Best TV Antenna - Northern California

Fool4You · 12-Apr-2013, 6:06 PM

Hello,

My name is Brad, I am looking for the best antenna option for specific area. Two antenna's have been recommended for my application and area through the online questionnaires by the folks at Solid Signal, and Antennas Direct.

SolidSignal

1st Recommendation

Winegard HD 7698P High Definition VHF/UHF HD769 Series TV Antenna (HD7698P)

Antenna's Direct

2nd Recommendation

A Roof-mounted ClearStream 5

I know these folks and or companies have limited time to respond to questions regarding why one antenna could or would be better in my application.

I have sent follow-up questions to each company both have yet to respond, it's been 3 weeks. I found the TVFools forum by reading a review on Amazon. From what I understand the efficacy and or performance of one antenna vs. another is subjective and based on a myriad of factors terrain, mountains, trees, buildings, line of sight to towers, distance to towers, weather.

With this stated, let me provide specifics about my application. I've chosen to over communicate so if I've provided irrelevant or non-essential information please ignore.

Specifics regarding, terrain, cabling, location, obstructions.

1. My home is located right in the middle of the valley in rural Northern California, the terrain is flat with an elevation at 350 ft. My location is 120 miles north of Sacramento with a similar distance to the Oregon border. The community is Corning, CA 96021.

2. The perimeter of our 2 acre property is surrounded by single depth Eucalyptus Trees, which are in the range of 40 - 60 ft tall. We have lots of 20 to 30 feet trees due west of our home. There are no towers to my knowledge West of my location. The towers are East and slightly South of our home and additional towers are North going slightly west.

3. I could go as high as 40 ft with an antenna, however I would prefer 20 or 30 ft if adequate. I've provided three TVFool Signal analysis links for you to check out below starting at 20, 30, and 40 ft.

4. We recently dropped DirectTV due to cost $90 a month, so my existing cable is whatever they used. It was installed 4 years ago, An SWM box is still here I'm assuming it an amplifier of sorts?

5. We have two TV's in the house. The distance from the ridge of the roof (where I assume I would install the antenna) to the longest cable run is to the living room, at 75 ft. The 2nd TV is in the bedroom at 50 ft. DirectTV used a splitter under the house. The DiectTV SWM box was in the living room and the cable splits and comes through the floor in the bedroom.

A few Questions regarding the Antennas and hardware:

1. Should I purchase an amplifier with whatever antenna is chosen or recommend? Or should I just start with the antenna?

2. I'm confused about the use of an Antenna Amplifier vs. a Pre-Amp, I think the Pre-Amp installs close to the Antenna, but requires I have a power source, at or near the antenna location. I do have a power outlet on the exterior wall of the house but the travel distance to the outlet would be from the roof ridge down the roof, then down the wall to the plug estimate 24 ft. If an amplifier is needed I understand it is closer to the TV so its power source is not an issue? Do both of these devices accomplish the same thing?

3. What I am concerned about is the ClearStream 5 from the specifications on Amazon shows to be primarily a VHF antenna. After pulling a report from DTV.gov this areas seems to have both UHF and VHF Signal Towers.

4. If the Clearstream 5 is the best option (which it is according to Antennas Direct) might I benefit by purchasing a ClearStream 4 as it's specifications show to be a UHF antenna. I have noted people using multiple antennas with placement on the same mast. If this makes sense what hardware do I need to connect them to a single cable? What distance should each antenna be separated

5. Durability is a concern of any antenna(s) I purchase. Currently outside the wind is 20 to 30 mph. We've had gusts earlier this week up to 55 mph. About the Winegard is it durable in heavy winds.

6. SolidSignal recommended the Winegard which is seems highly rated and is a combined UHF/VHF antenna is this a good choice and should I purchase an amplifier/pre-amp with this antenna?

Here are my TVFools Report.

20 ft
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1ddaa758ba9a7c

30 ft
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1dda15a11584ea

40 ft
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1ddaf16a2b198f

If my questions are immaterial to the discussion please ignore and point me in the right direction as to whether the choices above would be appropriate. I am a bit confused about the technology despite the fact I have spent a lot of time reading posts here on TVFools as well as other sources.

Thanks for listening to my tome of a post.

Regards, Brad

GroundUrMast · 13-Apr-2013, 8:45 PM

Quote:

2. The perimeter of our 2 acre property is surrounded by single depth Eucalyptus Trees, which are in the range of 40 - 60 ft tall. We have lots of 20 to 30 feet trees due west of our home. There are no towers to my knowledge West of my location. The towers are East and slightly South of our home and additional towers are North going slightly west.

Can you locate an antenna so that it does not aim through any trees? Ideally, when looking both east and northwest through north. (This helps answer your next question... and affects the antenna type I'd suggest.)

re. #4, A SWM is very likely a switch matrix. If so, it will be of no use in an OTA antenna system. The cables are no doubt RG-6 Quad-Shield, and are often the only components of a serviceable satellite system that you can be certain will be compatible for use in an OTA antenna system.

re. #5, The splitter under the house should be useable if it's simply a passive 2-way splitter. A make and model number would be useful.

Quote:

1. Should I purchase an amplifier with whatever antenna is chosen or recommend? Or should I just start with the antenna?

2. I'm confused about the use of an Antenna Amplifier vs. a Pre-Amp, I think the Pre-Amp installs close to the Antenna, but requires I have a power source, at or near the antenna location. I do have a power outlet on the exterior wall of the house but the travel distance to the outlet would be from the roof ridge down the roof, then down the wall to the plug estimate 24 ft. If an amplifier is needed I understand it is closer to the TV so its power source is not an issue? Do both of these devices accomplish the same thing?

I would try this with no amplifier. If one is needed, you're approaching a point were many preamplifiers designed for weak signal applications would be at risk of overload. (Preamplifiers are almost always powered by a power supply in the building... with power sent up the coax to the preamp unit at the antenna. It's very rare to need power at the antenna.) In this case, if an amplifier is proven necessary, I would opt for a distribution amplifier located indoors (provided the run from the antenna to the DA is no more than 50' of coax).

If you research a bit more re. the CS5, you find that rather by luck or accident, it is an effective UHF antenna in some situations. http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=1128 Both Antennas Direct and Winegard have earned reputations for building reliable and durable products. Before I recommend one or the other, I'd like to know how much trouble the trees are going to cause.