Antenna choices for Oakton, VA

[Gregg]

Hi folks,

I'm making the switch from cable to OTA. In fact, already disconnected cable and using a small indoor antenna temporarily.

I'm in Oakton, VA, which is about 15 miles west of 'TV hill' in DC. I've been hanging a small 10"x10" RCA flat square antenna out the 2nd story window facing east and able to pick up 1/2 a dozen channels (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, plus a few others). Quality is great when I get signal, terrible (e.g. artifacts/pixelization) when it's raining or other foul weather.

I'd like to have professionally mounted a good or great antenna so I can get the 'key-4' channels all the time and any others are a bonus. The challenge I'm struggling with is which antenna to buy.

I had been looking at the Channel Master 4228HD and the Winegard HD-8800. The confusion I'm getting is if either of these will actually allow me to pick up ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX given that the antennae are UHF only. If I read the signal analysis results correctly, it seems I WON'T be able to get the DC-based ABC and CBS station using these two antennae. Is that true?

Here's the link to my signal analysis results.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d5ed6b10582bee0

So, all that said, if the two above won't allow me to get the 'key-4' channels, what antenna recommendations do folks have for where I live? I would suspect at 15 miles, I won't need preamplifier.

A few key facts and desires:
- I live in the woods, 60' trees are everywhere (they named it Oakton for a reason)
- I'd prefer an antenna that is lease vurnable as possible to damage (again, living in the woods, any storm will thrown branches and twigs everywhere).
- Ideally something of quality that isn't going to break or rust in a year.

Gregg

[teleview]

The following is a Teleview recommendation for broadecast Tv reception.

A Simple reception situation.

Above the roof install a Winegard HD7696P antenna aimed at about 76 degree magnetic compass direction.

Here is how to aim antennas , http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html.

For 1 tv connected use no splitter no amplifier.

For 2 Tv's connected use a common simple 2 way splitter , no amplifier.

For 3 or 4 Tv's connected use a Channel Master CM3414 distribution amplifier.

Here are some above the roof antenna mounts , http://www.ronard.com/909911.html , http://www.ronard.com/34424560.html , http://www.ronard.com/ychim.html , http://www.ronard.com/Tripods%200703/4712.html , http://www.ronard.com.

Buy the ronard antenna mounts at solidsignal by typing the word ronard in the solidsignal search box.

Here are some places to buy antennas and etc. , http://www.solidsignal.com , http://www.amazon.com , http://www.winegarddirect.com , http://www.channelmaster.com.

As always , trees and tree leaves do a real fine job of reducing or blocking Tv reception and so do buildings and other obstructions.

It is best mount the Tv antenna at a location that has the least amount to no amount of obstructions in the direction of reception.

The Tv/s Must Channel Scan for the Digital Broadcast Tv Channels , sometimes named the 'Air Channels' or 'Antenna Channels' in the Tv setup menu because the Tv transmissions travel through the air from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna.

DO NOT channel scan for cable tv channels.

[teleview]

The following is a Teleview recommendation for Digital Broadcast Tv Reception.

For more strength and duribility.

Above the roof install a Antenna Direct , Clear Stream 4 and a Antennas Direct C5 antenna , both aimed at about 76 degree magnetic compass.

The C5 comes with a combiner to connect the CS4 and C5 together on to one coax down lead.

For 1 Tv connected use no splitter no amplifier.

For 2 Tv's connected use a common simple 2 way splitter , no amplifier.

For 3 or 4 Tv's connected use a CM3414 distribution amplifier.

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If your house has a chimney , can tie a , long , pole or pipe to the chimney as a temporary way of testing reception , can give a idea of how high or low will have to go for reception.

The more distance away the trees are in the direction of reception the better.

If there is a opening in the trees in the direction of reception , that's better.

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