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Old 12-Aug-2014, 2:47 PM   #1
rtphmp
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 2
Antenna advise in Simpsonville, SC

I am looking to drop Directv. Possible install in attic or on current Directv bracket. Which is installed on the outside edge of my roof shingles, a foot or two from the gutter on the center of the south side of my house. I am concerned with the signal being able to reach over the peek of my roof line (I do not want to be able to see it from the front of the house.

My goal is to be able to receive:
7 CBS WSPA 32.0 miles VHF high
13 ABC WLOS 56.2miles VHF high
21 FOX WHNS 39.7 miles UHF
36 NBC WYFF 33.3miles UHF

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...ec2feab40161c2

Thanks in advance for you help.
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Old 12-Aug-2014, 3:15 PM   #2
StephanieS
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Greetings,

A very do-able TV reception plot. You have a mix of green (good strength) and yellow (moderate signal strength). Further a positive you have is that the stations you seek aren't terribly off axis of one another. Thirty-five degrees or so is your arc. There are antennas on the market that will accomidate this no problems.

Attic install is not suggested. This is due to the unpredictable environments that attics cause. They weaken signals 20% or greater, induce multipath and bring the antenna much closer to household electrical interference. Of additional importance to you, WLOS (ABC) at 19 db signal strength is below the threshold of common attic reception. Generally anything below about 25db in signal strength simply cannot penetrate your roof with enough signal strength for reliable reception. Thus, if you want an attic install, you have to go in with the notion that WLOS will be in the "luck" category. If WLOS is a desired catch, then it is highly suggested you mount outdoors just on the basis of WLOS' signal strength.

Unfortunately, a smaller antenna that'll mount to the dish J-style bracket is isn't an option here. If you had all green signals with line of sight conditions, then yes, you could do that. What graduates you to a larger antenna is two things: 1) WLOS at 19db signal strength by nature means a larger higher gain antenna to work the weak signal is needed and 2) WLOS 1-edge condition at 56 miles.

So, you have a choice at this point. A larger antenna is required. Any attempt at the smaller ANT751 or HBU11 type antenna will likely get you green signals. WLOS though has a greater chance of not being reliably off this type of antenna. Those antennas are designed for suburban and line of sight conditions - to which you are neither.

If I were installing with your criteria. I would mount off the roof with a clear and unobstructed view to magnetic 345 a Antennacraft HBU33.

http://www.antennacraft.net/pdfs/HBU33_.pdf

If you have trees surrounding your property, that becomes a wild card. Trees can reduce signal strength and reflect signal away from your antenna. The result is unreliable reception.

Best of luck.
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Old 12-Aug-2014, 3:48 PM   #3
Stereocraig
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rtphmp View Post
I am looking to drop Directv. Possible install in attic or on current Directv bracket. Which is installed on the outside edge of my roof shingles, a foot or two from the gutter on the center of the south side of my house. I am concerned with the signal being able to reach over the peek of my roof line (I do not want to be able to see it from the front of the house.

My goal is to be able to receive:
7 CBS WSPA 32.0 miles VHF high
13 ABC WLOS 56.2miles VHF high
21 FOX WHNS 39.7 miles UHF
36 NBC WYFF 33.3miles UHF

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...ec2feab40161c2

Thanks in advance for you help.
Hiding an antenna on the opposite side of your house from the signal, is not a good idea.
It's called Line Of Sight for a few reasons and that's one of them.

It's really not a big deal if it can be seen from the street.
I have a couple that are visible from the road and nobody has ever tried to steal them.
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Old 12-Aug-2014, 4:22 PM   #4
rtphmp
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 2
Thanks for your help.
I will look into a chimney mount.
Will I need an amp for 3 TV's? If so, what do you recommend?
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Old 12-Aug-2014, 4:57 PM   #5
StephanieS
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In your situation I wouldn't use a mast mounted preamp. Instead, I'd opt for a Channel Master 4 port Distribution amp.

http://www.channelmasterstore.com/An..._p/cm-3414.htm

A preamp isn't advisable due to the presence of strong signals such as WMYA at over 70 db in signal strength. If you attempted to run a preamp in this situation, your likelyhood of signal overload is too high for my comfort level. Overload would manifest itself as degraded reception compared to without the amp.

A distribution amp is better suited for your situation in that it is only compensating for you the loss of your signal being split. I've used the analogy before, when a stream of water get splits 3 ways, without any additional water pressure it loses pressure and 3 new streams are less than the original unified stream. Signals work the same. The more you split them, the more you reduce the overall signal getting to the TVs. This is why when you start to get past two splits, some form of amplification may be wise to consider.

The way the chain would work is that you'd have your antenna... coax heading down from antenna.... coax into home.... coax into distribution amplifier.... each new coax goes to it's dedicated TV. The four port is nice in that it gives you one port to grow down the road if you want to another device to receive the signal.

Many times people split their antenna feeds 3 or 4 times and wonder why some signals aren't reliable on one or two TVs. Sometimes it's variance in tuners, many times though they can be found to be using a unamplified splitter and the signal within the coax on the weaker stations is falling below reception threshold. The distribution amp helps offset this.


Cheers.

Last edited by StephanieS; 12-Aug-2014 at 5:00 PM.
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Old 12-Aug-2014, 5:09 PM   #6
teleview
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+=>

Quote , "(I do not want to be able to see it from the front of the house."

= Aesthetics , A variation of the word Anesthetics.

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The Truth is Tv Antennas are Beautiful and Handsome.

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The Tvfool Radar Plot Shows the Main Groups of Digital Broadcast Tv Stations/Channels are to the , North West , North , South South East.

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

Yes you can start with a antenna in the attic.

http://www.antennacraft.net.

HBU33 antenna.

Aimed at about 350 degree magnetic compass direction.

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Here is how to aim antennas.

http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html.

Use a Real and Actual magnetic compass to aim antenna , do not trust a , cell phone , tablet and etc. compass.

Most Digital Tv's have a Signal Strength Meter and Some Digital Tv's also have a Signal Quality Meter.

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The Tv reception is signal strength is Ok at your reception location.

You can also Test reception with a.

http://www.antennacraft.net.

10G201 preamplifier.

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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.

For 4 Tv's connected use a , Holland Electronics , HFS-4D , 4 way splitter.

Buy the , HFS-2D , HFS-3D , HFS-4D , splitters at , http://www.hollandelectronics.com , or , http://www.amazon.com.

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If reception situations happen in the attic that are not resolvable with antenna aim and location adjustments and preamplifier.

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Then move the HBU33 antenna and preamp to Above the Peak of the Roof in such a manner that the , attic , roof , building , are not , obstructing , impeding , blocking , reception in the directions of , North West , North , South South East.

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Here are some above the roof antenna mounts.

http://www.ronard.com/909911.html. Install the , ronard(911) , 5 foot tripod antenna mount.

http://www.ronard.com/34424560.html. Install the , ronard(4560) , eave antenna mount.

http://www.ronard.com/ychim.html. Measure around rthe chimney and use a , ronard(2212) , ronard(2218) , ronard(2224) .

http://www.ronard.com

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Home Depot has , 10 foot 6 inch length , 1 and 3/8 inch diameter , TOP RAIL , chain link fence , PIPE , that makes good antenna mast/pipe , the price is low at about 12 dollars.

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Also know this.

As always , trees and tree leaves , plants and plant leaves , have a Negative Effect on Broadcast Tv Reception and so do buildings and other obstructions including your own , attic , roof , building.
Install the HBU33 antenna Above the Peak of the Roof.

Some and not all Negative Effects are.

Absorbing Blocking Reception.

Multi-Path Reflecting Tv Signals Bouncing All Around.

The Best Practice for Reliable Reception is to install the HBU33 antenna at a location that has the least amount to no amount of obstructions of any type or kind in the directions of reception including your own , attic , roof , building.

If installing the HBU33 antenna at some other location then the roof will provide the , least amount to no amount of obstructions of any type or kind in the directions of reception then install at that location.

Last edited by teleview; 13-Aug-2014 at 1:41 AM. Reason: Clarify information and typos.
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