New House, need help with Antenna

badgj31 · 7-Feb-2012, 4:27 PM

I'm purchasing a new home in an area I have not lived before. I'm exploring my option of FREE TV and am excited about putting up an antenna instead of paying a cable service. Although the signals in my area aren't great, I am very excited about my TV Fool signal analysis as compared to the AntennaWeb.org analysis:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...0b8635732c0fa0

I want to at least be able to pick up the red channels. If the gray ones wont come in, then I'm still getting a good deal. Should the antenna be pointed North? So I'll need help picking an antenna, deciding if I need a pre-amp, installing everything, and the works.

I've looked at the indoor/outdoor HDA-5700 at monoprice.com. This looks like it might not get me the red channels. I've read a couple posts and think that an externally mounted ANT751R pointing North might do the trick (I'd do the attic but I think I have wood/cement boards on the siding, not sure about any metal in the insulation). So now my question is, do I need an amplifier and if so, which one. Also, my house is pre-wired for Comcast so would i be able to plug my antenna into the main line and feed several TVs in the house?

Thanks in advance for all of your advice!!!

Electron · 8-Feb-2012, 5:42 AM

This recommendation is based on the tvfool current and Pending Applications Included radar plot for digital tv stations/channels as of 02-06-2012. Install a Winegard HD7698P antenna with a Winegard AP8275 preamp aimed at about 5 degree magnetic compass. Here is how to aim antennas , http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html. The antenna will be mounted above the roof. Here are some Strong and Sturdy antenna mounts , http://www.ronard.com/909911.html , http://www.ronard.com/34424560.html , http://www.ronard.com/ychim.html , http://www.ronard.com. Here are places to buy antennas and etc. , http://www.winegarddirect.com , http://www.solidsignal.com , http://www.amazon.com. This recommendation is for the reception of the tv stations/channels down to KUSE-LD 46 TUFF TV. Tuff Tv is a tv channel for 'Men'.

Electron · 8-Feb-2012, 5:59 AM

Yes the coax wiring can be used for the tv antenna wiring. However if any cable tv delivered service is active on any or all of the coax lines , then the coax line with active cable service can not be connected to the tv antenna. Cable tv delivered services are , cable tv , cable internet service , cable phone service , or any other type or kind of active cable delivered service can not be connected to the antenna. And the antenna can not be connected to any type or kind of active cable service. If there is no active cable service on all of the coax lines then all of the coax lines can be used for the antenna system.

badgj31 · 9-Feb-2012, 3:36 AM

Thank you Electron! Is this antenna going to be a good one to mount on the rooftop or am I going to get just as good of reception as if I mounted in my attic? I have cement/wood board siding.

Whats the difference between the AP8275 preamp you recommend here and the HDP-269 preamp you've recommended elsewhere?

Electron · 9-Feb-2012, 3:48 AM

The recommended mounts are roof mounts. The antenna Will Be mounted above the roof. The tv signals are weak at your location. The AP8275 preamp has more signal amplification to supply signal to 1 to 4 tv's. The HDP-269 has less signal amplification.

badgj31 · 9-Feb-2012, 6:20 PM

Thanks again Electron. I'll save this antenna and preamp recommendation for when we move in. I'll welcome all comments on rooftop mounting also, as the recommendations for ronard.com dont seem to have an easy way to purchase them.

Electron · 9-Feb-2012, 8:50 PM

Type the word , ronard , in the http://solidsignal.com , search box.

badgj31 · 5-Apr-2012, 6:43 PM

I am currently looking at my options for installing satellite in my new home, which I have not moved into yet. It is new construction and I am really debating putting an antenna in the attic vs the rooftop, as the weather in our area (south of Seattle) is VERY wet and I fear for causing leakage in the roof or eave (if I pursued an eave mount). I have been recommended the Winegard HD7698P antenna with a AP8275 pre-amp and also worry about installing a power source for a pre-amp on my rooftop. I am wondering if I can get away with an attic install in my area and still get the red channels? The TV Fool Analysis is here:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...267eb760e0007c

Two story house with eaved roof (estimated 25feet) with no trees in the neighborhood to obstruct, although around the periphery of the neighborhood there are trees that do not seem to be obstructing.

Will have more questions to come RE: wiring the pre-amp and grounding the antenna. The house has 1 grounding rod only.

Electron · 6-Apr-2012, 4:15 AM

It is your life and your choices. If the antenna does not receive the weak channels in the attic then you can choose to move the antenna to the roof top or where ever else you think a antenna is to be. Houses have one ground rod , it is the 'current' correct way to have a ground.

GroundUrMast · 6-Apr-2012, 7:19 AM

Of all the roof mounting options, a correctly installed eve mount is one of the least likely to leak, bested only by a chimney mount. Don't take this to mean I'm dismissing correctly installed tripods, which will serve reliably for decades.

If I was in your situation, I'd opt for an antenna system functionally similar to the HD7698P (which is a very valid suggestion). An Antennas Direct DB4e aimed at 340° and a Winegard YA1713 aimed at about 325°. Combine the the two using a UVSJ and then into an Antenna Direct CPA-19 preamp. (This preamp is like virtually all others, in that it's powered by a unit in the building, via the coax. There is no need to install power on the roof or in the attic.)

I think this system would increase the reliability of the signals from KCTS-9, KSTW-11 and KCPQ-13. At the same time, the wide beam-width of the DB4e would provide better coverage of the UHF signals to the west and east of the main Seattle groups.

The output of this system and the HD7698P option could integrate with a satellite system... The quality of HD signals via OTA will meet or beat those any available via cable or satellite.

I'm certain I would not be as happy with an attic mounted system... But such an option would still offer fair reception.

Electron · 6-Apr-2012, 4:14 PM

Because of the ever increasing amount of different satellite tv hardware connections configurations , you will need to check with the satellite system dealer/installer and see if a Tv antenna will integrate with system or not.

badgj31 · 9-Apr-2012, 2:11 AM

Food for thought. I greatly appreciate the suggestions, and while I like the added reliability of the DB4e setup, I'm wondering if it would provide noticeably better reception than the "Simpler" HD7698P would give. It seems to be a little more expensive than the HD7698P setup.

Good to know about the grounds and also that the pre-amp doesn't require power to the rooftop. With weather systems causing high winds and rain quite often during certain times of year, would an eave mount's reception succumb to the weather? Also, with the DB4e + YA1713 system, would I be able to mount those on one eve mount or have to do 2? I am a new guy to all of this so the simpler the better ;0)

I will have to check in with Dish Network later if we ever decide to go that route.

Unfortunately, I'm still not sure which channels I'd be missing with an attic mount. Is it a significant signal loss?

GroundUrMast · 9-Apr-2012, 7:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badgj31

Food for thought. I greatly appreciate the suggestions, and while I like the added reliability of the DB4e setup, I'm wondering if it would provide noticeably better reception than the "Simpler" HD7698P would give. It seems to be a little more expensive than the HD7698P setup.

Good to know about the grounds and also that the pre-amp doesn't require power to the rooftop. With weather systems causing high winds and rain quite often during certain times of year, would an eave mount's reception succumb to the weather? Also, with the DB4e + YA1713 system, would I be able to mount those on one eve mount or have to do 2? I am a new guy to all of this so the simpler the better ;0)

I will have to check in with Dish Network later if we ever decide to go that route.

Unfortunately, I'm still not sure which channels I'd be missing with an attic mount. Is it a significant signal loss?

Compared to attic mounting, Eve, chimney, tower or tripod mounting that puts the antenna in a position that's not blocked by the roof, buildings or trees will have anywhere from a few dB to greater than 20 dB better signal to work with.

I live in Seattle. I have line of sight to many of the stations and I also have some antennas in my attic. When the roof is wet, signal quality is lower from those antennas. When it rains, I can count on some dropouts of signals in the yellow section of my TVFR. The outdoor mounted antenna has little if any reduction of signal quality during the same weather. In your case I doubt you would see KING, KOMO or KIRO with an antenna in the attic. If there's some wet snow on the roof, the situation is even worse.

The HD7698P should give you reliable reception of the signals from Queen Anne Hill and Capitol Hill in Seattle(azimuth 340° to 344° mag.). However, I think you would find it difficult to find an aim point that would provide reliable reception of both Tacoma/Gold Mountain signals (azimuth 308° mag.) to the NW and the Tiger Mountain signals (azimuth 12° mag.) to the NE.

The more expensive two antenna system can easily mount on a single eave bracket that's holding a 10' mast section. The advantage of the two antenna system is that the DB4e UHF antenna has a broader beam-width that would let you find an aim point that covers Tiger Mt., Capitol Hill and Queen Anne Hill. The VHF antenna would be free to aim more to the northwest which is were you find real channels 9, 11 & 13.