Have to replace antenna- Can someone give me a suggestion?

[Mike1953]

Here is my report: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...8e03e89b691d75

My old cheap ebay antenna has a built in amp and rotor on a 20' mast and I get all channels in the LOS path (Tallahassee area approx 45-50 miles) and I get reception to several 1Edge (Panama City about 68-70 miles away). Panama City has outage issues early in the mornings sometime but otherwise comes in pretty good.

I am going to have to replace my current antenna because of how cheaply it is made. The arms are fold out arms for ease of packing and birds are constantly pushing off and close them back up. I am constantly having to go on my roof and push them back out again with a long stick. Also, I live directly on the ocean and the back panel is not aluminum and is beginning to rust because of the salt air. So I need a good rugged replacement that will survive the birds and salt air and maybe get me a few more channels with stronger reception.

It looks like all the stations the reports give me are 90 degrees each side of true north (180 degree spread). That makes sense since south is all ocean.

Any advice would be appreciated. I want as many stations as possible and an antenna that will last.

Thank you,
Mike

[Mike1953]

The Panama City station paths are 2edhe not the 1edge I mis posted.

Thanks again,
Mike

[rabbit73]

I suggest the Antennas Direct DB4e, which is a UHF antenna for real channels 14-51. It's beamwidth is about 50 to 60 degrees, so you will need to rotate it. You might be able to aim it between 317 and 26 degrees true for the first 5 channels if you don't want to rotate it.

https://www.antennasdirect.com/store...v-antenna.html
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/antennas...&skuId=4875742

They also make the DB4-PRO Grade Signature Series Bowtie HDTV Antenna with stainless steel for costal areas, but it is a lot more expensive.
https://www.antennasdirect.com/store...V-Antenna.html

Try it without a preamp first. If you need more gain add the Channel Master 7778 preamp.

The coax shield should be grounded with a grounding block that is connected to the house electrical system ground with 10 gauge copper wire for electrical safety and to reject interference. For further compliance with the electrical code (NEC), the mast should also be grounded in a similar manner to drain any buildup of static charge, but the system will not survive a direct strike.

The Panama City station paths are 2edhe not the 1edge I mis posted.

Which Panama City stations are important to you, by callsign? They might require extra effort.

[Mike1953]

Thanks for your input. First of all, the cheap yagi I have is pointed to 335 degrees. The main station in Panama City I want is WECP. It doesn't show as CBS but is. I like that channel because Panama City is central time and Tallahassee is Eastern, so being retired, if I oversleep and miss the CBS morning news on Tallahassee station, I can get it on Panama City. At 335 degrees, Tallahassee comes in fine and Panama City comes in intermittently.

With the DB4, would I be able to point one of the bow ties toward Tallahassee and one toward Panama City? I assume the RG6 screws in the DB4 so I will have to run a new line since the yagi is built in to the rotor.

Also I like that it does not rotate and looks like the birds would leave it alone- not much of a place for the little critters to land.

If the cheaper DB4 is made of aluminum, it would probably stand up as well as the higher priced stainless steel one.

Thanks again for your help. I would really like to be able to pick up WFXL in Albany so I could get Georgia sports, but I guess 91 miles is too much to ask.

Thanks,
Mike

[rabbit73]

With the DB4, would I be able to point one of the bow ties toward Tallahassee and one toward Panama City?

No, don't try to separate them, they need to work together for max gain.

I don't think I can guarantee reliable reception of WECP; it would be an experiment. At the very least it would require a separate high gain antenna, preamp, and feedline, aimed at 292 degrees magnetic. Two UHF antennas are not easily combined, so you would need an A/B switch to select which antenna to use, or connect it to a separate TV or tuner and connect the output of the tuner to the aux input of the TV.

WFXL is even less possible because it is a Tropo signal, but to its advantage it is a VHF-High signal which can travel over difficult terrain more easily than UHF signals and its antenna can be combined with your UHF antenna with a UVSJ.

To be frank, your expectations would be difficult meet because those two signals are very weak, and of poor quality. Another problem is that a high gain preamp would be needed for them which would be vulnerable to overload from your much stronger local signals.

[Mike1953]

Will do. No way to get WFXL in Albany, GA?

[rabbit73]

Here is a coverage map for WECP. You can see there is no signal left at your location:



The curvature of the earth is blocking the signal:

[rabbit73]

No way to get WFXL in Albany, GA?

Here is the coverage map for WFXL:



and the terrain profile:

[rabbit73]

You have one very strong FM transmitter that might interfere with TV reception. See attachment. If it does, insert an FM filter in the coax line after the antenna. If you use a preamp that has an FM filter, that might be enough. If not, insert the filter between the antenna and the input of the preamp.
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...-FM-88-/33-341

https://www.antennasdirect.com/store...on_filter.html

A UVSJ (high and common ports) can be used as an FM filter instead of a regular FM filter when you only have UHF channels to receive.