Need OTA Antenna Advice!

bourmb

Here is my antennaweb.org output: DTV Antenna
compass miles freq.
uhf WAOE-DT 39.1 MNT PEORIA I 215° 4.7 39
uhf WHOI-DT 19.1 ABC CREVE COEUR IL 250° 8.6 40
uhf WMBD-DT 30.1 CBS PEORIA IL 233° 6.9 30
uhf WEEK-DT 25.1 NBC PEORIA IL 233° 7.5 57
uhf WYZZ-DT 43.1 FOX BLOOMINGTON IL 105° 13.8 28
uhf WTVP-DT 47.1 PBS PEORIA IL 237° 8.5 46

I have a Sony SXRD KDS-R50-XBR1 with a DirecTV HD reciever (model??). I also recieve non-HD locals through a second dish. I also have a Terk TV-5 indoor which pulls in WEEK, WYZZ, WTVP, and WAOE HD very good with a signal strength at least 80. WHOI (19.1)has a signal strength of around 65 but fluctuates lower, too. WMBD (30.1) registers about a signal strength of 25 and does not even come in. I live in a 2 story house with no obstructions around me. My sea-level position of the house is one of the highest in the area.
What would be the best outdoor antenna for my situation? What about a Winegard GS-2200? Does it need to be amplified? What about a Winegard SS-3000 since only WHOI (sometimes) and WMBD (all the time) are the only two channels that give me problems. I want to drop my local dish service once I can get stable OVA HD reception. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg if I don't have to.

Bigloww

Good old Peoria and BIG AL's. I travel down about once a week for work.
You are within 10 miles on almost all channels and all UHF, but most of them are in different directions. I receive all stations with my indoor Terk (different model), but all mine come from the same source. I don't know that antenna, but hopefully someone does. Being only 7 miles, I would think almost anything would do. You may want to try a better indoor antenna like the WG Sharp Shooter as another option.

http://www.winegard.com/offair/sharpshooter.htm

tyromark

Warren Electronics in Moline has the modest CM rotators on sale very reasonably right now, and if all you aimed for were your pretty close local stations, you wouldn't need a heavy antenna that would strain that rotator. Post your zip code and the experts who chime in on this site can give you good advice. From this location does anyone think he can bring in Chicago/St. Louis stations?

Bigloww

Chicago, St Lou and Indy are all 120 + miles away fro Peoria so that would take quite a deep fringe setup. He could grab a few Sprinfield/Decator stations about 60 miles with a 4228. But they would all be the same as what he should already grab in Peoria/Bloomington.

bourmb

My zip is 61571 (Washington, IL). I don't think there would be a big advantage of pulling different NBC, ABC, CBS affiliates than my locals as they would probably be broadcasting very similiar if not exact programs.
Am I correct that none of the outdoor antenna choices can piggyback on my DirecTV RG-6 wiring on my roof? If that is the case, I hate the fact of the need for running additional RG-6 from the roof. Besides, with my house location, I already look as if I am an electronic geek with 2 dishes on my roof. All I need now is a 3-5 foot length antenna on the roof, too!

Tower Guy

Consider an attic install. I'd try two Channel Master 4221 antennas, one for ABC, CBS, NBC, and PBS plus the second for FOX. Add them together using a Jointenna tuned to channel 27. (not 28, it's too close to 30) You may not get WAOE-DT, but you might not care.

http://www.warrenelectronics.com/antennas/4221.htm
http://www.warrenelectronics.com/Antennas/joiners.htm

Total cost about $100.

bourmb

I am definately a newbie. What do you mean by tuning them to channel 27? My Sony automatically scans for channels.
I have a brand-new 2 story house which I have yet to get up in the attic to at least check the insulation (something I will do this fall). However, I do know from running a phone lead from the basement, the contracter did a pretty good job of isolating the floors with underlament to minimize drafts. I doubt I could easily run additional RG-6 from the attic to any part of the house. Has anyone been successful in doing this on new construction?

bourmb

Would you need two antennaes so I wouldn't need to rotate to pick up one signal?

tyromark

Let me just throw this out for consideration: If you've got sat dishes on your new house already, and are looking to lose the one for your locals if your OTA plans work, then that dish is located someplace and the coax already goes to your TV. If that's satisfactory, try a rotator and one CM4221 mounted on the eave of your house in the sat dish's general vicinity (higher if necessary) and just piggyback the coax and rotator control cable on the coax already there. I've done the same recently, and if the sat instal looked okay, your work will look okay, too. With some mast and mounts & shipping it would all cost you $130-140. None of your stations are due to desert UHF after 2/2009 and that FOX one is 15 miles away.

Tower Guy

When you buy a Jointenna you must specify an exact channel. Warren Electronics will talk you through the process.

Yes, the two antennas eliminate the need for a rotator and allow for faster channel surfing.

If your satellite dish is on the roof you can combine two antennas with a Jointenna and still diplex them onto your dish coax.

bourmb

I only get a week signal for WHOI, CW (aka old WB), and WMBD. It fluctuates from a signal strength of 20-60 consistantly. All the other channels are locked in at around 93 strength just with that POS Terk TV-5. Therefore, instead of mounting a rotator on a CM 4221 or two CM 4221 antennas, could I use the Terk TV-5 for the Fox channel (signal strength 93 using it) and the CM 4221 for everything else?
Would I want to use a CM 7778 pre-amp, too? I would have about 50 feet of RG-6 from the antenna to the receiver.
Is the Antennas Direct DB4 or Winegard PR-4400 better than the CM 4221?
I think a CM 4228 would be overkill as all my towers are within 10 miles and stations outside of my immediate viewing area would be playing the same programs anyway.

bourmb

Just a recap, I am considering the following scenerio:

Here are my antennaweb.org channels for zip 61571:
yellow - uhf WAOE 59 MNT PEORIA IL 308° 3.2 59
* yellow - uhf WAOE-DT 39.1 MNT PEORIA IL 215° 4.7 39
yellow - uhf WHOI 19 ABC PEORIA IL 251° 8.5 19
* yellow - uhf WHOI-DT 19.1 ABC CREVE COEUR IL 251° 8.5 40
yellow - uhf WMBD 31 CBS PEORIA IL 233° 6.8 31
* yellow - uhf WMBD-DT 30.1 CBS PEORIA IL 233° 6.9 30
yellow - uhf WEEK 25 NBC PEORIA IL 233° 7.5 25
* yellow - uhf WEEK-DT 25.1 NBC PEORIA IL 233° 7.5 57
yellow - uhf WYZZ 43 FOX BLOOMINGTON IL 105° 13.8 43
* yellow - uhf WYZZ-DT 43.1 FOX BLOOMINGTON IL 105° 13.8 28
yellow - uhf WTVP 47 PBS PEORIA IL 238° 8.5 47
* yellow - uhf WTVP-DT 47.1 PBS PEORIA IL 238° 8.5 46
red - uhf W50DD 50 TBN PEORIA IL 217° 11.8 50
blue - uhf WRSP 55 FOX SPRINGFIELD IL 181° 62.0 55
blue - uhf WBUI 23 CW DECATUR IL 149° 56.6 23
blue - uhf WAND 17 NBC DECATUR IL 149° 60.4 17
blue - uhf W51CT 51 TBN BLOOMINGTON IL 123° 27.3 51
violet - uhf WICS 20 ABC SPRINGFIELD IL 182° 61.6 20
violet - vhf WILL 12 PBS URBANA IL 139° 60.7 12
violet - vhf WCIA 3 CBS CHAMPAIGN IL 129° 65.9 3

I live in a 2 story house with no large trees to obstruct me. I would like to try the attic first for installation. I don't want to do a rotator either. Is there a way I can setup a CM 4221A for one direction of channels and a CM 4228A for the other direction of channels that are farther away? I would assume the 4228 would probably need a pre-amp to make up for the signal loss in the attic for the long distance. I would assume the 4221 wouldn't really matter as all the towers are really close. Your thoughts?

Diogenes

you have stations all over the place, I don't think two antennas joined with a spliiter/combiner will work. If you are dead set against a rotator and are sure two antennas will be sufficient, then I would run a coax from each antenna to an A-B switch down at the TV. This would allow you to switch from one antenna to the other. IF you don't want the hassle of getting up to flip the A-B switch, then Radio Shack has a remote controlled A-B switch. If you don't want another remote control, then get a Harmony Logitech programmable remote control and program in the A-B switch signal. I think a rotator is simpler. PS you noticed that two of the violet stations are VHF, right?

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