Now I really need advice about mounting. A tech person at a company I called (not sure if it's ok to say which) basically said: "Yours is easy. Get a Rohn 9H50 34 foot telescoping antenna. The tech person said stick it a couple feet in the ground, etc. Comes in 5-foot sections. Raise it up the remaining 32 feet. Use a couple of Rohn wall mounts. If 14 feet of mast is not guyed (which would be the case) ... no problem. It'll do it."
What I need to know is do telescoping mounts work well? I've read they can get sticky, will pinch fingers, etc. And if they ever to get bent a bit -- harder and harder to work them. I need something that I can get to easily from the ground or at least from my 4-12 pitch back porch roof. Comments on telescoping masts I found seemed all over the map, with some negatives (hard to raise, stickiness, etc.) and I'd been looking into tilt-over options until he advised me the Rohn telescoping was a good, simple way to go. The mast plan is really what I need help with. I am really trying to stay away from mounts on my steep upper roof and also from penetrating my roof (new roof last year). I might have some options for guy wiring if that's what I'd have to do (well, at least I've figured where two could go). I'd rather not, but maybe I could.
Here's another radar plot, at 32 feet. It assumes 2 feet of Rohn mast in ground, 32 feet of mast in the air. Clears my 26 foot roof peak by 6 feet. The upper wall mount bracket would be in framing studs, at about 18 feet above ground. No trees or nearby obstructions anywhere near for all compass directions.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1dda3e1fe0c869
One other question: Winegard 7696P was recommended, about 11 lbs. I had said as long as I could reliably get most of the major broadcast networks, I'd be happy and so CBS was expendable. However, I'm curious
what would it take to get WJHL (CBS), since it looks like they have a virtual channel 11.2 my kids would really benefit from. Thanks to everyone in advance... my main concern is about whether telescoping masts are decent stuff or to be avoided.
Finally (yes, I feel like a ping pong ball now) this is a response I just got from [a reputable company], after emailing to ask what on center spacing their Ronard 124 wall mount bracket had: "In the ground mast will effect the antennas ability to get the signal, your best bet is to use a rather large antenna outside on the roof. I recommend the Winegard HD 7697 antenna."