Joe's Antenna Suggestion - Page 2

jp2code · 15-Mar-2015, 3:01 AM

My DB8e got here yesterday, and I got it installed today.

...well, I got it hung, but not wired up.

How do I tell which side is the front? Both sides are flat, and the instructions don't say.

GroundUrMast · 15-Mar-2015, 5:28 AM

The 'bow-tie' elements have red insulating material at their tips. This is the front end of the antenna. The back end of the antenna is wire mesh grid material. The elements should face the signal source.

jp2code · 15-Mar-2015, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroundUrMast

The 'bow-tie' elements have red insulating material at their tips. This is the front end of the antenna. The back end of the antenna is wire mesh grid material. The elements should face the signal source.

Thanks!

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jp2code · 1-May-2015, 2:47 AM

So, just FYI:

That antenna is badass!

jp2code · 7-Dec-2015, 1:54 AM

So, the AntennaCraft Y5713 was working great at pulling in that one VHF High channel - right up until a limb fell and crushed it.

Now, it appears AntennaCraft has discontinued it.

I can't seem to find any basic little VHF antennas anymore. What's up with that?

Does anyone here have any good leads on a decent VHF antenna? It doesn't need to be fancy.

ADTech · 7-Dec-2015, 3:09 AM

Antenna Craft is out of business, part of the Radio Shack bankruptcy.

Flint Ridge · 7-Dec-2015, 1:05 PM

Stellar Labs has stuff out on Amazon. Have not used them... There are others, too I'm sure.

Flint Ridge · 7-Dec-2015, 1:07 PM

Here is another one... Again, can't say how good it is...

http://www.abilityhdtv.com/product-i...nna-pid65.html

Tower Guy · 7-Dec-2015, 1:26 PM

MCM also carries a cheap VHF only antenna. I don't know anything else about it.

ADTech · 7-Dec-2015, 1:36 PM

..and we do have out ClearStream 5, of course. Compact, medium gain high-VHF performance. Performance similar to a 5- 6 element Yagi but much more compact.

jp2code · 7-Dec-2015, 9:32 PM

Oh! That would explain it.

I just ordered this one:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/30-2475

It has 2 reviews, both good.

Fingers crossed.

MikeBear · 8-Dec-2015, 9:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp2code

Oh! That would explain it.

I just ordered this one:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/30-2475

It has 2 reviews, both good.

Fingers crossed.

That's a great antenna, I own two of them. They are very comparable to the AntennaCraft Y5713 antenna.

I gave Holl_ands all the specs over on the digitalhome Canadian forum, and he modeled it through the 4Nec2 program. Post starts here, and runs a couple pages: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/186-...ml#post2583505

jp2code · 20-Dec-2015, 1:02 AM

You're right, Mike!

The Stellar Labs 30-2475 antenna is made much better quality than the AntennaCraft Y5713 it replaced!

Here are some pics of it put up:

There are a lot of trees for it to force a signal through, though.

MikeBear · 20-Dec-2015, 1:14 AM

Looks good. However it's too closely mounted under your UHF antenna. They need to be at least 2 feet apart, and should really be 3 feet apart.

Otherwise they will interact in unpredictable ways.

jp2code · 20-Dec-2015, 1:26 AM

Oh!

No one ever said that before.

jp2code · 11-Mar-2020, 6:34 PM

Very old thread, but I did move the VHF antenna inside the attic and it was doing great all these years.

A few months ago, we had a big storm and the one VHF station went away. I thought their tower had issues, so I ignored it. Time went by and I contacted them. They said there is no issue with their antenna. When I look in the attic, everything is still connected.

What would cause the VHF station to go away? What is a good, basic way to troubleshoot this? I don't have RF testing equipment.

The UHF and VHF are joined at a splitter (maybe there is a better name for that) and they both travel down the same coax to the television.

MikeBear · 11-Mar-2020, 6:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp2code

Very old thread, but I did move the VHF antenna inside the attic and it was doing great all these years.

A few months ago, we had a big storm and the one VHF station went away. I thought their tower had issues, so I ignored it. Time went by and I contacted them. They said there is no issue with their antenna. When I look in the attic, everything is still connected.

What would cause the VHF station to go away? What is a good, basic way to troubleshoot this? I don't have RF testing equipment.

The UHF and VHF are joined at a splitter (maybe there is a better name for that) and they both travel down the same coax to the television.

Perhaps the station changed frequencies, due to the repack going on? Have you rescanned your channels to see if it then comes in? What are the stations call letters? Maybe it's running lower power temporarily due to repack issues

Do you have any other VHF station, that still comes in right now? What are it's call letters?

Here's the big daddy version of your Stellar Labs VHF antenna. If you ever want to upgrade: https://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/...nna/dp/71Y5462

jp2code · 11-Mar-2020, 7:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeBear

Perhaps the station changed frequencies, due to the repack going on? Have you rescanned your channels to see if it then comes in? What are the stations call letters? Maybe it's running lower power temporarily due to repack issues

Do you have any other VHF station, that still comes in right now? What are it's call letters?

Here's the big daddy version of your Stellar Labs VHF antenna. If you ever want to upgrade: https://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/...nna/dp/71Y5462

Back on Post 1, I listed the TV Fool data. It hasn't changed. There is still only one VHF station in my area. It is KLTV, and in the green zone.

I have done a rescan of the channels, and it no longer appears. I have to punch it in manually.

I suppose it could be running in low power mode.

MikeBear · 11-Mar-2020, 7:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp2code

Back on Post 1, I listed the TV Fool data. It hasn't changed. There is still only one VHF station in my area. It is KLTV, and in the green zone.

I have done a rescan of the channels, and it no longer appears. I have to punch it in manually.

I suppose it could be running in low power mode.

What does: "I have to punch it in manually" mean? Are you saying if you punch in say 7.1 on your remote, it then comes in and works?

If so, then what does: "It no longer appears" mean? No longer appears WHERE, or on what?

What brand and model number of tv set, or tuner device are you using? If you have more than one, does this happen on all of them?

By the way, TvFool hasn't updated in a very long time, it's no longer accurate. Here's a RabbitEars report for your area: https://www.rabbitears.info/searchma...study_id=68840

jp2code · 11-Mar-2020, 8:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeBear

What does: "I have to punch it in manually" mean? Are you saying if you punch in say 7.1 on your remote, it then comes in and works?

If so, then what does: "It no longer appears" mean? No longer appears WHERE, or on what?

What brand and model number of tv set, or tuner device are you using? If you have more than one, does this happen on all of them?

By the way, TvFool hasn't updated in a very long time, it's no longer accurate. Here's a RabbitEars report for your area: https://www.rabbitears.info/searchma...study_id=68840

That means the channel search doesn't find it, and I have to push in 7.1 on the remote to see a bunch of static.

EDIT: Actually, it isn't static. People on here are too literal. The TV says there is no signal.