback what OTA antenna works best?

I have an old style anntenna on my roof that was there when I moved in years ago. I just plugged into the cable this weekend and get several channels but about 30 percent of the channels do not come in. A friend of mine says I need to get a Bow Tie HDTV anntenna as this gets the best signal with no real effort in where I point the antenna. I live in Simi Valley Zip 93065. I am 49 miles from the stations. I am high up in the city with a very good clear shot towards Los Angeles. I am confident I can get all the stations with the right antenna.

Thanks

My Channel Master CM3679 works wonderful for me. It's an amplified antenna great for HD. I'm in Flint, and I can get Detroit stations (about 65 miles). However everything I want is within 45 miles. Only dropouts are from planes, or very bad weather.

goober22 · 10-23-2007, 07:01 PM

Well, let me tell ya.... who knows!!!

I have a "bowtie" antenna (DB8) but here is what I had to do to get my locals up and running.

Digital channel broadcasts =
Nbc = VHF 8
Fox = VHF 9
ABC = UHF 19
CBS = UHF 36

All station antennas are basically to the North. I had to hook a DB8 "bowtie" up pointing to the North BUT switch 1/2 of it around and point it South to get the Fox channel in good AND it pulls in Nbc as well. Both are VHF but the UHF bowtiers pulls them in the best. I then hooked up a yagi for the UHF channels and connected bot antenna thru a combiner (yagi=UHF, bowtie=VHF) and it works for all my locals. CW & MyNetwork are subs of those.

Why I had to connect a DB8 UHF as a VHF antenna - don't know, but it all works that way and was the only combo that would pull in all locals at good levels.

DodgerKing · 10-23-2007, 07:16 PM

With you being in Simi Valley you will get the LA stations like I do. I live 60 miles from LA the other direction in Pomona. I use a cheep set of rabbit ears and I get great reception. I also have a clear view of Mt. Wilson though. You will be amazed how many more stations you will get through the antena. Each network broadcast 2 to 4 additional signals (i.e. 4-1, 4-2, 4-4) for KNBC 4 alone. Each one broadcast a different program. I now have over 50 local stations, not counting the Spanish and Korean stations. The zip I live in, I can also bet Orange and San Bernardino County stations as well.

cyberl1 · 10-23-2007, 08:59 PM

thanks

JWvanLohuizen · 10-24-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberl1

Does anyone feedback what OTA antenna works best?

I have an old style anntenna on my roof that was there when I moved in years ago. I just plugged into the cable this weekend and get several channels but about 30 percent of the channels do not come in. A friend of mine says I need to get a Bow Tie HDTV anntenna as this gets the best signal with no real effort in where I point the antenna. I live in Simi Valley Zip 93065. I am 49 miles from the stations. I am high up in the city with a very good clear shot towards Los Angeles. I am confident I can get all the stations with the right antenna.

Thanks

Here is a site that has everything you need to know about choosing and OTA antenna.

http://www.antennaweb.org/

Enjoy!

jp's Bears · 10-24-2007, 09:17 AM

I have an old rabbit ear style antenna from like the 1980's that i found. It works GREAT inside my home. i do have to adjust every now and then to get all the OTA channels.

JWvanLohuizen · 10-24-2007, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp's Bears

I have an old rabbit ear style antenna from like the 1980's that i found. It works GREAT inside my home. i do have to adjust every now and then to get all the OTA channels.

That's great but that means that you have walls that have very little interference, a window on the right side of the house, and/or you are fairly close to the dtv towers with no buildings or hills in the way.

Inside antennas don't work for everyone. I got a signal strength of about 30-35 when I tried. I had several problems that I couldn't overcome so I got a great outdoor HDTV antenna after researching at http://www.antennaweb.org/

10-23-2007, 04:54 PM	#1
cyberl1 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 53	OTA Antenna Preference? Does anyone feedback what OTA antenna works best? I have an old style anntenna on my roof that was there when I moved in years ago. I just plugged into the cable this weekend and get several channels but about 30 percent of the channels do not come in. A friend of mine says I need to get a Bow Tie HDTV anntenna as this gets the best signal with no real effort in where I point the antenna. I live in Simi Valley Zip 93065. I am 49 miles from the stations. I am high up in the city with a very good clear shot towards Los Angeles. I am confident I can get all the stations with the right antenna. Thanks

10-23-2007, 07:01 PM	#3
goober22 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Panama City / Ft Walton Bch, FL. Posts: 780	Well, let me tell ya.... who knows!!! I have a "bowtie" antenna (DB8) but here is what I had to do to get my locals up and running. Digital channel broadcasts = Nbc = VHF 8 Fox = VHF 9 ABC = UHF 19 CBS = UHF 36 All station antennas are basically to the North. I had to hook a DB8 "bowtie" up pointing to the North BUT switch 1/2 of it around and point it South to get the Fox channel in good AND it pulls in Nbc as well. Both are VHF but the UHF bowtiers pulls them in the best. I then hooked up a yagi for the UHF channels and connected bot antenna thru a combiner (yagi=UHF, bowtie=VHF) and it works for all my locals. CW & MyNetwork are subs of those. Why I had to connect a DB8 UHF as a VHF antenna - don't know, but it all works that way and was the only combo that would pull in all locals at good levels. __________________ DirecTV = HR20-700x2, HR20-100x2, All Networked, R15-500x1, D12-300x2, Zinwell WB616, OTA=17, TVs=9, Knology Cable = Internet & Phone Only, HD=34, Comcast Cable = Not Currently Subbed, HD=32, Hitachi 65S700 65", Sanyo 30" HD, Sony Home Theatre 7.1 Receiver, Sony 7.1 Speaker System , Harmony 686 x3

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10-23-2007, 07:16 PM	#4
DodgerKing #42: Republican & Dodger Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: SoCal Age: 41 Posts: 1,803	With you being in Simi Valley you will get the LA stations like I do. I live 60 miles from LA the other direction in Pomona. I use a cheep set of rabbit ears and I get great reception. I also have a clear view of Mt. Wilson though. You will be amazed how many more stations you will get through the antena. Each network broadcast 2 to 4 additional signals (i.e. 4-1, 4-2, 4-4) for KNBC 4 alone. Each one broadcast a different program. I now have over 50 local stations, not counting the Spanish and Korean stations. The zip I live in, I can also bet Orange and San Bernardino County stations as well.

10-23-2007, 08:59 PM	#5
cyberl1 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 53	thanks

10-24-2007, 09:17 AM	#7
jp's Bears High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 45	I have an old rabbit ear style antenna from like the 1980's that i found. It works GREAT inside my home. i do have to adjust every now and then to get all the OTA channels.