antenna recommendation...

[tuktuk]

Hi experts,

Every fall I get frustrated as my Fox reception goes choppy or pretty much freezing... it seems ok during spring/summer. Here's the map info:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...9038c33482528a

I currently have clearstream 2, I am now thinking of an omni directional since towers are in San Francisco in north, and San jose in south, also to the east. Searching on google, I get two coming up repeatedly:

o lava omnipro hd-8008
o antop dual omni 415b

Any recommendation on one of the above, or for that matter best antenna for me? I all be installing on the edge of the roof, which is about 17 ft or so, I can add a pole for extra 2-3 ft, so close to 20-22 feet.

Thanks a lot,
MR

[OTAFAN]

Hi tuktuk:

First of all, here's your (zip code) rabbitears.info Post-Repack report at 20'. It's more up to date and accurate than the TV Fool report since they have a very small staff and are unable at present to keep current. (It takes about 20 seconds to load).

https://www.rabbitears.info/search.p...=dBm&height=20

I'm not sure about terrain issues that might effect your Fox reception, such as tree blockage or your actual location from the towers. But your rabbitears report looks good, LOS. So, you should be able to get what you want without too much trouble. Mostly I see UHF reception from your report, but a few VHF-H channels; and some VHF-L that might be problematic.

Depending upon what you want to receive, you could upgrade to the Clearstream 4 Max, or go with something like the RCA ANT751R or Winegard HD7000R (particularly for VHF-L), or check out Channel Master antennas, etc. I'm sure others here can give you good advice on antenna selection too.

I don't have any experience with the antennas you mentioned, other than to say check out reviews people have posted that are using them now.

If you want to leave more details about your location, I'm sure others here can give you a more thorough recommendation. If he's available, you can also PM to rabbit73 for security and he will be able to run your location privately and give you excellent advice.

Please let the forum know how it turns out for you when you get everything settled. I would certainly be interested.

Thanks and all the best.....

[rabbit73]

Originally Posted by tuktuk

Every fall I get frustrated as my Fox reception goes choppy or pretty much freezing... it seems ok during spring/summer. Here's the map info:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...9038c33482528a

Hello, tuktuk

Thank you for the signal report.

That's unusual. We usually hear about reception improving in the winter when the trees lose their leaves, unless they are evergreen trees.

Trees that lose all of their leaves for part of the year are known as deciduous trees. Those that don't are called evergreen trees. Common deciduous trees in the Northern Hemisphere include several species of ash, aspen, beech, birch, cherry, elm, hickory, hornbeam, maple, oak, poplar and willow.

How many TVs are connected to the antenna?

Are you using a preamp? If you are using a preamp with your strong signals, there is a possibility of overload. Even without a preamp there is a possibility of overload with some tuners. Try inserting an attenuator to make the signals a little weaker. There is such a thing as too much signal.

I currently have clearstream 2, I am now thinking of an omni directional since towers are in San Francisco in north, and San jose in south, also to the east. Searching on google, I get two coming up repeatedly:

o lava omnipro hd-8008
o antop dual omni 415b

Omni antennas receive poorly in all directions, but you are welcome to try one to satisfy your curiosity.
https://www.channelmaster.com/OMNI_O.../cm-3011hd.htm

Thank you for the additional information by PM so that I could look at satellite and ground photos of your location.



This is an image of your TVFool report:



For comparison, this is a signal report from rabbitearsinfo for your location:
https://www.rabbitears.info/searchma...study_id=27891

This is an extract from that report:

Any recommendation on one of the above, or for that matter best antenna for me? I all be installing on the edge of the roof, which is about 17 ft or so, I can add a pole for extra 2-3 ft, so close to 20-22 feet.

I think you should stick with just the channels from San Francisco which has Fox.

Your channels are strong enough so that you should be receiving it OK. Perhaps the trees are in the signal path from San Francisco. Try moving the antenna to slightly different locations before making any permanent mounting.

If your present antenna doesn't have enough gain on VHF-High for KNTV NBC on 12 and KGO ABC on 7, try a Winegard HD7694P antenna.

If you look at your rabbitears.info report in the link, you will see a column on the right called Repack Info; I cut it off the image above. It shows you the Repack Phases when the channels will be changing in the near future, which will require you to rescan.
Phase 8 1/18/2020 to 3/13/2020
Phase 9 3/14/2020 to 5/1/2020

At times before and during the phases, the signals might be weaker because antenna work for the new channels is being done.

This is the Repack Plan for San Francisco:
https://www.rabbitears.info/repackch...=&lss=&status=

[tuktuk]

Thank you both OTAFAN and rabbit73 for taking the time to help us folks who don't understand lot of this stuff. Sincerely appreciate your time.

o No preamp or amp of any type.
o Only one connection to the antenna, which is a TV tuner card (hauppauge WinTV-quadHD) in a desktop.

I must add the length of cable from antenna to the desktop is about 75 ft. I think I can cut that down by moving the antenna to the other end of the (rectangular) house to about 50-60ft.

>> I think you should stick with just the channels from San Francisco which has Fox.

Great advice, I think I'll do that and will not worry about omni directional antenna.


>> If your present antenna doesn't have enough gain on VHF-High for KNTV NBC on 12 and KGO ABC on 7, try a Winegard HD7694P antenna.

Yes, ABC sometimes goes choppy too. I am looking at ordering the Winegard HD7694P now.

Final, quick question, if my cable length from antenna to the desktop more than say 50 or 60 ft, do I need an amp or a preamp of any type?

Thanks much.

[rabbit73]

Originally Posted by tuktuk

o No preamp or amp of any type.
o Only one connection to the antenna, which is a TV tuner card (hauppauge WinTV-quadHD) in a desktop.

Final, quick question, if my cable length from antenna to the desktop more than say 50 or 60 ft, do I need an amp or a preamp of any type?

Thanks much.

Use the Hauppauge signal monitor app to tell you the SNR of a signal to see if any changes made reception better. The SNR should be at least 16 dB; the higher, the better.

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/suppo...l_monitor.html





The Uncorrectable Errors should be zero.

[tuktuk]

Great, thank you. I was not aware they had an app like that.

So, I assume you are suggesting not order amp/booster with the antenna, i probably don't need it right with 50-60ft of cable length, right?

Thanks.

[OTAFAN]

So, I assume you are suggesting not order amp/booster with the antenna, i probably don't need it right with 50-60ft of cable length, right?

Download (if you have not already) the Hauppauge Digital Signal Monitor app and run diagnostics to see if your SNR is good, as described above by rabbit73. My guess from his analysis is that you probably won't need a preamp, more like adjusting your antenna for maximum signal reception. Usually in a strong signal area where you live (mine is similar here in LA/OC SOCAL), a preamp is not needed.

You're getting close to resolving your issues, tuktuk. Probably just some more keyboard and leg work. (Remember SAFETY FIRST when up near or on your roof!)

Please keep the forum posted. I would be interested in how it turns out for you. Thanks again.....

[tuktuk]

Got it. Thank you both very much again!

[rabbit73]

Originally Posted by tuktuk

Great, thank you. I was not aware they had an app like that.

So, I assume you are suggesting not order amp/booster with the antenna, i probably don't need it right with 50-60ft of cable length, right?

Thanks.

Yes, try it without an amp first. OTAFAN is correct, you shouldn't need a preamp because your signals are strong enough to cause overload if you add the antenna gain and preamp gain to the Noise Margin figures in your TVFool report.



Interpreting Noise Margin in the TV Fool Report
http://www.aa6g.org/DTV/Reception/tvfool_nm.html

I got curious about the Hauppauge tuner so I ordered a 955Q. The previous Hauppauge USB stick didn't work very well for me in 2013, but this time the installation was OK.