Equipment help for digital TV antenna....

roadrunnerray · 13-Jan-2014, 3:46 PM

We are disconnecting our DirectTV service as it has become quite expensive to watch commercials.

The location that DirectTV’s dish is in will be used for the digital antenna. There is a cable run from this point to a distribution box in the garage on the other side of the house (about a 100-foot run). There will be a maximum 4-digital TV’s connected to the antenna. We want a good antenna that will catch the maximum number of channels available. I would imagine that a signal booster will be required for this length of run.

Our son installs and maintains fiber optic cable at a local casino so we hope he can help with the installation.

Any suggestions regarding equipment will be greatly appreciated.

Here is the link to TVFool's signal analysis results:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5b94f8e2e85dd4

GroundUrMast · 13-Jan-2014, 6:09 PM

I'd use an Antennas Direct DB4e facing 221° and an Antennacraft Y10713 pointed at 263° (compass). Combine the two leads using an RCA TVPRAMP1R preamplifier.

roadrunnerray · 13-Jan-2014, 6:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroundUrMast

I'd use an Antennas Direct DB4e facing 221° and an Antennacraft Y10713 pointed at 263° (compass). Combine the two leads using an RCA TVPRAMP1R preamplifier.

Hi GroundUrMast, many thanks for your kind reply. I will be looking into it shortly. What should I use for a mounting pole?? It will be a ground mount about 15'.

GroundUrMast · 13-Jan-2014, 7:27 PM

You can mount both antennas on the same mast, or separately... the choice depends on the layout of your roof and related surroundings. If you have an existing satellite dish mount, you may find it up to the task of holding the DB4e. It would be ill-advised to place the larger Y10713 on a J-pole type dish mount though. You would not want to have a wind storm pull fasteners out of your roof deck. To mount on the same mast will require more than a 5' mast section, you want to have at least 3' to 4' of separation between antennas.

When correctly installed, the combination of a tripod and mast makes a very durable mounting system.

Eve brackets are also available for attaching to a gable end.

Chimney mounting kits are generally a set of straps and mast clamps that work with a variety of chimney types ans sizes.

I have used 1 3/8" diameter chain link top rail as mast on several installations since the traditional 10' antenna mast has become hard to find in stock. The big box home center stocks the chain-link fence components.

Take a look at this comprehensive selection of mounting hardware and accessories: http://www.3starinc.com/antenna_mounts_and_masts

roadrunnerray · 13-Jan-2014, 8:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroundUrMast

You can mount both antennas on the same mast, or separately... the choice depends on the layout of your roof and related surroundings. If you have an existing satellite dish mount, you may find it up to the task of holding the DB4e. It would be ill-advised to place the larger Y10713 on a J-pole type dish mount though. You would not want to have a wind storm pull fasteners out of your roof deck. To mount on the same mast will require more than a 5' mast section, you want to have at least 3' to 4' of separation between antennas.

When correctly installed, the combination of a tripod and mast makes a very durable mounting system.

Eve brackets are also available for attaching to a gable end.

Chimney mounting kits are generally a set of straps and mast clamps that work with a variety of chimney types ans sizes.

I have used 1 3/8" diameter chain link top rail as mast on several installations since the traditional 10' antenna mast has become hard to find in stock. The big box home center stocks the chain-link fence components.

Take a look at this comprehensive selection of mounting hardware and accessories: http://www.3starinc.com/antenna_mounts_and_masts

Many thanks for the in-depth information. I will check out your link and talk to our son regarding your suggestions.

Your efforts are much appreciated and I will report back after our installation is complete.............roadrunner(ray)

roadrunnerray · 13-Jan-2014, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroundUrMast

You can mount both antennas on the same mast, or separately... the choice depends on the layout of your roof and related surroundings. If you have an existing satellite dish mount, you may find it up to the task of holding the DB4e. It would be ill-advised to place the larger Y10713 on a J-pole type dish mount though. You would not want to have a wind storm pull fasteners out of your roof deck. To mount on the same mast will require more than a 5' mast section, you want to have at least 3' to 4' of separation between antennas.

When correctly installed, the combination of a tripod and mast makes a very durable mounting system.

Eve brackets are also available for attaching to a gable end.

Chimney mounting kits are generally a set of straps and mast clamps that work with a variety of chimney types ans sizes.

I have used 1 3/8" diameter chain link top rail as mast on several installations since the traditional 10' antenna mast has become hard to find in stock. The big box home center stocks the chain-link fence components.

Take a look at this comprehensive selection of mounting hardware and accessories: http://www.3starinc.com/antenna_mounts_and_masts

Thanks for the additional information GroundUrMast, it is much appreciated!

roadrunnerray · 16-Jan-2014, 3:18 PM

I purchased a Antennas Direct DB4E Antenna, a AntennaCraft 10-Element Channels 7-13 Yagi Antenna and a RCA TVPRAMP1R Outdoor Antenna Preamplifier based on the kind help of GroundUrMast.

If someone has a suggestion on a good 30' telescoping mast and associated hardware to be attached to a stucco wall with a roof overhang of about 10"-12." It would be much appreciated. We would like to put a piece of pipe in the concrete footing in order to be able to remove the mast should we move. What size of PVC pipe should we imbed in the concrete?

Many thanks for this wonderfully helpful forum.......roadrunnerray

GroundUrMast · 16-Jan-2014, 5:42 PM

Take a look at http://www.3starinc.com/antenna_mast...cessories.html and http://www.channelmasterstore.com/An...Masts_s/42.htm

roadrunnerray · 18-Jan-2014, 2:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroundUrMast

Take a look at http://www.3starinc.com/antenna_mast...cessories.html and http://www.channelmasterstore.com/An...Masts_s/42.htm

Thanks GroundUrMast, I purchased a 20' telescoping mast. Plan to fasten it to the existing DirecTv mast with a "mast to mast" mounting kit along with placing it in a 24" concreted hole.

How do I mount the 2-antennas to get one at 221-degrees and the other at 263-degrees?

Also, what is the best way to ground this set-up?

Many thanks for your kind help.........roadrunner(ray)

roadrunnerray · 29-Jan-2014, 2:46 PM

We have our antenna' up and picking up the channels that were indicated by the signal analysis report. The VHF antenna is pointed 263 degrees and the UHF antenna is pointed 221 degrees.

We would like to get channels 8, 10, 25 and 35 if possible. It appears they are being transmitted from a different tower. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated............

ADTech · 29-Jan-2014, 4:44 PM

The VHF antenna you have is for channels 8 & 10. Are you not getting them?

roadrunnerray · 29-Jan-2014, 5:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADTech

The VHF antenna you have is for channels 8 & 10. Are you not getting them?

Hi ADTech, we are not getting these channels. I am getting channel 6.

ADTech · 29-Jan-2014, 7:16 PM

Make certain you opened up the amp and switched it to the "separate" input setting.

Channel "6", if received in HD, is a UHF station transmitting from Tijuana. I don't recall if their analog channel 6 signal is still on the air or not.

roadrunnerray · 29-Jan-2014, 7:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADTech

Make certain you opened up the amp and switched it to the "separate" input setting.

Channel "6", if received in HD, is a UHF station transmitting from Tijuana. I don't recall if their analog channel 6 signal is still on the air or not.

I did check the switch but will check it again.

We get channel 6-1 in English and Channel 6-2 in Spanish.

Thanks for your thoughts.....

roadrunnerray · 29-Jan-2014, 7:39 PM

Correction, we do not get the "real" channel-6 but virtual channel 6-1 and 6-2 which is UHF channel 23. I will check the switch and get back to you..........

I just checked the RCA pre-amplifer and the switch is set to "separate." The FM trap switch is set to "."

I reconnected the cables to the pre-amp and lo-and-behold I am now getting the VHF channels. I may have had the VHF antenna cable hooked into the UHF post on the pre-amp.

Many thanks for your kind help.

One last question, what does it mean after I do an auto-program for channels when the message comes up "mode not supported?"

roadrunnerray · 30-Jan-2014, 4:41 PM

Not done quite yet I guess!

One new Samsung (1-year old) is picking up all the UHF channels with great resolution but when auto-programmed does not acquire any VHF channels.

We have two other TVs that pick up all UHF/VHF channels.

The signal is coming in from the RCA pre-amp and is being split. One cable goes to the garage which distributes to the 2-TVs that are working fine and the other cable goes to the Samsung that does not pick-up the VHF channels.

Any thoughts will be appreciated............

ADTech · 30-Jan-2014, 4:51 PM

Swap out the coax from the splitter to the Samsung for troubleshooting purposes.

Some of the RCA amps have flaky switches. Keep an eye out for that. Try it with the FM filter switch in both positions to see if that makes any difference.

roadrunnerray · 30-Jan-2014, 5:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADTech

Swap out the coax from the splitter to the Samsung for troubleshooting purposes.

Some of the RCA amps have flaky switches. Keep an eye out for that. Try it with the FM filter switch in both positions to see if that makes any difference.

Thanks ADTech. I will first swap out the cable. The RCA amplifier sends the VHF/UHF signal to the other 2-TVs fine although they seem a bit weaker. Is there a signal booster I can add where the cable comes into the garage?

Edited to add, I just checked the other 2-TVs and they are now not receiving the VHF signal.............

I will check the VHF antenna.

Edited to add, the VHF signal seems to be coming inOK at night but fading during the day. Does this make sense??

stvcmty · 30-Jan-2014, 5:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadrunnerray

Is there a signal booster I can add where the cable comes into the garage?

From the signal strength on your TV fool plot, and the antennas you are using, the preamplifier should give you more than enough signal to drive a 4 way splitter and 100 feet of cable.

Are you sure your cables between the antennas and the preamplifier are good? Are you sure your lead coming from the preamp into the house is good?

Something sounds like it is wrong somewhere. If I were troubleshooting your system, I would run a single piece known good new cable from the VHF antenna to a TV, scan, and see what channels it gets. I would do the same with the UHF antenna and see what channels it gets. (Some UHF stations will come in on the VHF, some VHF stations will come in on the UHF; that is normal and the filters in the preamp make sure it all comes out right when they are put together). Then I would reconnect everything as a system, and if I had lost any stations either antenna could receive on its own, I would figure out why.

roadrunnerray · 30-Jan-2014, 6:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stvcmty

From the signal strength on your TV fool plot, and the antennas you are using, the preamplifier should give you more than enough signal to drive a 4 way splitter and 100 feet of cable.

Are you sure your cables between the antennas and the preamplifier are good? Are you sure your lead coming from the preamp into the house is good?

Something sounds like it is wrong somewhere. If I were troubleshooting your system, I would run a single piece known good new cable from the VHF antenna to a TV, scan, and see what channels it gets. I would do the same with the UHF antenna and see what channels it gets. (Some UHF stations will come in on the VHF, some VHF stations will come in on the UHF; that is normal and the filters in the preamp make sure it all comes out right when they are put together). Then I would reconnect everything as a system, and if I had lost any stations either antenna could receive on its own, I would figure out why.

Many thanks for your thoughts stvcmty, I will check the system out using these methods...........