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Old 25-Apr-2015, 12:11 AM   #10
rabbit73
Retired A/V Tech
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: S.E. VA
Posts: 2,747
Quote:
existing equipment is as listed in the dialogue
Right; that's why I said "had" instead of "have."

Quote:
30 ft. will be most representative of what I have and likely the most elevation I will get.(Wife)
Ah, yes! We have encountered that before. We call it the WAF, Wife Acceptance Factor or Wife Approval Factor.

"The King lives in the castle at the discretion of the Queen."

A wife will even consider a "man cave" to be her room, because the whole house is her "nest."
That viewpoint is genetic, and necessary for the survival of the human race.

Quote:
I have seen some posts with reference to combining different antennas into one coax & also panel style multi-directional antennas as well.
In spite of some glowing reviews, the antenna with two panels, each aimed in a different direction, often doesn't work. When the same signals from each antenna panel reach the combining point, they can interfere with each other if they are not in phase. It's bad enough for two directions, impossible with three. Three separate antennas combined into one coax, as previously suggested by stvcmty, sounds more complicated, but stvcmty and I feel that it would cause you less grief in the long run.

I am always amazed when someone wants a simple system that duplicates what a CATV system headend does with multiple antennas, amplifiers, and modulators costing thousands of dollars. You will need to cut back on your expectations and settle for improving one direction or be prepared to spend a lot of time and money building a system that does what you want.

Have you read these threads?

If you are good with computers:
An Alternative to Rotators and Antenna Combiners
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=820

This is a little more simple, but less flexible:
Another Alternative to an Antenna Rotator or Combiner
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2882

Don't do this, it isn't legal:
Save money- make a TV transmitter for $35 if not FREE
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=13095

To rotate, or not to rotate.
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=8275

The simple system that I favor, if you are not prepared to go down the road suggested by stvcmty, is to use two converter boxes or tuners to add the channels from the second and third antennas to the signals from the primary antenna, using CH 3 and 4 analog outputs, a splitter reversed as a combiner, and a HLSJ to add to the system with a second combiner.

It is important to be aware that the CH 3 and CH 4 RF outputs of the the converter boxes are mini transmitters, and must have their outputs attenuated as much as possible before combining. The port to port isolation of a splitter used as a combiner is not sufficient to guarantee that their analog signals will not reach the primary antenna and be radiated, unless you take measures to attenuate their signals and provide additional isolation. The isolation provide by two combiners and a HLSJ is probably sufficient.

Quote:
Regarding the FM signals will the amp trap help or fix issues with this?
Yes, but you might need to insert some attenuation between the primary antenna and the input of the preamp to prevent preamp overload from your strong local signals. If the FM trap in the amp is not sufficient, you can add a second FM trap or a HLSL between the antenna and the preamp.

Please let us know how it works out for you.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 6-May-2015 at 2:12 PM.
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