Gaining Channels While Losing Others
 

Gaining channels while losing others:


Environment: House situated halfway between NY City and New Haven, CT. 190' elevation above sea level.


Equipment: Large traditional UHF/VHF antenna aimed toward NYC on southwest corner of house. Clearstream 2V (with vhf) http://i.ebayimg.com/images/a/(KGrHq...w~~/s-l300.jpg on north side of house aiming northeast, toward trumbull & New Haven. Antennas are combined with ordinary splitter outside of house, then line runs inside to TV. All wire is RG6.


Situation: The 2V recently replaced my dB8 http://www.xtek.ca/images/db8_zoom.jpg which helped get in WEDW DT 49, but not WTNH DT 8(as it is a UHF only antenna) When I installed the 2V, I got in both, but after 2 days started losing channels that I used to get via the main antenna facing metro NY. i.e. WLIW 21 Garden City NY.

I did not purchase the DB8 to give up some channels for others. I got it to improve reception toward the northeast, as described above. It should also be understood that these two antennas are completely of of sight of each other by the bulk of my house.


How is the 2V with VHF causing me to lose channels from the main antenna that I used to get when the main was ganged up with the DB8? And is there another combiner I should use? Both antennae are now UHF/VHF. I have 10 days left of 14 on return policy for the Clearstream 2V, so your response is appreciated.


Thanks in advance.

Trying to combine same-band antennas using a $5 splitter is impossible to predict, it's purely potluck. Cable companies use specialized combiners that can cost hundreds PER CHANNEL to do this task. The only inexpensive solution that works 100% of the time is an A-B switch. A-B switches, of course, are inconvenient for DVRs as well as a number of TV set tuners that force complete re-scans.

GroundUrMast posted an article a while back where he detailed using separate notwork-based tuners with one dedicated to each antenna. Perhaps he'll highlight it.

Wish there was a simple solution, but there isn't. You may want to see this tutorial: http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/merging.html

Thanks for the prod ADTech...

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2882

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=820

I don't know what your "Large traditional UHF/VHF antenna aimed toward NYC" is. But, if this were me, I would have tried the DB-8 well above the roof line with the reflector removed pointed at NYC and the back towards New Haven. And then a separate VHF antenna pointed towards NYC.

Uhh, looks kind of like this: https://www.summitsource.com/Long-Ra...XDwaAoRl8P8HAQ



Thanks for the advice. In case I wasn't clear: it is the large
antenna that is covering NY, and the smaller ones for picking
up southern central CT. In my situation I need UHF and
VHF capability both to the southwest and to northeast.

Chris,

That's the point I was trying to make. NYC and New Haven are nearly 180 degrees apart. The DB-8 with the reflector removed will receive UHF stations from both directions (front and back).

Maybe others will comment on this.

Jake

Hello, Chris:

You are having the same type of problem that you were having in a previous thread:
STRANGE: WEDW 49(Bridgeport PBS) Frozen green/pink picture at 90-100%
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=6822

only it is worse now because you are combining two UHF/VHF antennas aimed in different directions with a splitter in reverse, instead of a UHF/VHF antenna with a UHF antenna.

In that thread it was explained to you that method of combining doesn't always work. If you don't get all the channels after combining that you had when the antennas were separate, then it doesn't work for the missing channels.

The reason why it doesn't work is because when the same signals from each antenna arrive at the combining point, they will interfere with each other if they aren't in phase, that is, arrive at precisely the same time.

In your previous thread you said you were using an HBU55 antenna; has that changed?
http://www.antennacraft.com/pdfs/HBU55_.pdf
https://www.summitsource.com/Antenna...rs-P10929.aspx

http://forum.tvfool.com/attachment.p...5&d=1469564297

Your tvfool report from your previous thread is no longer on the server. Here is a generic report for Stamford, centered on Veterans Park
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e2cbe5a8d68c57

Please post a new tvfool report for your exact location.

You are having trouble with WLIW because neither one of your antennas is aimed at it, and a NE/SW bidirectional antenna isn't likely to be a good solution for it.

An antenna is directional like a flashlight. If you are looking for something in a dark closet and you aim the flashlight in the left rear corner, do you expect to be able to see what is in the right rear corner?

I would try Jake's suggestion. I have had good results with the reflector removed on bow tie style antennas at getting channels from back and front when they are close to 180 degrees apart.

You can also play around with aiming to try and pick up some of the side channels as well by aiming slightly off direction.

I even get a VHF high channel that I want with them even though they are not rated for VHF.

You can always put the reflector back on if it doesn't work.

Try a rotor too for more precise aiming.