Southern Illinois Reception/Setup

[mgpjeepfan]

Hi, I am considering switching to just over-the-air TV. I would like some feedback on what type of antenna/pre-amp setup would be ideal to use. I have an existing tower that I could install an antenna as high as 50 feet. I would like to pull in primarily St. Louis Stations, but would also like to receive stations out of Paducah, KY. I will be connecting two, possibly three, TV's.

Here is my TV Report. Thanks for any help.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...1dda50aac407d8

[red_dog007]

Go over to www.rabbitears.info and see what channels you'd actually get from each one of those towers. See where duplicates exist. You got stuff coming in from multiple angles, so see if you can eliminate any direction that you don't need to care about.
Rabbitears is also a little more up to date as far as what towers are still in service so might be a little less then what TVFool reports.

I'd start out with a 91GX and start pointing it where stuff is coming in from. Feed the antenna into a preamp and run RG6 coax. A second antenna might be a likely possibility.
If the signal strength isn't good enough on the 91GX to keep constant video playback on the channels you are wanting, might have to really invest in a big antenna. Or you can start out with a huge expensive antenna. A good antenna with surface area will be your friend at 80 miles on 2Edge. Though not sure what is next up from the 91GX.

[GroundUrMast]

I agree, the St. Louis Market is far enough away to require the use of a big, high gain UHF antenna. Avoid obstructions such as trees and nearby buildings. The Antennas Direct 91XG equipped with an extra center section would not be overkill. (Give the folks at Antennas Direct a call, they should be able to sell you a center section to add into the 91XG.) Other viable options would be the Winegard HD9095P and the Antennas Direct DB8e. A good low-noise preamp such as the PA-18 from AD or the Kitztech KT-200 would be appropriate.

Looking south, the signal levels are also affected by distance and terrain. A DB8e paired with an Antennacraft Y10713 would be my choice. The strong signal on real CH-8 argues for a preamp with overload resistance. If you can locate a CPA-19, great. The Winegard HDP-269 is another good option.

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=820
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=2882

[mgpjeepfan]

Thanks for the input...This really helps me in choosing a good setup.