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Old 24-Apr-2016, 4:45 PM   #1
corvairbob
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i have a question about installing an antenna

i tried last summer installing an antenna but the channels were poor for the most part. so today i moved it and tried again about the same.
49442 shows me i should be able to get more that a dozen channels and i get about 13 of them i have a dipole that gets 49 and 2 beams that point to the ne and se i have had them from 8 ft to more that 50 ft and about the same.

what puzzles me is i get some channels further away that some stronger one's closer.

i get 13,17,29,49,54. with the beams pointing now i get 13 good 17 normal 29 good 49 good 54 poor to no signal.

if i read that map i should be getting a bunch more. i have i have a signal combiner on the system so i can have them all connected then one cable to the tv i'm testing with. i tried an amp but did not seem to be any difference.

i don't mind spending the money i just don't want to spend it twice.

so if anyone has a solution that can help out i sure do appreciate it thanks. i tried to follow the below plan. the pictures are of the system i'm trying to use now the top one is pointing north east the second one is taped to a pole about 10' away 10' from the ground higher doesn't seem to do any better with this one the last is pointing south east.

thanks for the help bp.


A link to a TV Fool report for your exact location (your exact location will not be shown in the report, so it is safe to post here)
If you have an existing antenna, amp, wiring, and/or splitters, please share any information you can about the setup
If there are any channels you don't care about, let us know, because it might simplify some of your options
If you are trying to diagnose an existing reception problem, describe the symptoms of the problem as best you can
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File Type: jpg 00S0S_arNCYqQnepW_600x450.jpg (11.0 KB, 663 views)
File Type: jpg s-l225.jpg (11.0 KB, 666 views)
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Old 24-Apr-2016, 6:40 PM   #2
rabbit73
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Note to posters trying to help Bob:

This is his third try, go easy on him. He wants to combine 3 antennas for 3 different directions. Even if he had a TV like a Sony that can add channels after a scan, it wouldn't work because the 3 antennas will interfere with each other.

This was his first try:
what can i use for an antenna?
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=14703
this is the report he gave:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e1c63fe37fbe1a
Three pages with no progress

Bob then went to HighDef Forum:
question
http://www.highdefforum.com/local-hd...-question.html
and IDRick did this report for him:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e1c6efb999733d

still no progress

now he is back here for a third try
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Last edited by rabbit73; 24-Apr-2016 at 6:46 PM.
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Old 24-Apr-2016, 7:18 PM   #3
rabbit73
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Muskegon, MI 49442

Welcome back Bob:

Here is a new report done by zip:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...51349678732b63

It isn't as accurate as a report using your exact address, be we will start with it.

There is no simple way to combine your three antennas, because the signals from the 3 antennas will interfere with each other at the combining point. It is possible to do it if you have a LOT of money and the technical knowledge to do it.

I suggest you use just one antenna, #1 the RCA ANT751 or #3 150-mile amplified antenna, and aim it in the best direction and be happy.

If you must have two directions, aim #1 in the direction with the strongest signals, and aim #3 in the direction with the weaker signals. Use an A/B switch to select which antenna you want to connect to the TV antenna input. You will have to rescan after each change of direction unless you have a Sony TV that can add a channel after scan so that you don't have to rescan.

If you don't have a Sony TV and you don't want to rescan after each change of direction, connect one antenna to the TV antenna input, and connect the other antenna to a separate tuner like a converter box. Connect the output of the separate tuner to the aux input of the TV and select which antenna you want by changing the input switch of the TV.

You can extend the idea to 3 antennas by having two separate tuners.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 24-Apr-2016 at 7:44 PM.
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Old 24-Apr-2016, 7:21 PM   #4
Flint Ridge
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Maybe a list and direction of what you want. Such as NE .... and SE....

I'm going to do some testing with this to strengthen some backside channels. Then I'll use another one sometime and try some Tropo with channel cut/amp/antennas.

You could cascade a pair of these with the weaker stations on the first combiner.

should have mentioned he can custom build so the extra inputs could have more than one channel on them. Might take a few weeks to make and get around the world to you.


Last edited by Flint Ridge; 24-Apr-2016 at 8:12 PM. Reason: resize
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Old 24-Apr-2016, 7:45 PM   #5
corvairbob
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flint Ridge View Post
Maybe a list and direction of what you want. Such as NE .... and SE....

I'm going to do some testing with this to strengthen some backside channels. Then I'll use another one sometime and try some Tropo with channel cut/amp/antennas.

You could cascade a pair of these with the weaker stations on the first combiner.

should have mentioned he can custom build so the extra inputs could have more than one channel on them. Might take a few weeks to make and get around the world to you.


i have one of those combiners, not exactly as pictured it can combine or separate but that may not be the best unit. so what the picture shows is locating a combiner that will combine all the channels from the ne and one that can combine all the channels from the se on a different antenna. and it also sounds like i have to place one antenna maybe one side of the house and one on the other side of the house?

so looking at that report what can i expect to get from the ne and what channels can i expect to get from the se?

the report for example show ch 17 for me to be in 3 different locations one at 41 deg true then someone sent me one that shows 337 deg true and then i did it again and get 18 deg true miles of second ring an 7.3 miles then at the same second ring and 11.1 miles then at the same second ring and 6.3 miles so how can that be it is not in a car moving around? and the strength is changing plus the power changes and it is the same station. thanks bp
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Old 24-Apr-2016, 7:56 PM   #6
rabbit73
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Quote:
the report for example show ch 17 for me to be in 3 different locations one at 41 deg true then someone sent me one that shows 337 deg true and then i did it again and get 18 deg true miles of second ring an 7.3 miles then at the same second ring and 11.1 miles then at the same second ring and 6.3 miles so how can that be it is not in a car moving around? and the strength is changing plus the power changes and it is the same station. thanks bp
The most accurate report would be one using your exact address or coordinates, but you haven't done that. THAT is why they are different, because we are guessing where you are! You can do your own report here:
http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...pper&Itemid=29

or you can tell me your exact address in a forum Private Message (PM) to protect your identity, and I will do the report.

Then you can tell Flint Ridge what channels are most important to you and he can design a system for you using the custom combiners. It is his idea, so he can carry the ball.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 24-Apr-2016 at 8:39 PM.
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Old 24-Apr-2016, 8:02 PM   #7
rabbit73
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Flint Ridge:

That combiner is a good idea and inexpensive, but I'm not sure he is ready for the technical challenge, after reading his two previous threads.

Please limit your photos to no wider than 800 pixels if they are to show in a post; wider images make the thread posts hard to read. They can be wider if they are only in an attachment to show more detail.

like this

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Last edited by rabbit73; 24-Apr-2016 at 9:22 PM.
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Old 24-Apr-2016, 8:07 PM   #8
corvairbob
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit73 View Post
The most accurate report would be one using your exact address or coordinates, but you haven't done that. THAT is why they are different. You can do your own report here:
http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...pper&Itemid=29

or you can tell me your exact address in a forum Private Message (PM) to protect your identity, and I will do the report.
i gave the address
again 1393 s quarterline rd muskegon mi 49442

i did that report both ways and it showed me the samething. thanks
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Old 24-Apr-2016, 8:36 PM   #9
rabbit73
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Thanks for the address.

Quote:
WARNING: Address was only resolved to block level and might not be that close to your actual location. For more accurate results, try entering a specific address or coordinates.
The system was only able to resolve your location to block level, so we will have to go with that unless we can correct it.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5134e2766cfda3
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Last edited by rabbit73; 24-Apr-2016 at 11:18 PM. Reason: CORRECTED TVFOOL REPORT; had used MA instead of MI
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Old 24-Apr-2016, 8:42 PM   #10
corvairbob
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ok i think i have figured this out. in the tv fool maps it has colors ranges and on my computer i can't see those i was moving the laptop and it tipped back and i seen the colors and i looked in the back pages for the meaning and found that i'm limited to about 11 stations with whatever multiples they have. or the line of site stations and maybe a bigger antenna. i could not see those colors before. i wondered what they were talking about in the list when the gave color. it looked like 2 shades of gray to me.

anyway of those listed i only get 3 channels with multiples of 3 subs in each one for a total of 9 channels with the dipole and 5 channels total with the beams pointing the way i have them with multiples of 3 ea. for 17 channels total. so i will play with the height on these to see if i might improve on them if not then i get what i get. looking at the map does that look about correct in your opinion as well? thanks bp.
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Old 24-Apr-2016, 11:49 PM   #11
rabbit73
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OK, I think I have the address figured out. TVFOOL has trouble with 1393 s quarterline rd, it only knows 1393 quarterline rd because it uses Google Maps, but the white pages and Bing Maps do know 1393 s quarterline rd.

And it didn't help that I used MA instead of MI for your report in post #9; I corrected it. Sorry about that.

As a double check I did another report using the tvfool interactive map browser here:
http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...pper&Itemid=90

and saw that the marker was in front of Port City giving this report:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5134525ed757c7

I also saw a lot of trees; they will block TV signals.

I have the same trouble with the colors in the report if my laptop screen is at the wrong angle; they are too light.

You should be able to get the green ones with antenna #1 and down into the pink with antenna #3 if its preamp isn't overloaded by strong signals.

If you want to delete your address for your protection, do it, and I will delete it from my posts also.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 25-Apr-2016 at 12:22 AM.
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Old 25-Apr-2016, 12:37 AM   #12
corvairbob
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit73 View Post
OK, I think I have the address figured out. TVFOOL has trouble with 1393 s quarterline rd, it only knows 1393 quarterline rd because it uses Google Maps, but the white pages and Bing Maps do know 1393 s quarterline rd. And it didn't help that I used MA instead of MI for your report in post #9; I corrected it. Sorry about that.

As a double check I did another report using the tvfool interactive map browser here:
http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...pper&Itemid=90

and saw that the marker was in front of Port City giving this report:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5134525ed757c7

I also saw a lot of trees; they will block TV signals.

I have the same trouble with the colors in the report if my laptop screen is at the wrong angle; they are too light.

You should be able to get the green ones with antenna #1 and down into the pink with antenna #3 if its preamp isn't overloaded by strong signals.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
thanks. the first link did not show anything but the second one did. so far i get 13, 17, 29, 49 and 54 sometimes with pixelation. no 35, 42,46,15,19,0r 7 which seems to be in these antennas range. and line of sight. antenna 2 gets me 49 13 and 17 it was built by tv 49 he told me i should be able to get 9 to 22 channels and i get qt least 9 which are 13 and 17 and not his station. next week i'm going to raise the system up to at least 30 ft above the ground now it is 10 and i did have it to 20 earlier. i have antenna 1 pointing ne and antenna 3 pointing se with antenna 2 on a different pole. i don't have any amp on them now but for antenna 3's internal amp. and they are on a combiner the is both a combiner and separator. i do have a preamp that i had them connected to before and what video i got was clear. i guess a bit more testing to see what channels work the best with each antenna is in order. again thanks for the help. not sure what your calling pink unless it is what the site calls red. unless it is wwmt tv and wotv which are 52 and 58 miles away, they may be hard to get. but i can't get the yellow ones yet either and half of the green ones. thanks bp.
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Old 25-Apr-2016, 1:27 AM   #13
rabbit73
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Quote:
the first link did not show anything
The first link is where you can enter your address to use the satellite map to see your location.
Quote:
not sure what your calling pink unless it is what the site calls red
Red is the correct name for the color; it just looks pink on my computer.
Green
Yellow
Red
Grey
http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...ask=view&id=57

Quote:
i guess a bit more testing to see what channels work the best with each antenna is in order.
Good idea.
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__________________
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Last edited by rabbit73; 25-Apr-2016 at 1:37 AM.
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Old 25-Apr-2016, 8:36 PM   #14
corvairbob
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thanks rabbit73. tell me what do you guys think of this antenna setup? i can point it 2 directions at once and they claim 60 miles but if i can get 30 i would see plenty of channels. at least 10 with their multiples that most have. like 13 has 3 17 has 3 etc. and maybe i can get 2 and point 1 set to the SE and 1 set to the NE. any thought on those unit? thanks
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Old 26-Apr-2016, 12:47 AM   #15
rabbit73
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Sometimes it works, but usually not, in spite of what the marketing department says. You just have to try it.

It works OK when both panels are aimed in the same direction, but when they are aimed in different directions, the signals from each antenna can arrive at the combining point out of phase causing a loss of signal.
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Old 3-May-2016, 1:19 AM   #16
corvairbob
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i got the quad antenna and found so far i have to point them in separate directions. i have the yagi pointing to the SE and the dipole on the SW of the mast just above the roof for channel 49.X seems when i pointed the thin with both sections to the SE i lost channels and the same the the NE. but when i put one NE and one SE i gained 2 channels for a total now of 16 channels. i may get one more and point one SE and one NE and take down the other units and see if these do any good. if not i can sell one i'm sure as it did do the job. it may be like rabbit73 says the beams are canceling out some of the signal to this bay unit. i will keep you posted when i make more progress as i experiment. thanks so far for the help bp.

HDB8X_zoom.jpg
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