low vhf channels (2 & 6) attic installation

technicolor · 25-Feb-2014, 3:37 AM

here's my report

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5b944e8bb1d553

I'm experimenting with my second antenna installation. I know the attic is a huge compromise, if necessary i'll have to find a place for this outside when the weather turns warm, but would prefer an attic installation for aesthetics, there is already a antennacraft hd1850 on the roof.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5b944e8bb1d553

I'm replacing a channelmaster cm5020 with a winegard platinum 8200u and going with a antennacraft 10g212 preamplfier.

The channelmaster cm5020 is already picking up quite a bit of channels, maybe 35. KJWP channel 2 and wpvi channel 6 are nowhere to be found. These look like they are the only low vhf channels from the philadelphia tower.

So low vhf, 54 miles from the tower, attic installation, can the winegard 8200u possibly pull this off, or am i going to be relegated to another roof installation if i want these two channels.

Can i stack the two antennas?

GroundUrMast · 25-Feb-2014, 4:02 AM

Combining two dissimilar antennas that share the same band(s) will almost always require a set of tuned filters. Channel Master used to offer such a product, the JoinTenna. At this point, the only source I know of offering a similar product is tinlee.com. I'd look at their AC-7 as well as their multichannel combiner assemblies.

Before spending any money on accessories, I'd turn the HD1850 in the direction of the stations you're looking for. If a deep-fringe, all-channel, roof mounted antenna is not seeing the desired signals, how on earth would any attic mounted antenna have hope of acceptable results?

FWIW, the differences in performance between the HD8200U and HD1850 are quite small, certainly not enough to expect one to overcome the added penetration loss of an attic/roof structure as compared to the other.

technicolor · 25-Feb-2014, 4:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroundUrMast

Combining two dissimilar antennas that share the same band(s) will almost always require a set of tuned filters. Channel Master used to offer such a product, the JoinTenna. At this point, the only source I know of offering a similar product is tinlee.com. I'd look at their AC-7 as well as their multichannel combiner assemblies.

Before spending any money on accessories, I'd turn the HD1850 in the direction of the stations you're looking for. If a deep-fringe, all-channel, roof mounted antenna is not seeing the desired signals, how on earth would any attic mounted antenna have hope of acceptable results?

FWIW, the differences in performance between the HD8200U and HD1850 are quite small, certainly not enough to expect one to overcome the added penetration loss of an attic/roof structure as compared to the other.

Sorry, maybe i wasn't clear. The hd1850 is outside pointed at new york and works great. The winegard will be pointed at philadelphia.

GroundUrMast · 25-Feb-2014, 6:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by technicolor

Sorry, maybe i wasn't clear. The hd1850 is outside pointed at new york and works great. The winegard will be pointed at philadelphia.

Which is why I suggest you test reception with it. You already own an antenna that has very similar performance to the 8200. If you haven't already spent money on the 8200, then temporally turning the existing HD1850 toward Philadelphia would inform your decision to buy or not.

If the HD1850 can't see the signals you're after, the 8200 is not likely do be much different. The two antennas are quite similar in capability.