Do I have a chance?

[Nimbus]

Hi. I have been studying on getting an antenna for a while now and would really appreciate some input. I live in a very rural area, with the stations I would like to pick up a long distance away, at 67+ miles. I had been checking out the 91xg antenna, as that seems to maybe be the best bet I have of pulling in a signal, from what I have gathered. To complicate things a little more, there are a few trees at the edge of my property that I am not sure I can raise the antenna totally above. So do you guys think I might have a chance at these channels or would I probably just be wasting my time? Thanks!

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...2c15bdff4a2be8

[timgr]

Hi - signal is weak at your location. Maybe you'd want to try it at a higher altitude, like 50 and 100? Trees can be an issue, especially for stations that broadcast on UHF. Look at "Trees and UHF" here - http://www.hdtvprimer.com/antennas/siting.html

The 91XG is a fine antenna, but I think the DB8e has more gain, even though it's less directional. It also sells at a 50% premium to the 91XG.

You might also think about a dedicated VHF-low antenna, which there are few on the market. Your ultimate setup may include WBRA or WCYB. This discontinued Antennacraft antenna could work for those stations http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antennacraft...item4ae265dda9 ... others here may have better suggestions for you.

[ADTech]

even though it's less directional.

The DB8e is actually MORE directional on the main reception lobe than is the 91XG. It does, however, have two sidelobes that the 91XG doesn't have, which can sometimes be useful for stations slightly off boresite.

[Nimbus]

Thanks for the replies. Would you have any recommendations on how to get an antenna 50 feet or more up in the air? This is kinda sounding like it might be more trouble than it's worth, given my location.

[timgr]

My antenna is at 33' with a simple roof bracket and 10.5' chain link fence top rail mast from the home center, ca $11. There are lots of other options for gaining height above your roof - tripods, eave mounts, wall mounts, telescoping masts, etc. Look here http://www.antennapartsoutlet.com/ - not an endorsement, but I've bought mast parts from them and they ship fast with reasonable shipping. There are other places on the net that sell this stuff too.

There are also tree mounts - pick a suitable tree and lop the top 5' off, strip some branches and that will get you way above the tree line. Stephanie posted a good pic of a tree mount in a recent thread...

And, there are free-standing towers and masts. Lots of options.

But the main thing is to look at the behavior of the signal strengths as you gain height. If you get a lot of gain for a modest increase, then you can think about it some more. All this stuff will be a one-time cost that should last for decades, so when you divide the time trouble and money over such a long time, it seems less daunting.

[Nimbus]

I had never considered the tree mount, but that is a really cool idea that might suit my situation best, actually. My back yard (where the antenna needs to be pointed) is sloped upwards. I can stand at the top of my property line and probably be pretty even, or above the top of my roof's peak. I just wish there was a way to know for sure if I will be able to pull in these channels consistently before I go through all this trouble. Lol.

[timgr]

Maybe you misunderstood - I suggest you run your report again at the higher altitudes. This will be informative, and cost you nothing. This site is the best there is in terms of simulating your reception environment. You may not go to 100', but more simulation data will be informative and add another dimension to the results.

Once you exhaust your simulation options, you have to start collecting experimental data, or locate someone with experience in siting antennas in your neighborhood. That's the situation that everyone is in with OTA. At some point you will have to assume some risk and buy some equipment to get real data for your location.

I gave you a link to an antenna that is likely to work for WBRA or WCYB, but not both at the same time. I don't think there's any reasonable way to get both 3 and 5 from your locale without two such antennas and an A/B switch, or two tuners, or a rotator.

For UHF, AFAIK the Antennas Direct DB8e with both panels pointed in the same direction is the most sensitive widely available antenna ... or maybe the Super G is better ... http://www.summitsource.com/antennac...le-p-7648.html

With the DB8e you could try pointing each panel in a different direction so you'd get 31 and 32 on one panel and maybe 18 and 17 on the other ... but negative NMs are getting really dicey. 2-edge stations should be very sensitive to height, since they have to diffract twice over the horizon. Certainly the simulation does not characterize the diffraction edge, just like it does not include local obstructions like trees and buildings.

You can also stack properly separated UHF (or VHF) yagi antennas - google it and you'll find some info.

You will need a little luck, I think ... but I would take it as a challenge. Good luck!

[timgr]

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=15111

Post #8

[Nimbus]

I am still new to how it all works and need to do a lot more research. I don't understand the decibels and how it all might come into play. Here is a couple more links. Thanks!

50 feet
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...2c15244bc1bfc9

100 feet
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...2c15c3769b460b