Help with OTA solution

[kenjen]

Looking for an antenna for a somewhat difficult area; no trees or nearby obstructions just the mountains in the directions between my location and the tower locations of interest (Baltimore and DC). Considering a HBU44 or HD7697 above ridge with an eave mount installation and a rotor. Signal feed from antenna (preamp?) will be routed to a central panel located in the basement (approximately 40 ft of QS RG-6 cable to panel). Five QS RG-6 home runs from individual room outlets to distribution device will be approximately 50 ft each. Appreciate any equipment suggestions and installation time-saving tips for home soon to be under construction.

This is my TV analysis report:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d5b9490e27a428b

Thank you very much!

[GroundUrMast]

If there is any chance that the cables will be used as a part of a satellite receiving system, pay or FTA, quad shielding is appropriate. It's not going to add any value to an OTA TV receiving system though. (Just thinking of the economics, OTA will work fine on either double or quad shielded cable.)

If you can leave yourself some flexibility as to final antenna location you'll avoid the trap of mounting an antenna, only to find there is some problem with reliable reception of one or more channels. Best practice is to check reception at a specific location, before drilling holes in the building.

Consider installing 3/4", 1" or larger PVC conduit between the distribution point and any remote part of the building such as the attic or crawl space. Future changes to low voltage cabling is infinitely easier if you can avoid fishing finished walls. Consider the need for power in the attic and crawl space... If not for powering an amplifier, at least a service light and power tool(s).

I would be inclined toward the antennas you have listed, or the HBU-55 and HD7698P. The RCA TVPRAMP1R is a very good preamplifier, and it's price is extremely competitive.

For a premium option, consider a second, independent antenna system that includes a rotator. Feed all the TV's with the primary, fixed aim system. But add a feed from the adjustable antenna to those TVs that would want the alternate or DX (distant) reception opportunities. Installing two runs of coax to some or all locations is easy while the walls are open...

CAT-5e or CAT-6 cable would go to each location with a TV outlet in a home I was building. New TV's and disk players are usually equipped with wired Ethernet capabilities and wired Ethernet connections are far more reliable than any wireless solution when transferring high bandwidth video/audio from the internet or in-house. In addition to the internet access router, I would locate a Gigabit Ethernet switch at the distribution point, so that Gigabit speed was available to all Ethernet jacks home run off of the distribution point. You then have plenty of in-house file and video steaming band-width.

[teleview]

+=>
-----
I recommended at least 2 runs of coax to each location and 3 runs of coax to each location will provide flexibility of use at a later date.

Installing the coax is a lot easier to do before the sheet rock goes on.

Also the , Cat5e or Cat6 wiring is important.

Seems like a lot of wire , however is easier to do now then later.i

[teleview]

+=>
-----
Many of the receivable Digital Broadcast Tv are weak signal strength at your reception location.

For maximum reception and flexibility of use.

Install a , Antennas Direct , DB8e , UHF antenna aimed at about 156 degree magnetic compass direction.

And install a , www.antennacraft.net , Y10-7-13 , VHF high band antenna aimed at about 156 degree magnetic compass direction.

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

Use a Real and Actual magnetic compass to aim antenna.

-----

Install a RCA , TVPRAMP1R , preamplifier.

Connect DB8e UHF antenna to the UHF connection of the preamplifier.

Connect the Y10-7-13 antenna to the VHF connection of the preamplifier.

-----

No antenna rotator for the , DB8e and Y10-7-13 antennas.

Recommend do not setup a antenna or antennas with a antenna rotator at this time.

--------

Here are some Above the Peak of the Roof Antenna Mounts.

www.ronard.com/909911.html
Use the , ronard(911) , 5 foot tripod antenna mount.

www.ronard.com/34424560.html
Use the , ronard(4560) , eave antenna mount.

www.ronard.com/ychim.html
Measure around the chimney and use a , ronard(2212) , ronard(2218) , ronard(2224) .

Buy the ronard antenna mounts at , www.ronard.com

--------

Here are some place to buy antennas and etc. .

www.ronard.com

www.antennacraft.net

www.amazon.com

[kenjen]

Thanks, GroundUrMast….all very helpful information. Definitely want to get the best bang-for-the-buck system. Does one of the aforementioned antennas stand out in terms of durability?
The central panel is located in the basement below a BR closet so will run 1 ¼” PVC straight up through the main level to the attic for future cabling. For now, the cable throughout is bundled QS with a single CAT 5e except for the feed cable which I acquired previously. The cable company feed is coming in the basement near the central panel; the modem, router and Gb switch will be in the central panel with the 8-way splitter. Any recommendations for a splitter?
I remember seeing favorable reviews for the RCA TVPRAMP1R indicating it did a good job with boosting signal strength and handling signal overload. For the $, it should be a good starting point.
Your planning tip for installing outlets in the attic and keeping proposed mounting site flexible is appreciated. Will ask builder for additional outlets for powering preamp and will probably run some pull string from central panel to either end of the attic for future feeds. Any other cabling considerations?

[kenjen]

Thanks, Teleview...nice planning tip for additional cabling; ran across a discount price on double QS RG-6 bundled with a single CAT 5e which would add some flexibility. Will probably run some raceway tubing and/or pull string from central panel to individual outlets for future cabling needs.

It makes sense to maximize the most of what is available in terms of signal. Are there channels within an azimuth range that I would expect to receive watchable signal by pointing @ 156°? IOW, should I theoretically expect to receive WDCW (ch 50) with an azimuth of 148°?

Just curious about the reasoning (topography, signal strength, # of channels, interference etc.) behind choosing DC as opposed to Baltimore towers. Yes, there are a lot of redundant stations amongst the Baltimore and DC towers but would it be more flexible to utilize that redundancy with the ability to easily re-direct the antenna for the occasional reception issues @156°?

Thanks for the help. It is greatly appreciated.

[teleview]

+=>
----
The Easier To Receive And Most Greatest Number Of Tv Networks are to the , South East and South.

The DC area has the Most Tv Stations and the Most Number of Networks.

I Strongly Recommend the Starting Antenna Aim Directions.

You will be surprised at how many Tv stations and channels will be received from 100 degree to 190 degree magnetic compass directions.

[GroundUrMast]

I'd give Winegard a slight edge when rating durability.

[kenjen]

Update: Ended up running a single Cat 5e and two RG6 QS to each room for data/tv in addition to smurf tubing to each room for future wiring. Installed an electrical outlet in the attic as well as conduit running from attic to the basement in two locations. Awaiting final inspection.

I have half of the RG6 and all of the Cat 5e home runs in the basement and the other half of RG6 home runs in the attic. Using RG6 DS from antenna/pre-amp to splitter in the attic. Mast will be grounded to 8' CCS rod using 6 AWG copper and clamps listed for direct burial. Grounding rod is bonded to the neutral-ground bus at the main breaker panel with 6 AWG copper.

The wife isn't crazy about it but I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on the Winegard HD7698 and RCA TVPRAMP and point at 156 degrees. I'm holding off on the rotor for now but would like to tune WHAG-DT also. Would a fixed, dual antenna setup work for this? Any suggestions on a separate antenna for that station in my area (2EDGE) to combine with the HD7698?

[GroundUrMast]

I'd start with one antenna... It gives you the capability of testing reception in odd directions by simply turning it manually. If the test proves you have a usable signal from a particular station that you are interested in, you can then decide if a second antenna is justified.

WHAG looks like it would need a DB8E or 91XG dedicated to it. If That proves to be true, I'd suggest using an axillary tuner rather than attempting to combine the two antennas which would no doubt interfere with one another if you used a reversed splitter to combine them. http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2882

[teleview]

+=>

The DB8e UHF antenna provides the flexibility to Aim 1 panel at the 156 degree

aim direction and the other panel at , WHAG-DT , Real Current UHF channel 26

at 320 degree magnetic compass aim direction.

Doing it this way will most likely get you all the Tv Stations/Channels you

require.

And has the advantage of only 1 coax down lead.

----------

And if not , then another Dedicated DB8e antenna can be installed for reception

of WHAG.

----------

So is good that you installed the extra coax runs.

And made ways to easliy install more coax runs.