Antenna selection help - NC
 

I need help selecting the right antenna for me. I bought a LAVA about a year ago and it has already broke. Won't rotate, preamp gone. For whatever reason, I can't get FOX or ABC now.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d243920e13678e

I want to run this to 2 TV's. Please advise. Amp or no amp? All I really want/need is the major networks. It looks like from the report that CBS, NBC & FOX are all in Green and ABC is in Yellow and all are less than 40 miles away.

Can someone give me the best quality brand names of antenna's that will last?

The optimum solution for your location is a DB-4e aimed SSW plus a Y10-7-13 aimed WSW. Couple them with a UVSJ.

And in English? I have no idea what you mean by all that. I was looking for specific name brands. I feel like I need a multi directional antenna with a 40-60 mile range by reading all that I can about them...

He's saying an Antennas Direct DB4e UHF antenna, and a Y10-7-13 VHF antenna (google it - there's only one manufacturer).. it's sometimes named Y10713, too.

A USVJ is a UHF/VHF coupler device.

The only thing out to the WSW on VHF is WSPA, almost 70 miles away. You already have a CBS in your back yard so that station and that antenna might be considered to be optional. That VHF signal on channel 8 isn't going to happen.

I was looking for an ABC station. WLOS (real 13) is at 254 degrees and also on VHF-high band. The closer ABC station (WSOC), and it's fill-in translator, are in other directions from the local group of UHF stations.

I was trying to teach you how to fish, not do the fishing for you.

I see, I wasn't looking at WSOC. It does looks like WSOC also has W42DR as a translator over near Marion. That one is a very good prospect for the DB4e to pick up but will require the antenna to be aimed a bit further to the west. Might end up being too much of a spread, though, for the DB4e's 45-60° beam width.

I appreciate the help, and teaching me to fish. That antenna's direct is a quality antenna? I heard wineguard was a good brand name and saw this:

http://www.winegard.com/get-free-tv/.../flatwave-air/

Was wondering what you guys thought about this. I don't care how much one costs, I just want the best antenna out there, I don't want to go through what I've been through with this POS Lava I got on my roof now.

Also, preamp or no preamp? I keep reading conflicting advice.

The Antennas Direct DB4e is one of the best 4-bay UHF antennas on the market at the moment. I have one myself. It compares pretty closely to the Channel Master 4221, which I also own. There is no one perfect antenna out there - each has it's own advantages and disadvantages, so it's hard to just generalize that one antenna is "the best" out there.

Preamps are always needed when all the stations are weak. They should never be used when all the stations are strong. When one or more stations are extremely strong and others are weak you must select the preamp carefully. The Winegard antenna that you've mentioned has a built in preamp that can't be bypassed if it causes problems. That preamp has no published data to determine if it is appropriate for your location. Your problem is that WHKY is extremely strong and is likely to overload anything but the best preamp.

The one channel I could care less about is WHKY. I really don't want to install my antenna, then have to go back to put a preamp on it. Can I get some recommendations for a preamp to pair with the Antennas Direct DB4e please??

The matter isn't whether you want that station, but that you do have to care about it because it will overload most pre-amps.

It must be noted that the plot shows two entries for WHKY. The first one on the list is no longer in operation as they moved to a newer tower on Baker Mountain, 9.2 miles, 207° true from the OP's location.

I would recommend forgoing an amp until such a time as it can be demonstrated that one is actually needed.

I agree.

If you really want to try something, consider the Winegard LNA-200,

Ok, so I just put up my new Channel Master 4221, immediately got 6 new channels. Everything is coming in clearer as well. The next step is to split it and see how much it affects my signal. Any suggestions on a splitter?

Go to Home Depot and purchase one of the "Ideal" branded splitters. They're about the top of the heap as far as splitters from retail stores based on testing I did this past summer.