tigerbangs prescription for deep fringe reception

tigerbangs

When I run a TVfool.com scan of your zip code, it doesn't look promising, but I suspect that you physical locarion is probably different enough from the post office that we'd have better luck figuring out what you can really get if you give us your grographical coordinates, rather than a zip code. It appears that you are in very hilly territory, and any small chande in location and/or elevation will change the reception outlook. Please get back to us with that info, so we can help...

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Real men don't use indoor antennas; neither do real women!

jim5506

Yes, run your http://www.TVFool.com profile with your exact address or coordinates and post it here, zipcode data looks quite poor.

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Programming: Dish HD Absolute with 0.01 Cinemax
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keith.thompson

tigerbangs,
I live in zip 21838. I have directv and would like to put up a permanent outdoor antenna for all of my tv's. I have seen no good reviews on the dish mount terk's, so i was wondering what is the best option for me. I can pick up two digital channels on the second floor with rabit ears. Thanks in advance.

Keith

gjvrieze

Tigerbangs is going to ask for your tvfool results first thing, so I will ask before him.....

keith.thompson

Attached is the tvfool analysis. Thanks again.

Keith

Attached Images

Radar-Digital_1.png (103.1 KB, 28 views)

hokie93

Could you also give us your post transition results. Since WVBT Fox is increasing power and should give you better reception.

gjvrieze

Keith:

Post transition would help, also, how high do you plan to install your antenna? If you know, enter that data as well, your tvfool data at current is very poor just 3 stations being "doable" but maybe with a roof mast, it will not be so bad, as well as power increases...

keith.thompson

Here you go guys. Thanks for looking into this. Attached is the post transition and pre transition both with antenna height.

Attached Images

	Radar-Digital_posttransition.png (110.3 KB, 28 views)
	Radar-Digital_2.png (110.5 KB, 19 views)

gjvrieze

Thanks for the update. Your location is VERY poor in terms of OTA availability... WCPB/WBOC/WMDT are going to be easy, but for much of anything else, you are going to need some serious equipment... (IE: a high high roof mast, or a tower, very strong antennas, both VHF and UHF, a high gain amp and low loss cabling. It really sucks when you cannot even get all of the 4 major networks plus PBS in digital HD.....
WDPB will prolly come in off of an antenna aimed at the before mentioned three stations, on good tropo nights, maybe even more often.....

smdp1

I'd say he needs something like midwestdxr's uhf super stack.....6 uhf antennas stacked together....any vhf is way down on the list and I would fool with unless just for kicks.....

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my antenna is bigger than yours...lol couldn't resist

keith.thompson

Yeah, my location sucks pretty bad. My wife really likes to watch the local news and I like to have availability to multiple football games on sunday, so that being said, I don't want to spend a whole lot of $$ and I also would like a simple fix. I tried the rabit ears on the first floor with my new 40" Samsung, no luck unless I hold it up high in front of a window. What do you think is the best / easiest bang for my $$?

gjvrieze

Winegard 76xx series would be a good buy, or just for what you need for now, a DB4 with a HD269 amp roof mounted on a nice mast....

hoopitup2000

Keith,

You have ABC, CBS, FOX, & PBS available from Salisbury, MD. (FOX is a subchannel of WBOC-DT16; but only SD). Your only hope for NBC is translator station WPMC-36 in Mappsville, VA. I'm not sure what W63DC is. (It looks to be some type of foreign language channel)

I would recommend a roof mounted 91-XG with a Channel Master 7777 pre-amp for "reliable" reception. (If you just have one TV, you may get by without the pre-amp) If you desire NBC, you "will" need a rotator.

I agree with smdp1; you have no need for a VHF antenna.

keith.thompson

gjvrieze, would the CM 4221 suffice for the DB4? I will be going to 3 TV's in total (if possible) using a diplexor at each TV. That being said, I will plan on using a pre-amp.

hoopitup, the 91XG is a little to big an would definitly be an eye sore for the wife. I really don't have any desire to put a rotator on for NBC since I am trying to stay to the rear of my house (where ABC, CBS, FOX & PBS are).

Any other suggestions? Right now here is my planned purchase:
CM4221
CM7777
3 diplexors (any suggestions)
mounting hardware (any suggestions)

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Keith

gjvrieze

Ya, the 4 bay antennas preform very closely to each other.
I would go with the 7777, as it gives you more room for upgrades, I am little worried about possibility of overload, but if you run the FM trap, it "should" be ok....
By "diplexors" do you mean splitters? If so, why so many? Can't you get by with a 3 port, one port to each room? Splitters=loss...
Are you going to roof mount it then? Height is important, so I would go with a 3ft tripod and a 10ft piece of EMT 1.25" conduit from the home improvement stores, cheap and easy to install.... This is a former install of mine, and since you are not going to use a rotor, just run the pole out of the tripod up the 10ft. Put the antenna and wire on the pole and just walk it into the tripod, no need to ladder off of the roof and risk getting hurt... http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...Picture001.jpg