Total rookie in Spring Hill FL

[amazin6]

Hello all, I am new to this forum and antenna OTA TV reception. Thanks for your advice but please remember you are talking to a person who is very unfamiliar with all of this.

Here is my TV Fool report:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...8e03d740700702

I am in a HOA but do have a Direct TV dish on the roof from the previous homeowner . I do not think we are allowed any roof antenna poles and am surprised this was on the roof.

Could I put an antenna on the existing direct tv pole after removing the dish?
What type of antenna do you recommend?
Do I need an amp or rotor?
Will I get the stations down to # 20 on the graph in red WSPF minus those that are not in the 160 degree range?

Any advice or ideas are welcomed and thank you for your time!

[ADTech]

Please use this method for an accurate plot, it may (or may not) generate a different forecast. http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=14508 Be sure to manually enter your proposed mounting height.

HOAs, in general, are prohibited by federal law from enforcing such blanket prohibitions in most situations. See https://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-...n-devices-rule

Whether or not that existing mount will serve as a mount for an OTA antenna depends on several things including its specific location on your home as compared to where an OTA antenna NEEDS to be. If it works, great. If not, something has to move. Existing coaxial cable, if otherwise unused, may be re-purposed for antenna signals, the cable is 100% compatible. However, there may be certain satellite-specific devices that will need to be removed or replaced by a device that works properly with antenna signals.

You will probably benefit from an appropriate preamp or distribution amp, that's yet to be determined. If you want to go for signals in a direction other than Tampa, you'll probably need a rotor which will open up a whole new can of worms.

Line of sight is critical when dealing with UHF signals. Placing the antenna in a spot that causes it to be aimed point blank into your roof, your neighbor's house, a big tree, or a forest will usually mean compromised reception. The desired antenna mounting location is the one that offers the clearest signal path so the signals can get to the antenna with the least obstruction.

[rabbit73]

Welcome, amazin6:

Thank you for the new report. We were hoping for exact address or coordinates for the location (which will not show in the report) of your antenna, but we will try to work with a street level report.

I see a lot of trees in that area. I hope they are not in the signal path from 165 degrees magnetic.

Could I put an antenna on the existing direct tv pole after removing the dish?

Yes, if it is in the right location, is a strong satellite mount, and the antenna isn't too large.

What type of antenna do you recommend?

You will need a VHF/UHF combo antenna. It is the real channel number that determines which antenna is needed.
VHF-Low, real channels 2-6, you don't have any
VHF-High, real channels 7-13, you have 10, 7, 12, and 13
UHF, real channels 14-51, the rest of yours

The Winegard HD7694P might work for you. The 7697 is the next step up, but it might be too much for the satellite mount. Try it without the amp first to see what you get.
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp...enna-(hd7694p)

Do I need an amp or rotor?

Yes, you will need a preamp or distribution amp depending upon how long the coax is from the antenna to the TV, and how many TVs you have. Your signals aren't very strong and many are 2Edge, which means the terrain between the transmitter and your location interferes with the signals.

The preamps to consider are the Antennas Direct Juice, Antennas Direct PA-18, Channel Master 7778, and RCA PREAMP1R. The Juice doesn't have an FM trap, but I don't see any strong FM signals in your area to cause a problem with TV reception. See the attachment for your FM Fool report based on your estimated location, because I don't know your exact location. The RCA is inexpensive, has some quality control problems, but you could buy 3 for the price of one of the others.

The best location for a preamp is close to the antenna. If the coax downlead is short and you have more than one TV you might consider an indoor distribution amp instead.

I don't think you need a rotor because your best signals are in the same direction, and it would probably be too much for the satellite mount.

Will I get the stations down to # 20 on the graph in red WSPF minus those that are not in the 160 degree range?

I'm not certain about WSPF; do you really want that?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WSPF-CD

I think your chances are good for down to WXPX ION.

The coax shield should be grounded with a grounding block that is connected to the house electrical system ground with 10 gauge copper wire for electrical safety and to reject interference. For further compliance with the electrical code (NEC), the mast should also be grounded in a similar manner to drain any buildup of static charge, but the system will not survive a direct strike.

Please let us know the results of your tests on this same thread.