[mrraffer]

For a number of the distant stations at my location, the TVFool program indicates that the signal strength increases as the antenna height is reduced and in fact, is strongest at ground level. I thought this must have been a program bug, so a few months back, before you had the forum, I wrote to you and asked about it. Someone there sent me a very clear and detailed explanation, complete with graphics of how in certain fringe locations, the ground wave, although weak, is actually stronger than the signal that arrives at the antenna through the air. I was amazed not only at the phenomenon but that someone would take so much time to explain it to me!

Unfortunately, I have somehow lost that email. However, for the one distant VHF station I had asked about (a two edge signal from 85 miles away), I verified that the signal does indeed come in significantly better the closer I move the antenna to the ground, something that simply amazed me. (And recently, after losing that signal after heavy snow, I was able to regain it after I shoveled the three feet of accumulated snow out from UNDER the 10 element Yagi. Another confirmation of where the signal is actually coming from!)

I would like to receive three weak 2 edge UHF signals from a completely different direction about 55 miles out. Once again, TVFool predicts that the signal closest to the ground will be the strongest and I have verified this using an old 25 element UHF Yagi. With that antenna at ground level, one station comes in very well, a second fair, and the third one is not strong enough to lock. I would like to buy another antenna specifically to receive these signals. My question is, what type might be better to receive ground signals...a yagi such as the XG 91 or would an 8 bay bowtie give the similar or perhaps better results? Again, both would be mounted near the ground.

My intuition tells me that the long boom of the Yagi parallel to the ground would pick up more ground signal than an 8 bay. However, my intuition was wrong before, so I figured I would write and ask!

Thank you again for your help a few months back and in advance for any assistance on the UHF antenna selection.