Help choosing antenna for North Denver area.

[spottedmerlin]

Hi,
I've tried a few off the shelf indoor antenna with mixed results but never quite the results that I want. Ideally I want all the channels but one important one seems to be the problem. NBC (9) just will not some in consistently. ABC (7) sometimes comes in but I don't really care if it does or does not.

Here is what I have tried. There were all indoors about 6 ft (yikes) above ground level.

RCA ANT1400: Great reception of every channel in low VHF, and UHF. 7 and 9 were non existent. 30ish channels.

RCA ANT1251: Great reception of all UHF, low VHF, and spotty glitching reception of 7 and 9.

Antennas Direct ClearStream 1: Great reception of UHF, Low VHF, very spotty glitching of 7, no reception of 9.

Here is my report link:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d46aeff36006dac

Not sure what my options are to pick up that high VHF range that I want. I can't mount anything outside and I live on a first floor apartment. I'm fairly limited to indoor equipment.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[elmo]

I would think your RCA ANT1251 is the best design you have on hand for the VHF. Have you tried reorienting it to face SW? And how do you adjust the two telescoping parts? V-shape, horizontal, full extension, etc? Someone here with more expertise than me may be able to tell you the best configuration to tune in 7 & 9. You can certainly experiment if you haven't already. I'd try facing it SW and extend them fully horizontal. Then see how 7/9 come in. If it's not so good, decrease the length an inch at a time. Depending on the length, somewhere in the middle may be optimal. You may be left with an antenna in an inconvenient position, but you can adjust from there to see if a reliable signal can be maintained. Going to a V may work as well as the horizontal and get them out of your way.

I know the Terk HDTV antenna is often recommended here, but I'm not sure there's anything to gain on VHF.

Also, since you're indoors, you have signals bouncing around and even though the towers are SW of you, depending on the bouncing, that might not be the best direction to face it. Lots of patience and adjusting may be the key!

[GroundUrMast]

Here' a chart that lists lengths of dipole rods for a given VHF channel.

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2828

I agree with elmo, any antenna with a single dipole for VHF reception can be expected to perform about the same, regardless of cost, advertising clams, amplification, etc.

Antennas that are designed to support UHF only (example, CS1) will offer little if any VHF reception.

After following elmo's advise, to patiently try adjusting and searching for a 'sweet' spot, you may be forced to consider using a small 'outdoor' type antenna in your apartment. The RCA ANT-751 and Antennacraft HBU-11 come to mind.

[teleview]

Tv Reception is Strong Signal Strength at your location.
Do Not use any type or kind of separate or built in amplifier.
_________

Your building construction and buildings that are in the direction of reception will reduce and block reception.

The aim direction for antenna is about 215 degree magnetic compass direction.

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

Use a Old School magnetic compass.

___

Install a Terk HDTVi (not HDTVa) antenna in/at a ,

-->South West facing , window , patio window glass , as a first choice.

Or , West , South , as other directions.

If required due to locations of antenna and Tv , run a long coax from antenna to Tv.

Digital tuners can develop - Digital Glitches - that are not cleared out with simple channel scans.

Do Double Rescan , http://www.wchstv.com/DoubleRescanAlert.pdf.

Can also test reception with the ANT751 or HBU11 antennas , in/at , the South West facing or South or West , windows , patio.

Or better yet put a ANT751 or HBU11 antenna out on the pattio.

Here are places to buy antennas and etc. .

http://www.solidsignal.com.

http://www.amazon.com.

http://www.antennacraft.net.