Mid Missouri Weekend TV
 

Hello to all! New member here hoping for some TV reception at the farm.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d24370d7eaa33a

I recently cut the cord on the dish, just too much money for the useage. This time of year I get down there a little more often for deer season and would like to pick up a few channels.

I have a DB8B antenna and a rotor. My goal is to get as many channels as possible, realizing that this could be challenging to be reliable. My hope is to at least get a few.


KRCG is the closest and is VHF so I'm assuming I will need a separate antenna for this one. Suggestions?

As long as I'm making assumptions, a pre-amp and method to connect 2 antennas?

Looking forward to some discussion and a promising solution.

Thanks, Bob.

Bob,
How precise was your selected location when you made that plot?

Based on your plot as presented, I wouldn't give Jeff City much of a shot. If you have a fairly clear view down the river valley, then you should get a number of the St Louis stations.

Do add a pre-amp, perhaps our PA18. If you necessary, that one can easily be run off a 12 volt battery or supply with a small effort.

I'm somewhat familiar with your general area having grown up about a dozen miles north of this location.

Thanks for the reply !! Where did you grow up? I've been down there for 40+ years. As to the lat and long I hovered over the spot on Google Earth and its at the end of the trailer where I originally had the antenna clamped to a cedar tree. Before Dish we could always get Jeff City and sometimes Columbia. If we turned the antenna we could get KTVI. The farm is actually sitting in a fairly deep bottom. I wouldn't be beyond adding a vhf under the rotor and pointing it at Jeff City. I guess I'm in for a little trial and error. Did I say will be mounting with a rotor?

If you want to mount a dedicated VHF-high antenna, an Antennacraft Y10713 is about the most sensitive you can get without heroic measures. http://www.antennacraft.net/Antennas/AntennasVHF.html

The co-ordinates are close I checked my Garmin and looks like the last few numbers differ a little . If you would like the exact #'s I can give them to you.

Couple of miles north of Rosebud. Graduated OHS in 76. I'll probably go out there Saturday.

Precise coordinates would be good. Use the PM feature if you don't wish to post them publicly.

I assume that I need to combine the two antennas on the mast and go down with one wire? I've read on other posts about doing this with the RCA TVPRAMP-1R. Jeez that's a big antenna, 120" ... I'm guessing this would be mounted on the mast pointed at KRCG 5' below the rotor and DB8B.

I'll shoot you a PM. It's south of Mt. Sterling about a mile.

Yeah, that's how I'd do it. The wavelength at VHF is long, thus the long antenna for sensitivity... You could try the Y5713, but it's 6.9 dB gain vs. 9.4 for the Y10713. The RCA preamp is certainly priced right, and recommended a lot here. The alternative to a preamp is a UVSJ - http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=uvsj - I would just try each antenna cable directly into the TV first, to see what signal levels I had with no other devices in the path.

Sounds like good advise. I live in St Louis and will probably go down this weekend and set up the mast. I have about 40' of 1 1/2" and 20' of 1 1/4" pipe with a reducing bushing. When I had it up years ago I had brackets on a cedar tree outside the trailer and 3 sections of pipe. I cut the top of the tree off below the bottom of the antenna. Hopefully I'll get a few more people jump in with opinions and set the game plan on pre-amp and vhf choices. Hell, I might get all this stuff in the air and still not work. I can't believe how "finicky" this stuff is. I can rebuild a compressor, wire a 460 electric panel or build a race engine but can't figure out a stupid tv antenna. ;)

I just sent you specific instructions.

BTW, if you're near Mt Sterling, your previously posted plot is bogus. The coordinates for it, as well as for the Garmin coordinates you sent me, are for an area near the Bourbeuse midway between Owensville and Bourbon, probably a good 25 miles southeast of Mt Sterling.

What method are you using? I figured the ones I gave you by looking at my Garmin and the one for tvfool report by moving the cursor on google earth to the corner of my trailer and down at the bottom they show the coordinates. Is there a better way?

Yes. Check the directions I posted in the PM.

Here's the location for the coordinates in your plot, https://www.google.com/maps/place/38...s0x0:0x0?hl=en

Here's beautiful, downtown Mt Sterling: https://www.google.com/maps/place/38...s0x0:0x0?hl=en

..and a plot for that location: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d243788cf46472

Here is the new report, I still don't understand how both my Garmin and Google Earth came up with my first try. Anyway tv looks a more promising but not St.Louis.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d2435829a52355

In the map link of Beautiful Downtown Mt.Sterling go down Mt sterling Rd to about where that 403 mark is and look about 400yds due east up the creek bottom.

Good Morning !!

Now that ADTech got me straightened out, what's the outlook on 12,8,17 and 15? I realize that I need a vhf antenna to receive 12 and 8.

Thanks, Bob

Not an antenna engineer, or part of the industry, but I am an engineer.

12 and 8 should be fine with a Y5713 pointed at them, no amplifier, assuming there are no trees or buildings blocking the horizon. Then pick how much you want to spend on the UHF antenna. An Antennas Direct DB4 would probably do it, pointed at 281. 15 is considerably down from 17. You could buy a cheap UHF antenna like this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eagle-Aspen-...62798993&rt=nc and try it out.

You can buy combined antennas like these http://www.antennacraft.net/Antennas/AntennasHBU.html but I think you may need the extra sensitivity of a dedicated UHF antenna to pull in 15 reliably.

I already have a DB8B and a rotor. I'm thinking a vhf pointed between 12 and 8, say 306 deg. then the rotor and Uhf mounted on top, utilizing the rotor to max out the signal on 17 and 15. There are no buildings in the LOS to the horizon and some tree trimming should take care of the one close by limb. There are some electric lines that kind of cross the path... any concerns here? A few more questions... any need to use a pre-amp? I have a crimper, I've read where the compression fittings are preferred. Is this a necessary expense or will crimps and tape be adequate?

Sorry timgr, missed you saing no amp.

I would point at the weaker one. Probably won't matter.

Compression fittings for me - I've never used the others.

Power lines? One of the industry people will have to comment about the power lines. I don't think it will matter as long as the tower is not in the way.

We have the DB8 or DB8e, no DB8"B", though.

Fox is going to probably be the one network that's not easily (if at all) received. Despite the simulator's calculations, a 12 kW UHF signal from 55 miles away over hills is going to be a long shot. KQFX is on the same tower as KMIZ.

Yes, use a pre-amp. It will improve your system noise margin.

Electric lines typically cause problems on weak VHF (KOMU, for example). Only way to fix is to increase distance, should that be a problem.

I doubt you'll need the rotor unless you end up with a problem with multipath which is common in valleys.

We're located out in Ellisville not far from Manchester and just off Old State, so our office likely isn't too far away.

ADTech, I already have the DB8B and the rotor, Craigslist, I need a vhf for 8 and 12, I guess I also need a grounding block for the rg6 and will also need the amp and combiner. I should also be looking at a compression tool. I'd like to get this all sorted out before Tuesday, I'll be going out for a week or three. I know right where you are and will drive within a few miles of you on my way out. I live close to the airport in Sycamore Hills.



Any suggestions on a VHF antenna and pre-amp? How about fm trap? Also need to join the leads.

Okay, there's no "B" version of the DB8.

I'd use a ClearStream 5, but then I have two of them in my garage... ;)

I'd also use the PA18, since I have those on hand.

You shouldn't need an FM trap, there are no FM stations strong enough to cause you problems out there.

This is the circuit for the basic setup: https://www.antennasdirect.com/cmss_...e_Antennas.pdf

Here ya go ADTech.

Okay, that's a "standard" DB8.

You can likely rotate it AWAY from KOMU and KRCG and at least KRCG will come in fine. Maybe KOMU. The DB8 will pick up VHF much better of the back than the front as will most 8-bay bowties.

I'd try that before buying a VHF antenna and see how it works.

Ok then pieces are falling in place for a try !! Thoughts on a amp ... yea or nay ?

I would.

The only pre-amp you can buy locally that I'd suggest is the RCA. You can pick it up at Menards for about $25. Make sure you CHECK the switches, they often are not where the packaging says they're supposed to be.

Have fun, I'm outa here for a day or so.

Thanks for the help ! You know now "exactly" where I'll be deer season come on out and have a beer and watch some tv !:)