How accurate is TV Fool?

[newheart722]

I posted a question earlier this week requesting help to get channel 2 and 13 from Las Vegas. After reading the replies, I have accepted the fact that I most likely will not get channel 13.

So I have looked into just channel 2. I was presented two different antennas that I could use. (Winegard HD 7084P and HD 5030) I found another cheaper (VHF Low) only (YA 6260). They range in db gain from 4.6 to 6.2. The higher the price, the better the gain.

Here is the problem. I notice that the higher I would place the antenna according to the TV signal analysis, the lower my MN db. Here is a neighborhood location of my home. My results coinside with this location within .5 db across the board.

http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...pper&Itemid=90

Here is the height and NM db results for my location.
1 foot high 9.0
2 feet " 8.0
3 " " 7.3
4 " " 6.5
5 " " 6.1
6 " " 5.8
7 " " 5.4
8 " " 5.1
9 " " 4.8
10 " " 4.6
12 to 18 4.2 to 3.4
19 to 35 3.3 to 2.4
38 to 90 less than 2.3
100 feet 2.5
150 " 3.4
200 " 4.3
250 " 5.3
300 " 6.2
350 " 7.1
400 " 8.0
500 " 9.5

When I explained to my wife that these results say that the lower I put the antenna, the better the reception will be, her solution was to buy the cheapest antenna and bury it in the backyard. I couldn't argue with her sarcasm, because in this case, she had the evidence to back her up.

So am I reading this wrong, or is TV fool making one out of me?

[signals unlimited]

TV Fool is very, very, very accurate!

As for your confusion with Vegas 2, low VHF signals are 'ground wave' and depending on the terrain the signals could be there strongest at 10' UHF is 'sky wave' and Microwave (above one ghz.) 'space wave'. These three catagories all have different propogational characteristics and that is at times the challenge.

As for the accuracy, I run a very busy installation business and use the Fool radar to spec every installation. When finished with the install I use the report to calibrate the rotor with at least 95% accuracy. Dont leave home without it!

Distance , mountains , gravity , magnetic earth force , weather , combine forces the bend Tv transmissions.

And gravity and magnetic earth force will cause weak Tv transmissions over distance to rotate like a screw.

The signals you are after are Very Weak and can barley hold there own to the bending and gravity and magnetic force of the earth.

Sometimes called ground wave.

So Yes placing the antenna 1 to 5 feet above the ground will improve the signal strength.

And Yes the signal may even be steady enough to be reliable some of the time.

The reception situation that you want to do , out on the edge of nowhere , hanging on to every scrap of signal.

In the past I have went into this detail and more.

I never hear from most question askers again , for what ever reasons on their end.

A few , (very few) like the challenge and adventure and go for it.

Tv DX is a popular hobby , can find tv dxers on the internet.

Some dxers are stone cold serious and are after the Tv transmissions that can not be received.

And Yes as your chart shows , get the antenna high enough and the signal strength gets strong and stronger because the receiving antenna is so high the the antenna begining to not be block by what is in the reception path.

There is the radio horizon and visual horizon.

Getting the antenna higher or the eyes higher increases the horizon distance.

[newheart722]

I appreciate the information. I did not know that. I will keep it in mind when I do the install. Thank you so much teleview and signals unlimited.