Reception Help

[scze7949]

I want to try an antenna and was wondering the best model. I have a cabin in western Wisconsin coordinates 43.464663,-90.766726 I am in low terrain with trees and am about 40 miles from a tower, I would be happy to recieve just 1 channel (fox so I can watch Packer games) and was wondering if I will be able to recieve it or am wasting my time with an antenna, I would prefer a smaller one I could mount on the side of the cabin like the terk hdtv one or if I would have to go larger on the roof and also not break my bank account. I think this is the link to my coordinates http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3db7c89e6dab2d98 Thanks

[mtownsend]

Hello and welcome!

It looks like WLAX (Fox, RF ch 17) and WHLA (PBS, RF ch 3) are within reach if you go with one of the larger rooftop antennas plus a pre-amp. You may also be lucky with WXOW (ABC, ch 48).

To make this work, I would recommend either an Antennas Direct 91XG or a Channel Master HD4228. A Channel Master 7777 pre-amp is also recommended. You'll need to mount the antenna with a good vantage point on your roof and place the pre-amp on the mast as well.

Smaller antennas like the Terk do not have enough raw sensitivity to pull in channels like these. The raw gain of the antenna is what matters most (and bigger is better). If an antenna has a built-in amplifier, the gain of the amp does not count toward the raw gain of the antenna. Amps cannot modify the intrinsic gain of the antenna, and if you start with a crappy signal, boosting it won't get you anywhere.

You really do need to stick with well designed antennas with high gain and then add a good pre-amp after it (to help preserve the signal quality on the trip down through the cable to your TV).