Help close and distant reception

[flyingramondo]

Where I live I have been fine until our Fox station is converted to ABC. We also have NBC & CBS broadcasting within 15 miles of our house. Indianapolis is 60 miles away. What do you have for recomendations for an antenna\antennas that will help me to receive the stations 60 miles away without messing up our local stations? Thanks.

[flyingramondo]

I forgot to paste my TV Fool report. http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e7469aba7d0a3

[GroundUrMast]

I presume your goal is to receive WXIN-FOX, real channel 45. Others in that direction would be bonus?

How high can you safely mount a large antenna such as an Antennas Direct XG91? Please post a TVFR for that AGL.

Are you willing to use an A/B switch to select between two antennas?

[flyingramondo]

Using a switch would be no problem. Please forgive my ignorance, what does AGL mean

[flyingramondo]

Got It! 25 feet. http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e7482095a5a29

The goal is to be able to receive ch. 45 if at all possible. I'm also planning on purchasing a rotator that is beafy enought to withstand the wind that a large antenna is likely to pick up. Any suggestions?

[John Candle]

How many Tv's will be connected??

[flyingramondo]

Two TV's. I currently get ABC from WICD-DT which is aprox. 57 miles away with an antenna that I built so I am very hopeful that I can bring in most of the Inianapolis channels with a decent antenna. I currently am using a pre-amp purchased from Solid Signal but I don't remember which one it is.

[GroundUrMast]

Reliable reception of CH-45 is going to be challenging. An XG-91 pointing toward 62° and an Antennas Direct CPA-19 are going to give you some signals. You will need to experiment with mounting height. (Anywhere from ground level on up.) You can order an extra director section for the XG-91... that would increase it's gain a bit more.

CH-45 may not be 100% reliable.

Can you afford a tower?

[flyingramondo]

There's a free 30' tower available locally. Upon recommendations here for an antenna I thought that I would try my roof mount first (25') that would be easy and then look to improve antenna height and location from there if needed. Even if I don't succeed in getting a Fox station again I should be able to pick up numerous new stations. The XG-91 seems to be a popular choice for distant stations.

[MisterMe]

I presume your goal is to receive WXIN-FOX, real channel 45. Others in that direction would be bonus?

How high can you safely mount a large antenna such as an Antennas Direct XG91? Please post a TVFR for that AGL.

Are you willing to use an A/B switch to select between two antennas?Comparing the signal from WXIN (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwxin%26type%3dD) in Indianapolis to WCCU (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwccu%26type%3dD), the FOX affiliate in Central Illinois, it appears that the OP will have better luck with the Illinois station.

[GroundUrMast]

To get more gain in the UHF band, the next step after the XG-91 is the $BIG$ commercial antennas.

It would be interesting to see how high you need to go per TV Fool to find a NM of -5 dB or better on CH-45.

[John Candle]

Ok , I recommend a 2 antenna set up with a remote control A/B antenna switch , model AB27RS or radio shack 15-1968 , at both Tv's. The first antenna will be a AntennaCraft U4000 with a Antennas Direct CPA-19 preamp. aimed at about 92 degrees magnetic compass for the receptions of WTIU PBS , WTTV The CW , WCLJ Ind. WIPX ION Tv , WRTV ABC , and through the back side of the U4000 , W43BV TBN. . I also recommend a Winegard HD7694P antenna with NO amplifier aimed at 208 degree magnetic compass , for the receptions of , WTOW NBC , WFXW Fox , WTHI CBS. . Here is how to aim Tv antennas , http://www.tvfool.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html . I will return with coax wiring instructions.

[GroundUrMast]

Ok , I recommend a 2 antenna set up with a remote control A/B antenna switch , model AB27RS or radio shack 15-1968 at both Tv's. The first antenna will be a AntennaCraft U4000 with a Antennas Direct CPA-19 preamp. aimed at about 92 degrees magnetic compass for the receptions of WTIU PBS , WTTV The CW , WCLJ Ind. WIPX ION Tv , WRTV ABC and through the back side of the U4000 , W43BV TBN. . I also recommend a Winegard HD7694P antenna with NO amplifier aimed at 208 degree magnetic compass , for the receptions of , WTOW NBC , WFXW Fox , WTHI CBS. . Here is how to aim Tv antennas , http://www.tvfool.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html . I will return with wiring instructions.

Comparing the signal from WXIN (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwxin%26type%3dD) in Indianapolis to WCCU (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwccu%26type%3dD), the FOX affiliate in Central Illinois, it appears that the OP will have better luck with the Illinois station.


What about WXIN, real channel 45, the OP's stated goal? Per the OP & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WFXW the local Fox affiliate has or will change it's affiliation to ABC. WXIN (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e7482095a5a29%26t%3dALLTV%26n%3d21) is weak, but the only viable option for a FOX affiliate. WCCU (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e7482095a5a29%26t%3dALLTV%26n%3d27) is a tropospheric path... not viable at all.

[John Candle]

Ok , for the coax wiring. The U4000 antenna and preamp will have coax that goes to a location where there is power for the preamp and the coax can be split with a 2 way splitter , one output of the 2 way splitter goes to one Tv and the other output of the 2way splitter goes to the other Tv. . The coax of the second antenna the HD7694P antenna will go to the same location and a 2 way splitter is connected to the coax of the second antenna and the outputs of the splitter go to the two Tv's. Connect the coaxes to the remote control A/B antenna switches , the locations of the A/B antenna switches is at the Tv's , and the output of switches connect to the Tv's. Now with the remote control in your hand you can change antennas with out leaving your chair.

[GroundUrMast]

Got It! 25 feet. http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e7482095a5a29

The goal is to be able to receive ch. 45 if at all possible. I'm also planning on purchasing a rotator that is beafy enought to withstand the wind that a large antenna is likely to pick up. Any suggestions?

The Hy-Gain AR-40 would be vastly superior to the consumer grade rotators. It's priced accordingly.

[MisterMe]

What about WXIN, real channel 45, the OP's stated goal? Per the OP & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WFXW the local Fox affiliate has or will change it's affiliation to ABC. WXIN (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e7482095a5a29%26t%3dALLTV%26n%3d21) is weak, but the only viable option for a FOX affiliate. WCCU (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e7482095a5a29%26t%3dALLTV%26n%3d27) is a tropospheric path... not viable at all.I thought my point was very clear in my post. If you click through on the WXIN (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwxin%26type%3dD) link, then you will see that Terre Haute sits in a hole in WXIN (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwxin%26type%3dD)'s coverage. This is the say that the TV Fool model shows that the OP should receive nothing from WXIN (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwxin%26type%3dD). Although the WCCU (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwccu%26type%3dD) signal is weak in Terre Haute, it is not zero (0). This is why I recommended that the OP forget WXIN (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwxin%26type%3dD), which he probably cannot get, and go with WCCU (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=80&q=call%3dwccu%26type%3dD), which he has a chance to get.

[John Candle]

The same Wikipedia article also says that FOX is likely to move to WTHI , so we shall see.

[John Candle]

The tvfool radar report I see , shows WCCU at minus -16.7 NM (dB) and the receive path is Tropo , so WCCU will not be received.

[John Candle]

I recommend doing a channel rescan for new digital channels from time to time because new digital channels can be added at any time with No notice. Also can contact WTHI at http://www.wthitv.com/generic/About_Us/contact_wthitv , Talk with some one higher up at WHTI or talk with engineering department because the engineering departments at the tv stations are the ones that set up the transmitters to transmit new channels. Fox is not likely to just drop off the map , Fox will most likely move to one of the Tv stations close by.

[MisterMe]

.... Fox is not likely to just drop off the map , Fox will most likely move to one of the Tv stations close by.Not to be Debbie Downer or anything, but WFXW is only the latest affiliate in the Midwest to be dropped by FOX in its fight with its affiliates over fees to rebroadcast its signal. It is my understanding that those other dropped affiliates have not been replaced. Quite frankly, this concerns me because Nexstar, WFXW's owner, also owns my nearest FOX affiliate.

[Tower Guy]

Ok , for the coax wiring. The U4000 antenna and preamp will have coax that goes to a location where there is power for the preamp and the coax can be split with a 2 way splitter , one output of the 2 way splitter goes to one Tv and the other output of the 2way splitter goes to the other Tv. . The coax of the second antenna the HD7694P antenna will go to the same location and a 2 way splitter is connected to the coax of the second antenna and the outputs of the splitter go to the two Tv's. Connect the coaxes to the remote control A/B antenna switches , the locations of the A/B antenna switches is at the Tv's , and the output of switches connect to the Tv's. Now with the remote control in your hand you can change antennas with out leaving your chair.

Neither the U4000 nor the HD7694P has enough gain to pick up a FOX station.

The 91XG has the most gain on channel 45, but even then it will be unreliable.

[flyingramondo]

Much thanks to all of you for your time and input concerning my dilemma with Fox. It looks like my best course of action is to not chase after Fox but to wait for it to come to me. I'm a committed non supporter of cable or satelite so until Fox is back in my area or the NFC football games move to a different broadcaster I'll have to do without NFC football games. Worse things have happpened.

But from the advice given I believe I will very soon set up a system very similar to the one advised by John. There appears to be many channels out there for me to be able to pick up without a great deal of expense. I'll start with my existing antenna aimed at 208 degrees and purchase a U4000 to be used with existing pre-amp (to be upgraded to the CPA-19 if needed) to get what I can from the Indy direction. Thanks John for the wiring directions.

[Tower Guy]

purchase a U4000 to be used with existing pre-amp (to be upgraded to the CPA-19 if needed) to get what I can from the Indy direction.

The likelihood of picking up INDY with a U4000 is close to zero. Consider a 91XG instead.

[Tower Guy]

Where I live I have been fine until our Fox station is converted to ABC.

This was released yesterday:

Fox Broadcasting Co. has signed an affiliation agreement with LIN Television Corp., owner of WTHI Terre Haute, Ind. (DMA 152), to launch a new Fox affiliate on a subchannel.

The new station, which is expected to air Sept. 1, will be known as MyFox10. The station will operate out of WTHI’s digital broadcasting studio

[flyingramondo]

Thanks Tower Guy. I just saw the announcement on chan 10 news this morning. Looks like Fox came to me and brought ABC with it. WOO HOO, YIPEE!

Because of the wonderful input from those that have responded to my post I'm still going to consider upgrading my antenna system. I would like to grab some of the low hanging fruit out there that could be within my reach.

Thanks again to you guys.

[John Candle]

As I said , I thought Fox would move to WTHI and it did. As a matter of fact the Networks will and are singing on in the digital sub channels of Tv stations transmitters. I have been saying for sometime, the Low Power Tv Stations should band together , buy digital transmitters and lease the main channel and sub channels. The owners of these Low Power Tv stations could then retire and never work the rest of there lives. But then who listens to me??