Newbi In Alexandria Va have TVFool Link Help!!!

estcstm3 · 30-Jun-2010, 3:34 PM

Hello Guys,

I am moving to an apartment that faces east maybe slightly south east with a balcony in 22305 alexandria va. What type of antennas should I be looking at? Can I get away with an indoor? My wife is not thrilled on me mounting an outdoor antenna. What are my options!!! Please review my TV signal Analysis. Thanks!

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...9fbef231d4c9c2

ADTech · 30-Jun-2010, 6:49 PM

Mount the outdoor antenna so it points up towards DC (and it will actually work better) and find some other way the thrill the wife!

Tigerbangs · 30-Jun-2010, 7:23 PM

UHF antennas are pretty compact, and the DC transmitters are close-by, but you will have some issues with channels 7 and 9, which are still on VHF. Indoor TV antennas aren't very effective on VHF, and outdoor VHF antennas are a lot bulkier than UHF antennas are.

estcstm3 · 30-Jun-2010, 7:41 PM

any help on which antennas to buy? Im pretty new to this stuff?

Next I am trying to hook up my laptop to my the tv to act as a DVR? Can I leverage the antenna to the TV or use the tv tuner and its supplied antenna? Kind of a side question.

Dave Loudin · 6-Jul-2010, 4:38 PM

Sorry for the delay in answering...

Looks like you used 10 feet as the antenna height above ground (the default value.) Since you're talking about a balcony, I'm assuming your're at least on the second floor, so the actual antenna height should be higher. Normally, I'd recommend rerunning your TVFool report with the right value, but you've got line-of-sight to the four major antenna sites already, so no worries. For antennas, two recommendations:

1) indoor - the Terk HDTVi (NOT the amplified a model).
2) balcony - RCA ANT-751

Neither antenna is terribly big, as you don't need any gain from them to get good reception. Note that most of the transmitters are at virtually due north (50 is a little to the east), so you need to point as close as you can to that direction. You stand a good chance with the balcony installation of picking up most of the Baltimore stations, also.

Good luck, and enjoy the Del Ray neighborhood!

ADTech · 6-Jul-2010, 6:21 PM

From Alexandria, his towers are to his north but his balcony does not have any northern exposure. Consequently, he is left with either reflected signals or with whatever signal might penetrate the envelope of his apartment building.