TVFool=too optimistic, AntennaWeb=too pessimistic?

[jackball]

Great site, thanks for creating it!

I am in Atlanta Metro, I only want the major digital channels. I would also like no drop-outs except in severe weather. I especially want WGTV (PBS) to work. I would love to purchase and install one antenna (and ~40 ft of RG6 to two TVs). I would love to do this only one time.

All the stations I want are transmitting from the NE (~38-69 deg). TVFool tells me set top antennas will be fine, AntennaWeb tells me I need a blue antenna for WGTV and a red for most everything else. Please see attachments. Address and AGL was the same, I checked the trees box on AntennaWeb. (I have at least ten trees +50 ft tall dispersed behind my house between my future antenna location and the NE transmitters.)

The two suggestions couldn't be father apart (almost). Rabbit ears versus a metal behemoth.

So, as Solomon, can I split the baby in half and just mount a medium size red antenna in my attic or outdoor on the eave? What are my odds I won't have to do it again?

I would appreciate any suggestions and advice. Thank you!

[mtownsend]

Hello and welcome!

Originally Posted by jackball

I am in Atlanta Metro, I only want the major digital channels. I would also like no drop-outs except in severe weather. I especially want WGTV (PBS) to work. I would love to purchase and install one antenna (and ~40 ft of RG6 to two TVs). I would love to do this only one time.

(I have at least ten trees +50 ft tall dispersed behind my house between my future antenna location and the NE transmitters.)

can I split the baby in half and just mount a medium size red antenna in my attic or outdoor on the eave?

You are only 6-10 miles away from most of the transmitters, so signal strength is not going to be an issue. The performance of your system will mostly depend on how much multipath (reflection off of tall buildings, trees, neighbors' houses, hillsides, etc.) is present in your environment and how many of those excess signal paths are being picked up by your antenna.

If you have very little multipath in the environment, then almost any antenna will do. If there is some multipath to worry about, then one way to make a system less sensitive to it is to use a directional antenna (because it picks up less of the excess signal paths).

I think a good compromise for your situation is to use an antenna like the Winegard HD7694P or Antennacraft HBU-33 in your attic. These are good for channels 7-69, which is all that you need, and are directional antennas that are small enough to fit in most attics. Do not use any amplifiers in your setup because your signals are strong enough to overload just about any amp on the market, and you just don't need it with signals this strong. You should have more than enough signal to split to your two TVs.

[jackball]

Thank you!

Is there a reason you suggested the HBU-33 instead of the HBU-22? Size-wise, the HBU-22 more closely matches the HD7694P...

[mtownsend]

Originally Posted by jackball

Is there a reason you suggested the HBU-33 instead of the HBU-22? Size-wise, the HBU-22 more closely matches the HD7694P...

It's mostly because of their gain specs. The HBU-22 data sheet claims 4.1 dBd gain at high-VHF. The HD7694P claims around 8 dBd. The HBU-33 claims 7.6 dBd.

From a performance perspective, the HBU-33 is closer to the HD7694P.

[jackball]

I see, thanks. I ordered the Winegard and will install in my attic this weekend. I will post my results.

From what very little I know, I would hazard that I will not have multi-path issues in the winter, but in the rainy summer, all those wet leaves on all those trees may wreak havoc. I don't have substantial hills or tall buildings within a 1/2 mile of my location. Trees, lots of trees.

I am guessing that multi-path issues from an analog transmission would result in a ghost image on my tv screen. How would it manifest itself in digital?

[mtownsend]

Originally Posted by jackball

I am guessing that multi-path issues from an analog transmission would result in a ghost image on my tv screen. How would it manifest itself in digital?

If the digital receiver is able to decipher the digital data stream, then you'll end up with a perfect picture. You'll never see ghosts. Digital TV is mostly an all-or-nothing signal. The transition from fully decodable to not decodable at all happens over a very small range.

If things are dynamically changing, like trees blowing in the wind, then you might see the picture break up or freeze occasionally. If some of the digital data is getting dropped intermittently, it will be kind of like watching a scratched DVD.