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Old 13-Jan-2014, 10:12 PM   #1
SnowB0und
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East Bay CA Reception

Good afternoon.

EDIT

I'm editing my original post instead of creating a new one. I updated the link below with the exact GPS location and height above ground of my setup. This is a picture of my set up as well. Its been a few years and I wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations on a better antenna or amp. I'd still love to get KTVU 2 or KRON 4 but I don't think I'll be able to due to the terrain.

28' (actual height)http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e6a4bd3e2cfae4
40' (probably can't do that)http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e6a4926069192d




Thanks in advance for any help, I hope I helped someone searching later from the East Bay.
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File Type: jpg FullSizeRender1.jpg (69.6 KB, 1218 views)

Last edited by SnowB0und; 5-Oct-2017 at 7:18 PM.
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Old 26-Jan-2014, 5:08 AM   #2
teleview
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+=>
----
The antenna is a , Antennas Direct , CS2V , UHF/VHF antenna.

For Reliable Reception.

Install the antenna Above The Peak of the Roof.

Aim the antenna at about 50 degree magnetic compass direction.

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

Use a Real and Actual magnetic compas to aim antenna.

--------

When the CS2V antenna is installed Above The Peak Of The Roof.

Install a , RCA , TVPRAMP1R , preamplifier.

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Yes the preamplifier can be installed when the antenna is setup inside the building and attic.

----> HOWEVER Know This ,

Antenna system amplifiers Are Not a Cure All for indoor Tv reception.

Attics and the inside of buildings Are Not a reception friendly environment and Never Will Be a reception friendly environment.

----------

For 1 Tv connected use No splitter.

For 2 Tv's connected use a , Holland Electronics , HFS-2D , 2 way splitter.

For 3 Tv's connected use a , Holland Electronics , HFS-3D , 3 way splitter.

Buy the , HFS-2D and HFS-3D , splitters at.

www.hollandelectronics.com

Or

www.amazon.com

Last edited by teleview; 27-Jan-2014 at 11:42 PM. Reason: Clarify information and typos.
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Old 26-Jan-2014, 5:41 AM   #3
GroundUrMast
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KTVU is quite a 'long shot'. Not because of the distance, but because of the terrain between their transmitter and your location.

If I was intent on doing what ever it took to receive KTVU, I'd start by mounting an Antennas Direct 91XG outdoors, in the clear. Should that fail, I'd be thinking of building a dual or quad stack of identical antennas... This would be a case that may well require 'extreme measures'.
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Last edited by GroundUrMast; 26-Jan-2014 at 6:36 PM. Reason: Formating
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Old 26-Jan-2014, 2:09 PM   #4
teleview
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At , minus -11.3 NM(dB) signal strength , KTVU will not be received reliably.

To see if signal strength improve at higher antenna heights above ground.

Please make and post 3 more Tvfool reports , 40 , 60 , 100 , feet antenna heights above ground.
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Old 26-Jan-2014, 4:02 PM   #5
SnowB0und
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GroundUrMast View Post
KTVU is quite a 'long shot'. Not because of the distance, but because of the terrain between their transmitter and your location.

If I was intent on doing what ever it took to receive KTVU, I'd start by mounting an Antennas Direct 91XG outdoors, in the clear. Should that fail, I'd be thinking of building a dual or quad stack of identical antennas... This would be a case that may well require 'extreme measures.
Thank you for the input! That is what I figured. I believe KTVU comes from SF and there is a (almost) 1000 hill between here and there. I feel that going through all of that effort would cause me to lose the majority of the channels coming from Sacramento as they are almost 180* from each other.
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Old 26-Jan-2014, 6:45 PM   #6
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I would make the Sacramento antenna and system rock solid and then, if I wanted to chase the San Fransisco signals, build a separate system.
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Old 5-Oct-2017, 6:59 PM   #7
SnowB0und
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I edited the OP for 2017, would love any advice on improving the setup.
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Old 6-Oct-2017, 10:20 PM   #8
rabbit73
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Welcome back, SnowB0und



The advice given to you by teleview and GroundUrMast is still good.

KTVU and KRON are much weaker than your signals coming from the NE.

To even have a chance for them, you would need a separate antenna system with a high gain UHF antenna aimed at 211 degrees magnetic and a preamp.



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File Type: jpg SnowB0undTVFmap.JPG (98.1 KB, 1204 views)
File Type: jpg SnowB0undTVFp2KTVU.JPG (107.4 KB, 1174 views)
File Type: jpg SnowB0undTVFcovKTVUcu.JPG (132.9 KB, 1202 views)
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Last edited by rabbit73; 7-Oct-2017 at 1:59 PM.
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Old 10-Oct-2017, 4:09 AM   #9
SnowB0und
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Thanks Rabbit, when you say separate system, do I run it through a combiner? Or is it referring to an entire separate system all the way to the TV?

Looks like I'm not even in the purple.
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Old 10-Oct-2017, 2:04 PM   #10
rabbit73
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First, you set up a separate high gain UHF antenna aimed at 211 degrees magnetic and a preamp to see if it is even possible to receive KTVU and KRON at your location. This separate system should be connected directly to a TV for the test.

Sometimes it helps to tilt the front of the antenna UP if your location is behind a hill.

At this time of year, there might still be some Tropospheric Propagation to help you. When the cold weather comes, there will be less tropo to help you.

Doing a report at 40 feet doesn't seem to help you because you are well below the peak of the mountain and very close to the mountain. If the signals were just grazing the crest of the terrain, it would make a bigger difference.

If you are able to receive KTVU and KRON, then it would be the time to consider combining. You will be combining two UHF antennas. If you use a splitter in reverse as a combiner, it doesn't always work. When the same signals from each antenna reach the combining point, they will interfere with each other if they are not in phase (arrive at the same instant). You just have to try it.

If you don't have all the channels after combining that you had when the antennas were separate, that method of combining doesn't work for you.

If combining using that method doesn't work, you can have a A/B switch to select which antenna you want to use. If your TV can't add a channel after scan, you will have to rescan after changing antennas.

To avoid that, you can connect the main antenna to the antenna input of the TV, and connect the SW antenna to a separate tuner with its output connected to the aux input of the TV.

A personal question:

If you already have stronger channels for Fox and MyN, why do you want KTVU and KRON?
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Last edited by rabbit73; 10-Oct-2017 at 2:07 PM.
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Old 10-Oct-2017, 3:42 PM   #11
SnowB0und
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I'll try re aiming and see, only reason I want KRON or KTVU was to get local news as all my news channels are coming from Sacramento. Your right though I don't really need it, just was wondering if there was any new fancy antennas that could make it happen as I set this up 4 years ago. Is the CS2 I have enough, should I get the one that has 2 in one unit?

Thanks again!

Last edited by SnowB0und; 10-Oct-2017 at 3:44 PM.
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Old 10-Oct-2017, 6:10 PM   #12
rabbit73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SnowB0und View Post
Is the CS2 I have enough, should I get the one that has 2 in one unit?
I doubt that the CS2 has enough gain, but you can try aiming it at KTVU and KRON as a test. You would also need a preamp like the Antennas Direct Juice, the Channel Master 7778, Channel Master 7777HD (Amplify), or the RCA TVPRAMP1R. The RCA is the least expensive but has a history of quality control problems.

The Solid Signal HDB91X antenna might have enough gain with a preamp. It also has a tilt adjustment, and is currently on sale:
https://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=hdb91x

Consider this as an experiment; no guarantee that it will work.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 10-Oct-2017 at 6:12 PM.
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