Help choose antenna - Fremont CA

ashok · 2-Nov-2010, 5:08 PM

Hi,
Here is my tvfool report:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...81a37c1cecfc60

I'm looking to connect 2 TVs to the antenna (if possible), one with a digital tuner and one with HDTV. I'm interested in only English channels and don't care about spanish or chinese channels. I am more inclined to use an outdoor antenna in a one story building.

I would really appreciate any help.

Thanks a bunch...

John Candle · 2-Nov-2010, 6:09 PM

The television transmissions are from opposite directions and are very strong. If the building is not wrapped with any metal like metal siding or stucko with stucko Wire or any other metal. Or if the building does not have poured concrete walls , then indoor antennas should work Ok. http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=233

ashok · 2-Nov-2010, 8:01 PM

Thanks for your quick response. I bought this indoor antenna.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-Amplif...tenna/11080817

But when I put it next to TV, the image is not clear and I get a lot of interference and broken images. So I put the same antenna in the backyard and use a cable from there to connect to TV, the image is a lot better. That was the reason I was thinking may be I need a multi-directional outdoor antenna.
This is my first experimentation with antennas so I do not have any clue. Please let me know your thoughts. Also I have a old Sony trinitron flat screen TV and looking to get OTA on that. Do you also have any suggestions for digital tuners for this. And also can I use the same antenna for both the TVs?

Thanks and I really appreciate your help.

Tower Guy · 2-Nov-2010, 9:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashok

Thanks and I really appreciate your help.

Indoors you have too much multipath. Outdoors you have too much signal. You should not have bought an amplified antenna.

Consider instead an ANT-751 mounted on the side of the house or in the attic and aimed at 298°.

John Candle · 3-Nov-2010, 5:15 AM

Read this again and understand it http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=233 . A simple -->Plain Jane<-- indoor antenna. Move the antenna away from interference generators like Tv's , computers , stereos , and etc. . Do not bury the antenna in all kinds of junk and crap , do not hide it , put the antenna as much as possible out in the open. If it is to be a outside antenna like the ANT 751 , then put it on the roof in such a manner that the reception of the antenna is not blocked by the roof. Out side antennas work the best when the reception is not being blocked by any thing. I am telling you the straight out truth , I am not a social flutterby and I do not jabber about nothing .

kieths · 19-Feb-2011, 12:09 AM

Ashok, I am also located in Fremont, CA, and understand the challenge in trying to pull in stations at medium range in opposite angles.

I assume you are targeting channel 1.x for it's ethnic programming, but that particular station is too low power to be stable if you're not pointing directly at it. But when you point to ch 1.1 (SJ) and away from channel 7.x (SF), etc. you lose the weaker channels in that direction for the same reason.

My solution was to double stack common roof top dual band antennas, and to wire them co-phased to pull in stations for both directions at once (SJ & SF).

All theory be damned, I found I didn't have to separate the two antennas by the 'required' 9.12 ft. vertical gap. I double stacked my 2 antennas with a gap of about 3 ft., then cut the coax equal length for both despite their pole placement, and finally joined them with a 75 ohm splitter in reverse, with the single output going to the tv. Results are very good. Channel 1.x pulls a signal strength of about 65~70%, with most other channels in the 80+% range.

There is a very low cost source for refurb/open box antennas in Fremont....I got one of my two antennas there for about 75% off the original MSRP...

John Candle · 19-Feb-2011, 1:24 AM

Wow , Secret X Channels and Secret unnamed Tv antennas. . If something as common as Tv channels and Tv antennas are Secret. Then where will the truth be found??

kieths · 19-Feb-2011, 2:16 AM

Hahahaa... You're a riot.

Ok... specifics to add spice to life:

I assumed by the writer's name, the ethnic interest in Indian channels, specifically channels KTNC (channel 42 / virtual channel 1-3 or 1-4), and KTSF (channel 26-4, I believe).

KTNC ch 42 transmits in San Jose, CA, a distance of about 5 miles, but at low power (12.2kw), at an angle of about 123 degrees. I found (no shock) that some tuners auto-place this channel in the line-up as channel 1-x (includes sub-channels 1-1~1-15, the first channel being the local channel listing guide, and the last 3 channels being audio only), while others (the early Magnavox converter box comes to mind), leave it in it's original 42-x position.

KTSF ch 26 transmits in San Francisco, CA, a distance of about 28 miles, 291 degrees, with a stronger signal (858kw).

But as I mentioned in my previous posting, channel 7, KGO-TV, in San Francisco, CA, 31 miles is a challenging signal (298 degrees)(with a weak 23.8kw), especially if your antenna is pointing to San Jose and showing a backside to San Francisco. There are other weak channels in the SF lineup other than ch 7, but I didn't go through and write down each unstable SF channel I saw with my original single direction antenna setup.

There is no challenge in pulling in both directions using a rotator. But as an option for a more stable mounting, I opted to use the Winegard HD8200U pointed to about 310 degrees in favor of pulling the weaker 68-1, KTLN-TV, and a second antenna on the same pole but separated by about 2.5 feet - an Antennacraft HD1850 pointed to 125 degrees to pull in the San Jose, CA stations. I found that channel KTNC (above) was relatively weak at my location (35% signal strength with indoor antenna, 40% with a basic bowtie outdoors ground level). The signal was not stable, and froze regularly. I opted for the overkill, HD1850, to ensure solid signal despite weather.

The 'secret' (was it a secret?) source for amazing open box deals is none other than Digicircle (yes, they sell exclusively via their website, though they allow local pickup). They don't stock squat...that is, it's just pot luck. If they've got it, it's a good deal; once sold, they may never sell the same thing again. My antenna from them, the HD1850, sold for about $40 (vs. the suggested $200+ MSRP, or online best-price-I've-seen of $104 + shipping). Mine was supposedly in 'like new' condition. It was...open box, and the box indicated it had previously been sold to Radio Shack. It works well, though I wouldn't agree with, "like new".

More secrets? Oh, yes, the antenna pole, a 10.5 foot cyclone fence top post (about $10 from Home Depot), and a chimney mount kit (Channel Master, I think) from Fry's Electronics locally (about $25, I think).

Hmmm... did I leave anything out--- yes.. I put all my connections inside a weather proof plastic box mounted on my chimney.

If that's not TMI, and if there are actually still questions (shock!), just ask.

I cut non-English/Chinese channels from my TV channel line-up, and my lineup now includes English:40 channels, and Chinese:8 channels. I didn't tally other languages, sorry.