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Old 13-Feb-2014, 3:54 PM   #1
xtal_01
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Join Date: Feb 2014
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Smile Which design should I try ????

I have been reading posts for a week now and am more confused than ever.

I live in Jericho, VT. Actually, we are living in a motor home in front of a home we are building. In the motor home with the standard Windgard amplified antenna (1999) we receive via a digital converter the main channels (3, 5, 22, 33, 44 and 57).

Money is tight so we don't want to pay for cable.

We are about to move into the house. I went to Home Depot and purchased a cheap antenna (Windgard FVHD30H). I ran it through a cheap 10 db Recoton amp I had in my junk box. I get the same channels I did in the RV.

I would like to get the Canadian channels from Montreal (about 75 miles away according to TV Fool map .... -129 db with 2 Edge). 57 that I am getting right now is -100 with 2 edge ( but only 46 miles ).

Not to offend my fellow countrymen but when it comes to things like the Olympics, Canadian TV is much better. They cover many more events and show a wider range of athletes, not just ours. My wife is paralyzed and likes to watch the paralympics ... US tv does not cover this at all but the Canadian channels do ( or at least did last time .... when we were renting in VT, basic cable included two Canadian channels CBC and CTV if I remember).

So, what should I do?

I looked at buying a new antenna but with all the reviews, I am totally confused as to which one.

I looked at building one ... great option since we are about broke from building the house ... but again, which one? Most people seem to look toward the single bay Gray-Hoverman but I see so many designs and variations that I don't know which one to use. Lifehacker.com had one listed as "Build a Massive HDTV Antenna for Long Distance Gains".

My final problem is how to combine antennas. Even with the one I am using, I loose channels is I change direction. Both my TV's in the house ( newer so they don't need a converter) have only a single pass scan to add channels. This does not allow you to move the antenna and "add channels". They simply re-scan wiping out the first channels ( checked with a few people who have rotor antennas and they all had the same problem).

I was going to use a simple splitter in reverse but then I started reading about one antenna cancelling out the other. I did seem somewhere there is an amplifier that can take two inputs ... is this correct? Do I need this or will a simple splitter do? An I connect several antennas (3, 4 or even 5)?

Anyway, you can see that after days of reading, I am more confused than ever. Can someone set me straight?

Thanks so much ..... Mike

PS..... if anyone is "down south" send warmth up here .... motor homes are not meant for VT winters!
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Old 13-Feb-2014, 9:24 PM   #2
teleview
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Please make and post a Tvfool report , use your Exact address to make report.

Make the antenna height in the report 25 feet above ground.

If the Exact address does not work then go to the Tvfool home page and click on , >>Start MAPS<< , enter the zip code of your area and move the pointer to your exact location and make and post a Tvfool report with the antenna height at 25 feet above ground.
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Old 14-Feb-2014, 12:49 AM   #3
xtal_01
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 14
TV Fool Report

Here is the TV Fool report.

Just FYI ... the first channels that are listed (LOS) are on top of a mountain. I can actually see the towers from my house.

Thanks so much .... Mike


Last edited by xtal_01; 14-Feb-2014 at 12:52 AM.
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Old 14-Feb-2014, 1:17 AM   #4
StephanieS
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hi xtal_01,

I have mixed answers for you. The first, which is positive - your local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS are easy as you know.

The Montreal signals, a little less positive. You are terrain obstructed and the signals are -30 db and down. In short, if this map is accurate, you won't receive Montreal.

I would suggest keeping what you have in the air. The extreme measures option would likely not yield you much.

Last edited by StephanieS; 14-Feb-2014 at 1:20 AM.
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Old 14-Feb-2014, 2:35 AM   #5
teleview
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The provided Tvfool report does not help much.

It is a Picture of a Tvfool report and not a live Tvfool report.

It is resolved to block level only.

And I do not know if it is a Current or Current Plus Pending Report.

If you will make and post 3 Live and Active Tvfool reports with the Exact location , 25 , 40 , 60 , feet antenna heights.

And not Pictures of reports.

Then I can make a recommendation.

As it is now , too many unknowns.
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