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Old 20-Apr-2011, 6:53 AM   #41
GroundUrMast
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How severe is your weather? The 5' tripod and a 10' mast section would be a bit of over build for an ANT-751 in mild parts of the country. The same holding a larger HD769X series is not over-built IMO.

Here in the northwest, we get 100 MPH storms once every 10 to 20 years. I won't guaranty my antenna and mast will survive the next big one. I have made it through a couple of 50 to 60 MPH storms though.

Coax next to ground wire is not a problem.

I have used dielectric grease, also sold as tune-up grease. Auto parts stores sell it for use on spark plug boots and bulb sockets. I have heard of reports of signal loss, though I have not had such experience. My primary objective is to fill the weather boot with grease, not the connector.

A splitter rated for 5 to 900 MHz is enough bandwidth. Splitters are inexpensive. Home Depot sells Ideal brand last I looked and their return policy is as liberal as one could hope for. If you are not sure of the serviceability of your existing splitter, substitute a new one. The Ideal branded units are rated 5 to 1000 MHz, more than enough bandwidth. (No need to spend extra money on satellite system splitters with 2+ GHz ratings.)

FWIW: Channel 2 starts at 54 MHz, channel 69 ends at 806 MHz.
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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; 20-Apr-2011 at 7:09 AM.
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Old 20-Apr-2011, 9:37 AM   #42
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@Groundurmast--We have hurricanes here every 4 years or so. It depends on how direct of a hit we get. I am a good bit north of the gulf though. It could get bad I guess, but I've been blessed for the past 5 years.

Does any sealant or grease need to be applied to the antenna terminals at the balun?

10-4 on everything else.

Thanks
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Old 20-Apr-2011, 11:32 AM   #43
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Just a word of CAUTION. Your pix #006 of the antenna is close,, too close , to your power line !!!!!!!!
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Old 20-Apr-2011, 5:07 PM   #44
GroundUrMast
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Dielectric grease on the antenna terminals at the balun won't hurt. It won't last more than a few months though.

Corrosion and time will happen.

Esteban is right. If at all possible, avoid a mounting location that has hazzards within the fall radius of the mast used.
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Old 25-Nov-2017, 9:42 PM   #45
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I'm not trying to revive this old thread. However, I haven't been on this site in a while and I apparently forgot to thank you all for your helpful input. I finally got my setup (old house) squared away. I also apologize if I came off as an ass at any point. That was a long time ago and I definitely understand read more; post less.

I will soon be asking for your help with an antenna report for my grandparents. They're getting older and I'm going to try to save them some money. One day I'll also do one for my new house, but my grandparents have asked for help. I will take and be grateful for any advice you give me.

Thank you.
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Old 25-Nov-2017, 11:08 PM   #46
rabbit73
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Quote:
I apparently forgot to thank you all for your helpful input. I finally got my setup (old house) squared away.
We do appreciate a "thank you," but we need to hear how it worked out to know if out advice was accurate.
Quote:
I also apologize if I came off as an ass at any point. That was a long time ago and I definitely understand read more; post less.
Apology not necessary. The more details you give about your location, the better our advice.
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I will soon be asking for your help with an antenna report for my grandparents. They're getting older and I'm going to try to save them some money.
Please start a new thread for that location, and include a TVFool signal report. The new database for signal reports has some errors, often with missing channels, but it's a good start.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 25-Nov-2017 at 11:13 PM.
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Old 26-Nov-2017, 12:11 AM   #47
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit73 View Post
We do appreciate a "thank you," but we need to hear how it worked out to know if out advice was accurate.
Well, after my last post, I made a mast out of 2 sections of chain link fence top rail bolted together. It was supported by a brick paver buried 2 feet under ground and a bracket on the eave. It put the antenna at about 18 ft. I located the mast on the back side of my old house near the south east corner to be far enough from the power line. I grounded it to the house main ground rod with 10 ga. bare copper wire.

It worked well enough on 2 sets. However, channel 10 (WALA) was hit or miss. My wife had to have that channel, so I disconnected one set as she didn't want to spend anymore money on it. Even then it would go in and out. Every other channel worked great.

I still think it was mainly due to lack of elevation and blocked signal. I also had multipath due to a nearby airport. Perhaps more mast height or a larger antenna would have pulled it off.

Quote:
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Please start a new thread for that location, and include a TVFool signal report. The new database for signal reports has some errors, often with missing channels, but it's a good start.
Will do.
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Old 26-Nov-2017, 12:20 AM   #48
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Thank you for the details.
Quote:
I still think it was mainly due to lack of elevation and blocked signal.
I agree, but an inexpensive preamp or distribution might have helped.
Quote:
I also had multipath due to a nearby airport.
I don't remember seeing that before in this thread. What airport is that?

I can't comment any further about WALA other than to say the ANT751 doesn't have much gain on VHF-High, because your original signal report is no longer on the TVFool server.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 26-Nov-2017 at 12:26 AM.
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Old 26-Nov-2017, 2:24 AM   #49
dsmguy7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit73 View Post
I agree, but an inexpensive preamp or distribution might have helped.
True.


Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit73 View Post
I don't remember seeing that before in this thread. What airport is that?
I thought I mentioned it. Perhaps not. Mobile Regional Airport and the U S Coast Guard Aviation Training Center.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit73 View Post
I can't comment any further about WALA other than to say the ANT751 doesn't have much gain on VHF-High, because your original signal report is no longer on the TVFool server.
Here you go:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...60ed98363ee7ee
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Old 26-Nov-2017, 7:44 PM   #50
rabbit73
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Quote:
I thought I mentioned it. Perhaps not. Mobile Regional Airport and the U S Coast Guard Aviation Training Center.
You did, in your first post, but I missed it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsmguy7 View Post
There is a large water tower and an airport near by.
It looks like you were in the flight path:



Thank you for the signal report. The latest TVFool database, date code 201711011344, has some channels missing, and other errors:



This is a report from RabbitEars.info:



This is from the FCC DTV Reception Maps site:

Attached Images
File Type: jpg dsmguy7TVFairport.JPG (105.8 KB, 1490 views)
File Type: jpg dsmguy7TVFreportSnip.JPG (113.8 KB, 1450 views)
File Type: jpg dsmguy7TVFreReport.JPG (159.0 KB, 1501 views)
File Type: jpg dsmguy7TVFfccReport.JPG (107.7 KB, 1493 views)
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Last edited by rabbit73; 26-Nov-2017 at 8:32 PM.
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Old 26-Nov-2017, 10:54 PM   #51
rabbit73
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A first glance at your signal report would seem to indicate that the RCA ANT751 would have been sufficient for WALA if a preamp had been used. But closer examination would show:

1. There were objects in the signal path; the report assumes the antenna is in the clear
2. The antenna doesn't have as much gain for VHF-High channel 9 as it has for UHF channels. An antenna with more VHF-High gain was needed
3. The hill in front of the antenna was blocking the direct signal





Tower Guy gave you good advice. He is a TV station engineer, but you didn't know that then.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsmguy7 View Post
From what I've read a Winegard HD7697P or HD 7698P would work well, but I want the best which is why I am asking you guys.
Trust your own intuition more often.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg dsmguy7TVFp2WALA.JPG (99.9 KB, 1439 views)
File Type: jpg dsmguy7TVFpathWALA.JPG (84.8 KB, 1439 views)
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Last edited by rabbit73; 26-Nov-2017 at 11:40 PM.
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Old 26-Nov-2017, 11:48 PM   #52
dsmguy7
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rabbit73

Wow! That is amazing work. Did you do it all with Google maps? Oh yeah. Planes flew right over my house all the time. Yep, I should have listened to him. Tower Guy, my hat is off to you, sir.
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Old 26-Nov-2017, 11:51 PM   #53
rabbit73
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When the signal is skimming the terrain surface, small changes in antenna height can make a dramatic change in the signal strength.





Attached Images
File Type: jpg dsmguy7TVFcovWALA18ft.JPG (142.0 KB, 1452 views)
File Type: jpg dsmguy7TVFcovWALA25ft.JPG (139.2 KB, 1459 views)
File Type: jpg dsmguy7TVFcovWALA50ft.JPG (140.3 KB, 1466 views)
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Last edited by rabbit73; 27-Nov-2017 at 3:30 PM.
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Old 27-Nov-2017, 12:01 AM   #54
dsmguy7
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Wow. So 7 more feet and a preamp or the larger antenna and a preamp and I would have been ok.

Last edited by dsmguy7; 28-Nov-2017 at 10:33 PM.
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Old 27-Nov-2017, 12:22 AM   #55
rabbit73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dsmguy7 View Post
So 7 more feet and a preamp or the larger antenna and a preamp and I would have been ok.
Well, maybe. The computer simulation is only accurate to about a football field size as far as location is concerned. The apparent accuracy is greater than the actual accuracy. It's still trial-and-error, because there will be hot spots and cold spots at a location when the signals are diffracted by terrain obstacles.
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