PDA

View Full Version : Do I need a different antenna due to trees?


wraydp
30-Sep-2011, 1:05 PM
I live about 3 miles east of downtown Charlotte, NC. I am in an old neighborhood with lots of trees. There are two channes within 10 miles that I do not receive well. These are CBS (3-1, freq. 23) and ABC (9-1, freq 34). The CBS tower is west northwest of my house and ABC is East Northeast of my house. I receive other channels in the same directions which are farther away. Below is a link to the TV Fool report for my location. My antenna is approximately 20 feet high. I only have 1 TV attached to the antenna

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d60b507c76cdbe7

I currently have an AntennasDirect Clearstream1 mounted to my chimney above my single story house pointed North. I have approximately 40feet of old cheap cable connecting the antenna to my TV

Questions are:

1. I do not have the metal reflector installed. Would this help and what does it do? I did not notice a difference when I tried it with the deflector inside of my house so I left it off.

2. Would buying a larger antenna help? I was thinking about the clearstream 2 antenna. This has a 50 mile radius and a gain of 10.2dbi. My current antenna (Clearstream 1) has a range of 30 miles and a gain of 8dbi.

3. Would a pre-amp help?

4. Is it possible to connect two antennas pointed in opposite directions and then run one cable to the TV?

John Candle
30-Sep-2011, 1:23 PM
As the other question askers do , Do This--> http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=4. About how high is the antenna. Use the exact address to create a radar plot. How many tv's will be connected??

wraydp
30-Sep-2011, 2:33 PM
John,

I have updated my original post per your comments. Thanks.

John Candle
1-Oct-2011, 7:56 PM
I recommend give the Antenna Craft U4000 a try , no preamplifier needed , aim the antenna at about , 270 degree magnetic compass. Here is how to aim antennas , http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html. Also the U4000 has metal reflector rods behind the V shaped metal receptor wires. The metal reflector rods have metal clips that hold the metal receptor rods in the horizontal position , lift the clips and turn the metal reflector rods to a vertical position. This gets the metal reflector rods out of the way so more signal can be received by the V shaped metal receptor wires through the back side of the U4000. Radio Shack sells Antenna Craft antennas and might have the U4000 in stock. Also here are places to buy antennas and etc. , http://www.solidsignal.com , http://www.amazon.com , http://www.starkelectronic.com , http://www.3starinc.com

John Candle
1-Oct-2011, 8:15 PM
If you can safely mount the antenna higher it will help. http://www.ronard.com/Tripods%200703/4712.html , http://www.ronard.com/909911.html , http://www.ronard.com/34424560.html , http://www.ronard.com/ychim.html