Looking for guidance to access Milwaukee signals

[wldlif7]

Here's my situation. I have a hbu55 positioned at 340 degrees towards Green Bay at 32' above grade w/ a Winguard 8700 amp attached to a 75' long cable run.
I want to also be able to access Milwaukee but not sure if I should add another antenna ( and how I would connect ino existing setup ) or a rotator to existing setup.
I have looked at rotator's thinking that may be the best option but found mixed reviews. I also record a lot of the ota shows to my TiVo unit and how a rotator would impact if I wanted to record shows from Green Bay and Milwaukee in the same day without human intervention turning the rotator? Or if even possible.

I have also included link to my analysis below for my location. If there are any questions or I have left out info let me know.


http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...cc49142b406e86

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Dave

[Stereocraig]

Hey Dave, welcome to the forum!

A lot depends on whether your tuners allow you to simply ADD channels, VS doing a complete rescan. After you do a scan on some tuners, a second scan wipes out the first channels scanned.

Rotors are time consuming and prone to failure.

You can combine two antennae into the preamp, or you can use two antennae and two preamps joined w/ an A-B switch.

The last option is what I do, but you may not care to shell out for an additional preamp.
At your location, you may even be able to P/U Michigan w/ a rotor.

I like this website too, cause it shows stations that don't show up in TVF.

http://www.antennapoint.com/antennas...+Search&search[uhf_ant]=1&search[vhf_ant]=1&search[min_erp]=0&search[max_erp]=9000&search[max_distance]=150


Good luck and GO PACK!

I think that Milwaukee and Green Bay can be received with the HBU55 , with no rotator.

The Milwaukee Digital Tv stations/channels are weaker signal strength.

The Green Bay Digital Tv stations/channels are stronger signal strength.


Aim the HBU55 at about 200 degree magnetic compass direction , Milwaukee.

This will put the stronger signal strength , Green Bay Digital Tv stations/channels at a , back angle , to the HBU55.

Directional antennas receive the best at the front of the antenna and also receive at , front angles , and , back-back angles , to the the antenna.

The HBU55 aim direction can be adjusted for the best reception of Milwaukee and Green Bay Digital Tv stations/channels.

Here is how to aim antennas , http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html.

Most Digital Tv's have a built in signal strength meter and some digital Tv's also have a signal quality meter.

__________

As always , trees and tree leaves do a real fine job of reducing or blocking Digital Tv reception and so do buildings and other obstructions including your own house.

It is best to install the HBU55 at a location that has the least amount to no amount of obstructions of any type or kind in the directions of reception including your own house.

Digital Tuners can develop - Digital Glitches - that are not cleared out with a simple channel scan.

Do a Double Channel Scan.

http://www.dtv.gov/rescan.html.

[GroundUrMast]

Combining a UHF and VHF antenna is easy given the low cost and availability of UHF/VHF combiners (UVSJ). Reliably combining two broadband antennas (UHF+VHF) or two same band antennas is very difficult to do successfully with consumer grade parts. One of the only remaining sources of tuned combiners that I'm aware of is tinlee.com.

I agree with teleview, try pointing the existing antenna at the weaker group of signals - you may find there's enough signal power from the stronger group to be received well by the rear of the antenna.

If that's not successful, there are other options, with no monthly fees, to replace the TiVo. A PC running Windows 7 Home Premium is preloaded with Media Center, a TV view/record application that simply needs one or more tuners to function. http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=820 This and other Home-Theater-PC options can be configured to use several antennas.

Here are some Digital tuners and DVR's that require no computer to operate and have the latest IC chips and digital broadcast tv tuners.

http://www.epvision.com.

http://www.channelmasterstore.com

[wldlif7]

Thanks for all the input!!
I have had the hbu55 pointed at 192 degrees to do as stated above, point to weaker and try picking up stronger on back side, could not receive channel 11, 14 & 38 consistently out of Green Bay. I even tried hbu55 pointed at Milwaukee and a Bowtie towards Green Bay, combined through a Winguard 2870 preamp, received most of Milwaukee stations pretty good, but issues on 6 from Milwaukee, and pretty weak on Green Bay channels.

I don't mind the TiVo costs, but didn't realize it could be part of the issue. I will try the 200 range tomorrow and see if that improves on both cities signals.
I am also trying the double channel scan and will post again after I try repointing antenna tomorrow.
Thanks again for all the input, much appreciated!!
Dave

If the HBU55 aimed for both directions does not work.

Then aim the HBU55 at Green Bay.

Then install a Winegard HD7084P antenna aimed at about 192 degree magnetic compass direction.

Install a Winegard AP8700 preamp with the HD7084P antenna.

For 1 Tv connected use no splitter.

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

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

Buy the HFS splitters at , http://www.solidsignal.com or http://www.hollandelectronics.com.
___________

The 2 antenna Systems Will Not be connected together on to one coax.

The 2 antenna systems are Separate all the way to the locations of the Tv/s.

A Remote Control A/B antenna coax switch is connected to the separate antenna system coaxes at each Tv location.

http://www.radioshack.com , #15-1968 . or http://www.mcmelectronics.com #32-4425 .

A/B antenna coax switching is Channel Surfing Friendly , push the button on the hand held remote control , Change Antennas And Keep On Channel Surfing.

____________

As always , trees and tree leaves do a real fine job of reducing or blocking Tv reception and so do buildings and other obstructions including your own house.

It is best to install antenna at a location that has the least amount to no amount of obstructions of any type or kind in the directions of reception including your own house.

It is well known Tivo does not have the best digital broadcast tv tuners.

And digital broadcast tv tuners that connect inside a computer slot are not the best tuners.