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Old 5-Dec-2018, 4:57 PM   #1
rabbit73
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Help posting?

by PM:
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottpants
I registered with the forum, but I still cannot start a new thread. It says I do not have permission to access this page because I'm awaiting activation.

I wanted to post in the forum asking for advice on which OTA antenna to use... Perhaps if I sent you the post, you could post on my behalf or something?
Yes, that might work.

Before we go any further with PMs, please be aware that you are limited to 5 PMs before being able to post on the forum. It will be necessary for you to delete early PMs or I will not be able to answer you; I will get the message that your inbox is full.

Please do a TVFool signal report so that we will know where you are located and what the signals look like.
http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...pper&Itemid=29

Once you have the report, give me the link to the report, tell us what channels are important to you, and where the antenna will be located.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 5-Dec-2018 at 5:31 PM.
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Old 5-Dec-2018, 5:08 PM   #2
rabbit73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottpants
Thanks, I'm deleting my PMs to stay under 5 as we go along. Here is what I intended to post, with the TvFool signal report and everything:

I just moved and am interested in setting up OTA at the new place. I believe all of the OTA signals in the Phoenix area originate from South Mountain, about 30 miles South/Southeast of me. The only channels I really care about are 3.1 (KTVK), 5.1 (CBS), 8.1 (PBS), 10.1 (FOX), 12.1 (NBC), and 15.1 (ABC). And all of these are green on my TV fool analysis:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...903881daf3f0c9

The house is already wired with coaxial cable that runs back to a splitter & booster in the laundry room next to the garage. The former owner had Cox cable, but my thought was to put an antenna in the attic above the garage and connect it to the splitter/booster in the laundry room, which connects to the existing coax connections going throughout the house.

The main TV is centrally-located in the living room, and I'd doubt an indoor antenna would work well there, as there aren't any nearby windows and there are several rooms between it and the south wall. That's what lead me to consider the attic-mounted antenna and utilizing the existing coax cable runs. The TV in the second story loft has a South-facing wall, so I COULD probably just use a typical indoor antenna for that one as a plan B...

Would this plan work? And if so, what kind of antenna should I be looking at?

Also, what kind of splitter/booster will I need for this? How many times can you split an OTA signal before signal degradation is a problem? Is there a recommendation on what to use? The laundry room box already has a simple booster, but I don't know if that'll do the job.

Here's a street view picture of the house showing the garage attic and location of the loft:



Thanks!
The link to your image doesn't show the image, but I think I can extract the image.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ym725pvn0r...tview.PNG?dl=0

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Last edited by rabbit73; 5-Dec-2018 at 5:25 PM.
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Old 5-Dec-2018, 5:19 PM   #3
Nascarken
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go to CHANNEL Master .com look at vhf\uhf outdoor tv antennas?
Or maybe an indoor one might WORK,quite well too
Well good luck with your antenna set-up and look out for power lines when installing an outdoor tv antenna.
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Old 5-Dec-2018, 6:36 PM   #4
rabbit73
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Your signals are very strong and in the same direction, but your report assumes an outdoor antenna that is in the clear. How strong they are indoors will depend upon the construction. The tiles will block some of the signal, and if you have an aluminum radiant barrier in the attic, that will block the signals. If the walls are stucco, the wire mesh will block the signals, as will low-E glass in the windows. You must be prepared to do some experiments.

Most of your channels are UHF (real channels 14-51), but two of your channels are VHF-High (real channels 7-13). You will need an antenna for UHF and VHF-High.

In the attic I suggest a Winegard HD7694P. An antenna for the loft as a test might be a GE29884, which requires assembly if you are a DIY.

If you can't get an antenna to work inside, you will need a small antenna outside.

I wouldn't worry too much about the splits. Once you get good signals for just one directly wired TV, a distribution amp will take care of additional TVs.

What splitter/booster do you have now?
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Last edited by rabbit73; 5-Dec-2018 at 6:41 PM.
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Old 6-Dec-2018, 12:03 PM   #5
JoeAZ
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Scottpants, another antenna option would be the GE 29884
available online at various retailers. It is very small and I've
had good success with my installs here in Yavapai County, AZ.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-Pro-Ou...iABEgKxHfD_BwE
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Old 6-Dec-2018, 2:13 PM   #6
rabbit73
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I have had good results indoors with my GE 29884; it is more sturdy than the GE 34792. It only has a simple folded dipole for VHF-High channels 7-13, but that seems to be enough gain for my location.



After I was through testing the antenna, my wife said: "Don't put it away, I like the curve of the reflector."

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Old 7-Dec-2018, 6:06 PM   #7
rabbit73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottpants
I looked again at my homeowner's association CCR's regarding antennas, and it says this: "No antenna or other device for the transmission or reception of television or radio signals shall be erected, used or maintained so as to be visible from Neighboring Property, unless approved by the Architectural Committee." I know I have seen people in the neighborhood that have satellite dishes though, so it seems the Architectural Committee may approve it.

In fact, looking at the outside of my house, on the southeast corner behind my fence, there is ALREADY a coax cable coming out of the wall which USED TO be for a satellite mounted to the backside of the garage roof (pointed south). So I suppose an outdoor antenna could be an option, but I'd still prefer an attic-mount, if possible, for a cleaner look... unless the signal is no good. I'll consider that Plan B.

Location of "dish" coax cable and possible outdoor mount location:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ckt7g3xw1c...view2.png?dl=0

So would these antennas work either mounted in an attic OR outside? I could get one and try it first in the attic, and if it's not sufficient, move it outdoors? Or if I go with an outdoor antenna, can I get away with a smaller, less obtrusive one?

The spliter/booster already in the laundry box is an Antronix MRA2-11 Advanced Residential Amplifier.


The HOA rules are more restrictive than what the FCC says you can do. The FCC says you can have an outside antenna in whatever location necessary for good reception.

https://www.fcc.gov/media/over-air-r...n-devices-rule

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides...tellite-dishes

Try the Winegard HD7694P in the attic before putting an antenna outside. The GE 29884 should be sufficient for outside; the Winegard, probably more than needed.

If the antenna is outside, 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 which will tend to discourage a strike, but the system will not survive a direct strike.

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Last edited by rabbit73; 7-Dec-2018 at 7:50 PM.
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Old 9-Dec-2018, 12:16 PM   #8
Nascarken
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Good pick on the GE!!
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Old 9-Dec-2018, 1:36 PM   #9
rabbit73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottpants
Is my amplifier okay to use for this purpose?.....The splitter/booster already in the laundry box is an Antronix MRA2-11 Advanced Residential Amplifier.


Try it with and without to see which way is better. The Antronix is a distribution amp. It is designed to compensate for distribution losses. It is used to replace an ordinary splitter if the signals are too weak after splitting.

A preamp is used at the antenna to amplify the signals before going down the coax downlead. A preamp can have its power inserter down below. The coax downlead that carries the signals down can also send DC power up to the preamp. You would rarely need both a preamp and a distribution amp.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 9-Dec-2018 at 3:09 PM.
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Old 9-Dec-2018, 3:46 PM   #10
Nascarken
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Distribution amps some time's do not like mast mount
Amps they can some time's mess with one another
And give no signal at all.
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Old 14-Dec-2018, 10:17 PM   #11
rabbit73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottpants
Looking at the Winegard HD7694P and GE 29884 online, and the GE seems to have really positive reviews! It's $20 cheaper than the Winegard AND includes the mount, whereas the Winegard doesn't appear to come with anything for mounting... Also, it says the GE has a 70 mile range, whereas Winegard is 45.

And JoeAZ and Nascarken both recommended the GE unit as well. Is the Winegard really better than the GE? Because as a layman, the GE is looking better!
Don't pay much attention to the mileage figures, they are just a marketing tool. What counts is the signal strength at your location. The Winegard has more gain, so it would be better in an attic than the GE antenna. Outside, the GE should have enough gain, but I can't give you a guarantee.
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Old 15-Dec-2018, 12:38 PM   #12
JoeAZ
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Rabbit has it right on. I only suggested the GE as an alternative due to
its small size. The Winegard IS the better antenna. As for placement,
wherever the antenna and your eyes can see the top of South Mtn is
where any antenna needs to be placed. Your tile roof WILL really reduce
the attic signals and cause issues with reception. Generally speaking,
the higher the better! Hope this helps. Joe in Prescott, AZ
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Old 15-Dec-2018, 3:05 PM   #13
rabbit73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottpants
Thanks guys for your help! This has been extremely helpful! I'm going to double check the area of the space in the attic to make sure there's room for the Winegard, and go with that!

What would you recommend for how to mount it? Since it's larger than the GE, does it attach with two mounting points or what?
The antenna has a clamp for a vertical mast, usually 1-1/4" diameter.

http://www.winegard.com/help/images/4/4a/1450290.pdf

https://www.google.com/search?source...30._PsZO61t-w0

https://manuals.solidsignal.com/HD76...structions.pdf
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Last edited by rabbit73; 15-Dec-2018 at 3:16 PM.
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Old 21-Dec-2018, 6:07 PM   #14
rabbit73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottpants
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for your help. I got the Winegard mounted this week, and it's the perfect fit in my attic. I got the coax cable terminated and hooked up last night. I get all the channels I wanted (and MORE) with a 90-98 signal strength score! So happy with how this turned out! Thanks again!
Thank you for the good-news report. We appreciate the feedback.

Enjoy your new setup!
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