San Diego 92116 advice
 

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...40332a3613ea7f

With outside antenna (only 30'), we sometimes get LA channels 4, 11, 13, 30, and 63, depending on inversion status. If we go higher...and improve from existing 40 element antenna (not sure what brand/model), could we do better? Higher mast, amplification, bigger antenna? Would like 2, 5, 7, 9, and possibly KCET and KOCE. Just feeding single receiver. We're about one mile from southern edge of Mission Valley (between state-15 and Fairmount) with only trees and utility polls higher than 40'. Back in 70s and 80s, with 40' yagi, we could pull virtually all LA VHFs and, on occasion, KEYT-3 Santa Barbara (before Tijuana preempted that frequency), KCET-28, KCVR-24, and KOCE-50. Thanks!

Tv antennas and Tv reception
 

Please make a tvfool radar report with the antenna height at 25 feet. Do not delete the 50 foot one.

92116-25ft
 

The best chance for LA reception is going to require large antennas such as the XG-91 and Y-10713. You may also need to consider stacking to increase the directivity, thereby reducing the effects of the strong local signals.

Would amplifier help?
 

To boost our Winegard HD769#P series antenna (and, if so, which amplifier)...or should I increase boom height to 50 ft?

Signal analysis at 50 ft - http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...0b86094c75b6a5 - suggests potential reception of KABC and KCAL from Los Angeles, not now received, with KCOP, KTTV, KBEH, ION-30, and KNBC (the latter, oddly, that appears out of range in signal analysis) sporadic, contingent on inversion.

Thanks!

Reliable LA reception will probably require a substantial tower. You can investigate higher mounting... What does a TVFR based on 100' or higher AGL look like?

An amplifier is only able to overcome signal loss in the cable and splitters connected to the output port of the amplifier. All amplifiers will produce interfering noise and distortion that will make reliable reception even more difficult for signals already having problems due to low levels and / or interference in the air.

I don't see a significant difference between the 25' and 50' predictions... the differences are within the range of ambiguity for the modeling and terrain data.

If you want to try an amplifier, it needs to be one that will not be as prone to overload due to the strong local signals. A CPA-19 fits that description. (It's cheaper than a tower build, but I don't expect it to make LA signals reliable based on your TVFRs).

Tv antennas and Tv reception
 

The LA Tv transmissions get a little weaker at 50 feet , are a little stronger at 25 feet and the optimum height is 12 to 15 feet. About 2 NM(dBm) better at 12 to 15 feet then 25 feet. And from 25 to 50 feet about 2 NM(dBm) weaker. So lower is better , but even so it's not that much. I recommend a Winegard HD7698P antenna with and without a CPA-19 preamp. Connected to one Tv , no splitters in the coax line from the antenna to the tv , as a test of reception. If testing reception without the preamp , all of the preamp needs to be disconnected , the outside part and the inside part , the coax will go from the antenna to the tv and thats it , with no preamp.

Tv antennas and Tv reception
 

At 75 feet to 100 feet the reception improves by 4 to 10 NM(dBm). As compared to the 25 foot height.

San Diego Custom Antenna Service!
 

I'm updating my previous post - http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1349ec004bd1e4

Thank you, TV Fool, for educating me about OTA reception. Yesterday, Custom Antenna Service (info@customantenna.com), apparently the last legitimate installer here in San Diego, added 10' to my mast, installed a WIN-AP8700 pre-amp and RCA-VH126W rotator to my existing Winegard HD7697 directional antenna. Am now receiving LA 4, 7, 11, 13, 22, 30, 58, and 63, as well as San Diego/Tijuana/Tecate. Still no KCBS-2, KTLA-5 nor KCAL-9 (since FCC, in its wisdom, assigned 9.1 to KSDX-TV which shows on TV Fool signal analysis as analog channel 9, but registers on my receiver as digital 9.1, same as KCAL).

Have yet to explore full range of rotator.

Again, thanks for your insights, Electron, et al.