New to OTA. Please help with antenna selection
 

Hi everyone. Im trying to cut the cord with cable and am new to the OTA scene. Trying to figure out what antenna is best for my area and what channels i would be picking up. I am going to mount on the roof and do live in a fairly wooded area.The link to my info is here:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...de6574f2a8fc8f


Thanks for all the help. Let me know what color code antenna would be best and maybe a suggestion of a few.

The stations at 338 from DC and 9 degrees from Baltimore should be quite strong at your location. Your reception however will depend on the location, density and height of these trees. If you can work around or over these trees it will make a difference in the equipment we recommend. Your antenna will need to be UHF/ VHF due to 7, and 9 from DC and 11, and 13 from Baltimore. Tell me more about the direction, height, and density of the trees, and how high your roof is, and we can recommend the antenna, amp (if needed), and mount.

I'm not sure which market you're most interested in. You probably cannot get all the Baltimore stations at the same time as the DC stations - they're too spread out from each other. Both markets require the same type of antenna, one that covers high-VHF and UHF bands. The only question is how big?

If you want to go for Baltimore, I would recommend either the Winegard HD7696P or the AntennaCraft HBU-44. Get a rotator and you can swing the antenna over towards the DC stations. If you are really interested only in the DC stations, then the smaller HD7694P or HBU-33 will work.

Good luck.

Lots of trees. The height of them to the north is probably 10-15ft above my roof. Not sure if I could go above them. Height of my roof is probably 25-30ft.

Tv antennas and Tv reception
 

Install a Winegard HD7696P antenna with a Winegard AP8700 preamp aimed at about 333 degree magnetic compass. Here is how to aim antennas , http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html. As always there is the starting aim point and then the antenna is turnrd to the right and left to find a position with the best signals of the Tv stations to be received. No rotor is required at this time. On this tripod mount , http://www.ronard.com/Tripods%200703/4712.html , http://www.ronard.com. Buy ronard antenna mounts at solidsignal by typing the word ronard in the solidsignal search box or by from ronard. Also can install on one of these towers on the ground , http://www.palcoelectronics.com/pe300.aspx. Here are some places to buy antennas and etc. , http://www.solidsignal.com , http://www.winegarddirect.com , http://www.amazon.com.

The Winegard equipment is the right call, but if you want both markets you will need a rotor. That's up to you.

Tv antennas and Tv reception
 

No rotor is required at this time. If as in , IF , a rotor is required then install a Philips SDW1850/17 antenna rotor. Here is a thread started by signals unlimited about antennas and rotators and the responds so far , http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=8275.

If you have trees in the way, get a chainsaw while you're at it... Personally, I like the Stihl MS290 ;)

Seriously, trees have the capability of effectively shredding the signal before the signals ever arrive at the antenna. Just like Humpty Dumpty, all the king's horses and all the king's men and the right antenna and the most capable ATSC tuners around can't put it back together again.

It's important to select a mounting location that minimizes the potential ill effects of trees. It will greatly improve your odds of success.

Tv Antennas and Tv Reception
 

Here are Tv stations/channels that will be received. PBS , The CW , Antenna Tv , This Tv , ION , NBC , Washington Non Stop Tv , FOX , ABC , Local Weather , Retro Tv Network , CBS , Bounce Tv , Univision , MyNetwork , PBS , PBS , Ind. , Multiclutural Tv , The Cool Tv , Live Well Network , The Country Network. Spanish channels , Religious channels.

The ADTECH warning about the trees is true and the bold statement by ELECTRON that you WILL receive a list of channels may not be accurate. It is always helpfull to have control of the antennas aim in order to have a better chance of receiving all of the channels in mutipul directions and peaking difficult channels from the same general direction. My thread besides some criticisum by those who dissagree with the use of rotors in an antenna system, has some very usefull rotor tuning tips.