Go higher or go better?

[8bit]

I purchased a medium sized antenna from HHGregg before they went out of business and I pulled my satellite dish from the roof and installed my antenna on its pole. The antenna is about 10 feet off the ground. Where I live we are kind of in a hole if you will and there are tall trees surrounding our home.

I currently use an RCA TVPRAMP1R Preamplifier for Outdoor Antenna and a powered splitter in my attic. The antenna I believe is an RCA ANT751R.

I can currently get ABC, CBS, NBC & Fox but Fox and especially CBS would break up often. I'm interested in only these major networks.

My question is, should I go higher up with an extension pole with my current antenna or purchase a good antenna like a Winegard HD7698P Platinum Series.

Also, is it possible to install two antenna facing different directions but combine them so a motor is not necessary? With the correction position I can get all channels but CBS still suffers. I'm just trying to cover all the bases. Please suggest an antenna or antennas. I would greatly appreciate the help!

If anyone would like me to generate a different report, please let me know.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...9038259b65825a

Many thanks!

[GroundUrMast]

I ran a search at rabbitears.info using an estimate of your location. The results I saw suggest you may need to mount as high as 60' AGL to obtain line-of-sight conditions which the ANT751 would do best with. A larger antenna will provide more gain but will also have a narrower forward beam width that makes it harder to receive signals to the left and right of the aim point..

It would be helpful if you could run a search using the true location. Based on what I see you will need to set the search range to at least 70 miles rather than the default of 60 miles. Also, set the antenna height to the highest practical value that you could mount an antenna. Clearing/avoiding nearby trees, terrain and structures is a priority for reliable reception.

https://rabbitears.info/searchmap.php

[OTAFAN]

Originally Posted by 8bit

I can currently get ABC, CBS, NBC & Fox but Fox and especially CBS would break up often. I'm interested in only these major networks.

My question is, should I go higher up with an extension pole with my current antenna or purchase a good antenna like a Winegard HD7698P Platinum Series.

Also, is it possible to install two antenna facing different directions but combine them so a motor is not necessary? With the correction position I can get all channels but CBS still suffers. I'm just trying to cover all the bases. Please suggest an antenna or antennas. I would greatly appreciate the help!

Hello 8bit:

According to the zip code you provided in your TV Fool report, the rabbitears.info report shows better Post-Repack reception for that area. Obviously, you mentioned you were in a bit of a hole with surrounding tall trees which makes reception more challenging; although you seem to be getting most of the stations you desire. Here's the report for your zip code, but GroundUrMast's advice is wise. (Your rabbitears report takes a bit under 20 seconds to load).

https://www.rabbitears.info/search.p...=dBm&height=12

Also, here's a link for combining two RCA ANT751R antennas that might be helpful if you decide to go that way. A bit expensive, but you might save some money by just buying another ANT751R and related supplies separately.

https://www.dennystvantennare.com/bi...bles-in-stock/

I'm sure there are other's here who could help you achieve your goals if they decide to chime in.

All the best.....

[RMinNJ]

Originally Posted by OTAFAN

Hello 8bit:



Also, here's a link for combining two RCA ANT751R antennas that might be helpful if you decide to go that way. A bit expensive, but you might save some money by just buying another ANT751R and related supplies separately.

https://www.dennystvantennare.com/bi...bles-in-stock/

I'm sure there are other's here who could help you achieve your goals if they decide to chime in.

All the best.....

According to the zip code you provided in your TV Fool report, the rabbitears.info report shows better Post-Repack reception for that area. Obviously, you mentioned you were in a bit of a hole with surrounding tall trees which makes reception more challenging; although you seem to be getting most of the stations you desire. Here's the report for your zip code, but GroundUrMast's advice is wise. (Your rabbitears report takes a bit under 20 seconds to load).

https://www.rabbitears.info/search.p...=dBm&height=12

I surmise from what I see online combining 2 ANT751s may not work well if the antennas are pointed in the same direction? Mulitpath issues etc?
Its a shame as that the antenna is workable size for most of us.

[Tower Guy]

In your case I’d try an Antennas Direct 2MAX and couple it to your existing 751 using your preamp as a combiner. The 2MAX is bidirectional and should get most of your UHF stations well. I believe that your ABC is WLOS on VHF. If so, I’d aim your 751 at WLOS. WLOS doesn’t show on your rabbitears report because it’s further than 60 miles away.

The use of two antennas using the preamp as a combiner is a unique solution that will combine UHF and VHF antennas with no compromises. The VHF ability if the 2MAX will be tuned out by a filter in the preamp. The UHF ability of the 751 will be eliminated by the preamp.

[8bit]

Awesome input. Thank you all so much.

I'll run a report using my coordinates with extended range and post that.

I do like the idea of combining two antenna.

Kindest Regards,

[8bit]

Here's an updated Rabbitears report using 70 miles distance.

https://www.rabbitears.info/searchma...study_id=26782

Thank you all again for your help!

[8bit]

Well, I ended up purchasing a Clearstream Max4 and installed it above my existing antenna that is at a height of about 16 feet off the ground. I faced it towards the channel that is the furthest away from me (WLOS 13 ABC 60+ miles 350 degrees true) and I'm getting an almost clear picture with only some small artifacts from time to time and a few drops in audio. It's much much better than before but not 100%.

Signal is showing around 60%. I was also having some drops prior to this install on (WSPA 7 CBS 45 miles away) along with (WHNS 21 Fox 44 miles away) but they are NOW, 100% with zero drops or artifacts. Crystal clear.

My original antenna is at the same spot about 5.5 feet below the new Clearstream. If I read the pre-amp correctly the old antenna is going to the VHF and the new one is going to UHF. I could have that backwards. I had a hard time reading the labels. This allowed me to combine the two. Could this be an issue? I might ad a combiner to the mix. Not sure.

I've got a feeling that I need to be even higher to get 100% on the WLOS. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.I'll continue to tweak the positions of my antenna. See what I can do.

[Tower Guy]

The 751 should be aimed at WLOS on VHF channel 13 and connected to the VHF input of the preamp. The extra gain of the 4MAX doesn’t help you because the difference between the furthest east and furthest west (off the back) UHF stations is roughly 35 degrees. The 4MAX antenna is very directional. The 2MAX would have been a better choice.

In any event, the 4MAX gets connected to the UHF input of the preamp and carefully aimed/tweaked at or near due north to pick up WSPA on channel 22 off the back at 168 degrees, WYFF at .4 degrees, and the largest group of stations at 22.6 degrees.

[8bit]

Originally Posted by Tower Guy

The 751 should be aimed at WLOS on VHF channel 13 and connected to the VHF input of the preamp. The extra gain of the 4MAX doesn’t help you because the difference between the furthest east and furthest west (off the back) UHF stations is roughly 35 degrees. The 4MAX antenna is very directional. The 2MAX would have been a better choice.

In any event, the 4MAX gets connected to the UHF input of the preamp and carefully aimed/tweaked at or near due north to pick up WSPA on channel 22 off the back at 168 degrees, WYFF at .4 degrees, and the largest group of stations at 22.6 degrees.

Many thanks Tower Guy!

I'll swap those connections and do what you suggestion. Funny thing is I think last night's artifacting and audio issues may have been due to multipath. Right now WLOS is working without issue. I've watched it for half an hour now with not a single audio or video issue.

Should I move the 751 up higher and just below the 4MAX?

Cheers!

[Tower Guy]

The 751 should be aimed at WLOS and then moved up only if your reception of WLOS is not perfect.

[8bit]

Originally Posted by Tower Guy

The 751 should be aimed at WLOS and then moved up only if your reception of WLOS is not perfect.

As soon as this rain gets out of here, I'll make those changes.

Thank you again!

[8bit]

Well Tower Guy,

These are my findings. I am no longer getting any drops or video artifacts on any channel.

First off, during my initial setup, I was getting all channels but a few breakups in video and audio on WLOS but noted your comment about having my antenna connections connected to the wrong inputs on my pre-amp.

So I swapped the inputs so WLOS would be on VHF and my new 4DMax would be on UHF pointing due north. I did a new scan for channels and all came in but no WLOS - not even listed and was if it wasn't there. So for the heck of it I switched the antenna connections back to 751 / WLOS to UHF and my 4DMax going to WYFF and the others to VHF. That did the trick! All of the channels came in including WLOS. Strange but I was happy.

Next was WSPA. You mentioned that it was at 163 but the TVFool report has it at 23! That confused the heck out of me so I went back and pulled a Rabbit ears report another user that replied to this thread and it confirmed your direction of 163 which was almost directly behind my 4DMax. All of this started to make more sense to me so...

TL;DR

I pointed the front of my 4DMax towards 163 to pick up WSPA and allowed the back of my 4DMax to pick up the much easier WYFF and WHNS. Using the VHF input on my pre-amp.

I moved my 751 up about a foot and tweaked it until I was getting a consistent picture and audio. Using the UHF on my pre-amp.

I've been watching WLOS and WSPA for a few hours with zero drops.

Thank you again for your help! Could not have done it without you.

Cheers!

[Tower Guy]

I’m glad you got it all worked out!