New to Antennas

[ceastmen]

I'm new to the world of antennas, read many posts here and am looking for advice from you.

Here is my information from TV Fool.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d2432b8c9f7c44

I set the height at 20ft. on my report.
I've done reports at 20ft., 30ft. and 40ft. they came back the same.
I live 47+ miles across the valley from the LOS transmitters and am about 1500ft. in elevation above them.

I would love to ditch Satellite TV and have one or more antennas in my attic.
From the report that may not be possible, I am willing to roof mount.

Thanks in advance,
Charles

+=>

At 20 feet antenna height above ground.

All the Tv stations are easy to receive except.

KREY-DT , Real VHF high band channel 13 , (virt) virtual number (10.1) , CBS and MyNetwork.

The signal strength is Weak at 5.5 NM(dB) and has 2 Edge Path obstructions= hills/mountains.

Because of the Weak signal strength , I recommend a Large antenna to receive.

The Signal Strength might improve with a higher antenna height.

To see if signal strength improves at higher antenna height , that will allow a Small antenna to be installed.

Please make and post 2 more tvfool reports with antenna heights of 30 and 40 feet above ground.

If signal strength improves , I can recommend a Much Smaller Antenna.

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At current antenna height of the tvfool report of 20 feet above ground.

Install a Big Tv Antenna.

http://www.antennacraft.net.

HBU44 , UHF/VHF antenna aimed at about 167 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.

To assist best reception , most Digital Tv's have a Signal Strength Meter and some Digital Tv's also have a Signal Quality Meter.

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A antenna system amplifier will most likely not be required for 1 or 2 Tv's connected.

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As a Test of reception to prove reception.

Connect a NEW Continues Length of Coax to the matching transformer (balun) of the antenna and run the NEW Continues Length of Coax through a open door or window direct to 1 Tv.

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Tvfool is showing the reception location to have a mix of Digital Broadcast Tv Stations/Channels and Analog Broadcast Tv Stations/Channels.

KXHD-LP , UHF channel 36 , is listed as a Analog Tv station and research shows that the Network is FOX. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KFQX.

K50EZ , UHF channel 50 , is listed as a Analog Tv channel. I found no accurate information of the Network programing.

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Here is how I do research of what the Networks are of Tv stations.

In the google or yahoo search box type in variations the Tv stations Call Sign.

Exanples: k21jk-dt , k21jk , k21jk tv , k21jk-tv , and etc. .

Some and not all web sites that are found that have a lot of praticle and useful information are , wikipedia and rabbitears.info

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Also can contact the , South West Colorado Tv Repeater/Translator Association and ask questions.

http://www.swcotv.org.

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To see if signal strength improves with higher antenna heights please make and post 2 more tvfool reports with antenna heights of 30 and 40 feet.

[GroundUrMast]

I would take a slightly different approach... A combination of an Antennas Direct DB8E + Antennacraft Y10713 + an RCA TVPRAMP1R. This would provide the ability to aim the UHF antenna at 191° (per a compass) and the H-VHF antenna at KREY, real CH-13 (167°).

The path profile of KREY clearly shows that there is no practical tower height that would get you out of the 2-Edge condition. However, investigating alternate antenna mounting height is easy to do...

[ceastmen]

Thanks again for the information!
My next task will be to replace the digital tuner board in the TV. From what I've read it is bad due to not wanting to do an auto search. Then I'll go forward with the advice given
here. Then I'll hopefully dump satellite TV.

Charles

+=>

Can also install a stand alone Tuner/Tuner Recorder , connected to one of the Tv inputs.

http://www.epvision.com.

Not fix the Tv Tuner.

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Here is a smaller antenna for reception at your location.

http://www.channelmasterstore.com.

CM4228HD , UHF/VHF antenna.

Yes is Ok to Test reception with the CM4228HD antenna.

[ceastmen]

Great suggestion using a Tuner/Tuner Recorder.
Since I just want to bypass my digital tuner board in the TV would you recommend this model from the website you posted PHD-205LE ?

Thanks again,
Charles

+=>

The PHD-205LE has No Built In Analog NTSC Tuner.

Tvfool is showing your reception location has , Analog NTSC and Digital ATSC

Tv Transmitters.

You will not be replacing or repairing the Tv tuner.

I recommend a Tuner/Tuner Recorder at has both Analog NTSC and Digital ATSC , Tuners.

The PHD-205 has Analog and Digital Tuners.


------The PHD-VRX2 has every thing.------

[ceastmen]

I missed that, as you can see I'm a novice at all of this.
Do the Tuner/Tuner Recorders help the signal strength?

Here is the TV Fool report at 30ft.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d24315b68a8fe5

Here is at 40ft.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d243cddabeaf71

Thanks ,
Charles

+=>

The ePvision web site says has , Sensitive Tuners , Sensitive Tuners that have good interference filters are good for reception.

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The signal strength of KREY-DT , Real VHF high band channel 13.

(Virt) virtual number (10.1) , CBS and MyNetwork.

Improves a Small amount at 40 feet above ground.

I recommend install the HBU44 antenna at about 20 feet above ground as a starting antenna height.

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Here are some above the roof antenna mounts.

http://www.ronard.com/909911.html. Install the 3 foot or 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 the chimney and install a , ronard(2212) , ronard(2218) , ronard(2224) .

[ceastmen]

The PHD-205 is no longer made, looks like the PHD-208 will work to get Analog NTSC and Digital ATSC.

I have a location close to my house on my shop that the HBU44 and ronard(4560) eave antenna mount would work. Getting the signal to the house would be the problem 100ft+.
My wife would/will blow snot bubbles with a large antenna on the house. Attic mounting sounds sketch, but is a preferred location.
Any ideas would be appreciated short of replacing the wife.

Charles

[timgr]

I consider my DB8e to be quite decorative ...

You mean making the physical connection, or the cable loss due to the long run?

An amplifier can boost the antenna signal and make up for the cable loss.

If you can't run the cable, I would imagine you could connect via some combination of stand-alone receiver and HTPC using wireless internet. I assume you have electrical power to the shop.

[ADTech]

Analog (NTSC) only has less than a year to go before it's shut off permanently in the US. Keep that factor in mind when choosing a tuner.

Additionally, many of he analog stations shown on TVfool are off the air anyway, either due to conversion to digital or from discontinued operation. The FCC records that TVFool pulls from are usually way out of date since many analog operators haven't filed paperwork and the FCC doesn't bother to enforce the rules on those filings for the small-potato type operations.

Coaxial cable comes in large rolls and you can buy cable that is rated for direct burial if you don't want to run it overhead.

[ceastmen]

Would you recommend an amplifier to boost the signal from the shop to the house?

Is this a good Coaxial Cable "Belden 1532A RG-6 Direct Burial Underground Coaxial Cable 18 AWG Copper-Clad Conductor 250 ft. USA "

I would probably run it in small PVC conduit to keep my gopher buddies from munching.

Charles

[timgr]

No personal experience, but Belden is a name brand. Parts Express has great prices, typically. Sounds like a winner.

The RCA TVPRAMP1R recommended above may be enough amplifier. Check the specs and see if it will drive 100+ feet of RG-6 plus whatever splitters you want. It shows you how much gain you will get. Search to find the loss in dB per 100 ft of cable, and the insertion loss for each splitter.

[GroundUrMast]

The TVPRAMP1R is advertized to have 22 dB of gain in the UHF band. RG-6 should have no more than 6 dB of loss per 100'. So, the TVPRAMP1R is able to overcome the loss of well over 500' of RG-6 and still help with some splitter loss.

FWIW, My north facing 91XG is equipped with a TVPRAMP1R, and is powered through the 125' RG-6 down-lead.

[ceastmen]

I now have a good idea of where to put the antenna on my shop, I'll use the eave mount as was suggested. The mast will start at 20ft. above ground and will not go much higher since in the spring we get strong winds.

I have read up on the antennas suggested and like the UHF/VHF Channel Master
CM-4228HD just for the simplicity of one antenna.

Most of the stations are UHF @ 191 deg. magnetic and are LOS. The one channel I would like to get (CBS) is @ 167 deg. magnetic and is VHF with a 2Edge condition.

Will the Channel Master CM-4228HD work since the VHF channel is 2Edge, or do I need 2 antennas a UHF @ 191deg. and a VHF @ 167 deg.?

If 2 antennas are suggested how far apart should they be on the mast?
The shop roof is metal any concerns there?

Thanks,
Charles