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Old 6-Sep-2010, 9:48 PM   #1
BrettBA
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Reception in Palmdale CA

Hi Everyone,

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...a362de1f8a2a94

I just finished installing a Winegard HD8200U just about 3 feet above the edge of the eave on the second floor. That makes it at about 25 feet. Everyone I've talked to up here said it would never work. Well I was thinking they were right, until I thought about the age of the TV I was using. It doesn't have digital capability, so I moved the connection to my LCD to check it out and ended up with 3 VHF (9, 11, 13 LA Local) and 3 UHF. Now for the fun part, is there any way I can get the lower VHF channels, they are all located at the same transmitter location on Mt. Wilson, so my direction of antenna doesn't change.

What else can I do?
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Old 7-Sep-2010, 12:16 AM   #2
John Candle
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Tv Reception

Wow you do have the correct antenna for the job. Read this about Digital Tv Channels http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=695 . . Looking at the Digital Tv Channels you can receive now and in the future , look at the current data base and the pending applications included , you can receive Digital Tv Stations from these magnetic compass readings 75 , 108 , 158 , 321 , 324 . The Tv antenna is to big for a standard Tv rotor , you will need a rotor that amatuer radio operators use , these rotors have a brake that stops the antenna from moving when the wind is high. Standard Tv rotors have no brake and the plastic gears can be ruined. An other guy is looking in to heavy duty Tv rotors on this forum , he is looking at the ones at Norms Rotor Service . You are the kind of guy that likes to experment , so for now rotate the antenna by hand.. .. The antenna is a very big antenna and adds a lot of gain to the signal , so for now do not use a signal amplifier.

Last edited by John Candle; 7-Sep-2010 at 12:36 AM.
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Old 7-Sep-2010, 12:50 AM   #3
John Candle
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Tv Reception

For more fun go to the >Start MAPS< part of tvfool change the antenna height up and down and watch what happens to the noise margin NM , The higher the positive number the better. Can also move the red balloon pointer to other locations . The reference number for noise margin is 0 NM dB for reliable reception . There have been reports of getting reliable reception down to - 18.0 NM dB However this is the exception not the rule
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Old 7-Sep-2010, 2:00 AM   #4
No static at all
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrettBA View Post
Hi Everyone,

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...a362de1f8a2a94

Now for the fun part, is there any way I can get the lower VHF channels, they are all located at the same transmitter location on Mt. Wilson, so my direction of antenna doesn't change.

What else can I do?
The only receivable LOW-VHF is a Spanish music radio station on channel 6. The stations from Mount Wilson are likely too weak & all share the same channel 6 frequency.
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Old 7-Sep-2010, 3:31 AM   #5
John Candle
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Tv Reception

An other antenna that will work is the Winegard HD7698P This antenna receives the VHF High channels 7 thru 13 and the UHF channels , if you are not interested k39gy virtual 39 that is real channel 2 . This antenna can be used with a standard Tv rotor. http://www.solidsignal.com

Last edited by John Candle; 8-Sep-2010 at 6:18 AM.
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Old 7-Sep-2010, 4:22 AM   #6
John Candle
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Tv Reception

Here is a Tv Guide http://www.titantv.com Titan Tv shows the channel numbers as the virtual channel. . Also Titan Tv shows stations that are out of area such as the parent station/originating station , this a head scratcher and takes some time to figure out but it can be done.
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Old 7-Sep-2010, 2:48 PM   #7
BrettBA
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Thanks for the help. I'm in the process of getting rid of Directv and switching over to FTA Satellilte and OTA. FTA is up and dialed in for most of the satellites I have LOS to.

I can only raise the antenna another half a foot. The city ordinances limit the height of antenna's to 1" above the roofline, something to do with someone getting pissed off about HAM operator antenna and reception years ago. They also limit the number of dishes you can have although I exceed that already, but they aren't visible from the street so I'm ok. I was looking at a rotor motor already and thought I would need a heavy duty one because of the wind we have here daily (10-30 mph). Even stationary right now it shakes in the wind and I see I'm going to have to run some cable supports to stabilize it. I have 4 anchors brackets in the wall holding it, but when the wind reaches 50 mph I'll need the extra support for it. It was a bit of work putting it up by myself, but there was only a slight breeze that day so I got it done in about an hour.
I'll check out the links and see what else I might be able to do and let you guys know how it goes.
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Old 7-Sep-2010, 4:23 PM   #8
Dave Loudin
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City ordances cannot trump the Feds. You have the express right to install a TV antenna up to 12 feet above your roofline. See this page.
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Old 7-Sep-2010, 6:26 PM   #9
BrettBA
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Thanks, I guess I'll be moving the antenna higher after I get the rotator I was looking at: AntennaCraft TDP2 TV/FM TV Antenna Rotator (TDP2). This one looks to be adequate for the job unless someone has a different experience or opinion on it.
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Old 7-Sep-2010, 8:46 PM   #10
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In that price range, you will be getting a Chinese made drive unit with plastic gears. This should be fine as long as the mast length is less than 1 foot above the rotor. A true heavy duty rotor will cost over $200.00.

I would personally choose the Channel Master 9521A because it is remote controlled & programmable. The pricing of this light/medium duty unit is reasonable as well.
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Old 8-Sep-2010, 3:44 AM   #11
John Candle
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Here is a rotator , however like I said that is a big antenna for the standard rotator http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=460
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Old 8-Sep-2010, 4:46 AM   #12
BrettBA
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Smile Eagle Aspen RotR100

I had been looking at this one too, as I had seen one on Ebay (new) for about the same price with free shipping. I'm going to raise my current mast up another 5 feet and then mount the antenna with a 1 foot section to the rotator. Still shopping for the rotator though. I've tried a lot of different simulations and I'm still getting most channels on the 1 or 2 edge with only a couple on LOS. Since I can't turn the antenna yet I haven't been able to try other directions and was checking out how it was reacting to the wind this afternoon. Blowing about 30 mph, so it was shivering a little in the wind, but not too terribly much so. I think I will put a couple of guide cables up near where the rotator will go to stabilize it a bit more especially from the direction of the wind, the current direction to the LA local transmitters puts it directly perpendicular to the wind, so it catchs it the full length from the side. I can brace it well enough though even when we get the 50-60 mph gust occasionally with heavy enough cable as I've used 1-1/2" EMT piping for my mast, not that flimsy stuff they sell for antenna mast around here.
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Old 11-Sep-2010, 4:00 AM   #13
BrettBA
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So today I added a Winegard AP8275 Preamp and my stations after scan went from 3 to 23 and was picking up the local 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 13 and some others on UHF. I haven't added the rotor yet, as still looking. I'm almost there with working on this. I'm picking up a 10' BUD this weekend for free along with the receiver and everything else the guy has. He just got married and his wife doesn't like it. My wife doesn't care as long as she can get her Vietnamese channels and doesn't have to pay $80 to D***TV every month. I pick them up already on the 33" but have been looking for a C/Ku and this guy just happened to post the day before I looked on Craigslist again. Woohooo.
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Old 11-Sep-2010, 5:10 AM   #14
John Candle
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Tv Reception

Way to go BrettBA. You have an open mind and can think things through , I like that .
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Old 11-Sep-2010, 3:02 PM   #15
BrettBA
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LOL, thanks. That's why I have the job I do at my company, Continuous Improvement Specialist. Always looking for a different way to do things. Having a manufacturing/quality engineer background doesn't hurt either. I'm looking at an Eagle Aspen 500065 rotator now, know anything about them? According to the specs it should handle the antenna (up to 131" boom) and it has brakes and metal gears. I just can't find a lot of good info on it though. The CM 9521 seems that it would do the job, but I see a lot of negative reviews on it, especially since they started making them in China. I know Eagle Aspen has good products as I use some of their switches and they always work great. Any thoughts?
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Old 11-Sep-2010, 3:31 PM   #16
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I haven't used any of the Eagle Aspen rotors, but my 9521 has fared well for almost 3.5 years with a higher than recommended load. Channel Master recommends no more than 3 feet of mast above the motor.
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Old 11-Sep-2010, 5:57 PM   #17
BrettBA
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Originally Posted by No static at all View Post
I haven't used any of the Eagle Aspen rotors, but my 9521 has fared well for almost 3.5 years with a higher than recommended load. Channel Master recommends no more than 3 feet of mast above the motor.
The 9521 is about $30 cheaper, so I may go with it anyway. I'm prepping for my BUD now, so that is taking precedence today and tomorrow. But I'm still looking in the evenings.
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