Wilkes County/Wilkesboro, NC - Antenna Beginner

[The Ohio Blur]

I recently moved and canceled my Dish service with the move. I am experimenting with antennas to see if they're worth the time/effort and wanted some feedback.

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Reports with variations on antenna mounting height:

10 Feet:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...8e030b42ae41f0

25 Feet:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...8e038b839baef9

50 Feet:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...8e03be3b02aa57

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I tried just using a simple indoor antenna a couple of weeks ago:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o00_s00

It picked up WXII-DT/NBC fairly easily, one of the PBSs, and Real Channel 24/WLNN with some moving around. I was able to get CBS channel somewhat when, to test it, I carried it outside and just held it in the air and scanned for channels.

My house is a single story brick with a treeline running on the northeast side and a small hill to the northwest side. It's fairly open in all other directions, but you can see mountains in the distance to the south and west.

I tested the indoor antenna on the northeast side.

I was primarily hoping to pick up CBS and Fox for sports reasons.

Any thoughts on the likelihood of having greater success with an attic mounting or an exterior mounting? I was hoping to avoid mounting one on the roof (may use ground with a mast or an existing DirecTV pole that's about six feet in the air from the ground, adding as necessary)) but was wondering if that's even possible.

I appreciate any and all help on mounting suggestions, antenna recommendations, and the like.

[rabbit73]

Welcome to the forum, The Ohio Blur:

Did you try the 1byone Window Antenna with or without the amp?

[The Ohio Blur]

Thanks for the welcome.

I tried both but mainly experimented with the amp.

[rabbit73]

It picked up WXII-DT/NBC fairly easily, one of the PBSs, and Real Channel 24/WLNN with some moving around. I was able to get CBS channel somewhat when, to test it, I carried it outside and just held it in the air and scanned for channels.

That sounds promising.

I was primarily hoping to pick up CBS and Fox for sports reasons.

OK, I will focus on that direction which is 183 degrees magnetic for antenna aim.

Any thoughts on the likelihood of having greater success with an attic mounting or an exterior mounting?

Outside usually works better because of the unknown signal loss from putting it in the attic. In the attic is out of the weather, and outside is more trouble. Try the attic first.

Does your TV have a signal strength meter? What model is it?

If you look at the coverage map for WBTV CBS you will see that it barely makes it up to your location:



Attachment 2 shows a similar map for Fox.

Attachment 3 shows the transmitter terrain profile for Fox. You can see how the terrain interferes with the signal. You can click on any callsign in your TVFOOL report to see the terrain profile. The transmitter is at the left end, your location is at the right.

Attachment 4 is an FMFOOL report for your estimated location which shows a very strong signal from WKBC that might interfere with TV reception. FMFOOL reports don't link like TVFOOL reports; you have to post an image. You can try one yourself to see how close my estimate was. You should use an FM filter. Some preamps have them built in.

I suggest you try the Antennas Direct DB4E UHF antenna. The DB8E has a little more gain but it is much larger. There is also another CBS on real channel 7, but it is much weaker which is why I didn't suggest a VHF-High/UHF combo antenna like the Winegard HD7694P or 7697.

The preamps to consider are the Antennas Direct Juice with an added external FM filter between the antenna and the preamp input, a Channel Master 7778, or the RCA TVPRAMP1R. The RCA is OK, inexpensive, has a few quality control problems, but you can buy 3 for the price of one of the other.

The FM filters to consider are MCM, Antennas Direct, and Radio Shack.
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...-FM-88-/33-341
https://www.antennasdirect.com/store...on_filter.html
http://comingsoon.radioshack.com/rad...l#.VZqZVTjbJLM very slow link

[The Ohio Blur]

Wow! What a detailed post. Thank you very much.

I have a Samsung television and can't find the signal meter where I think it should be under the menu options. I'm not sure of the model number. Can't find it on the television, but I may have the box somewhere in storage. Will experiment.

I shall look into the various options you suggested and go from there. I'll be out of town soon, so it may be a week or two.

Thank you very much for your invaluable assistance.

[eden]

What a lovely report you have Stations is just about every direction. I live in Eden (Rockingham Co.) so I pick up some of the same stations you do from the Triad and some different ones. If you can put up an Antennas Direct DB8e without incurring the wrath of your neighbors I'd go that route. It can receive stations from two different directions (4 elements each way) so you may get a lot more stations. I have one, was disappointed at first (was doing better with a smaller C2) but changing the positions and clearing and obstacle, plus an extra five feet of height made a world of difference.

Here is my report: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...8e030ee6564038 Not nearly as lovely as yours but if you see real channel 40, down at the bottom of the pink, I can receive everything from there on up except for channel 25 (blocked by hill) and channel 3 (no low VHF antenna). I use the C2 on a separate feedline to get a couple of channels that are outside of the antenna coverage width of the DB8e.

You have several channels in green that could overload a preamp, particularly if an antenna is pointed in their direction. I'd try without the preamp first. I have an Antennas Direct PA-18 preamp and ADTech was concerned that channel 14 might overload it where I am. I don't point at that station (and stil get it because it is strong) and don't have the overload problem. The preamp really does help pull in the weaker stations for me, and since channel 32 is the only PBS I can receive I do need it. As always, your mileage may vary.

Now look at your report. Use the DB8e as high up as you can get it and experiment with aiming. I'd bet you can get all of the green and yellow on your report and quite a lot of the pink as well. That should give you enough channels, especially with all the secondary networks that have popped up, to keep you busy. In my location it works out to about 54 channels of programming from the Triad and the Roanoke area.

Good luck!