Outdoor apartment antenna Saint Paul, MN

[Mayor West]

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5b948255fdfadb

I can mount an antenna roughly 25-27 feet from my balcony. I tried indoor antennas with very little success. I purchased an RCA ANT 751R and was planning on mounting it on my old DIRECTV pole. We have a pretty clear shot of the north and slightly east, except that a neighboring building complex is about 50+ feet away.

I would really like the major networks, but PBS is probably the most important. We experimented some low-tech aiming and just couldn't get it. We would get a few major networks (4 channels total) and then a dozen religious networks!

Any advice would be awesome! Thanks and have a great day!

PS If this not a good antenna or if you guys recommend something else, that is totally cool and doable!

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The ANT751 antenna comes with a J pole type antenna mount.

If using the the J pole mount or the satellite mount , the location of mount and antenna must be at a location that the reception of the Tv transmitters antennas and the ANT751 receiving antenna are not , obstructed , impeded , blocked , by the building.

Aim the ANT751 antenna at about 0 degree magnetic compass direction.

Here is how to aim antennas , www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html

Use a Real and Actual magnetic compass to aim antenna , do not trust a cell phone compass.

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The Tv/s Must Channel Scan for , ATSC-Digital Broadcast Tv Stations/Channels , often named the ~ Antenna Channels ~ ATSC Channels ~ DTV Channels ~ Air Channels ~ in the Tv Setup Menu because the Tv transmissions travel through the Air from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna.

Some digital Tv's will Automatic channel scan for cable Tv channels.

DO NOT channel scan for cable Tv channels.

Go into the Tv Setup Menu and select and scan for , ATSC-Digital Broadcast Tv Stations/Channels.

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To Prove reception connect a Continues length of coax to the ANT751 antenna and run the continues length of coax through a open door or window direct to 1 Tv , no couplers , no splitters.

[StephanieS]

Hello Mayor West,

You have a reasonable opportunity for reliable reception of all the major networks in the St. Paul area.

The RCA ANT751 is not what I would suggested in your situation.

As you noticed with PBS, the ANT751 antenna gave you mixed results in regards to PBS. This was due to 2 factors. First, you are in a 2-edge situation, which means you have two geographical obstructions to the broadcast towers. 2-edge situations can make signals act unpredictable. Thus, in this situation it is highly recommended you mount the antenna outdoors. Second, PBS is on the lower side of good. Normally with indoor antennas, reliable reception is normally found in LOS (line of sight) conditions and very good signal strength (55 db or higher). Once you get down into the low 40s db of signal strengths with an indoor antenna, by using an indoor antenna whether it be attic or a small antenna near your TV, you have in effect reduced the signal strength greatly. This causes too much loss of signal for the small antenna to be effective.

As such, with your 2-edge conditions you are making the right call putting the antenna outdoors. Do you have tree obstructions?

The RCA 751 is not the antenna for 2-edge obstructed signals. I have one currently in service. I can speak from experience that this antenna does well with line of sight signals above 15db. Two edge, not so much.

If I were in your situation I'd install an Antennas Direct C2V VHF/UHF antenna. http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp...enna-%28c2v%29. Orientate antenna to magnetic heading 08 degrees.

I would expect to see PBS and all full power St. Paul signals.

Best of luck,
SS

[Mayor West]

This is incredibly helpful info, thanks!

As far as trees go there is a smallish one that I can point over I believe. Because I don't have roof access the antenna will be pointing directly at the neighboring building I mentioned, so if that is an issue let me know.

Anyone want to buy a 'like new' ANT751?

Thanks again!

PS will the Antennas Direct antenna mount on my standard DIRECTV mount? Thanks.

[StephanieS]

It might be helpful if you post a picture of the pathway at 8 degrees magnetic. You want as clear as possible pathway to the transmitters.

One tree won't be so much a huge problem unless it's a blooming one that creates large amounts of seasonal foliage and you are shooting right into it.

Yes. The C2V will mount to a J pole dish style mount.

The trick in your situation is how much obstruction you have with the neighboring building.

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Recommend do not dump the ANT751 antenna.

Install and test reception as recommend in post number 2.

[Mayor West]

Thanks for all the help. I went to my building manager to just double check about things. They have an antenna on the building that used to tie into all the apartments, but it was disabled years ago. So I am stuck where I am at for positioning at the moment.

Sorry, teleview, for some reason your posts didn't show up for me in the right order. I will definitely hold on to it and test it out first. It was getting some channels.

Also I have attached photos of my position:
anntena01 is what it will be pointing through.
anntena02 shows my old mount for directv, I will be moving this to the other side of pillar.

Thanks again, and let me know what you guys/gals think!

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If the Tv transmitters are in the direction of the pictures that has what looks like a Big light tan colored building in the back ground.

Then leave the satellite mount on the side of the pole in the picture.

Moving satellite mount to the other side of the pole so that the Tv antenna is aimed more into the tree in the direction of reception is not the correct action to take.

As always , trees and tree leaves , plants and plant leaves , have a Negative Effect on Broadcast Tv reception and so do buildings and other obstructions including your own roof and building.

The Best Practice for Reliable Reception is install the antenna at a location that has the least amount to no amount of obstructions of any type or kind in the direction/s of reception.

[dmfdmf]

I agree with teleview, leave the J-pole on the outside of the beam. Based on your TV Fool report, even with 2-Edge signals you might get decent reception from there with the ANT751. As always, higher is better so if you can move the J-pole up or get an extended J-pole like this;
http://www.amazon.com/Distributed-By.../dp/B00EI8LYJQ

You might just be able to get good signals, that location is close to clearing the nearby building and at the outside beam you are almost clearing the tree. Aim the antenna up (toward the sky) about 5-10deg to maximize reception.

[dmfdmf]

Originally Posted by Mayor West

Thanks for all the help. I went to my building manager to just double check about things. They have an antenna on the building that used to tie into all the apartments, but it was disabled years ago. So I am stuck where I am at for positioning at the moment.

I'd talk further to the management about reviving an OTA antenna for the apartment. The location has great signals and if the units are already wired then it might not be that difficult to put in a new antenna and route to anyone who wants OTA TV. It could probably be done professionally for less than $2K and would be a big selling point for the under-30 crowd who are streaming anyway but would love to have reliable local TV signals. When I went to ask permission from my landlady to install a roof top antenna I was pleasantly surprised when she not only approved the project but offered to pay for every thing but my labor.

[Mayor West]

I will give the aiming suggestions a try. When I earlier tried to swing the antenna to the proper heading, from the current j-pole position, the wooden pillar got in the way. But it looks like from your amazon link there are many great options for poles that will help get around this!

Also, does the antenna have to be on a flat plane? Could it be rotated 90 degrees, as long as it is pointing in the right direction?

Also, if this doesn't work I am going to write a letter to my management company and suggest OTA support. It is kinda frustrating to see antennas on the top of each building and know they are not hooked up, or maybe they are and I just need to talk to someone "more in the know."

Thanks all for the useful info. I will give it another go and report back.

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The antenna will be in the horizontal plane , flat with the ground.

You can install the antenna on the side of the pole that is in the direction that the picture is looking at.

The point is , to avoid installing the antenna at locations that the reception will be more obstructed.

That apartment building that is in the direction of the picture is looking at is disrupting reception.

Home Depot has , 10 foot 6 inch lengths , 1 and 3/8 inch diameter , TOP RAIL , chain link fence , PIPE , that makes good antenna mast to get the antenna up higher.

The 1 and 3/8 inch diameter pipe will most likely fit inside the satellite mount pipe.

[GroundUrMast]

The majority of TV signals are broadcast in the horizontal plane. An antenna oriented in the vertical plane may be at a 20 dB disadvantage.