Need help selecting an OTA antenna

[sony1998]

Thank you for taking the time to help out noobs like me and provide us with your knowledge and experience. This site is truly a valuable service.

Below is my TVFOOL report:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...a362a6e99accf9

I am located in zip code 20874 about 20 miles north of DC
I will be connecting to one analog TV
I live in an apartment complex roof is plywood with shingles, but I have a large balcony on which I can place an antenna tucked up in the ceiling and oriented toward about 150+ degrees. Same type of wood roof. I can not put up a mast there with a rotor either.The balcony is not that big, maybe 8 feet by 5 feet. It is located directly in front of my living area about 10 feet from where the tv is with two large windows looking out over it and the complex.
I am also not opposed to hanging an antenna inside the living room as I have a 10 foot high ceiling.
I am on the 3rd/top floor with no buildings in front of me. However 150 degrees compass reading is pointing parallel to the complex/slightly inward, not out and away into the open. So I do not have a clear shot at the transmission towers.

Over the past week a friend of mine gave me an APEX D to A converter box and I got a non amplified PHILIPS antenna (SDV5119/27) from Walmart to start to experiment with OTA reception. I can always return the antenna and the DtoA box was a freebie. To my surprise I was able to pull in several channels from the FOOL report with just the Philips antenna. My signal reads 30-50 on the meter from the Apex box. There are several channels that fluctuate greatly and can not be locked in.

I know I need a UHF/VHF antenna since ABC is VHF. Some of the BALT. channels have been nice to have as well. If I can pick them up with the Philips antenna I am hoping I can do the same with a larger antenna. However maybe I am wrong because the larger antennas are more directional.

I understand anything I do will be a compromise but I am done with paying the outrageous Ccast bill.

After reading several posts here and other sites I know I can do better with some additional advise from you folks.

I do know that I would like to get a better converter box ( the Channel Master CM-7000) to help my cause in getting better/ reliable reception.
I have also read good things about Winegard antenna but I am not tied to anything and would not know which ones will work in my situation or not and I feel that is the key. An antenna that will work for me. Doesn't have to be pretty, just gets clear and reliable reception without a lot of adjusting.

There you have it. If I can provide any other info please ask.

Now I need your help with antenna possibilities or other equipment necessary for my situation. (antenna, amp, preamp, cable RG6 etc).

Thanks Mark

[mtownsend]

Your tvfool link is not working or is not complete. Could you please try posting it again?

[sony1998]

Sorry about that all.

I corrected the link above

Thanks

Mark

[John Candle]

You are easy to work with , I like that. . Have you tried putting the antenna out on the patio , up high , but no need to hug the antenna real close to the ceiling of the patio. Just get it up high and the antenna close to the edge of the patio. The dipoles and loop of the antenna are broadside to the Tv stations at about 150 magnetic compass. The channels in green are what you are after. . Read and watch the video on 'double rescan' at dtv.gov , the double rescan clears out the channels in the tuner so the tuner can do a completly new scan. http://www.dtv.gov . The digital to analog converter will show how strong the signals are , what channels do you get now.

[sony1998]

Thanks John

I will try the rabbit ears out on the patio and see what happens.

If I get more/stronger station reception there with the ears, are there any other antenna suggestions anyone can make? I figure if I can have some success with the ears then a full antenna may help reception even more. There is plenty of room up in the ceiling of the balcony.

Thanks Mark

[John Candle]

The test is to see what channels are receivable , the station channel numbers , and this will in able more thought for a different antenna. Read this about Real Channels and Virtual Channels http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=695

[mtownsend]

If you can live with just the DC stations, then things are simple. Something like the Winegard HD7694P or Antennacraft HBU-33 pointed at DC should get everything there pretty easily.

If you want to get both the DC and Balto stations, then it get a little tougher. The angle between the two transmitter groups is just a tad too wide for a directional antenna to handle.

You might want to experiment with pointing your antenna somewhere between the two channel groups. There's a chance that you'll find a position that picks up both cities, but the signal lock on some stations won't be as reliable as if you had pointed the antenna directly at the stations.

There are "omni" antenna designs available, but I usually recommend against using them indoors. Indoor environments are prone to many signal reflections (a.k.a., multipath, ghosts, or echoes) entering your antenna from all directions. Since omni antennas do not screen out signals from unwanted directions, they are best used out in the open (i.e., on the roof) where the number of multipath signals is less.