Getting Chicago TV stations OTA near Milwaukee?

[hdtvfan44]

Hello all,
I am new here. I live just south of Milwaukee not far from the airport. I currently pick up all Milwaukee Stations just fine with a $10.00 pair of rabbit ears. My goal is to get a roof antenna pointed southeast in hopes to pick up Chicago stations (if I had to choose just Fox and CBS). Basically the reason I want to to get the Chicago NFL market in addition to Milwaukee/Green Bay.

Is this even possible or am I just dreaming about being able to pick this up without having to pay for NFL Sunday Ticket? Obviously I think if possible it would have to be a roof antenna, an amp, etc?

[GroundUrMast]

It may be possible, to know with some certainty, please generate a TV Fool report and post the link here so we can see what the signal conditions look like.

Here are instructions on how to do that: http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=4

[teleview]

Use the Exact address to make the tvfool radar plot report.

Make the antenna height 25 feet.

How many Tv's are/will be connected??

What direction is the air port from your house??

[hdtvfan44]

Thank you for the response so far. I have some work ahead. I currently have an antenna that is pointed to the Milwaukee Towers (it is hooked up but doesn't work the best). I think I need to get someone in to remove the pre-amp and get a new coax cable running down. While my indoor rabbit ears work well for the most part, they don't always work that well)

I may need a new antenna altogether. I was thinking of possibly two, one pointing towards Chicago and one towards Milwaukee, using an AB switch for one TV in the meantime.

To answer that question though, I think 3 or 4 TVs to eventually be connected. I'm assuming the Milwaukee antenna will not need a pre amp or an amp, but if I really want to try for Chicago I'll need a good amp.

[GroundUrMast]

I doubt the local Milwaukee signal would call for a preamp... Without a link to your TV Fool report, it's just guessing and vague hunches though.

[hdtvfan44]

It took a while but here is a copy of my report:


http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9900abacc0e79f

Also I have attached two pictures of my current antenna. I am not sure how good of antenna this is. I think for Milwaukee it would be fine, not sure about Chicago It appears to have either an amp or preamp on it, the short coax from the antenna runs into the amp/preamp and then the second coax runs outbound from the amp/preamp into the house. I think for Chicago an amp would probably be needed, not sure how old that white coax cable is, may need a brand new one fed in.

One poster responded asked how close I am to the airport, about 6.5 miles to my southeast.

And again how many TVs, probably 3.

[GroundUrMast]

Thanks for posting the TVFR link.

That appears to be a Winegard HD7082P. It appears to be intact, with only a small amount of sagging or bending of a few elements. If there are no other problems with it, it should be more than enogh antenna for the Milwaukee signals. Aimed at about 20° compass, you can remove the preamp and expect to have plenty of signal to drive a passive 4 or 8-way splitter. If you are going to connect three sets, use a 3-way splitter.

http://www.winegarddirect.com/pdf/spec_HD7080P.pdf

Actually, rather than saying 'can remove' I am inclined toward saying 'you really ought to remove the preamp'. You have so much signal power to work with, many preamps would overload, leaving with lower quality signal.

[GroundUrMast]

As far as Chicago is concerned, some signals are within reach if you use a large high gain antenna. I'm thinking a Winegard HD9095P or an Antennas Direct 91XG equipped with the Antennas Direct CPA-19 preamp.

The 9095 claims 16 dBd gain at CH-32. When I estimate the net NM of the signal from WFLD-Fox I get a good number, +10.5 dB. (see attached)

Can you mount higher? If so, it would be interesting to see a TV Fool report for 40' or even 60'.

I would cable the 'Chicago' antenna separately. There are a variety of ways to connect multiple antennas, perhaps the simplest and least expensive is an A/B switch. Here are some other ideas:

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2882
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=820

[teleview]

Concerning remove the preamp.

Remove ALL of the preamp , the preamp , the power injector , the preamp power supply , Any and ALL parts of the amplifier.

Several times in the past people think that remove the preamp means unplug the preamp or remove the power supply and leave the rest connected.

[teleview]

I see that WFLD FOX is on channel 31.

WBBM is channel 12 CBS.

Install a Winegard HD7698P antenna with the CPA-19 preamp.

Aim at about 171 degree magnetic compass.

Here is how to aim antennas , http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html.

The antenna that is in place now and the HD7698P with CPA-19 preamp that will be installed can not be connected togather on to one coax.

A simple way to connect the 2 Separate antenna systems to the Tv is to use a remote control A/B antenna switch.

http://www.radioshack.com , # 15-1968 , or , http://www.mcmelectronics.com , # 32-4425 .

[hdtvfan44]

Thanks again for the help.

To answer a few more questions, yes I think it could go higher than 25 feet, 60 may be too high. It is only a ranch house which doesn't help. But I think if the antenna was installed onto a pole that raised it up that could help.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=90
Here is a report with the antenna being 40 feet.

I did think of one thing though. WFLD Fox 31 should be fine, but WBBM CBS 12 may be a problem as channel 12-1 in Milwaukee is WISN, the ABC affiliate. So I'm not sure how well that would work but worth a shot.

[teleview]

The 40 foot link is not working.

And Yes as long as one is spending the money , one can use a antenna that is designed to receive more channels.

[teleview]

The first tvfool report is showing WISN as being on Real Channel UHF 34.

Tvfool shows both the Real channels that are transmitted and received and the Virtual channels.

[hdtvfan44]

oops. here is the link

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d99005a7b5a7fe7

[GroundUrMast]

Though it's not exact by any means, a zip code level report at 40' vs. 25' shows a significant improvement in signal levels. Enough to have confidence that the HD7698P would provide both UHF and High-VHF reception from the Chicago direction.

A push-up mast may be a good option for you. Though I doubt you would use it day to day, a rotator may be worth the expense... with the antenna out of reach, fine tuning the aim would be much easier with a rotator.

http://www.3starinc.com/telescoping_masts.html
http://www.3starinc.com/antenna_rotors.html

[teleview]

The antenna you have now looks like a All Channel antenna , that is good because the the Tv stations/channels to the north east are transmitting in all three Tv bands of , VHF low band channels 2 thru 6 , VHF high band of channels 7 thru 13 and UHF band channels 14 thru 51.

Do not substitute the HD7698P antenna for All band antenna you have now.

The HD7698P is designed to receive channels 7 thru 51 and not 2 thru 6 as the one you have now does.

Here are some other ways to get more antenna height for the HD7698P antenna aimed at Chicago.

http://www.ronard.com/Tripods%200703/4712.html.

Buy the ronard antenna mount at solidsignal by typing the word ronard in the solidfsignal search box.

The tripod roof top mount does not require guy wires like the push up mounts do.

Here are some places to buy antennas and etc. , http://www.solidsignal.com , http://www.winegarddirect.com , http://www.amazon.com.

Here is another way to get more antenna height.

A free standing , layover , light weight , aluminum tower. Do antenna mounting and adjustments standing on the ground.

http://www.palcoelectronics.com/pe300.aspx.

[teleview]

The 2 antennas must not be connected to geather on to one coax.

The coax from the HD7698P antenna will go to a Tv location where you will be watching the games.

A simple way to switch from one antenna to the other is use a remote control A/B antenna switch at the Tv location where you will watching the games.

http://www.radioshack.com , # 15-1968 , or , http://www.mcmelectronics.com, # 32-4425 .

The 2 antenna set up requires no antenna rotor and will allow the non game people in the house to watch what ever they want on the other All channel antenna just like they always have.

[teleview]

And before you go mounting the HD7698P antenna higher you can try the HD7698P antenna on the same mast as the other antenna.

Put the HD7698P antenna on the bottom and have the antennas separated by about 3 feet if you can on the same mast.

Try the HD7698P antenna with out a preamp first and if signals need a little more umph to keep them locked in then use a Antennas Direct CPA-19 preamp with the HD7698P antenna.

The HD7698P antenna is aimed at about 177 degree magnetic compass.

Here is how to aim antennas , http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html.