Attic or external antenna and suggestions

c-bolt · 22-Feb-2018, 11:59 PM

Hello,

As an uneducated consumer and recent cord cutter I purchased a Mohu Leaf Ultimate (http://store.gomohu.com/leaf-50-indo...v-antenna.html). I didn't need the amplifier that came with it to receive some signals, but overall it works for a few channels.

I put it in the window where the red circle is and since my house is prewired with 2 runs of coax to each room. The wiring goes to a hub where I have it split 3 ways (passive splitter) and run to 3 other rooms. It works pretty good as the signal for the channels I receive is decent.

I would like to get CBS and Fox, however, and I'm hoping you guys can point me to antenna that might work. I don't mind replacing the one cheap antenna I bought with one that would work for all if possible. As you will see in the pictures, I can locate the antenna inside the attic either above the garage inside the big red triangle or at the top above the bedroom. I can also probably install one on the outside under the eave, pointing SW, but my wife wont like that. As you can see that wall of the house points almost directly W.

Do you think I can get one to work that is inside the attic space or will I need to install under the eave?

Which antenna would work best for this application?

Here is the report:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...90383d4bfc7d6d

Jake V · 23-Feb-2018, 6:02 PM

Did you try pointing the Mohu Leaf with the flat side to the south-southwest somewhere in the house? If yes, what happened? [I want to make sure you just didn't lay it flat against a window pointing west, and that the window does not have a metal screen or low-e glass to block signals.]

If not, as an experiment, I would find a way to face that antenna to the south-southwest, to 196 degrees with a compass anywhere in the house. Do a scan for channels and see if CBS and Fox are found. If not, and if your television supports manual channel entry, enter the "real channel" numbers for CBS and Fox (28 and 20). Post a list of channels received and those not received (list the information in the first four columns of your TV Fool report for each channel).

My guess at this point is that you would do well with either the Antennas Direct C2V or RCA-751r antennas, provided they are faced south-southwest. Attics are tough places for antennas. You can only try and see what happens. And you might have to try the antenna in multiple places in the attic to find the sweet spot - it may or may not be near the west wall. [If you get an antenna at Walmart you can return it if it doesn't work.]

rickbb · 23-Feb-2018, 6:40 PM

I'd eave mount it at the peak, ON THE OTHER SIDE of the house. Put it up high enough to "see" over the house but low enough that you won't see it from the drive way side, which I assume is the front of the house. And why your wife won't like it there.

Edit;

Looking at your pic labeled north, it looks like you also have another peak in the middle of the roof. That's the same as my roof and where I have my antenna. It' actually the perfect place for it.

c-bolt · 23-Feb-2018, 8:41 PM

Thanks for the reply!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake V

Did you try pointing the Mohu Leaf with the flat side to the south-southwest somewhere in the house? If yes, what happened? [I want to make sure you just didn't lay it flat against a window pointing west, and that the window does not have a metal screen or low-e glass to block signals.]

Yes, I tried out the window, facing SW with my iphone compass as a rough guide on a temp cardboard mount. Couldn't get any reception on those two channels. I wasn't sure if my phone was giving true or mag north, so I used both directions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake V

If not, as an experiment, I would find a way to face that antenna to the south-southwest, to 196 degrees with a compass anywhere in the house. Do a scan for channels and see if CBS and Fox are found. If not, and if your television supports manual channel entry, enter the "real channel" numbers for CBS and Fox (28 and 20). Post a list of channels received and those not received (list the information in the first four columns of your TV Fool report for each channel).

Unfortunately I cant manually tune my tv, but here's some other info:

KYES____5____(5.1)___Myn (weak after split 3 ways)
KTUU ___10___(2.1)___NBC
KAKM ___8____(7.1)___PBS
KYUR ___12___(13.1)__ABC (weak after split 3 ways)
KDMD___33___(33.1)__ION (Weak after split 3 ways)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake V

My guess at this point is that you would do well with either the Antennas Direct C2V or RCA-751r antennas, provided they are faced south-southwest. Attics are tough places for antennas. You can only try and see what happens. And you might have to try the antenna in multiple places in the attic to find the sweet spot - it may or may not be near the west wall. [If you get an antenna at Walmart you can return it if it doesn't work.]

As RickBB suggested, I'm going to try and mount one on the second eave on the roof where it wont be noticable, plus this will give me a few more feet of elevation as I will be able to rise up a bit. Would your recommendations still stand for antennas since I can go larger as the wife wont see it? We get a fair amount of wind and snow here in Alaska, so Ill have to have a sturdy as heck mount.

Thanks again for the help so far!

ADTech · 23-Feb-2018, 9:42 PM

It is useful to note that your current antenna is a UHF-only design. It performs poorly on high-VHF once incoming signals start to get a bit weaker and it's almost useless on low-VHF unless you're very close to the tower (as you happen to be).

You are likely going to need to work a lot harder to receive the CBS and Fox stations as they both have several difficulty factors associated with them: They're among the furthest away, they are on VERY short towers, and they only send a relatively small amount of power in your direction. There will be no margin for any shortcuts if you want your best odds of getting them in. That means you need to put the antenna where it has the very best chance of being successful.

Use the interactive map tool and turn on the lines to transmitters. Using the satellite view, you can zoom in and see the required direction to aim the antenna as viewed from overhead. Much more useful than messing with a compass (which has a terrible amount of declination in your are)!

All that said, my recommendation for the best chances of success the first time around would be to go with a 91XG supplemented with our simple VHF-1 module (if needed) and a preamp like our Juice. Focus reception on the two problem stations, the rest of the UHF stations should easily get dragged along for the ride. Chances are, the VHF module won't be needed.

Of note is KYES which is currently transmitting on low-VHF 5. Last fall, they applied for and received authorization to abandon channel 5 and move their signal to high-VHF channel 7. I have no idea when they will make the change except that they probably won't do it in winter weather.

c-bolt · 25-Feb-2018, 2:31 AM

Ok great. Thanks for the info.

Interesting with channel 5 as we already have channel 7. Maybe they're just going to add more 7.whatever numbers.

Too bad you guys don't ship to Alaska. I guess ill find it on Amazon.

Thanks Again

ADTech · 25-Feb-2018, 3:05 AM

Quote:

Interesting with channel 5 as we already have channel 7. Maybe they're just going to add more 7.whatever numbers.

Behold, the confusion caused by virtual channels. Your local "channel 7" actually transmits on channel 8. KYES, after they move and you re-scan, will still display as channel 5.x even though their signal will then be on channel 7.

Yes, please use Amazon or any of our resellers. We simply aren't set up to ship outside the contiguous 48.