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Old 23-Oct-2014, 5:50 PM   #1
devidog
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Mid Missouri Weekend TV

Hello to all! New member here hoping for some TV reception at the farm.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d24370d7eaa33a

I recently cut the cord on the dish, just too much money for the useage. This time of year I get down there a little more often for deer season and would like to pick up a few channels.

I have a DB8B antenna and a rotor. My goal is to get as many channels as possible, realizing that this could be challenging to be reliable. My hope is to at least get a few.


KRCG is the closest and is VHF so I'm assuming I will need a separate antenna for this one. Suggestions?

As long as I'm making assumptions, a pre-amp and method to connect 2 antennas?

Looking forward to some discussion and a promising solution.

Thanks, Bob.
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Old 23-Oct-2014, 7:41 PM   #2
ADTech
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Bob,
How precise was your selected location when you made that plot?

Based on your plot as presented, I wouldn't give Jeff City much of a shot. If you have a fairly clear view down the river valley, then you should get a number of the St Louis stations.

Do add a pre-amp, perhaps our PA18. If you necessary, that one can easily be run off a 12 volt battery or supply with a small effort.

I'm somewhat familiar with your general area having grown up about a dozen miles north of this location.
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Old 23-Oct-2014, 7:54 PM   #3
devidog
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Bob,
How precise was your selected location when you made that plot?

Based on your plot as presented, I wouldn't give Jeff City much of a shot. If you have a fairly clear view down the river valley, then you should get a number of the St Louis stations.

Do add a pre-amp, perhaps our PA18. If you necessary, that one can easily be run off a 12 volt battery or supply with a small effort.

I'm somewhat familiar with your general area having grown up about a dozen miles north of this location.
Thanks for the reply !! Where did you grow up? I've been down there for 40+ years. As to the lat and long I hovered over the spot on Google Earth and its at the end of the trailer where I originally had the antenna clamped to a cedar tree. Before Dish we could always get Jeff City and sometimes Columbia. If we turned the antenna we could get KTVI. The farm is actually sitting in a fairly deep bottom. I wouldn't be beyond adding a vhf under the rotor and pointing it at Jeff City. I guess I'm in for a little trial and error. Did I say will be mounting with a rotor?
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Old 23-Oct-2014, 8:09 PM   #4
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If you want to mount a dedicated VHF-high antenna, an Antennacraft Y10713 is about the most sensitive you can get without heroic measures. http://www.antennacraft.net/Antennas/AntennasVHF.html
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Old 23-Oct-2014, 8:11 PM   #5
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The co-ordinates are close I checked my Garmin and looks like the last few numbers differ a little . If you would like the exact #'s I can give them to you.
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Old 23-Oct-2014, 8:15 PM   #6
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Couple of miles north of Rosebud. Graduated OHS in 76. I'll probably go out there Saturday.

Precise coordinates would be good. Use the PM feature if you don't wish to post them publicly.
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Old 23-Oct-2014, 8:21 PM   #7
devidog
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If you want to mount a dedicated VHF-high antenna, an Antennacraft Y10713 is about the most sensitive you can get without heroic measures. http://www.antennacraft.net/Antennas/AntennasVHF.html
I assume that I need to combine the two antennas on the mast and go down with one wire? I've read on other posts about doing this with the RCA TVPRAMP-1R. Jeez that's a big antenna, 120" ... I'm guessing this would be mounted on the mast pointed at KRCG 5' below the rotor and DB8B.
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Old 23-Oct-2014, 8:28 PM   #8
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Couple of miles north of Rosebud. Graduated OHS in 76. I'll probably go out there Saturday.

Precise coordinates would be good. Use the PM feature if you don't wish to post them publicly.
I'll shoot you a PM. It's south of Mt. Sterling about a mile.
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Old 23-Oct-2014, 9:52 PM   #9
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I assume that I need to combine the two antennas on the mast and go down with one wire? I've read on other posts about doing this with the RCA TVPRAMP-1R. Jeez that's a big antenna, 120" ... I'm guessing this would be mounted on the mast pointed at KRCG 5' below the rotor and DB8B.

Yeah, that's how I'd do it. The wavelength at VHF is long, thus the long antenna for sensitivity... You could try the Y5713, but it's 6.9 dB gain vs. 9.4 for the Y10713. The RCA preamp is certainly priced right, and recommended a lot here. The alternative to a preamp is a UVSJ - http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=uvsj - I would just try each antenna cable directly into the TV first, to see what signal levels I had with no other devices in the path.
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Old 23-Oct-2014, 10:36 PM   #10
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Yeah, that's how I'd do it. The wavelength at VHF is long, thus the long antenna for sensitivity... You could try the Y5713, but it's 6.9 dB gain vs. 9.4 for the Y10713. The RCA preamp is certainly priced right, and recommended a lot here. The alternative to a preamp is a UVSJ - http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=uvsj - I would just try each antenna cable directly into the TV first, to see what signal levels I had with no other devices in the path.
Sounds like good advise. I live in St Louis and will probably go down this weekend and set up the mast. I have about 40' of 1 1/2" and 20' of 1 1/4" pipe with a reducing bushing. When I had it up years ago I had brackets on a cedar tree outside the trailer and 3 sections of pipe. I cut the top of the tree off below the bottom of the antenna. Hopefully I'll get a few more people jump in with opinions and set the game plan on pre-amp and vhf choices. Hell, I might get all this stuff in the air and still not work. I can't believe how "finicky" this stuff is. I can rebuild a compressor, wire a 460 electric panel or build a race engine but can't figure out a stupid tv antenna.
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Old 24-Oct-2014, 12:33 AM   #11
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I just sent you specific instructions.

BTW, if you're near Mt Sterling, your previously posted plot is bogus. The coordinates for it, as well as for the Garmin coordinates you sent me, are for an area near the Bourbeuse midway between Owensville and Bourbon, probably a good 25 miles southeast of Mt Sterling.
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Old 24-Oct-2014, 12:40 AM   #12
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I just sent you specific instructions.

BTW, if you're near Mt Sterling, your previously posted plot is bogus. The coordinates for it, as well as for the Garmin coordinates you sent me, are for an area near the Bourbeuse midway between Owensville and Bourbon, probably a good 25 miles southeast of Mt Sterling.
What method are you using? I figured the ones I gave you by looking at my Garmin and the one for tvfool report by moving the cursor on google earth to the corner of my trailer and down at the bottom they show the coordinates. Is there a better way?
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Old 24-Oct-2014, 1:06 AM   #13
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Is there a better way?
Yes. Check the directions I posted in the PM.

Here's the location for the coordinates in your plot, https://www.google.com/maps/place/38...s0x0:0x0?hl=en

Here's beautiful, downtown Mt Sterling: https://www.google.com/maps/place/38...s0x0:0x0?hl=en

..and a plot for that location: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d243788cf46472
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Old 24-Oct-2014, 1:15 AM   #14
devidog
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Yes. Check the directions I posted in the PM.

Here's the location for the coordinates in your plot, https://www.google.com/maps/place/38...s0x0:0x0?hl=en

Here's beautiful, downtown Mt Sterling: https://www.google.com/maps/place/38...s0x0:0x0?hl=en

..and a plot for that location: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d243788cf46472
Here is the new report, I still don't understand how both my Garmin and Google Earth came up with my first try. Anyway tv looks a more promising but not St.Louis.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d2435829a52355
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Old 24-Oct-2014, 1:21 AM   #15
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Here is the new report, I still don't understand how both my Garmin and Google Earth came up with my first try. Anyway tv looks a more promising but not St.Louis.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...d2435829a52355
In the map link of Beautiful Downtown Mt.Sterling go down Mt sterling Rd to about where that 403 mark is and look about 400yds due east up the creek bottom.
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Old 24-Oct-2014, 2:10 PM   #16
devidog
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Good Morning !!

Now that ADTech got me straightened out, what's the outlook on 12,8,17 and 15? I realize that I need a vhf antenna to receive 12 and 8.

Thanks, Bob
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Old 24-Oct-2014, 2:28 PM   #17
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Not an antenna engineer, or part of the industry, but I am an engineer.

12 and 8 should be fine with a Y5713 pointed at them, no amplifier, assuming there are no trees or buildings blocking the horizon. Then pick how much you want to spend on the UHF antenna. An Antennas Direct DB4 would probably do it, pointed at 281. 15 is considerably down from 17. You could buy a cheap UHF antenna like this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eagle-Aspen-...62798993&rt=nc and try it out.

You can buy combined antennas like these http://www.antennacraft.net/Antennas/AntennasHBU.html but I think you may need the extra sensitivity of a dedicated UHF antenna to pull in 15 reliably.

Last edited by timgr; 24-Oct-2014 at 2:35 PM.
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Old 24-Oct-2014, 3:16 PM   #18
devidog
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Not an antenna engineer, or part of the industry, but I am an engineer.

12 and 8 should be fine with a Y5713 pointed at them, no amplifier, assuming there are no trees or buildings blocking the horizon. Then pick how much you want to spend on the UHF antenna. An Antennas Direct DB4 would probably do it, pointed at 281. 15 is considerably down from 17. You could buy a cheap UHF antenna like this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eagle-Aspen-...62798993&rt=nc and try it out.

You can buy combined antennas like these http://www.antennacraft.net/Antennas/AntennasHBU.html but I think you may need the extra sensitivity of a dedicated UHF antenna to pull in 15 reliably.
I already have a DB8B and a rotor. I'm thinking a vhf pointed between 12 and 8, say 306 deg. then the rotor and Uhf mounted on top, utilizing the rotor to max out the signal on 17 and 15. There are no buildings in the LOS to the horizon and some tree trimming should take care of the one close by limb. There are some electric lines that kind of cross the path... any concerns here? A few more questions... any need to use a pre-amp? I have a crimper, I've read where the compression fittings are preferred. Is this a necessary expense or will crimps and tape be adequate?
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Old 24-Oct-2014, 3:19 PM   #19
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Sorry timgr, missed you saing no amp.
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Old 24-Oct-2014, 3:28 PM   #20
timgr
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I would point at the weaker one. Probably won't matter.

Compression fittings for me - I've never used the others.

Power lines? One of the industry people will have to comment about the power lines. I don't think it will matter as long as the tower is not in the way.
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