Help with antenna selection in Whitby Ontario

[tvnewb]

My location info:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d46aea761773bdf

My current plan is to replace the bell dish which is on the rear of the house at about 30 feet elevation as all cabling is complete, running roughly 70 feet of coax from antenna mount to fuse box in the basement where it goes then through roughly 35 to 40 feet of cable back to tv. Splitting signal to multiple tvs is possible at the fusebox but not necessary.

The current bell dish is on a 3 foot j post mount which doesn't quite clear the neighbours roof which blocks line of sight to the cn tower and NY stations, contemplated a taller j post but it can get quite windy here and figure that would require more of a tripod type setup. A quick check of some folks with similar maps seems to point to ant751 setup, but would like suggestions since I am a total newb.

I would love to get the NY stations if possible, currently have a Terk HDTVa in a south side bedroom on the second floor which gets about 20 channels on a good day without any positioning tweaking etc. Just pointing out the window in a guesstimated southish direction. Hoping with some guidance and a proper rooftop setup that I can get more dependable channels and hopefully a few more. Thanks in advance!

[GroundUrMast]

To chase down the Buffalo signals, invest in a solid tripod, mast and Winegard HD7698P.

[tvnewb]

Thanks for the response! I was hoping for something in a smaller form facter as it is a townhouse, I was hoping to get lucky since I am currently getting FOX stable on the litttle terk indoors facing the other row of townhouses, but I guess that's fluke. If I am unable to get the ny channels without resorting to aan antenna roughly the size of my house, any suggestions for best smaller antenna in my situation? Thanks again for your time

[GroundUrMast]

Your odds of getting WBBZ on real CH-7 are quite low anyway...

Consider a panel style - UHF only... Antennas Direct DB8e, and Channel Master CM-4228

[tvnewb]

Currently with the terk I am getting channels:
4-1, 5-1, 7-1, 9-1, 17-1/2/3, 19-1, 23-1/2, 25-1, 29-1/2, 36-1, 40-1, 41-1, 47-1, 57-1
I guess I should be impressed with the little thing :D but it is overcast at the moment and I understand that is best conditions. Any preferences for either of the units you mentioned? How should I be aiming them? Thanks again and sorry for the million questions, I would just really like to only climb up there once :D

Edit: I see there is a db8 with a hinge in the middle to point in 2 directions, would that be more headache or worthwhile?

[teleview]

Install the HD7698P antenna aimed at about 189 degree magnetic compass direction.

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

Use a Real and Actual magnetic compass to aim antenna.

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Recommend get the HD7698P antenna Up in the Air.

Avoid aiming in to trees in the directions of , South East , South , South West and your location also has Tv stations to the , East , North East , North West.

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Here are some places to buy antennas and etc.

http://www.saveandreplay.com.

http://www.trentondistributors.com.

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So I can recommend a preamplifier or distribution amplifier.

How many Tv locations will be connected??

The Best Pratice is to feed signal to the locations that will actualy have a Tv connected.

Not all locations that have no Tv in the room and nothing connected.

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[tvnewb]

Thanks for the replies folks, as i said, i am hesitant to put a 14 foot antenna on top of my little townhouse, would like to keep the neighbours happy. I am wondering if an attic install of it might yeild better results than the 4228HD on top of the roof, though i know that's a guessing game depending on the materials in the way etc. Whichever antenna I go with will be feeding one tv, if using the bell mount roughly 70 feet of coax with one joiner in the middle at the fusebox in basement. How precisely must the 4228 be aimed?

[GroundUrMast]

I've yet to see an attic prove to be as good let alone a better location for an antenna. All you can do is try and see.

[teleview]

For reception of ,

WNLO-DT CW.

WNED-DT PBS.

WIVB-DT CBS.

WUTV-DT FOX.

WKBW-DT ABC.

WGRZ-DT NBC.

WNYO-TV MyNetwork.

You can Test reception with a Winegard HD7696P antenna mount above the roof in the same manner as the HD7698P antenna.

Aimed the Same Direction.

A tripod type antenna mount can be set on the roof and moved around if required to find the best location fo reception.

Most Digital Tv's have a Signal Strength Meter and some Digital Tv's also have a Signal Quality Meter.

As allways , the starting antenna aim direction is the --> strarting antenna aim direction.

The antenna Aim and antenna location can be adjusted for best reception.

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For 1 Tv connected , No splitters.

Test reception without a antenna system amplifier.

For more then 1 Tv connected , Use a Winegard LNA-200 'Boost" XT amplifier.

For 2 Tv's connected use a , Holland Electronics , HFS-2D , 2 way splitter.

For 3 Tv's connected use a , Holland Electronics , HFS-3D , 3 way splitter.

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[tvnewb]

GroundUrMast and teleview, I am afraid i worded that last post badly, I was curious if a 7969P in the attic would be preferable to a 4228 on a roof mount, as external mounting of an antenna the size of a 7969 would not fly in my neighbourhood. I know that is impossible to answer without trying them in my location so the 4228 on a roof mount is the way I am headed it seems.

My last questions (unless either of you see a flaw in my plan, point it out, I won't take it personally ;-) ) are about my mounting. Before I began looking into this in more depth my idea was to swap an antenna for the bell dish that's on a j-post mount using the coax already there but of course a 4228 needs what looks to be close to 3 feet of mounting mast, much longer than the dish's stub. Are there extensions or are the posts interchangeable pretty much? I ASSUME that the Bell mount's base is properly attached and sealed, coax being about 2 years old so being able to buy a 5' j mount and swap posts with the bell base would save a lot of time.

I am thinking a 5 foot j-post is probably what would be on the outer edge of sturdy enough for a 4228 in high winds and I hope that it would be enough to clear the lip of the neighbours roof since the antenna is mounted vertical as opposed to the angle of the dish. I will run fresh coax from the roof to the basement if need be since raising the 4228 to the top of a 5 foot jpole might require another 2 feet or so of coax, I haven't been close enough to see what kind of slack was left by the bell installer. Would a 5' jpole be too flimsy for a 4228 in windy conditions?

Thank you folks for your patience, I have many questions and you have both been very informative!

[teleview]

Here is the Federal Antenna Law , (For the USA) , that says Yes you can install a Broadcast Tv Antenna of any size and location so as to have Reliable Reception.

Hoa's and Etc. are well aware of the Federal Antenna Law here in the USA.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html.

[GroundUrMast]

Sadly, in this case, the FCC has no jurisdiction.

I would expect the satellite dish and 8-bay panel antenna to have roughly similar wind-loads.

[tvnewb]

Thanks for the assistance, you folks have been great. Decided against using my ham fists for the job, found a local guy with a long time install business to put up and set up the 4228 probably early next week with amplifier as I'll be aiming down the middle roughly, probably more toward buffalo than the cn tower. Just my guess, he'll be aiming :D Will let you know how it goes!