Help choose antenna for attic

[toadcat]

I know that we have a local AM station. KOFO 1220 on the dial. Would that hinder any reception?

Thanks!

[Pete Higgins]

toadcat,

Unless it’s right in your backyard I don’t think an AM station will bother you (your VHF/UHF amplifier).

I have a -15.6 dBm UHF TV station & a -13.4 dBm FM station co-located on a mountain 3.5 miles out my back door. My Antennacraft 10 element VHF Yagi and my Antennas Direct 91XG UHF antenna have to point right at them to receive the Los Angeles stations 58 miles away.

When I originally connected those antennas to a Winegard AP-2870 preamplifier the two local stations severely overloaded it. I also tried connecting them through a UVSJ to a Winegard HDP-269 amplifier with similar results. I eventually mast mounted PCT MA2-M cable TV +15 dB, 2.7 dB avg. NF drop amplifiers to both antennas ahead of the UVSJ to preclude the overload. The PCT amplifiers are designed to work in the presence of the numerous and relatively strong signals supplied by cable companies.

Last month I ordered 3 FM band filters from Antennas Direct. I have a Winegard 10 element VHF Yagi feeding the AP-2870 VHF input through one of the FM filters and an 8-Bay Bow Tie feeding the AP-2870 UHF input through a Channel Plus NF-471 55 dB notch filter. Using both of these filters seems to prevent overloading the AP-2870.

As ADTech says:

The C4 and other UHF-only antennas shouldn't be particularly susceptible to FM interference. In any event, that issue is easily handled with FM traps/filters in most circumstances.

My VHF Yagi’s (174- 216 MHz) seem to be pretty responsive to FM band signals (88-108 MHz). I suggested checking for strong local FM stations (http://www.fmfool.com/) so if you decided to add a VHF high antenna and were faced with a situation like me you would have identified it ahead of time.

[toadcat]

Hi Pete,
It looks like there will be FM towers pretty close to me if I decide to add the VHF antenna to pick up the Topeka channel. I guess I will be researching that before I decide to do that.

Here is my FMFool report. http://www.fmfool.com/index.php?opti...pper&Itemid=29

Thanks.

[Pete Higgins]

toadcat,

Unlike your TV Fool report, FM Fool resets so the link takes us to a page that needs all your information to complete. You can take a screen shot of your report and add it as an attachment for us if you like. Mainly, I just wanted you to be aware that any strong signals within the bandpass of your amplifier could overload it and they don't necessarily have to come from just TV stations.

I don't have a CM-7777, but from what I've read on the forums, they are more prone to overload than some of your other choices.

[toadcat]

I guess it doesn't hurt to add the image.

So these FM signals will only interfere with the VHF antenna if/when I decide to add it and point towards Topeka. Which should be the stations in the 280deg to 310deg direction.

Just another clarification to see if I have this right. After I attach the antenna, I then add a grounding block to run the rg6 through before it gets into the house. From what I have read, this ground wire should run to my ground rod at my service entrance. If so, this is a pretty long distance and will have at least two bends. Is it recommended to add another ground rod at the shortest distance and straight line to the antenna/mast? Then I connect that ground rod to my ground rod at the service entrance. I am calling the service entrance where my meter sits on a pedestal. I attached a rough drawing of it all. Blue lines are the ground wires.

Well I bought the Clearstream4 and a J mount and they should be here Friday or Monday. I shouldn't need a amplifier so I am going to set it up and see what happens.

Thanks!

[jjbb]

It sounds like you are in Lawrence. Maybe once you have it all figured out, you can come install mine .

[toadcat]

jjbb, I am in Ottawa area.

Well, I got CS4 antenna Thursday. Waited till Friday to start figuring out my wires in the attic. While in the attic I figured I would hook it up and see what reception I could get. Attached the J-hook to a rafter about 4 foot from the gable and pointed the CS4 towards the general direction of KC (NE). Remember that I have James Hardie fiber cement siding and Eclipse thermofoil backed sheathing. I ran my antenna cable towards the antenna and it wasn't long enough. So I cut another cable and pathed them together. Hooked it up and went downstairs to scan.

It started scanning and nothing was coming up. It got about half way through then slowed. I thought great, I am going to have to put the antenna up on the roof. Then a channel popped up and another until it said 34 channels available. I thought cool!

[toadcat]

Here are the channels I am receiving.

4.1 WDAF DT
4.2 WDAF SD
5.1 KCTV
9.1 KMBC DT
9.2 KMBC ME
11.1 KTWU HD
11.2 KTWU DT2
11.3 KTWU DT3
13.1 WIBW HD
13.2 WIBW DT
16.1 KTAJ D1
16.2 KTAJ D2
16.3 KTAJ D3
16.4 KTAJ D4
16.5 KTAJ D5
18.7 Signal cannot be decoded (any suggestions on this?)
18.8 Same as 18.7
19.1 KCPT 1
19.2 KCPT 2
19.3 KCPT 3
27.1 KSNT DT
27.2 KSNT DT
29.1 KCWE DT
29.2 This KC
38.1 KMCI TV
38.2 KMCI LW
41.1 KSHB TV
41.2 KSHB CZ
50.1 ION
50.2 QUBO
50.3 ION Life
50.4 SHOP TV
62.1 KSMO TV
62.2 Bounce

Anyone know where I can get a channel guide for these channels. Searching through the channels every time isn't fun. I appreciate it!

If you will like to receive KSQA Real Digital VHF channel 12 , virtual number (22.1) , The Country Network , Aka , ZUUS Country Network.

And some other Digital Tv stations/channels on down the channel list.

My recommendation , Still Stands.

_________________________________________________

http://www.zap2it.com.

http://www.titantv.com.

And can find more by typing in the google and yahoo and etc. search boxes.

tv guides on the internet , find tv guides , broadcast tv guides , tv guides , channel listings , tv channel list , and , etc. , etc. , etc. .

_________________________________________________

Most likely , as for 18.7 , 18.8 .

In different cites around the USA.

Tv delivery providers such as And Not Limited To , ION Television , and EchoStar , are Testing Pay Tv services ~Via~ Digital Broadcast Tv using a Tv antenna.

ION TV has been testing for some time now.

Other / Providers / Tv Networks , are also testing.

That use a Separate Tuner / Decoder box.

Here is one example.

http://www.rabbitears.info/blog/inde...nds-Channel-56.

________________________________________________

[jjbb]

This makes me fairly optimistic. I just ordered a CS4 and hopefully I have similar results. Thanks for the update.

[Pete Higgins]

Try this link: http://partners.titantv.com/default.aspx

You may have to try different ZIP codes to pickup all your channels.

[toadcat]

Well, thanks for all the help and encouragement. Now if I can just find a way to get cheap internet.

Anyone have suggestions on that?

Teleview, I think I might get another antenna and point it to Topeka to see what else I can get. Will follow your recommendation on that.

[toadcat]

Originally Posted by teleview

If you will like to receive KSQA Real Digital VHF channel 12 , virtual number (22.1) , The Country Network , Aka , ZUUS Country Network.

And some other Digital Tv stations/channels on down the channel list.

My recommendation , Still Stands.

So what other stations/channels are you talking about besides ZUUS Country Network. Are they different than what I am already getting or same network just different market type channel?

Thanks!

[Stereocraig]

Originally Posted by toadcat

So what other stations/channels are you talking about besides ZUUS Country Network. Are they different than what I am already getting or same network just different market type channel?

Thanks!

Networks seem to usually mirror each other, except for their local content.

I get 5 or 6 PBS stations and they seem to all have the same programs, but at different times/ days. One of them though, is completely independent of all the others.

Channels labeled INDependent, would also be unique.