Looking to cut the cord and install an antenna

[rabbit73]

Thanks for the photo; looks good.

(can you tell I'm having fun just experimenting?)

Yes.

Is there a way to combine two antennas without db loss? Or a way to compensate? Looking at the numbers suggests to my newbie knowledge base that WRTV and WXIN could be lost if I tried to combine them.

WRTV and WXIN will not be lost if both panels of the DB8e are aimed at Indy.

If I pointed both sides of the bowtie towards Indy and tried to combine it with the C5 pointing towards Louisville am I going to run into problems with both antennas picking up signals from the opposite direction?

It depends upon how you combine them. If you use a UHF/VHF combiner, AKA UVSJ, it will keep the UHF bowtie signals from Indy separate from the VHF signals from the C5 from Louisville. But, you will not receive UHF signals from Louisville, unless they are strong enough to come from the rear of the DB8e with both of its panels aimed at Indy. A UVSJ is a very low loss device.

This will get you ABC from Louisville. Is that what you want?

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...8e03e0da24271e

[Irata]

Originally Posted by rabbit73

WRTV and WXIN will not be lost if both panels of the DB8e are aimed at Indy.
It depends upon how you combine them. If you use a UHF/VHF combiner, AKA UVSJ, it will keep the UHF bowtie signals from Indy separate from the VHF signals from the C5 from Louisville. But, you will not receive UHF signals from Louisville, unless they are strong enough to come from the rear of the DB8e with both of its panels aimed at Indy. A UVSJ is a very low loss device.

This will get you ABC from Louisville. Is that what you want?

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...8e03e0da24271e

WRTV and WXIN are hit and miss. Yesterday was more miss. I need to experiment and point both towards Indy and see if the Louisville signals are strong enough to be picked up.

I had run the C5 to a spare TV directly and it picked up Louisville VHF & UHF very well. A few weeks ago I ran the C5 to my preamp. That day I was not picking up the VHF ABC at all before, was getting a fairly good 55 on the Tivo strength meter afterwards but all the UHF dropped to unacceptable levels. I'm thinking the C5 is not going to help. Craigslist time?

I was mostly looking to get the Louisville ABC since WRTV is so difficult to get consistently.

So originally I split the coax when it comes in with this:


http://www.amazon.com/EXTREME-DIGITAL-PERFORMANCE-CABLE-SPLITTER/dp/B007YV0UQW/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t

I recently added a Tivo mini so I no longer needed to split the signals. So I pulled the splitter and added a coupler. And I lost some reception signal. Is this normal? I would have thought eliminating the split would be a benefit. I put the splitter back on for now.

[rabbit73]

I was mostly looking to get the Louisville ABC since WRTV is so difficult to get consistently.

You should be able to get WHAS ABC from Louisville if the C5 is aimed that way.

I recently added a Tivo mini so I no longer needed to split the signals. So I pulled the splitter and added a coupler. And I lost some reception signal. Is this normal? I would have thought eliminating the split would be a benefit. I put the splitter back on for now.

I can't tell if that's normal because you have made many changes. I would need to see a diagram of what is connected to what and which way the antennas are aimed.

I said

It depends upon how you combine them. If you use a UHF/VHF combiner, AKA UVSJ, it will keep the UHF bowtie signals from Indy separate from the VHF signals from the C5 from Louisville. But, you will not receive UHF signals from Louisville, unless they are strong enough to come from the rear of the DB8e with both of its panels aimed at Indy. A UVSJ is a very low loss device.

So, which way did you do it?

[Irata]

Originally Posted by rabbit73

You should be able to get WHAS ABC from Louisville if the C5 is aimed that way.
I can't tell if that's normal because you have made many changes. I would need to see a diagram of what is connected to what and which way the antennas are aimed.

I said
So, which way did you do it?

I haven't actually combined them as of yet. Seems all the good weather days I've been busy with other commitments. The C5 test I did it started pouring about the time I started it.