help please

[Beach Boy]

Hi all,
I am hoping to drop cable service and install an antenna, but don't know how to go about it. Here is my analysis.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...9fbe285e2111cf

Any suggestions?

[Dave Loudin]

You've got enough signal to work with (Noise Margin is 0 or better) so you should be able to get all the networks from at least one market. From the Real channel column, you have stations in the high-VHF and UHF bands. I'd like to see what Tigerbangs has to say, but here are two thoughts:

1) LOWER COST OPTION: One of the highly recommended models for High-VHF/UHF is the Winegard HD769n series. With the Portland stations in the 10s and 20s for noise margin, you could buy a HD7696, mount it on the roof, and aim it about due north. If yu have trouble with drip-outs, then a pre-amp like the Channel Master 7777 could be added (mounted near the antenna.)

2) HIGHER COST OPTION: With a larger antenna, you should be able to catch southern NH and Boston stations. You will need a rotator to aim the antenna to the proper directions to make this happen. The line-up would be a HD7698 with a rotator mounted on the roof with the Channel Master pre-amp.

Any other thoughts from the collective?

[John Candle]

does beach boy live in a house , apt. , mobile home , town home , motor home , car , truck or on the beach ?

[Beach Boy]

I spend a lot of time ON the beach but I do like to sleep in a bed so I DO live in a house with a roof near the beach. There are houses on either side of me, but no other obstructions.

[Tower Guy]

Originally Posted by Dave Loudin

Any other thoughts from the collective?

I agree that an HD-769X-P series for Portland is a good choice. But I don't see a strong FOX in Portland. WPFO is weak and off axis. To make it work you'd need the smallest HD-7694P aimed at 24 degrees and hope that the stronger stations work slightly off the main beam. Plan on a preamp.

Your better option for FOX is Boston's WFXT. A 91XG aimed at 207 with a preamp should work fine for almost all the Boston stations.

Of course a rotor will help with reception of off-axis stations, but some HDTV sets have trouble with rotors. A better solution is combined antennas, but combining has practical limits.

If I lived in York, ME I'd install a 91XG aimed at Boston and a Y5-7-13 aimed at WMTW. I'd use a Winegard AP 2870 to couple the two antennas together. I'd rely on WMTW for local news and weather, the Boston stations for everything else. Would that miss anything important to you?

[Beach Boy]

Thanks for the help,
Would the recommended antennae bring in red sox and celtics games? My wife wants to get HGTV and the food network is that going to be possible also?
Thanks again

[mtownsend]

Originally Posted by Beach Boy

My wife wants to get HGTV and the food network is that going to be possible also?

Nope. HGTV and Food Network are only available through cable and satellite providers right now. There might be online versions of some of your wife's favorite programs (via hulu or similar sites).

From over the air channels (varies by location) you can get network programming line-ups like:

ABC
CBS
NBC
Fox
PBS
CW
MyNetworkTV
Universal Sports (NBC)
Qubo (PBS)
PBS Kids
PBS World
Telemundo
Azteca
TeleFutura
Univision
V-me
RTV
MHz
i (ION)
Ion Life
ThisTV
Independent stations
Shopping channels
Religious channels
Canadian/Mexican stations (near border zones)



However, HGTV, Food Network, and several other program providers are only available through pay TV (cable/satellite) systems.

[Tigerbangs]

Well, Boston is the sixth largest TV market: Portland is the 80th: If I had the choice of both, personally, I'd choose Boston. if Boston is what you're after, use an XG-91 and a Channel Master Titan 7777 preamplifier, and you'll see everything out of Boston: if you add a rotator and a Winegard YA-1713 to the XG-91, you'll see Portland, Manchester and Durham, NH

[chumster]

Originally Posted by Beach Boy

Thanks for the help,
Would the recommended antennae bring in red sox and celtics games? My wife wants to get HGTV and the food network is that going to be possible also?
Thanks again

You cant get food network or HGTV, but PBS offers a great channel called CREATE which has all kinds of cooking, home and garden, and craft shows with no commercials. We just love it. Here is the website.

http://www.createtv.com/

[Beach Boy]

Gee, thanks, that looks like a good alternative. That should make my wife happy.

I'll let everyone know how the set up goes once we get it up and running...it maybe a while but I'll respond at some point. Thanks for all the info!!!

[wisny]

Hi all,

I searched for a Portland, ME thread. This was the closest I could find. Unlike the OP, I will be looking for the Portland market, and I'm interested in an indoor, rather than outdoor, antenna. Does anyone have any experience with OTA reception in Portland, and do you have any recommendations for an indoor antenna that might work?

We currently have TWC on two TVs, one with TiVo (wow, love tivo!! ), but added a 19" HDTV in another room to use for exercise vhs's and dvd's. We didn't want to add more coaxial cable to bring cable to the little tv, but thought it might be nice to get OTA channels. I went to antennaweb.org, and most of my results were yellow and red:

CBS-DT, NBC-DT, TBN-D - yellow uhf (plus Daystar WLLB-LP, which isn't digital)

ABC-DT - yellow vhf

CW-DT, FOX-DT, MyTV-DT - red uhf (plus TBN W32CA, which isn't digital)

PBS-DT - red vhf

and another PBS-DT - blue uhf


The yellow TBN & Daystar stations, the red TBN station, and the blue PBS station are not important to me, but I would like to get the yellow ABC, NBC, and CBS stations, as well as the red CW, Fox, and PBS stations, if possible. The red MyTV station is not a priority, but I'll take it, if it shows up . The antennaweb page doesn't look like it has a link I can c&p to share, but here is the one from tvfool.com:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...a362cd71863cfb

The tv will be located on the second floor of a two-story house, which also has an attic. The area is mostly 1- and 2-story homes, but there are a few 4-story buildings not far away. There is a radio tower within a mile, as well. And there are many mature maple trees which are taller than the homes.

Any advice would be much appreciated . Should I be looking for an amplified rabbit ears? A non-amplified rabbit ears? A flat antenna? It's so confusing!

I guess I need one that is uhf and vhf? Does that mean definitely rabbit ears with a circle antenna in the middle? Thankyou in advance to all, for any helpful tips you might have!

[wisny]

Originally Posted by wisny

Hi all,

I searched for a Portland, ME thread. This was the closest I could find. Unlike the OP, I will be looking for the Portland market, and I'm interested in an indoor, rather than outdoor, antenna. Does anyone have any experience with OTA reception in Portland, and do you have any recommendations for an indoor antenna that might work?

We currently have TWC on two TVs, one with TiVo (wow, love tivo!! ), but added a 19" HDTV in another room to use for exercise vhs's and dvd's. We didn't want to add more coaxial cable to bring cable to the little tv, but thought it might be nice to get OTA channels. I went to antennaweb.org, and most of my results were yellow and red:

CBS-DT, NBC-DT, TBN-D - yellow uhf (plus Daystar WLLB-LP, which isn't digital)

ABC-DT - yellow vhf

CW-DT, FOX-DT, MyTV-DT - red uhf (plus TBN W32CA, which isn't digital)

PBS-DT - red vhf

and another PBS-DT - blue uhf


The yellow TBN & Daystar stations, the red TBN station, and the blue PBS station are not important to me, but I would like to get the yellow ABC, NBC, and CBS stations, as well as the red CW, Fox, and PBS stations, if possible. The red MyTV station is not a priority, but I'll take it, if it shows up . The antennaweb page doesn't look like it has a link I can c&p to share, but here is the one from tvfool.com:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...a362cd71863cfb

The tv will be located on the second floor of a two-story house, which also has an attic. The area is mostly 1- and 2-story homes, but there are a few 4-story buildings not far away. There is a radio tower within a mile, as well. And there are many mature maple trees which are taller than the homes.

Any advice would be much appreciated . Should I be looking for an amplified rabbit ears? A non-amplified rabbit ears? A flat antenna? It's so confusing!

I guess I need one that is uhf and vhf? Does that mean definitely rabbit ears with a circle antenna in the middle? Thankyou in advance to all, for any helpful tips you might have!

Heya again

So, I tried this antenna:



RadioShack® Indoor HDTV Antenna
Model: 15-246 | Catalog #: 15-246 $24.99

Tune in to a better picture.

This is the perfect antenna for all your reception needs. From basic UHF, VHF and FM radio signals to HDTV and FM HD Radio signals*, you'll be able to see and hear more clearly. The 12-potion fine-tuning control gives you the ability to hone in for optimal reception. Best of all, you can get all this without having to place anything obtrusive on top of your television set. This antenna features a stylish design with discrete dipoles and an integrated UHF loop, so it blends in with high-tech A/V components. With one device, you can improve reception and the appearance of your television area.

* Receives HDTV, FM HD radio, VHF, UHF and FM radio signals*
* 12-position fine-tuning provides optimal reception
* Discrete black dipoles and integrated UHF loop
* Gold-plated connectors help reduce signal loss and interference
* Includes 6-foot, 75-ohm coaxial cable

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...uctId=3643548#


It was very good at the regular yellow stations. The low power yellow station was high snow (I don't want that station, anyway, so that didn't matter), but it didn't pick up the red stations. I really would like to get PBS, Fox, and the CW, so if anyone has any good recommendations, I'm all ears

tia again !

[John Candle]

Wisny your post is tacked on to Beach Boy , This is not correct. You need to post your Own Post.

[wisny]

Originally Posted by John Candle

Wisny your post is tacked on to Beach Boy , This is not correct. You need to post your Own Post.

ooooo .... sorry! Will make a new post