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Old 31-Jul-2017, 2:06 PM   #1
garycze
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new system

Hi from 13315. Going to install OTA system this fall, sat too expensive. Have motorhome with winegard manual batwing and am surprised at reception. have not tried OTA since last system got taken out by ice/snow grabbed guy wire on my 12/12 pitch barn roof install of rotor,preamp, radio shack install 10 years ago. got fair reception then considering it was 250 feet from tip of antenna to direct tv box. My TV is current 2010 visio, direct tv service. Will install new system on top of garage next to house (was not built at time of old antenna install). Ground to top of peak is 20 feet, will add tripod and 5 foot of mast. I wish to get uhf, vhf(if still available) HDTV and FM signals. Would consider second FM antenna on mast if needed and run dual rg6 cable. install location is about 200 feet of cable length from antenna to receiver. Part of it will be in underground conduit from garage to house. Zip code is 13315, street is 255 john hill road. Pretty good in four directions on roof top, better north than south. I do not mind using rotor, satellite will still be main reception use, one main tv, possible 2 secondary locations. I want quality products, do this once, i can install, quality is more important than initial price, as they say "you get what you pay for". Have done lots of searching on line, some sites are like a bad used car dealer in content, others are well above my pay grade in technology. Any suggestions on equipment and or purchase vendors would be appreciated. Thanks for the help, Gary
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Old 31-Jul-2017, 2:18 PM   #2
rabbit73
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Welcome, garycze

Your tvfool signal report looks like this:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e6a430367cb93b
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Old 31-Jul-2017, 2:28 PM   #3
garycze
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Hi
Thanks, went to tag, please explain to a simple person where to see the "color" designations for reception. Is it one of the columns or is it in the circle?
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Old 31-Jul-2017, 2:42 PM   #4
rabbit73
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The signals in the report are listed in order of decreasing strength, so WFXV is your strongest signal.

The colors green, yellow, red, and grey in the report and the compass diagram are the same and indicate the difficulty of reception. They are defined in TV Signal Analysis FAQ:

http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...ask=view&id=57





Do I have the antenna on the right building?

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Last edited by rabbit73; 31-Jul-2017 at 3:35 PM.
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Old 31-Jul-2017, 3:39 PM   #5
rabbit73
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Your signals are not too strong, so you will need a high gain antenna for VHF-High and UHF, a preamp, and low-loss RG6 coax for the long run.

Antenna: Winegard HD7698P
Preamp: Antennas Direct Juice
Coax: Solid Signal Custom Length RG6Q with solid copper center conductor

You will also need a rotator because your signals are in different directions. The Channel Master Rotator is popular, but I don't think it will last very long for you. I suggest a ham rotator like the Yaesu G-450.
http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/24
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Last edited by rabbit73; 31-Jul-2017 at 5:35 PM.
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Old 31-Jul-2017, 3:56 PM   #6
garycze
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Hi
The building you chose is actually across the road from my house and garage. The original location i had my first antenna is to the right of the one you picked by the road, the garage location is to the right of the house. I appreciate your help on this. The color coding is a bit hard to differentiate, but telling me that the chart was in order of strength was very helpful. You suggested a style of antenna, pre amp and wire. I have a spool of rg6 18awg broad beam premium Honeywell wire. Any suggested vendors or exact equipment models would be of great help. Those google earth maps always surprise me, the eye in the sky is all knowing!
Thanks
Gary
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Old 31-Jul-2017, 4:07 PM   #7
garycze
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sorry, i guess i did not read your entire message about equipment, old age setting in
gary
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Old 31-Jul-2017, 4:57 PM   #8
Tower Guy
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If I lived in your location I would fix-aim a VHF antenna at Binghamton, and use a 4 bay UHF antenna on a rotator above the VHF antenna. A TVPRAMP1R preamp would couple the antennas together. Normally you'd aim the UHF North at Utica, but if you wanted a PBS or the Syracuse stations you could reaim the UHF antenna and rescan.
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Old 31-Jul-2017, 5:11 PM   #9
JoeAZ
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Hi Gary,

Cannot help but wonder if you would be better off with the antenna
mounted on your home with a reinforced "J" mount. No roof penetration,
no long cable runs, faster and simpler install. I think Rabbit 73's
suggestion is very good. My only concern, since I'm from W.N.Y.
originally, is that during those long, cold winters, you are likely to
have the rotor stuck in one position. Another option might be to have
two mounts with a 5 foot mast addition, point a MCM Electonics
30-2431 or Antennas Direct 8 Bay UHF antenna due North for your
Utica/Rome stations. On the same mast, keeping the antennas
5 feet apart, mount a MCM 30-2476 VHF antenna aimed at
Binghamtion. On another mast, aim another MCM 30-2431 aimed
at Syracuse and 5 feet below an F.M. antenna, aimed as you wish.
A good compromise would be Tower Guys suggestion. That way
you have at least two different television markets to view at all
times. Be sure to properly ground your system. It helps protect
against lightening and can improve reception as well......
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Old 31-Jul-2017, 7:52 PM   #10
Tower Guy
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A closer look at the location shows that the Binghsmton stations would require a tall mast of around 30'. Reception of Utica and Syracuse can be done with a shorter mast. A DB 4e aimed north would be the simplest installation. A second UHF antenna for Syracuse would eliminate the rotator, but require two preamps and an external tuner (or an A/B switch).
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Old 1-Aug-2017, 11:56 AM   #11
JoeAZ
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tower Guy View Post
A closer look at the location shows that the Binghsmton stations would require a tall mast of around 30'. Reception of Utica and Syracuse can be done with a shorter mast. A DB 4e aimed north would be the simplest installation. A second UHF antenna for Syracuse would eliminate the rotator, but require two preamps and an external tuner (or an A/B switch).
I don't know what I'm missing. The actual report shows the Binghamton
stations at #2 and #5 in signal strength with the antenna 25 feet above
ground level. I am not understanding why a 30 foot mast would be needed.
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Old 1-Aug-2017, 12:44 PM   #12
Jake V
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garycze View Post
Hi
The building you chose is actually across the road from my house and garage. The original location i had my first antenna is to the right of the one you picked by the road, the garage location is to the right of the house.
If one places the antenna at the location of the chimney of the house (the house across the main road running east/west), the plot is quite different. It looks like there is a hill due south of the house, with the white roof building near the pond on higher ground.

Here are a few plots:

- 20 FT: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e6a47d93b26301
- 30 FT: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e6a41b7921ed3d
- 40 FT: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e6a460e637561e

Note that at 20 FT, WBNG (CBS) Real Channel 7 is at -6.2 and at 40 FT it rises to 16.8. You'll need to experiment, but your best chance is probably going to be to aim to the stations north of you, in Utica.
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