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Old 7-Aug-2015, 7:22 PM   #8
rabbit73
Retired A/V Tech
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: S.E. VA
Posts: 2,747
Quote:
If I get one of the new series
The 7696 was part of that series. The 7694 is the smallest with the lowest gain; the 7698 is the largest with the highest gain. Winegard has been making the selection of antennas and preamps smaller, so they dropped the 7696 because it wasn't much different than the 7694 and 7697.
Quote:
am I likely to get more stations than the three I currently receive? ie CHIII-HD, CH-CH HD and CTV (CFTO)?
I can't give you a good answer, because I am not able to make an accurate analysis; your TVFOOL link in the first post doesn't work because the center part is missing.

Can you redo your TVFOOL report for your exact address (which will not show) or exact coordinates (which will be shortened)?

At his point it looks like your reception problem is difficult, because your best signals are in different directions and the rest are impossibly weak.

In the report that Greenish Apple did in post #2 for Gravenhurst, I don't see CHIII-HD, but I do see CIII-DT digital Global on real channel 7. There are other CIII-DTs listed but you probably don't mean them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIII-DT
scroll down to Transmitters

I don't see CH-CH HD, but I do see CHCH-DT digital on real channel 15 with an impossible Noise Margin of -26.0 dB and a Tropo signal path if I click on Current database: All channels in your report. However, if I click on Pending* applications included: All channels I see CHCH-DT on real channel 23 with a very good signal.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHCH-DT
scroll down to transmitters

CFTO-TV analog on real channel 21 is your strongest signal. You should be able to receive it even if your antenna is aimed at CIII and CHCH. If not, try between the two.

CKNY-TV and CKVR-DT are fairly strong, but they are in different directions which would require a rotator, and your Sony would need to be able to add a channel after scan.

You should replace the brown 300 ohm twin lead with RG6 coax. If the generic report for Gravenhurst is fairly accurate the 7694 might have enough gain for your 3 strongest signals IF there aren't any trees or other buildings in the signal path. The upgrade would be the 7697 which has a little more gain but its beamwidth is a little narrower which makes aiming more critical. However, even the big 7698 can't "see" signals through trees.

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 in US), 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.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 7-Aug-2015 at 8:44 PM.
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