Best OTA Antenna -- I want for HDTV

JTS

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In your opinions what is the best OTA antenna and the range of that antenna
with a booster?

I realize that terrain, weather, etc. will cause deviations, but I would
like to know average -- not conservative results.

Are there any antennas that can pick up ststions 100+ miles away?
 

JoAnne

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On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 23:41:26 -0400, "JTS" <jtshellnc@charter.net>
wrote:

>In your opinions what is the best OTA antenna and the range of that antenna
>with a booster?
>
>I realize that terrain, weather, etc. will cause deviations, but I would
>like to know average -- not conservative results.
>
>Are there any antennas that can pick up ststions 100+ miles away?
>
>

Tuesday, August 23 2005, @ 9:03 AM (-0700 GMT)

Hi JTS

Visit www.titantv.com

Aside from providing you with listing of all HD in your area, they
will tell you the distance of the stations from your zip code, a
suggested antenna type, and the compass bearing to point your antenna.
If I remember correctly, I think they may also give an opinion on
whether or not you need an LNA (low-noise amplifier).

JoAnne
WebMistress: http://www.antivirusyellowpages.com
 
G

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When I lived in the Sacramento California area I used a Terk38 for OTA HD
reception. Not only did I get my locals in crystal clear but I also pulled
several Bay Area stations in at night. That's about 125 Miles or so from
where I was located.

I plan on using another Terk when I move into my house in Parker Co.

Matt

"JTS" <jtshellnc@charter.net> wrote in message
news:3lxOe.9712$1g2.240@fe05.lga...
> In your opinions what is the best OTA antenna and the range of that
> antenna
> with a booster?
>
> I realize that terrain, weather, etc. will cause deviations, but I would
> like to know average -- not conservative results.
>
> Are there any antennas that can pick up ststions 100+ miles away?
>
>
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

JTS wrote:
> In your opinions what is the best OTA antenna and the range of that antenna
> with a booster?
>
> I realize that terrain, weather, etc. will cause deviations, but I would
> like to know average -- not conservative results.
>
> Are there any antennas that can pick up ststions 100+ miles away?

First, you need to determine how many UHF digital stations vs VHF
digital stations are in your area. If all the digital stations are
currently on UHF channels (their real broadcast channel, not the
remapped to channel 4, 6, etc that you see on the display), then your
priority is getting a large UHF antenna with VHF as a secondary concern.
Some of major broadcast network digital channels will shift back to VHF
when analog shutdown occurs, perhaps in early 2009, but that is a few
years off. Check www.antennaweb.org for starters.

I don't know if anyone can tell you what is the single best OTA
antenna for all situations without a lot more info. The key to put a
large antenna at the highest point possible on your roof or a nearby
high point if you want to go after stations 100+ miles away. But this
all depends on your local terrain - any hills or ridges between you and
the stations? Nearby tree line? Are the stations in that city
broadcasting at anywhere near full power for their digital channels?

In my case, I have been experimenting with several UHF antennas to
pick up Washington DC (about 20 miles) and Baltimore digital stations.
The problem is that the cities are in different directions, so a very
directional UHF antenna such as one I got from Radio Shack (Catalog #
15-2160) has it's drawbacks. I have since been trying a 4 bowtie antenna
from Channel Master, model 3021/4221 (www.channelmaster.com) with more
success. I have been testing it from the top floor with a 13 dB
amplifier so I should get better reception when it goes up into the
attic crawl space. Next step is to try out a more powerful pre-amp, but
pre-amps are not helpful for nearby stations.

Hope this helps a bit.

Alan F
 

JTS

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28601 Hickory, NC
"Lorenzo" <Lorenzo.1u7f3y@satelliteguys.us> wrote in message
news:Lorenzo.1u7f3y@satelliteguys.us...
>
> So we can look up the HD stations near you, what's your zipcode?
>
>
> --
> Lorenzo, Posted this message at http://www.SatelliteGuys.US
>
 

JTS

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Thanks, any info helps.


"afiggatt" <afiggatt@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:Ua2dnZ2dnZ35iemunZ2dncWwlt6dnZ2dRVn-z52dnZ0@adelphia.com...
> JTS wrote:
>> In your opinions what is the best OTA antenna and the range of that
>> antenna
>> with a booster?
>>
>> I realize that terrain, weather, etc. will cause deviations, but I would
>> like to know average -- not conservative results.
>>
>> Are there any antennas that can pick up ststions 100+ miles away?
>
> First, you need to determine how many UHF digital stations vs VHF digital
> stations are in your area. If all the digital stations are currently on
> UHF channels (their real broadcast channel, not the remapped to channel 4,
> 6, etc that you see on the display), then your priority is getting a large
> UHF antenna with VHF as a secondary concern. Some of major broadcast
> network digital channels will shift back to VHF when analog shutdown
> occurs, perhaps in early 2009, but that is a few years off. Check
> www.antennaweb.org for starters.
>
> I don't know if anyone can tell you what is the single best OTA antenna
> for all situations without a lot more info. The key to put a large antenna
> at the highest point possible on your roof or a nearby high point if you
> want to go after stations 100+ miles away. But this all depends on your
> local terrain - any hills or ridges between you and the stations? Nearby
> tree line? Are the stations in that city broadcasting at anywhere near
> full power for their digital channels?
>
> In my case, I have been experimenting with several UHF antennas to pick
> up Washington DC (about 20 miles) and Baltimore digital stations. The
> problem is that the cities are in different directions, so a very
> directional UHF antenna such as one I got from Radio Shack (Catalog #
> 15-2160) has it's drawbacks. I have since been trying a 4 bowtie antenna
> from Channel Master, model 3021/4221 (www.channelmaster.com) with more
> success. I have been testing it from the top floor with a 13 dB amplifier
> so I should get better reception when it goes up into the attic crawl
> space. Next step is to try out a more powerful pre-amp, but pre-amps are
> not helpful for nearby stations.
>
> Hope this helps a bit.
>
> Alan F
>
>
>
 

JTS

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thank you.


"JoAnne" <mwsoft@cox.net> wrote in message
news:c6img1152kefi51bduk6e2ulp1uolgc2no@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 23:41:26 -0400, "JTS" <jtshellnc@charter.net>
> wrote:
>
>>In your opinions what is the best OTA antenna and the range of that
>>antenna
>>with a booster?
>>
>>I realize that terrain, weather, etc. will cause deviations, but I would
>>like to know average -- not conservative results.
>>
>>Are there any antennas that can pick up ststions 100+ miles away?
>>
>>
>
> Tuesday, August 23 2005, @ 9:03 AM (-0700 GMT)
>
> Hi JTS
>
> Visit www.titantv.com
>
> Aside from providing you with listing of all HD in your area, they
> will tell you the distance of the stations from your zip code, a
> suggested antenna type, and the compass bearing to point your antenna.
> If I remember correctly, I think they may also give an opinion on
> whether or not you need an LNA (low-noise amplifier).
>
> JoAnne
> WebMistress: http://www.antivirusyellowpages.com
>
>
 

greywolf

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"Matt Mac Donagh" <gamefixer@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:aZmdnYAUT9wC2JbeRVn-ig@comcast.com...
> When I lived in the Sacramento California area I used a Terk38 for OTA HD
> reception. Not only did I get my locals in crystal clear but I also pulled
> several Bay Area stations in at night. That's about 125 Miles or so from
> where I was located.
>
> I plan on using another Terk when I move into my house in Parker Co.
>
> Matt
>
> "JTS" <jtshellnc@charter.net> wrote in message
> news:3lxOe.9712$1g2.240@fe05.lga...
>> In your opinions what is the best OTA antenna and the range of that
>> antenna
>> with a booster?
>>
>> I realize that terrain, weather, etc. will cause deviations, but I would
>> like to know average -- not conservative results.
>>
>> Are there any antennas that can pick up ststions 100+ miles away?
>>

Over 60 miles on flat terrain and the curvature of the earth starts getting
in the way. Terk antennas have a reputation for being overpriced and/or
underperforming. At least the 30 series are only the former as Winegard
makes them and equivalent Winegards cost less. Antennas that look like
antennas have looked for years are the better performers. Channel Master,
Winegard, and Antennas Direct are some of the better manufacturers but
beware the "pretty" models as they don't work as well. Even Radio Shack does
a decent job but their antennas are a bit flimsy. A good primer on antennas
is http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/types.html

Some comparisons between antenna models may be found at
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

Pat
 
G

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JTS wrote:
>
> In your opinions what is the best OTA antenna and the range of that antenna
> with a booster?
>
> I realize that terrain, weather, etc. will cause deviations, but I would
> like to know average -- not conservative results.
>
> Are there any antennas that can pick up ststions 100+ miles away?


I just ran some 95 mile tests of UHF Digital/HD channels in Wisc

this past Sunday... Set up location: Wisc Rapids to Green Bay

where Green Bay has all 7 networks Transmitting at full Power
Digital.

Yes, I picked up Wausau (38mi N)5/9 & Eau Claire (61 mi NW)2/9 Digital

using no CM 7775 amplifier. With amplifier 9/9 bars & 7/9 bars.

Set up was in Drive Way at 6' Step ladder level with lots of pine
trees.

Tuner was Samsung T-151, Antenna Channel Master 4228 8 bay bow
tie($40),

RG-6 Cable, & Channel Master UHF 7775 amplifier. I received no
signal

on all 7 GBay Digital UHF channels... & I used GPS 'angles' to aim
antenna

from house drive way to the Towers 95 miles away to East in each case.

I needed more antenna elevation & time... but our family reunion took

precedence. One Rapids relative just bought a new Sony KDF-E50A10
LCD.
 
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"JTS" <jtshellnc@charter.net> wrote in news:3lxOe.9712$1g2.240@fe05.lga:

> In your opinions what is the best OTA antenna and the range of that
> antenna with a booster?

That's not an easy question to answer. It depends on which stations and
at what range you want to recieve them. For a particular station on a
single channel, if you're desperate and rich enough, you could hand build
a set of 16 yagis, phase them using foam RG11 and RG8 products that are
very low loss, put a really hot GaAsFET preamp on the mast and get a
signal from quite a good way out.

> I realize that terrain, weather, etc. will cause deviations, but I
> would like to know average -- not conservative results.
>
> Are there any antennas that can pick up ststions 100+ miles away?

It will depend mostly on terrain and the elevations of the two antennas.
Digital TV is not as easy as analog TV, because you need a stronger
signal (compared to noises, including internal circuit noise) for
decoding to work. Of course, once it works, you get a perfect picture,
so you kind of have to work to bring your signal up over that threshold.

If I was just experimenting and had the real estate for it, I would put
up a good (lightning-arrested) roofmount mast with a rotor and a VHF-UHF
log periodic antenna on it and the best antenna-mount preamp that I could
find. That will get most of what is there to be got. You may also find
that, on days when there is a bit of a temperature inversion (happens
fairly regularly in late spring along the east coast for example), that
you get a whole lot more stations, maybe even too many, causing
interference.

--
Dave Oldridge+
ICQ 1800667