Only ONE channel needed, but it's ~70 miles away

[dfniles]

It's just about football time, and my Packer games are often pre-empted by the local Vikings games. I'd like to receive games from the nearest Packer station (WQOW ch15 in my radar plot), but it's pretty far away. I'm prepared to get a little carried away with the install (e.g. buying my neighbor's 20 foot tower) but I sure need advice as to whether this is realistically feasible. Thank you for any thoughts.

My TV Fool plot is derived from the spot of my current roof-mounted antenna, about 25 feet AGL.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d46aee71a1ceee0

[GroundUrMast]

I won't say it's completely impossible... But this is a case that will require 'extraordinary measures'. A predicted noise margin of -19 dB is going to require the best antenna you can find... or build... plus some extraordinary luck. Given the fact that you have substantial hills/mountains between you and Eau Claire you have a lot of variables and factors that the prediction algorithm can't account for. Some of those 'factors' may be in your favor, most are probably not.

Without trying, you won't know. First, can you mount high enough to clear all nearby trees and buildings?

Then, if I had one laying about, I would have no qualms about trying an Antennas Direct 91XG, DB8e or a Winegard HD9095P. However, all of these come up short of the needed gain that the cursory calculation suggests would be needed. (In theory, you need an antenna with at least 19.0 dBd (21.15 dBi) gain to just get to the theoretical edge of reception. To have any chance at reliable reception, you need some additional gain beyond that...)

So, I would be entertaining the possibility of building a large antenna. The only antennas I can think of that might produce gain like that are very big commercial products from Wade/Taco and in theory, rhombic antennas.

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2865 (see post #3) A 9 wave-length per side version of this antenna, cut to operate at 476 to 482 MHz (real CH-15) will need about 40 feet by 25 feet of area and at least four supporting masts.

Another idea, using an entirely different approach... If you have a friend or family in the Eau Claire area, do you both have the internet access speed needed to stream from a SlingBox or Home Theater PC? If you have limited access speeds, you could still record the game to a HTPC hard-drive, then download it to your PC to watch at your location (at low data rates, it may take much longer to down load than the actual program length).

[Stereocraig]

I like the idea of the Wade Taco, but they are a bit pricey.
I have a 7 foot C/KU I have been working on, but set it aside, until I come across bracket material to mount to my tower.

Go Pack Go!

[Tower Guy]

I'd like to receive games from the nearest Packer station (WQOW ch15 in my radar plot),

WQOW seems to be an ABC affiliate. Packer games are usually on FOX. Is WLOX a Packer FOX station, or do you need WEUX?

[Stereocraig]

Yep, usually on FOX, except for ESPN, which has been carried by ABC affiliate WISN in the past.I don't however, believe any Packer game has been blacked out, since 1971.

In our area, we also receive ALL Bears games on FOX.

YES! both games at the same time, we just need to hit JUMP.

[dfniles]

Thanks for all the feedback - you guys rock! I've never considered an alternative to OTA viewing but GroundUrMast's SlingBox idea has me intrigued, and, for several reasons, I'll be looking into that option.

Thank you all!