Antenna options

I just moved into the 2nd floor of a reinforced concrete building with a favorable exposure on the SW (most local transmitters are to the South) so to save money and defy the corporations, I'd like to try OTA. I bought a cheap 7" digital TV (I had only an old box hooked up to cable before moving) and it works fairly well out on my balcony with just a whip antenna, but I don't get much at all indoors with the sliding glass door closed.

So today I went to Best Buy intent on buying a cheap (about ten bucks) rabbit ears. I let a clerk talk me into a flat RCA Multi-Directional flat job (ANT1400R) for $29. It does better than the whip (when placed near a sliding glass door), but I still don't get KVIE, the local PBS station--which I would definitely like--and their transmitter is in approximately the same place as the stations I do get. This baffles me; seems like I should get it too.

Options:
1. Try another type indoor antenna: the cheap rabbit ears, or the pricey ($69) amplified Terk which I resisted at Best Buy.
2. Buy a compact outdoor antenna (that wouldn't offend my probably conservative elderly neighbors) and put it on an easel on the balcony.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Mac

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1ddaa34d036534

The Federal Antenna Law provides for you the right to install a antenna out on the balcony.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html.

As you now know , concrete blocks Tv reception and what Tv signals do make it to the inside of the building through doors windows , are multi-path reflected - bouncing all around over and over again , this Is Not good for reception.

And at your location the Tv reception is Very Strong Signal Strength , so Very Strong Signal Strength Tv signals bouncing all around is now the 2 times Not Good for Tv reception.

The 2 times not good signals bouncing all around are made even worse and are now Triple Not Good when amplified.

Do Not use a amplified antenna or amplifier of any type or kind.

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Install a Antennas Direct , Clear Stream 2 Complete VHF/UHF antenna out on the balcony , aimed at about 164 degree magnetic compass direction.

http://www.antennasdirect.com/store/...VHF-Combo.html.

Get the antenna as much as you can , out in the clear on the balcony for reception of the Tv transmitters to the , south west , south , south east.

Most of the Tv transmitters to the southward type direction are to the , south , south east.

As always , the starting antenna aim direction is the -->starting antenna aim direction.

The antenna aim direction can be adjusted for best reception.

Most Digital Tv's have a Signal strength meter and some digital Tv's also have a signal quality meter.

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

Here are some places to buy antennas and etc. . http://www.solidsignal.com , http://www.amazon.com.

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

Do Double Rescan.

http://www.dtv.gov/rescan.html.

[GroundUrMast]

As tempting as the ad copy may make an amplifier sound, you'll likely be adding trouble due to the many strong signals overloading the amplifier which would result in less reliable reception. It's doubtful that your problem is due to simple raw signal strength (which is often less important than signal quality).

The signal from KVIE is broadcast on real channel 9, a High-VHF channel. The ANT-1400R is primarily a UHF design (though it has limited ability to receive some VHF signal).

I would opt for an RCA ANT-751 or better yet, a Winegard HD7000R mounted on the easel you've mentioned. The ANT-751 has designed support for High-VHF (real channels 7 through 13) as well as UHF (real channels 14 through 51). Better yet, the HD7000R adds support for real channels 2 through 6 (Low-VHF).

Mounted outdoors, you'll be placing the antenna in a location with better raw signal power, less noise and interference from electrical and electronic devices in your home, and perhaps just as important as any other factor, less reflections that would be the source of multi-path interference.