Antenna help/recommendations

mel063 · 2-Dec-2010, 3:04 AM

I need help with an antenna. Here is my report http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a34546fcee7d. I have 1 tv, and an old antenna mounted on a pole next to my house, about 25 feet high. I can get channel 4.1 (first on my list) almost all of the time, and 13.1, 2.1 (second and third on my list) most of the time. I would like to get a good indoor antenna, so I don't have to keep going outside and turning the antenna. I bought my husband a portable tv with a telescoping antenna and he can pick up the first 10 channels on my list. If I do get another outdoor antenna, I will need a rotator. So I need recommendations for indoor and outdoor antennas, and rotators. Thank you for any help that you can give me.

John Candle · 2-Dec-2010, 5:52 AM

Is your husbands tv and your tv both at the same location and in the same building ? What is the make and model number of the portable tv that your husband watches. The tv that you watch , does it have a built in digital tuner or are you using a converter box ?

mel063 · 2-Dec-2010, 6:28 AM

He has an Eviant T7, it is digital. And Our big set is a digital tv also. No converter box . He is in the same room, with the portable next to him on the couch facing the big tv. No PiP, so one football game is on big tv, and another on the little tv (channel that won't come in on big). Tvs are about 10 feet across from each other.

John Candle · 2-Dec-2010, 8:18 AM

What is the channel that won't come in ? . Any way you can try one of these indoor antennas http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=233 . http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html . If one of the indoor antennas don't get it then I recommend a Winegard HD7694P outdoor antenna pointed to the north / north west , that group of channels has WPGH 43 FOX. . If you want WWCP 8 FOX that is located to the east then you will need a rotator the Channel Master CM9521A . . http://ww.solidsignal.com , http://www.starkelectronic.com , http://www.amazon.com

Dave Loudin · 2-Dec-2010, 2:39 PM

Two thoughts:

First, if the old antenna is still structurally intact, it should still work for picking up the Pittsburgh stations. You probably have old twinlead cable that's bad. Try replacing the existing cable with RG-6 cable and see if that fixes things. If you put a new antenna outside, you'll need to run fresh cable anyway.

Secondly, since the whip antenna on the portable worked, you can try the Terk HDTVi. Buy from somewhere that you can return it to. If the Terk doesn't work, then get the antenna John recommended.

Tower Guy · 2-Dec-2010, 3:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mel063

I would like to get a good indoor antenna, so I don't have to keep going outside and turning the antenna.

If you go down the path of indoor antennas expect to be just as frustrated and disappointed as going outside to turn the antenna. There's no indoor antenna sold that will pick up FOX on channel 8 with a NM of 9.9 db nor channel 43 with a NM of 7.8 db.

I'd suggest a 7-69 (HD-7696P) aimed at ~330° with an AP8700 preamp. You should not have to rotate the antenna. To get two FOX stations add a VHF high band (Y10-7-13) aimed at 94° and a Jointenna for channel 8.

Tigerbangs · 2-Dec-2010, 4:43 PM

Isn't trying to get TV reception in and around Pittsburgh fun? The hills are certainly beautiful, but, boy, do they ruin TV reception. Tower Guy has the right answer for you, though!