need a better system

[drmenard]

Here's my story. I have had a CM3020 on the roof outside of my house for 7 years. There is also a cm rotor that moves very little and not when I want it to. I would not want to depend on a rotor. Please recommend ..
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5134724ce9ce7b
There is only one vhf channel I need, that's station 22 on channel 11 .. I would like to get channel 30 that is 36 miles away.. Here is what me thinking I could get more stations. For years I only got a few stations with this set-up. Then a few months ago I got a Juice preamp.. I more than doubled my stations, and was happy with that.. then last week , for some reason my new samsung 4k tv lost the station I was watching. I don't mean the signal, I mean it lost it in the list of scanned channels.. I said what the hell is going on here.. So I did another scan.. At that time it was really windy . That scan locked on almost all the channels out to channel 30 , about 8 more..I can no longer get these stations, I want too.. Another thing, from my house in every direction is up hill.. What can I do?

[rabbit73]

Welcome, drmenard:

You have a difficult location for TV reception because your signals are in different directions, and the antenna must be aimed at the transmitter for best results.

There are two possible solutions:
1. Use one antenna with a rotator. You can upgrade to a ham (amateur radio) rotator that is more reliable but more expensive.
2. Use two or three antennas aimed in different directions and switch between them. The more channels you want, the more antennas you will need.

If you are certain you don't want to mess with a rotator, I suggest you pick the most important channels to keep the system as simple as possible.

Antenna No 1:
WGGB 40 ABC and Fox 307 deg
http://www.rabbitears.info/market.ph...&callsign=wggb

Antenna No. 2:
WWLP 11 NBC CW ION 244 deg
http://www.rabbitears.info/market.ph...&callsign=wwlp

No. 1 and No. 2 can be combined with a UVSJ UHF/VHF combiner.

Antenna No. 3:
WSHM 21 CBS 120 deg
http://www.rabbitears.info/market.ph...&callsign=WSHM

CBS also on:
WFSB 33 CBS 211 deg
http://www.rabbitears.info/market.ph...&callsign=wfsb

I would like to get channel 30 that is 36 miles away..

WVIT 35 (30.1) NBC 208 deg

Why do you want that if you already have WWLP for NBC? WVIT is much weaker.

If WVIT is important you could have the third antenna for WFSB and WVIT.

then last week , for some reason my new samsung 4k tv lost the station I was watching. I don't mean the signal, I mean it lost it in the list of scanned channels.. I said what the hell is going on here.. So I did another scan.. At that time it was really windy . That scan locked on almost all the channels out to channel 30 , about 8 more..I can no longer get these stations, I want too..

Do you have another TV you can try to see if it behaves the same way?

Another thing, from my house in every direction is up hill.. What can I do?

You can replace the CM3020 with a Winegard HD7698P. It has more gain that might help with hill, but will not pick up VHF-Low channels like WRGB real channel 6.

[shoman94]

What direction do you have the antenna aimed?

With that antenna aimed at 222, 245 and 258 degrees magnetic what channels do you get?

[drmenard]

If I was to get another rotator , would a Yaesu G450A be a dependable unit? What if I coupled another UHF antenna like a Antennas Direct DB8e?

[drmenard]

Today I got up on the roof and had my wife move the rotor.. I could hear when it got to about 300 degrees it would groan and bind up and stop. So my plan is to take the unit off and clean and grease it up if it can be made to work.
At about 275 I get channels 22,24,40,43,57,61,3,and 18 ... But I still want to combine another antenna to get a few more stations..

[drmenard]

Here is what I found today. I took the rotor off and took it completely apart. Cleaned everything and put it back together. What I found was in the aluminum case is that there is a steel ware ring at the top of the case that the aluminum piece , that holds the mast, turns. This is where it was galling and dropping metal on the gears .. I hope I'm not jumping the gun , but it is now running smooth... So the plan now is to get a stationary antenna for station 22 on channel 11. And couple it with the other antenna.. So now what would be the best antenna to get channel 11 only . I have ordered a join-tenna for channel 11

[rabbit73]

MCM 30-2475 or 30-2476. Inexpensive, poor assembly instructions, but works OK.
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...-2475-/30-2475
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...-2476-/30-2476

[drmenard]

Thanks for your suggestion. I have ordered the bigger one. I have also ordered a join-tenna for that station.. From what I read I can use a splitter or combiner to put them together.. What would be the best one for outside use?

[rabbit73]

If you found a Channel Master Join-tenna for channel 11, then it is designed to do the combining for you.
http://www.channelmaster.com/JOIN_TE..._p/cm-0581.htm

What would be the best one for outside use?

The CM Join-tenna is designed to be used outside.

[drmenard]

I have ordered it and its on its way. Then I should be all set.. As Rabbit73 said "You can replace the CM3020 with a Winegard HD7698P. It has more gain that might help with hill, but will not pick up VHF-Low channels like WRGB real channel 6." if I replaced my cm3020 with a winegard hd7698p, how much better would it be? What would be even better than the winegard? this would be for UHF only.

[rabbit73]

if I replaced my cm3020 with a winegard hd7698p, how much better would it be?

I don't really know, because there are so many factors involved. All I can do is go by the listed gain figures for the two antennas.

CM 3020
http://www.channelmaster.com/Digital..._p/cm-3020.htm
Bandwith 54 to 216 and 470 to 700 MHz
VHF Gain 8.6dB
UHF Gain 9.5dB

HD7698P
http://www.winegard.com/kbase/uploads/HD7698P.pdf
Average VHF gain 11 dB
Average UHF gain 13 dB

What would be even better than the winegard? this would be for UHF only.

The current King of the hill for UHF gain is the Antennas Direct DB8e with both panels aimed in the same direction.
https://www.antennasdirect.com/cmss_files/attachmentlibrary/Technical%20Data%20PDF's/DB8E-TDS.pdf

I'm not certain that it would make that much difference for most of your channels except maybe for WVIT.

Every reception location is unique; you must expect that you will need to do some experimentation. I can not give you a guarantee.

[tazz63]

Hey drmenard, have you had a chance to get system up and running. I asked because I'm just on the other side of the pike, off Cady Street and I know about the little Valley we live in here. I haven't set up an attena yet but I know the reception around here isn't that good.

[drmenard]

The plan is tomorrow I am going to take down the CM3020. I have a Stellar Labs 30-2476 that I am going to use with join-tenna for station 22 on channel 11 only.Then on my rotor, where the CM is, I have a DB8e going on from Antennas Direct. I have a friend coming over to help me with it. This way if my wife is recording on the DVR, mostly on 22, it will come in and not have to listen to you messed up my show..

[tazz63]

Any update, wondering how it worked out for you.

[drmenard]

I want to thank rabbit73. Everything worked great . I pointed the vhf antenna at station 22 on channel 11 and got 100% signal. Ran that to the join-tenna and ran the DB8e also to the join-tenna, then to the FM filter and then to the JUICE preamp. I moved the rotor and pointed the DB8e at channel 30 and got it with a perfect picture. I did not play with it much after that , but it does work great..

[rabbit73]

Thanks for the report with the good news; you made my day!

"I love it when a plan comes together."
Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith,
The A-Team

[tazz63]

So how did you set that up, two Different masts?

[tclearinghouse]

Originally Posted by tazz63

So how did you set that up, two Different masts?

Yeah I would love to see a photo. There is a distinct lack of photos on this forum and I love that kind of stuff.

[rabbit73]

I could be wrong, but his posts seem to indicate that he mounted both antennas on the same mast. From the top down: DB8e, rotator, VHF antenna fixed direction.

I like photos too, but some people have trouble posting them and make them too wide. Try to keep them about 800 pixels wide or less.

Photos can be in an attachment, can be added to a post with the IMG BB code of the attachment, or come from an image host that stores your photos.

[drmenard]

There are two masts. At the peak of the roof there is a 4ft mast attached that is about one foot above the peak. At the top of it is the VHF antenna pointing at 22 [11] that don't move. Just below that on that mast there is a bearing mounted and at the bottom of that mast is the rotor. Then I have the second mast going threw the bearing and into the rotor. this mast is about 6 ft and at the top of it is the DB8e.