Thread: Antenna Newbie
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Old 12-Mar-2011, 6:04 AM   #7
GroundUrMast
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Greater Seattle Area
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Regardless of which antenna you choose, you will find that extreme precision when aiming is not possible or necessary with antennas of these types. Point at about 100° per your compass to start, then pan left and right to verify you have the best signal quality. You may need someone to watch the signal indicator as you make small adjustments either way.

Looking at you 30' TVF Report, I see no need for a large antenna.

The signal levels and noise margins are such that a small antenna will serve you better than a large high gain antenna. An RCA ANT751 or Antennacraft AC9 would give you enough signal aimed east. But those antennas also tend not to block signals from the rear as much as the higher gain antennas do. The three most powerful stations to the west should be received on the back side.

Quite frankly, I would expect either of those antennas to do fairly well if you mounted at 5' above your roof peak, (20' AGL by my understanding of your OP).

I don't object to anyone overbuilding. In your case, any of the Winegard HD769X series would be slight to moderate overbuild.

I've owned a Zenith DTT901 since pre-DTV transition... I've been happy with it. I still see them available through Amazon, but at rising prices. The Zinwell ZAT-970A is also there on Amazon at a more reasonable price... the reviewers are fairly positive about it.
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If the well is dry and you don't see rain on the horizon, you'll need to dig the hole deeper. (If the antenna can't get the job done, an amp won't fix it.)

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Last edited by GroundUrMast; 12-Mar-2011 at 6:47 AM.
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