New antenna missing wanted channels
 

Hello, I talked to an assistant at Solid Signal and they sold me a HDB91X. I told them I wanted the channels 50 miles to the south, and they said this was the perfect setup.

Now I was able to intermittently pick up one of the channels. The antenna is above my roof line, but it does aim right at a maple tree and about 100 feet away in the same direction is my machine shed.

I am picking up about 25 other channels with no problem.

Any Ideas?

Thanks!

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...9038acdfbc354b

Hello, upks

Which channels that you want are missing?

KHQA-DT and WGEM-DT.

Both of the stations cited are VHF. You were sold a UHF-only antenna which would certainly not be expected to get them.

KHQA CBS is on real channel 7, and WGEM NBC is on real channel 10; they are VHF-High channels.

It is the real channel number (also called physical channel or RF channel) that determines what antenna is needed.

VHF-Low, real channels 2-6
VHF-High, real channels 7-13
UHF, real channels 14-51

The virtual channel number (like 5.1 or 5-1) is a holdover from the analog TV days to maintain the identity of the station, and is what the TV displays. By convention, the virtual channel number is given in the decimal form to keep it from being confused with the real channel number.

The Solid Signal HDB91X is a good antenna for UHF channels, but it is a poor antenna for VHF-High channels. They gave you bad advice.

https://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=hdb91x

Their title says:
but the description says:
which means that it is only good for very strong VHF-High signals.

The description says:
but their gain chart shows a higher maximum gain. Note that it only shows UHF gain; no VHF-High gain shown.

http://forum.tvfool.com/attachment.p...6&d=1529768349

Maximum gain 23 dB? I doubt it.

It's hard to believe what they say, because it comes from the marketing department, not from an engineer.

You need to add a VHF-High antenna and combine it with your HDB91X using a UVSJ UHF/VHF combiner (AKA Diplexer}, or replace your HDB91X with an antenna that will get UHF and VHF-High.

VHF-High antenna, Stellar Labs 30-2475:
http://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/3...vhf/dp/48Y8141

a little more gain, but bigger, Stellar Labs 30-2476:
http://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/3...vhf/dp/71Y5462

UVSJ combiner:
https://www.antennasdirect.com/store...Combiners.html

or a UHF/VHF combo antenna to replace your HDB91X:
Winegard HD7698P

smaller version with less gain; might not be big enough:
Winegard HD7694P

The least expensive option is to add a VHF-High antenna to your present antenna, but you would have two antennas to mount.

Yes so true Rabbit so call solid signal and tell them that
And they will switch the 91 for the uhf/vhf winegard,Hd7698p
And if nice about everything you might get free shipping
Well good luck and be safe on the roof. and don't forget about
Them power lines when installing an outdoor tv antenna!!

To add an inexpensive VHF antenna to your existing UHF antenna see if you can find a Stellar Labs 30-2475. I found it listed at neobits.com. Add them together with an rca preamp-1r preamp.

Thanks a million for all the advice!!! Guess I should have got on here and asked first instead of trying something then trying to fix the problem.

Gonna show my knowledge and ask a dumb question. Is the higher gain on the stellar 2476 better in my situation?

One more while I'm at it. Rabbit and Nascarken both said the Winegard 7698. Would that be a better antenna by itself than the other two together?

The 7698 would receive everything fine, but the two antenna combo allows you to aim the antennas in two directions simultaneously. Your VHF and UHF stations are coming from different directions. The use of two antennas avoids the need for a rotator.

Yes, the larger Stellar labs VHF antenna would be good.

Thanks Tower Guy! Gonna give it a shot with the two antenna setup. What direction would you suggest aiming the HDB91X?

Hello there Rabbit and I think it's easier for you to get the Winegrud yes the slellar labs.
30-2475 are a hi vhf ANTENNA and I have two of them stagger stacked with 2 of
The same 91,that you have of one know I will explain my hole antenna set-up and
Experience,which was quite fun!I have 2 91 stacked side by side 3ft apart,with my
30-2475,hi vhf,stagger stacked when you put the two ANTENNAs meaning they
Should be 3ft apart forum one another when a uhf,vhf!antennas are put together
My ANTENNAS are on a 150ft tower receive of 1500miles away and the higth of the antenna makes a big improvement of your receive of channel's to and I almost forgot
A good mast mount amp is better too help pull in the distance channels and too STOP
Over load keep you ANTENNAs away frum your strong signals tower's well good luck with your antennas and be safe on the roof and look out for power lines with tv antennas!!!

You could pick your favorite PBS or aim it at KYOU for a second NBC and FOX.

Tower Guy mentioned putting the two antenna's together with a rca preamp-1r preamp. Would this be a substitute for the UVSJ UHF/VHF combiner (AKA Diplexer) rabbit mentioned?

Just wanting to make sure I am going to order the correct things the second time.

Thanks!!!

Yes, if you use the RCA TVPRAMP1R preamp, you do not need the UVSJ. Set the antenna switch to separate.

I like everything straight too. Too bad that NASCAR keeps going in circles.

If I lived between Quincy and Otummua, I’d put the UHF antenna on a rotator but leave the VHF antenna below the rotator aimed at Quincy.

ROtatOR????
 

NO CIRCLES in RF use a ten foot pole +A 3 feet long pole put the rotator mounted to the ten foot pole and tack the ANTENNA's and put the vhf On
Top of the uhf becuse of noise with vhf,and power lines, becuse of hum.s
And so on what are you looking too do and what kind of ANTENNAs are you
Using? And for best results one feed line for vhf&one,for vhf,and one for UHF!!
With & A,And,B,swich?and a good thick ground.!!!!!lol

HDB,&LAB,hi,VHF
 

If you are looking for the best go with the Winegrud you will be happy
With it and buy a channel master 7777,and use the backside of the antenna
When reviewing your nearby tower's BUT!! I'm not B'S ing,you
I have two the 30-2475&2,of the 30-2476 all stagger stacked pushing
Like 65dbg,or db I each set hi band vhf,with a mast mount vhf,AMP
And yes my HDB91,stacked side by side each antenna pushing 65dbg,orDBI
UHF only AMP,and IT'S only one feed line power up the amps on their o power supply of 24,VOLTS,a piece,on a 150ft tower receive of 1500miles away
Cost of $4000dollars + my low,VHF,of a $1000dollars,AND I LOVE IT.RF,no c in
R,F.lol

Wow. Just wow.
:)

Yes but it's just so much fun and when I get sick of tv,Dx
With my ham Radio antennas why up hi over the tv antennas.
IT'S CQ CQ CQ,DX,then an agen like $50.000dollars in ham
Stuff,like thay say the man with the most toys before you die wins.lol

Thanks to everyone for all the help! I am going to keep the HDB91X and I have ordered the Stellar 30-2476.

When it shows up I'll let you all know my results!

Good choices on the ANTENNA's
 

If you are putting them together rember 3ft apart too 3,1/2ft
Apart with a mast mount amp,good luck with your antennas!!

I got the two antenna's up and pointed the Stellar towards 173° and the hdb91x towards 323°. I am getting about 15 different stations with about 3 channels each. I put them together with the RCA TVPRAMP1Z.

I was getting kgcw which is channel 26 which is at 48°, and yesterday I lost it.

I went up and moved the hdb91x to 49° and it is still not coming in, but I am still getting the channels from 323° I wanted.

Any ideas how to get 26?

Also THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP GETTING ME THIS FAR!!!

Are the 2 antennas 4ft apart if not your receive will not happen when 2 hi gane
ANTENNAs are to close together?

It is curious that KGCW is dropping out because it has a pretty solid Noise Margin for the HDB91X, and you are aimed directly at it. Especially since you say that you ARE pulling in K30NF and KYOU at 323-deg, which are several dB down in NM, apparently on a side-lobe of your HDB91X . You might be in a hot-spot for stations from 323 and a lull for KGCW. The Longley-Rice propagation model used to generate your report has limited resolution and does not capture multi-path constructive and destructive interference caused by signal refraction over the terrain.

When you were previously receiving KGCW, did you happen to notice the signal strength on your TV? If it was only borderline, it would not be surprising to see it drop out now and then with changes to atmospheric conditions, etc. You might try moving the HDB91X up or down a foot or two (or more) to see if that improves it, and/or adjust the aim a few degrees left or right. The HDB91X also has a tilt-angle adjustment, which you could fiddle around with-- some people here have had success using that. Best to do all of your experimenting with a buddy monitoring the signal strength down at the TV, so you have some live feedback as to what is working and what is not. You might want to disconnect and remove the 2476 from the setup while you're making your adjustments to the HDB91X. Then add it the 2476 back in later to see if its presence is having some effect on your UHF reception. Hopefully anything you do to improve reception of KGCW will not adversely affect reception of your stations from 323-deg.

No I Don t think so!!

Yes they are about 5 foot apart. I have the Stellar on top.

I should have mentioned this earlier, but there is a big tower close to the same angle as the station. Not sure but I think it's a cell phone tower. It's a mile or so away, and clearly visible from my roof.

The station came in perfect last night, but I did not check/know how to check signal strength. Gonna figure that out today!

SIGNAL strength meeter
 

Go in to the tv settings and go to set up it should be there?