I favor SE because that's where your strongest Fox is, but the report is only a computer simulation, subject to many errors, especially with your terrain. I don't see any reason you can't test both directions even if you don't have a rotator.
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Wow that antenna is over 8 foot long, but if that is what it takes, but it is only uhf, don't I need a vhf/uhf?
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The Winegard HD7697P and 7698 are both VHF-High (real channels 7-13) and UHF (14-51) combo antennas. The 7697 is 131.25" long and the 7698 is 168.25" long. The baby in the series, 7694, is 65" long, but I thought it might not have enough gain for your weak signals. However, if you can get it high and in the clear, it might do; there is no substitute for antenna gain. If the signal isn't coming out of the antenna terminals, an amp can't create it.
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp...enna-(hd7694p)
http://www.skywalker.com/catalog/Manuals/WIN1051.pdf
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=hd7697p
http://www.winegard.com/kbase/uploads/HD7697P.pdf
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=hd7698p
http://www.winegard.com/kbase/uploads/HD7698P.pdf
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Also noticed it said a 60 mile antenna, is that something of concern?
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Ignore the mileage figures. They are a creation of the marketing department, not the engineering department. I go by the TVFOOL report numbers and where the antenna is located.
Interpreting Noise Margin in the TV Fool Report
http://www.aa6g.org/DTV/Reception/tvfool_nm.html
A signal, by definition, must have a Noise Margin (NM) of at least 0 dB. If the signal you want has a negative NM you can add your antenna gain and your preamp gain, but you must subtract the Noise Figure (NF) of your preamp because it adds its own internal noise that reduces the SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) of your weak signals.
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I guessed on a pre-amp for my test setup, would there be a better one to use for my situation?
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You do need a preamp; the Winegard LNA-200 is pretty good. It's adequate for your tests, but there are other preamps that have better Noise Figure specs. Consider the Antennas Direct Juice, Channel Master 7778, and RCA TVPRAMP1R. The Juice is highly resistant to overload, has a low NF, doesn't have an FM trap, so you must add one between the antenna and the input of the preamp. It does, however, have an LTE filter, which is becoming more important with new 4G frequencies just above UHF TV. The CM 7778 does have an FM filter. The RCA is inexpensive, works OK, but has a history of quality control problems. You can buy 3 for the price of the others.
I don't have your exact location, but I estimate from your TVFOOL report you are in the Faxon area of Murray, KY. I did an FMFOOL report that shows some strong FM signals that might interfere with TV reception. You should use an FM filter; some preamps have an FM filter built in. See attachment.
http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...-FM-88-/33-341
http://comingsoon.radioshack.com/rad...l#.VaW_3DjbJLM
very slow link
The coax shield should be grounded with a grounding block that is connected to the house electrical system ground with 10 gauge copper wire for electrical safety and to reject interference. For further compliance with the electrical code (NEC), the mast should also be grounded in a similar manner to drain any buildup of static charge, but the system will not survive a direct strike.