Antenna Suggestions Northeast PA
 

I have cut the cord about two years ago and have indoor RCA-1450 antennas attached to my three TVs with poor results. I am receiving 2 stations consistently, the rest have signals that come and go. My house has aluminum siding so an outdoor antenna would be needed. I live in a small house in the suburbs so I can mount the antenna around 20ft high on a mast. The other issue to contend with is the terrain, I'm in a valley at the base of a mountain (~600ft) to my north. Would a smaller antenna like the RCA ANT751 be a good bet or should I go for something bigger as well as the best direction I would want to point it at?


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Practical and Useful Information.
 

Yes a ANT751 antenna installed above the roof in such a manner that the roof and building are not , obstructing , impeding , blocking , reception in the directions of , south , north , north east.

Aim the ANT751 antenna at about 186 degree magnetic compass direction.

Here is how to aim antennas , www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html

Use a Real and Actual magnetic compass to aim antenna.

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For 1 Tv connected use No splitter.

For 2 Tv's connected use a simple common 2 way splitter.

For 3 Tv's connected use a simple common 3 way splitter.

If the weaker signal strength , WQPX-DT , ION Tv and WSWB-DT , The CW , are not reliably received with No amplifier.

Then re aim the antenna at , WQPX / WSWB at about 50 degree magnetic compass direction.

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A amplifier such as a Winegard , LNA-100 'Boost' amplifier , before the splitter can be installed If required.

It is always better to use No amplifier if reception is reliable.

Amplifiers Are Not a --> automatic given.

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Here are some places to buy antennas and etc. .

www.solidsignal.com

www.amazon.com

www.winegarddirect.com

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Digital Tv Tuners can develop - Digital Glitches - that are not cleared out with simple channel scans.

Do Double Rescan , www.wchstv.com/DoubleReScanAlert.pdf

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As always , trees and tree leaves , plants and plant leaves , have Negative Effect on Broadcast Tv Reception

Absorbing , Blocking , Broadcast Tv Reception

Multi-path Reflections bouncing around and disrupting reception.

And so do buildings and other obstructions including your own roof and building.

The Best Practice is to install the antenna at a location that has the least amount to no amount of obstructions of any type or kind in the directions of reception including your own roof and house.

Extremely Helpful
 

Thanks teleview for all of the information I needed. I am nearly ready to put everything up but I am left with one more question I hope somebody can answer. Knowing that both the coax and antenna mast must be grounded what is the best way to go about it. I have seen Coax with ground wire together on the same cable in a few stores. Would that work or should/must I keep the coax and ground wires on separate cables.

Practical and Useful Information.
 

Ground wire with/part of the coax is Ok.

Agreed, coax with messenger wire can serve as the grounding conductor for the mast.

You will also want to ground the coax shield, use a grounding block prior to the coax entering the building. A common location for the grounding block is near the existing electrical service were it's a short run to connect to the ground rod.

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=901 (post #20 is a summary)