Antenna Help #2

[Terzaghi]

OK, new thread for our second property. Cabin set down in a valley area in the woods. We used to get a few channels with analog, but now with digital we get nothing.

Thoughts on external antenna in this application? Thanks!

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5b947933f5d71b


with 20 foot height
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5b94dac855446f

[StephanieS]

Greetings Terzaghi,

Your plot is very doable. One word though flags me though: trees.

Trees can be a nightmare. They can cause signals to bounce around, be reflected and ultimately arrive at your antenna much weaker than your TVfool plot calls for.

What kind of trees do you have?

Normally in situations with trees you go with a stronger antenna than what your plot would call for. This is appropriate in this situation. If I were installing an antenna on your roof without knowing anything more than your plot and that you have trees, I would go with an Antennacraft HBU44. http://www.antennacraft.com/Antennas/AntennasHBU.html and http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=hbu44. This antenna is recommended due to high-VHF support (real channels 7-13) and UHF (real channels 14 and above).

Mount antenna either on the chimney or via tripod on the roof. Orientate to magnetic heading 233. If you can find a spot where the trees thin a bit at magnetic 233 all the better. I would expect to see ABC, CBS, FOX, MyNet, NBC and PBS from Tulsa with this configuration.

How long will your coax be and how many TVs do you intend to service?

Edit: Go with the 20' elevation if you can. There are telescoping masts made by Rohn. A 30' might be a good choice mounted next to your cabin. http://www.rohnnet.com/rohn-telescoping-masts

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Reception is good at the 20 feet antenna height.

Install a , http://www.antennacraft.net ,

HBU44 antenna aimed at about 250 degree magnetic compass direction , a in between aim direction , for the reception of , KRUS-TV Real UHF channel 35 , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KRUS-TV.

And the main group of Digital Broadcast Tv Stations to the South West.

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Here are some Strong Heavy Duty High Quality antenna mounts.

http://www.ronard.com/909911.html.
Use the , ronard(911) , 5 foot tripod antenna mount.

http://www.ronard.com/34424560.html.
Use the , ronard(4560) , eave antenna mount.

http://www.ronard.com/ychim.html.
Measure around the chimney and use a , ronard(2212) , ronard(2218) , ronard(2224) .

Buy the ronard antenna mounts at , http://www.ronard.com , or , http://www.amazon.com.

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For 1 Tv connected.

A antenna system amplifier will most likely not be required for the Reception of.

KTUL Real VHF high band channel 10 , ABC and RTV.
KOTV-DM/DT Real UHF channel 45 , CBS and CW.
KOED-TV Real VHF high band channel 11 , PBS.
KOKI-DT Real UHF channel 22 , FOX and Me-Tv.
KJRH-DT Real VHF high band channel 8 , NBC
KMYT-TV Real UHF channel 42 , MyNetwork and Zuus Country.

If the following Weak Signal Strength Tv stations receptions are not reliable and you will like to receive them then install a , http://www.antennacraft.net , 10G201 preamplifier.

KRUS-TV Real UHF channel 35 , Independent Educational Tv.
KHWB-DT Real UHF channel 47 , Religion.
KQCW-DT , aka , KWBT-TV Real UHF channel 20 . CW and This Tv.

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Buy the , HBU44 antenna and 10G201 Preamp at , http://www.antennacraft.net , or , http://www.amazon.com.

If 2 or more Tv's are connected then install the preamp.

For 2 Tv's connected use a , Holland Electronics , HFS-2D , 2 way splitter.

For 3 Tv's connected use a , Holland Electronics , HFS-3D , 3 way splitter.

Buy the , HFS-2D and HFS-3D , splitters at , http://www.hollandelectronics.com , or , http://www.amazon.com.

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AS always , trees and tree leaves , plants and plant leaves , have a Negative Effect on Broadcast Tv Reception and so do buildings and other obstructions including your own roof and building.

Some and not all Negative Effects are.

Absorbing and Blocking Reception.

Multi-Path Reflecting Tv Signals Bouncing All Around.

The Best Practice for Reliable Reception is to install the antenna at a location that has the least amount to no amount of obstructions of any type or kind in the directions of reception.

The directions of reception at your location are , West and South West.

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The Tv/s Must Channel Scan for the , OTA=Over The Air , ATSC-Digital Broadcast Tv Stations/Channels , often named the ~ Antenna Channels ~ ATSC Channels ~ DTV Channels ~ Air Channels ~ in the Tv Setup Menu because the Tv transmissions travel through the Air from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna.

Some Digital Tv's will Automatic channel scan for cable tv channels.

DO NOT channel scan for cable tv channels.

Go into the Tv Setup Menu and select ~ Antenna Channewls ~ ATSC CHannels ~ DTV Channels ~ Air Channels ~.

Channel scan for the ATSC-Digital Broadcast Tv Stations/Channels.

[Terzaghi]

trees of all kinds really, pretty large. There is a 20 ft single wooded power pole that services the cabin that could be used as a mount, not sure if that would create problems or not. Just need to serve 1 TV. Cabin is small so coax run would be limited.

Top photo shows the cabin location on google, with an increase in elevation after you get past the creek. green line represents direction to broadcast tower. Second picture pretty much is looking in the direction that the signal is coming from as well (lots of trees). Note that to the northeast it is clear though as shown by the meadow in the 3rd photo, but there is 40+ feet of elevation increase to the North as well.

[StephanieS]

Lovely cabin and wooded area. Looks like a nice place of relaxation.

You are pretty enshrouded in trees. It's lovely for viewing of the foliage but bad for signals. It looks like the trees themselves are 50-75'? It would be optimal if you could get the antenna above the trees via a tower.

If I were installing an antenna here, I might opt for tower to get above the treeline. It's expensive and much work, but you'd be putting your antenna in the best possible situation to receive the signals you want.

Installing at lower heights (20' or so) will leave you at the mercy of the foliage in the summer and could cause reliability problems.

That's good you have 1 TV. From a application standpoint that makes it rather easy once the coax is in your cabin.

SS

[Terzaghi]

Awesome , thanks for all of the help. I doubt we will install a tower but will try our luck finding a clear view to the south west and get as high as possible. Relaxing place in deed, don't watch alot of tv there so we would be happy with a couple channels, especially something to watch for bad weather moving in or watch a few shows when it is raining out.

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Here is a 10 foot tripod antenna mount. http://www.ronard.com/Tripod%200703/4712.html.

Use the , ronard(4712-50-10)

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Home Depot and Lowes have 10 foot lengths of , Top Rail , fence Pipe , makes good antenna mast , the cost is low dollars.

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Trees in the direction of the South West transmitters , make good fire wood.