HD OTA Reception in Attic

gopherguy

Hello.

I have a question for you experts on here. I am in Faribault, MN. Zip Code 55021. I am trying to pick up digital programming out of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro area. I have seen some recommendations for the Channel Master 4228 UHF antenna with the 7777 preamp. I am in a pretty high elevation area of town and can currently pick up the VHF network channels (with some fuzz) with just a cheap indoor antenna. Does anyone think I could get away with installing the CM 4228 in my attic as opposed to outside? Or am I simply too far away for it to work. The house is a single story rambler. I have an aesthetic disagreement with my wife about putting it on the roof.

I have a general question as well. This maybe a stupid question, but here it goes. The digital channels in my area are all UHF (according to antennaweb)...I always thought UHF channels were 14-69 but the VHF analog counterparts are on VHF (2-13). What am I missing?

GG

tigerbangs

Analog TV stations have a digital counterpart that operates on a second channel. Because of the greater availability and number of UHF frequencies available, most, but not all, of the digital channels are found on UHF. Many TV markets have both UHF and VHF analog service, but also have digital services on UHF or VHF, as well

When I plug your zip code into TVFool.com, it appears that you are about 50 miles from MSP, and that would be a fringe area in anyone's book. While it's possible to make an attic installation work in some situations, it's impossible to predict success at a distance of 50 miles from the transmitters. If you MUST use an attic antenna, than the 4228 is probably not your best choice, as it is sensitive to multipath and vertical tilt. I believe that you would be better off using an AntennasDirect XG-91 in your attic, assuming that you have rom in the attic for it. It is lighter and less susceptible to multipath, but has similar gain to the 4228.

At a distance of 50 miles, however, the only way that anyone would give you a good chance of getting reliable digital reception from MSP would be to mount either a 4228 or an XG-91 on the roof , along with a good preamplifier like a Channel Master Titan 7777 or a Winegard AP8275

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

gopherguy

Thanks...I guess I'll have to do trial and error, otherwise I think the best thing to do is work on my wife. I'll let you know how it works out.

GG

w0en

Don't forget that in 2009 KMSP and KARE are moving back down to 9 &11 VHF. You will need to plan for that. If you are up in the section by the KDHL tower farm or the Law Enforcement towers off Ravine St you should do OK. I'm 15 miles closer and get all MSP currently on a 4 bay bowtie outside at 15 ft just above the shingles. The best check is how you do on analog 17 & 45. 29 uses circular polarization which sometimes is a problem. The Shoreview tower farm has a long reach. For experimentation try a U-75 yagi from Radio Shack if you can take it back (there was somebody out past Cannon Lake that had some good success with it), or spend an hour and build a 4 bay coat hanger bowtie from the Youtube video or the lumenlab.com thread for testing before committing the big bucks to a 7777 preamp. Also check 6 on UHF 33 from Albert Lea, it is strong up here should be very strong down there. KSTP 5 on UHF 50 has special antenna problems until 2009 when they are moving to KARE's UHF assignment, so 6 is another Hubbard station alternative for ABC if UHF 50's a problem.
Tigerbangs is correct about attics, hard to predict what goes on up there and the snow depth on the roof can effect/change things. Try to find a sweet spot with your indoor antenna up there, again, look for analog 17 with more pic than snow.