[andy.s.lee]

Originally Posted by herplace

I'd still prefer stealth reception capability (under the roof in the attic) The aesthetics of that rooftop mount option and my resistance make the ultimate choice interesting to consider. I'd almost rather spend more to achieve attic reception if that is even possible than the inevitable added cost of getting things up on or above the roof.

The channels in your area are not very strong. Going to the roof is your best bet at getting reliable signals.

The attic has a chance of working, but since your attic is tight on space, you might not be able to go for the big high-gain antenna that you would need to make up for the building losses. It's more of a gamble if you want to give it a shot.

Would the purchase of a pre amp be specific to a particular antenna size? I'm presuming that what I have that is it's "type" is perfectly specific for this project for now. I'm wondering if with the existing antenna checking out in terms of its present condition being paired to a pre amp would then need to be different if I get a newer or possibly larger antenna?

Not really. There are just a handful of pre-amps that get recommended a lot. It's very important to get a pre-amp with a low Noise Figure (NF), and these particular amps are known to have good NF specs (under 3.0 dB). For distant signals like yours (signal overload is not a concern for your location), then high gain amps like the Winegard 8275 or Channel Master 7777 are popular choices.

Even if you switched antennas, these amps would still work great.

Is there a golden rule about antenna size? I guess I mean: Does the next size up of the required type end up taking up twice as much space?

There are no "standard" antenna sizes, so each manufacturer is free to come up with whatever sizes they think their customers want. In general, bigger does perform better. It's plain physics that you need more antenna to catch more signal.

Since you have a multiple VHF channels (6, 7, 9, 12, 13) to pick up, it means you'll need an antenna with very long antenna elements that take up a bunch of space. Low frequency means long wavelengths, and this requires long antenna elements.

I'm thinking if RG6 cable and the pre amp strike out under the roof with the existing antenna that the roof top mount experiment will deserve it's chance and rather than try and get the old antenna out and put a new one in it's place, I'll just try a new one on the roof, possibly a bigger one, if it'll fit in the attic or not. Hence the pre amp size question.

That's perfectly sensible. Try what you prefer first, and if it doesn't work, then take the next step of making it better. As long as you don't mind a little bit of trial and error, then I'm sure you'll eventually settle on the solution that works best for you. If you plan it right, you can try each option and switch to the next "better" option as needed, and keep costs to a minimum.

One tip... If you are going to purchase things for "experimental" installations, be sure to check on the return policies of the stores you purchase from, and keep all receipts. Just in case something needs to go back, it's good to plan ahead.

Best regards,
Andy