CM3016 or CM3000A for local Philly?

[MayfairWantsPBS39]

Narrowed my choice to a CM3016 or CM3000A. The CM3000A is described as omni-directional.
Many reviews speak of having to aim it. The manual doesn't provide any guidance. The CM3000A might give better coverage.
My concern is that the installation would be done correctly. Especially given the apparent lack of documentation on proper installation.
The CM3016 would hard to mess up. The CM3000A, I wonder.

Local installers want $300 plus antenna. Mail order wants
$200 plus antenna. CM3016 is backordered. CM3000A is in
stock.

Most stations are at 272. PBS Channel 23.1 is at 154.
We watch 23.1 quite often. But we can get it with rabbit ears.
Two of our main local stations are on low VHF.

[mtownsend]

For the benefit of others, here are the links to the two TV Fool reports you posted in other threads:

Using 30 foot antenna height: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...a3621376148865

Using 40 foot antenna height: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...a362b6093386a5

[mtownsend]

A few thoughts to consider:

1) If you're going to use an omni antenna like the CM 3000A, it should be installed outdoors, preferably on the roof. When you install antennas like this inside a building, it may suffer from multipath issues (too many signals bouncing around surrounding objects).

2) Due to the strong signal strengths in your area, I'd suggest a Winegard MS-1000 as a better option than the Channel Master 3000A because the built-in amp on the 3000A might get overloaded by too much signal. Again, if going with an omni antenna, please install it on the roof out in the open.

3) Omni antennas are never quite perfectly "omni" in all directions. They still receive a little better in some directions than in others. That is the only reason it is sometimes said that you need to "aim" the omni antenna a bit. This is just something you need to do once during initial antenna installation. Just experiment with the antenna rotated slightly in different directions to see which position gives you the best overall reception across all channels. Once it has been "aimed", you don't need to bother with it again. The installation of omni antennas is no more difficult than installing a directional antenna.

4) The CM 3016 is a directional antenna. Most of your channels are coming from the large group of Philadelphia transmitters at compass heading 286º. If you do not install an antenna rotator, you might not be able to pick up some of the weaker stations coming from other directions (like WFMZ). You might get lucky with some of the really strong channels sneaking in through the "back" of the antenna, but there's no guarantee that they will be as stable as the Philly channels. You still have plenty of channels even if you only get the Philly stations, so maybe these extra channels are not all that important to you.

5) WNJS (PBS, channel 22 / 23.1) is the strongest non-Philly station on your list, with a Noise Margin of about 59 dB. If you install the 3016 antenna on the roof, there is pretty good chance that you can pick up WNJS through the "back" of the antenna.

[Tigerbangs]

Rather than mess with a Channel master 3016, which is a cheaply-made antenna, consider a Winegard HD-7080P, which is well-made and will have much better UHF coverage.

[MayfairWantsPBS39]

Opened up the CM-3016 inside the house and attached it to a set.
Got all the local channels except 52. Some pixilation on channel 6. No problem with 12 or 23.
Installer is coming out next week.

Since the old antenna blew down, I’ve been contemplating what to do.
I was told it would cost $100 to take down the old mast. That’s when I started considering a new antenna.
HD via OTA is so much nicer than SD on analog cable.

Thanks for all your help. Probably saved me from spending a lot of money for nothing.