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7-Aug-2013, 11:00 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6
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San Diego 92120 VHF Help
My TV Fool Report
I moved into a 2nd floor apartment recently and picked up an antenna so I can watch games for the upcoming football season, as well as fall premieres for different network shows. The only channels I really want are CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and CW. The antenna I currently have is a Terk HDTVa Indoor Antenna. My TV is set up in the living room and the windows are on the east side of the apartment, so I have the antenna facing east out of one of the windows. I am able to get all the UHF channels, but can't receive channels like ABC, CBS, and CW which are all VHF. Do I need to get a different antenna? What other options do I have? I appreciate any help I can get. Thanks.
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8-Aug-2013, 9:32 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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San Deigo is often a two antenna market
That you are getting the UHF signals you want is great... Your TV Fool report suggests they would be challenging when forced to use an east facing window.
Can you consider using an outdoor antenna (mounted indoors or on a patio) in addition to your existing antenna? I'm thinking of the Antennacraft Y5713 and a UVSJ, Radio Shack Catalog #: 15-2586 or Pico Macom - UVSJ. You would connect the Y5713 to the VHF port of the UVSJ and the output of your existing antenna would connect to the UHF port.
__________________
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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8-Aug-2013, 10:33 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6
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Unfortunately I'm only limited to indoor antennas because I'm renting an apartment and can't make any modifications to the building.
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8-Aug-2013, 11:21 PM
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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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Quote:
Originally Posted by flipkid
Unfortunately I'm only limited to indoor antennas because I'm renting an apartment and can't make any modifications to the building.
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Unfortunate but understandable...
Can you accommodate the Y5713 inside your apartment? I can work, just sitting on top of a book case...
__________________
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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8-Aug-2013, 11:36 PM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6
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Looking at the specs, I feel that It would be way too big to have inside the apartment.
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8-Aug-2013, 11:44 PM
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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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Have you adjusted the VHF dipole rods of your existing antenna to the optimum length for your situation? I would set them for CH-9, as a compromise between CH-8 & CH-10. http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2828
__________________
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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9-Aug-2013, 1:44 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GroundUrMast
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I tried the settings you suggested, but still get nothing. Is there a certain direction that my antenna should be facing or an optimal angle the rabbit ears should be in?
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9-Aug-2013, 5:15 PM
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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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The starting aim point would have the tip of one rod pointing toward 6° magnetic and the opposite rod tip pointing at 186° magnetic.
Both rods should be close to parallel with the ground.
Based on your description and your TVFR, the signals from KFMB and KGTV have to penetrate the west wall of your apartment (and perhaps a neighboring apartment?). That means you may need quite a bit of antenna gain in oder to see the signals from the west. If the HDTVa does not produce reliable reception, you need an antenna that has gain in the H-VHF band. Available retail examples would be:
Antennacraft Y10713
Antennacraft Y5713
Antennas Direct Clear Stream 5
(and a large number of UHF / VHF combo antennas)
All of these are outdoor designs.
__________________
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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9-Aug-2013, 7:33 PM
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#9
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Guest
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Is a apartment on the west side of your apartment??
Any windows on the west side of your apartment??
Do you have any balconies ??
If so , what directions do balconies face??
Is your apartment on the end of the apartment building??
If so , what end??
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10-Aug-2013, 4:02 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GroundUrMast
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I tried adjusting the rods yesterday and I'm having no luck on getting those VHF channels 
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10-Aug-2013, 4:21 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by teleview
Is a apartment on the west side of your apartment??
Any windows on the west side of your apartment??
Do you have any balconies ??
If so , what directions do balconies face??
Is your apartment on the end of the apartment building??
If so , what end??
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So the way our building is set up, to the west of our kitchen and living room, is another apartment, but once you go to corridor and the bedrooms, no part of the building is obstructing us. We have no balconies, but we do have windows in both of our bedrooms that face west. Our apartment is not at any end. Our building is shaped like a backwards L, and our apartment is part of the corner where the lines intersect.
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