On a mountain in San Francisco
 

Hi. I’m hoping the experts on here will be able to help me understand what kind of OTA reception is feasible where we live. I’m primarily interested in network affiliates, especially PBS.

Here is a link to the report: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e2cb3dd5febe5d

We’re in San Francisco. We’re not far from the main transmission tower, Sutro Tower, but there’s a terrain issue. Specifically, there is a small mountain in between, Mount Davidson, so no actual line of sight.

On the other hand, we do have line of sight (literally, I can see them from the window) to some transmitters a few miles away on the San Bruno hills.

We used to live a few miles to the west, closer to the ocean, and we were able to get the main local network affiliates with a rooftop antenna. I’d be happy to try that approach at the new place, if it seems likely to work.

I bought a window-mount antenna ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RFLXE0A/ ) and tried it with and without the amplifier, pointed south toward San Bruno and in other directions as well. I got a few odd independents, but no reliable signals for network affiliates. Not even KNTV/NBC, which apparently transmits from San Bruno. I got nothing for channels that transmit from Sutro Tower. I returned the window-mount.

Am I out of luck? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Your signals show very strong signals. While window mount antennas are not the greatest, I'm surprised that you did not receive more channels. Did the window you tried have metal screens?

A rooftop antenna should do fine. Probably an RCA ANT-751. You have channels in several directions, so experimenting is needed depending on what you want. Aiming at either 346 or 150 degrees should get you the stations in both directions. But I'd be tempted to also try aiming at the various stations towards the northeast and southeast to see what you get.

That said, with signal levels so strong I'd probably pick up a simple table top antenna at Walmart or a local store that stocks antennas (one with a good return policy) and try it. Unless your house is wrapped in metal (aluminum siding or stucco).

The TVFool numbers for locations such as this are completely wrong. The simulator fails to take into account both depression angle from the transmitting to receiving antennas as well as its (transmitting antenna) vertical radiation pattern. The simulation assumes the receiving antenna is in the main lobe of the transmitting antenna which, of course, is not the case. It's also unable to calculate a Fresnel zone for a location this close so it seems to default to LOS which, after viewing a topo map of this location, is absolutely not the case. Consequently, the calculated signal powers for UHF signals, for example, can be as much as 40 dB too high.

This location is in what I, years ago, termed "Death Valley" for TV reception due to severe multipath. Any time a customer called in with an indoor antenna, I just groaned and did the best I could, trying to get them to go to the rooftop to at least have a chance. Anything other than extraordinary attention to detail usually resulted in disappointing reception.

Go ahead and try the antenna that Jake suggested if you can pick one up locally or, pick up one of our ClearStream 2V antennas from any of our retail partners (Best Buy, Walmart, Radio Shack, Fry's) and give it shot with the antenna aimed up the hill towards Sutro. Do NOT use any amplifiers. This test will see if there's hope for you.

Good luck!

Thanks, that's really helpful!