Trees Causing Reception Problem?

[JBS]

I installed an RCA ANT751 on my second-floor deck this winter, facing a line of 50-60 foot trees about a hundred yards away. (I live in Iowa - no leaves on the trees in winter.) No problems, excellent reception even from towers over 50 miles away. I've attached the signal analysis results for my location.

In the last few days, I'm starting to see pixilation and break-up on 2 channels, and it's getting worse by the day. All other channels are fine. Co-incidentally (or not), the trees are just starting to leaf out.

The 2 channels with problems are 7 and 9 (real channels), the lowest of all my channels. Real channel 51 is located on the same tower as channel 9, but channel 51 reception is fine.

Does this sound like a tree problem or something else?

[GroundUrMast]

The trees putting on leaves will reduce signal strength.

The RCA ANT-751 simply does not have enough forward gain in your situation. A Winegard HD7696P or Antennacraft HBU-55 would be a more suitable choice. Higher mounting elevation may also have a significant payback... You can explore that by re-running your TVF Report at higher elevations.

If you split the signal to two or more sets, a preamplifier such as the Antennas Direst CPA19 or an Antennacraft 10G201 may be needed.

So the bottom line is, yes it's a tree problem but it's also an antenna problem.

[John Candle]

I agree with GUM , you can also try probing with the ANT751 moving the antenna around looking for hot spots. Digital channels 7 and 9 in the VHF High Band of digital 7 thru 13 are troublesome channels. Signal reflections from dense trees and signal reduction from dense trees and signal reflections in dense cities make digital 7 and 9 hard to receive. Interference from other types and kinds of transmitters degrade digital Tv channels 7 and 9. Getting the antenna higher to clear obstructions will usually fix the problem and a larger antenna will usually fix the problem. Larger antennas have more forward gain and are better at rejecting unwanted signals at the sides and back of the antenna.