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13-Dec-2010, 10:24 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 7
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any advice
thank you in advance for any help, i am looking for advice or mods to the current setup i have to prove to my wife that using a antenna is not in vain. i have a old radioshack antenna the xr-190 or something like that and a wine gard 8275 pre-amp. i know that due to my location i can never get the la channels but have had some success with the major san diego networks. she is not convinced that a new antenna would improve the picture any(i have ziptied the old antenna as since some of the leads are warped and bent.) when her parents bought us the antenna 10 years ago it was the best they could find and i just brought it out of mothballs recently to see if i could get any hd football with it. am i wrong in assuming a new antenna might help or is it a crapshoot. thanks again for all or any help http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a32a6210541d
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13-Dec-2010, 11:59 PM
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Greater Seattle Area
Posts: 4,773
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Per Radio Shack support documentation @ http://support.radioshack.com/suppor...oc44/44032.htm The VHF high band gain of your existing antenna (in good condition) is 8.2 dB and the UHF gain is 9.6 dB (Not clear if they are using dBd or dBi  )
If you were to replace the RS antenna with a Antennas Direct 91XG http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp...0Antennas&sku= mounted 4' to 6' above an Antennacraft Y10-7-13 http://manuals.solidsignal.com/Y10-7-13.pdf You would in theory get a 1.2 dB improvement for channels 7 through 13 and 7.1 dB improvement for the UHF band.
That means that you could see some improvement in the picture quality on the analog translators and you could have a possibility of receiving KTTV (Fox) on VHF 11. Slightly lower expectations for KABC, but still possible. This combination of antennas may not do well receiving channel 6 KRPE-LP.
A quality rotator is needed ( http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=1058 and a preamp such as the CM8275 or CM7777 either of which have separate inputs for UHF and VHF antennas.
Your TVF report indicates an antenna height of 40'. Do you have an existing tower or are you on a multistory building?
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If the well is dry and you don't see rain on the horizon, you'll need to dig the hole deeper. (If the antenna can't get the job done, an amp won't fix it.)
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Last edited by GroundUrMast; 14-Dec-2010 at 12:07 AM.
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14-Dec-2010, 12:12 AM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 7
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my house is two story and the 40 ft estimate was with a 21 ft stick of 1 in gal pipe attached to my chimney which puts it about 40 ft in the air, i have the ant attached right now to the pipe which is sitting on the ground strapped to my patio facing south so i can see san diego tv
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14-Dec-2010, 12:46 AM
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Greater Seattle Area
Posts: 4,773
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The system I've described is large and needs as much height as possible. A mast or tower that can safely support the equipment at that elevation is no place to skimp on quality.
__________________
If the well is dry and you don't see rain on the horizon, you'll need to dig the hole deeper. (If the antenna can't get the job done, an amp won't fix it.)
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14-Dec-2010, 1:33 AM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 7
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the piece of 1 inch was securely attached to my house when the old antenna was on it before and has withstood measured gusts of 60-65 mph so mounting a new ant or two shouldnt be a problem. my wifes only concern is if the channels will be any stronger than they are now with new antennas. is there a way to go without the rotor or does no rotor eliminate the xg functionability
Last edited by manuetdeo; 14-Dec-2010 at 1:35 AM.
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14-Dec-2010, 2:03 AM
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#6
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Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Greater Seattle Area
Posts: 4,773
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Your report shows stations to the north, NW and to the south. No antenna with the needed gain can receive those signals simultaneously. To get the most use out of any of the 'deep' fringe antennas, you would need to be able to turn the antenna.
The difference in strength for VHF is not great. But in your location it may be the difference needed to see KTTV and KABC, both digital and therefore, if you see them they will look great... as good or better than cable.
The difference between the old antenna and the 91XG is enough that it should be visible when you are receiving analog stations such as KRMV, KRVD,KMRZ, K27DS... A rotator would also help with fine tuning the aim, which for analog reception, will often help reduce ghosting and interference.
If I were living next door, I would be using a system like this...
__________________
If the well is dry and you don't see rain on the horizon, you'll need to dig the hole deeper. (If the antenna can't get the job done, an amp won't fix it.)
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14-Dec-2010, 2:24 AM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 7
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so since i have no use for the analog stations in my area a rotor and xg would fair better than say a db8 which is what i was looking at to purchase, im just wanting to make sure since im pretty sure i wont be able to return whatever i bought
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14-Dec-2010, 3:21 AM
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#8
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Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Greater Seattle Area
Posts: 4,773
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A DB8 is a viable alternate to the XG and it is far more compact. Both are exclusively UHF, 14 through 69 antennas which outperform the UHF portion of virtually all UHF/VHF combination antennas. Neither of these antennas are designed to receive the real channels 2 through 13.
To give you a shot at Fox or ABC, I suggested the Antennacraft Y10713. But because the analog stations are of lower priority to you, and they are on UHF for the most part, consider a combination UHF/VHF similar to your existing antenna. A Winegard HD8200 http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp...0Antennas&sku= has a few dB better performance on VHF while giving up some UHF performance compared to the DB8 and XG.
It's not unreasonable to think you can get watchable signals from KTTV and KABC, you might even hope for KCAL. However, if you are sporadically receiving stations that don't appear on you TVF report, I can't promise that you will be able to make them rock solid with a new antenna. You may be seeing signals that bounce off layers of the atmosphere, a hobby interest of some people but frustrating if you simply want to watch reliable TV.
__________________
If the well is dry and you don't see rain on the horizon, you'll need to dig the hole deeper. (If the antenna can't get the job done, an amp won't fix it.)
(Please direct account activation inquiries to 'admin')
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14-Dec-2010, 8:06 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,697
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Tv Antennas and Reception
I suggest a Winegard Hd8200 and a rotor.
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14-Dec-2010, 9:25 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 7
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i can recieve cbs abc from sd with no amp, with amp i also get fox and pbs from sd, sometimes nbc. im really after kcal, and qubo which is on ion in la so i was thinking the db8 and ya1713 should work for me what do you think?
isnt the 8200 bigger than the radioshack? it looks like it i was hoping for something smaller if possible, i have all in my cart at amazon at moment plus winegard 7698p. just want to buy best bet for me and hope it works
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15-Dec-2010, 12:07 AM
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#11
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Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Greater Seattle Area
Posts: 4,773
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John and I may not agree 100% of the time... In this case though, you are describing the need for a large, high performance antenna.
I appreciate and respect John's opinion here, and in other posts.
__________________
If the well is dry and you don't see rain on the horizon, you'll need to dig the hole deeper. (If the antenna can't get the job done, an amp won't fix it.)
(Please direct account activation inquiries to 'admin')
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15-Dec-2010, 12:24 AM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 7
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so i then get the 8200 and then i can add the rotor later if i need it?
edit: my son and i built a 4bay uhf antenna and put it on a ladder and got kswb and kpbs from sd with no amp. does this mean i might be better off with a db8 or 4228 style with seperate vhf antenna or should i still go with combo sorry for all the questions just trying to pick the brains of those who came before me
Last edited by manuetdeo; 15-Dec-2010 at 12:56 AM.
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15-Dec-2010, 1:38 AM
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#13
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Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Greater Seattle Area
Posts: 4,773
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The difference in UHF performance for the 8-bay vs the UHF section on the HD8200 is slightly in favor of the HD8200. The VHF 7-13 performance is also better than the Antennacraft Y10713, by about 2 dB.
with the HD8200 -- one antenna instead of two on the mast = less wind load and if a rotator has to turn it, it will like you better and you will be able to get to see channel 6 and possibly 2.
Go with the HD8200.
__________________
If the well is dry and you don't see rain on the horizon, you'll need to dig the hole deeper. (If the antenna can't get the job done, an amp won't fix it.)
(Please direct account activation inquiries to 'admin')
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