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Old 8-Oct-2018, 12:13 AM   #1
greggor
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 4
Antenna advice

I would really like some advice on what type of antenna would best suit my location based on my report.
Only looking to get the major networks the=at seem to be to the north.
Will a set top suffice if needed I a=can mont on the roof.
What make model would be the best choice?

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...9038567dd9068c

Thank you
Gregg
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Old 8-Oct-2018, 1:20 PM   #2
JoeAZ
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 413
A set top or indoor antenna is very unlikely to provide good, consistent,
reception. An outdoor antenna is a must. Because you have low VHF for
PBS, Hi VHF for two major networks and UHF for the rest, you will need
an antenna designed to receive everything for your area. The channel
master 3018 model would serve you well. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Channel-...3018/203763043
Keep your RG6 cable run as short as possible to ONE tv at first. Keep
it simple, especially at first. Avoid trees as much as possible. Trees nearby ruin reception.....
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Old 19-Oct-2018, 12:47 AM   #3
Statmanmi
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Fellow West Michigander

Hello Fellow West Michigander Gregg!

I'm 60 miles almost straight north from you, and receive the Gun Lake area towers that are to your NNW direction. JoeAZ's advice regarding the CM-3018 would do you fine. But it might be a bit more than you need.

Is this for the same location that you had posted about in 2014? From reading that information, I think you'd be served successfully with a single antenna on the reused short dish mast. But even if you've moved to where your new TVFool report notes, you should be fine with a single outdoor antenna pointing generally north. Your location now must also be on a rather high spot to have LOS (line of sight) to most of the towers--congratulations!

As JoeAZ noted, if you might occasionally want PBS, it's your one low-VHF (real channel 6 & below...often referred to as RF 2 through 6...RF being real or radio frequency) signal at your location. PBS is on RF5, which needs an antenna with at least 75 inches of width. Be aware that most TV outdoor antennas sold now are either UHF only, or are a combination of high-VHF/all UHF...which is why they can be only 36 inches or less wide. It's only very few that cover RF channels 2 and up, and to be all-purpose, have elements with over 100 inches maximum width. You'll want one of these to be assured of having PBS come in.


JoeAZ suggested the Channel Master 3018. I think you could also consider it's smaller brother, the CM-3016. That would shorten the boom length from 10 feet to 6 1/2 feet. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Channel-...3016/203763042


Do you have trees or other obstructions in any northern direction? If not, then an even smaller option that you could order that should be fine for you is the Winegard HD7000R:
https://manuals.solidsignal.com/HD7000R.pdf

Notice that it has the couple of wide elements needed for the PBS station, but the boom is less than a yard long.


Are you wanting to buy something locally? Menards and some other stores have an RCA antenna with model numbers that start with ANT3036 or ANT3037 that include wide enough elements to serve you well:

https://www.menards.com/main/electri...801444&ipos=18


From looking at your TVFool listing, perhaps the estimated weakest signal that your household may want is WZPX at 38 degrees (true)--it's the ION affiliate for our market (and includes some shopping subchannels). For that reason, you might start by pointing the narrow end of the antenna in that direction, and evaluate if all other desired channels are also coming in. If not, incrementally adjust by pointing more northerly.


Please post back to let us know what you decide upon, because we end up with piqued curiosity often.

Cheers!
Statmanmi

Last edited by Statmanmi; 19-Oct-2018 at 12:49 AM. Reason: fixed typo
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Old 19-Oct-2018, 12:49 PM   #4
jrgagne99
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That PBS station WGVK is crazy strong at his location. I would be willing to bet it would come in on a small VHF-hi/UHF combo such as the RCA-ANT751. Especially if there are no obstructions. As people like to point out, sometimes a paperclip is good enough to receive the strong ones. This might be one of those cases. IMHO, it would be worth a try on something like the 751. Unless the installation access is difficult, in which case you might want to just hit it with a bigger hammer once and be done with it.
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Old 19-Oct-2018, 4:35 PM   #5
Tower Guy
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I don’t know if the 751 will pick up channel 5, but it should do fine with the other locals. Note that channel 5 is in a different direction, so a single antenna can’t be aimed for channel 5 anyway. I’d buy a second antenna (HD7000R) for 5 and add it to the 751 using a HLSJ splitter joiner. (I hope that somebody still has them)
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Old 19-Oct-2018, 8:23 PM   #6
rabbit73
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Solid Signal has them as ZHLSJ, but they are getting hard to find
https://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=zhlsj
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Old 20-Oct-2018, 12:19 AM   #7
jrgagne99
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tower Guy View Post
I don’t know if the 751 will pick up channel 5, but it should do fine with the other locals. Note that channel 5 is in a different direction, so a single antenna can’t be aimed for channel 5 anyway. I’d buy a second antenna (HD7000R) for 5 and add it to the 751 using a HLSJ splitter joiner. (I hope that somebody still has them)
You're quite right, I didn't see that RF-5 was coming from the west, not north. That certainly makes it a bit more challenging. For that reason, I think my first try would be a HD7000R aimed northwest. Signals are strong enough and the pattern is broad enough I think it has a good chance of succeeding.
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