LORisAwesome Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Hi Hopefully someone here can offer suggestions/solutions. I was trying to watch some on-air TV last night during a storm, but my TV kept losing the signal, breaking up, pixellating etc.. Even during good weather it sometimes has trouble. I do have DirecTV, but do not pay for local channels. No sense paying a monthly fee when I can get it free. Satellite doesn't work well during storms either. I live near St. Louis, so signal strength should not be an issue. I never had a problem with the old analog signal. I am still using the old outdoor analog antenna. Would buying a new digital antenna help? I also wonder if the antenna is not aimed properly and how to check and/or correct it. Comments, Suggestions? Thanks Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 I can't speak from personal experience since we receive TV from our broadband provider, but our neighbors discovered that local channels seem to come in MUCH better with an antenna specifically engineered to receive digital TV signals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithzone Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Try a digital one - the length is optimized for the different frequency http://www.antennapoint.com/ - is also interesting - you can get your compass out and point your antennae right where you need Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LORisAwesome Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 Ok, so the local channels that I would like to receive are between 165.61 and 185.04 degrees. Should I point the antenna toward the middle of that range (175 degrees)? Any recommendations on manufacturer/model antenna? ThanksOh yeah almost forgot.... How do you tell which is the front of the antenna? Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KStatefan Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Here is a map with DTV signal strengths Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 The end of the antenna that you would want to point to 175 is the end that is smaller. But do not confuse it with the UHF that makes like a vertical funnel. I would try to point to 175 degrees. Lots of the transmitters are down in south county. DO NOT get an antenna that is rated for more miles than you are from the transmitters. If you do, you might find that you can not get both transmitters at the extreme left or right side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alien407 Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Here is a web site you can go to that will help you with reception questions in your area. http://tvfool.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LORisAwesome Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 Max, I was hoping you would chime in. According the Alien407's site. I am 12-18 miles from the major transmitters in St. Louis (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, KPLR, and PBS). Don't really care about the others. I've been trying to research antenna's and I don't see any that are for less than 35 miles. One of the sites say I need a medium directional antenna with a pre-amp. I do see a few of these... Also, I've been thinking of trying to put the antenna in the attic and get rid of the outside antenna on the house for aesthetic purposes. Considering the problem that I've been having, I don't know if this will work or not. I have a friend that put an antenna in the attic for the analog signal with good success, and he was farther away. I think he had to do it because of sub division rules.. Any recommendations. Thanks Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alien407 Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I have a friend that put an antenna in the attic for the analog signal with good success, and he was farther away. I think he had to do it because of sub division rules.. Any recommendations. Thanks Jerry Jerry, as an FYI, I have a Channel Master 4 bay bowtie mounted in my attic and it does great. I just sort of aim it toward the major transmitter sites and tell my TV to scan for channels. Voila. http://www.channelmasterstore.com/Digital_HDTV_Outdoor_TV_Antenna_p/cm-4221hd.htm This antenna is good for UHF but not so good for VHF although it will do in some instances. I think you are close enough to the transmitters where it would be OK but not preferred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfrost55 Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 I use the same antenna in my attic and it works great. I'm about 40 miles from the transmitter sites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Kind of tongue in cheek. Your so close you could put a coat hanger wire in your antenna jack. Sounds like someone else is in a similar situation and I would run with the same set-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGabriel Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Check put the leaf antenna or google leaf antenna www.gomohu.com Pick up great, but you do get some fading in and out in storms.I think that is the norm with digital now.Had mine for a year now and planning to buy another. Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeERWNC Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Awesome... All of those tools posted gave me the same conclusion: NO SIGNAL You guys are lucky to get free TV.But I am not trading my mountain top for anything. At Least I have a Cell tower line of site from the house.I get 4G internet from my cell phone. Someday civilization will come here.Until then, I will have to deal with the banjo music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Until then, I will have to deal with the banjo music. I'd tend to be more concerned by some of the scary people playing those banjos... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjcruz Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Winegard broadband antennas are one of the better brands. I have it in my attic and I also install them on commercial buildings here in Phoenix. You should check or redo connections at antenna. Find out if there any splices and check those. I use a digital field strength meter to align my antennas. Some tvs like my Sharp have signal meters to help antenna alignment. Not sure how accurate they are. Just my professional opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GS Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I use DTV also, and an ant for digital local. This ant solved all my over the air issues, very happy - ClearStream™ 4 Ultra Long Range Outdoor DTV Antenna This site is helpful too - http://www.antennaweb.org/ Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Ok, just for discussion. In order for an antenna to be able to receive at greater distance. Something has to be given up. Example a ground plane that has equal receive distance in a 360 degree patters is say only good for say 20 miles but has a gain of zero. Now we will jump to the other end of the spectrum and I will use some of the specs from the above antenna that GS has suggested. This antenna has a gain of 12.2 dbi and a range of 65+ miles. But the cost is that you no longer have a 360 pattern. Now with this antenna the window is only 43 degrees. So if from your house all transmitters are between 10 and 15 miles. But the furthest left is at say a heading of 45 degrees and the furthest right is at a heading of 180 degrees. The above antenna will not be able to receive all of the transmitters. So buying a super dooper antenna is not what you want if you live in the city close to the transmitters. An antenna that is rated for say 20 miles with a gain of say 5 dbi and a beam width of say 180 degrees is what you want in this example. Research in where your transmitters are and distance is needed first to make a sound decision of what you need. Then you want to find an antenna that has the beam width that will get all of the stations you need. Then if the gain of the antenna is not high enough. You might consider buying an In-line amp. One that is mounted in the coax near the antenna, inside of the attic and with a power injector near the T.V. Oh and quality coax like RG-6 quad over RG-59. RG-59 is very leaky or another work is that it attenuates the signal way more that RG-6 quad. So dont buy more than you need in an antenna cause it could limit what stations you will be able to receive, In short it is a balancing act. Do your research before buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjcruz Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Also must keep in mind depending where you live. DTV also may also transmit on the VHF frequencies as they do in the Phoenix metro area. UHF only antennas will not work with VHF. Connectors are also a factor. Compression connectors are much better then the crimp type. Once in a while I get someone that put a connector on and has crimped it with a pair of pliers. Max-Paul is correct. Do your research or ask someone in your area that's in the business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Actually I have problems with either crimp or compression. Both types are subject to corrosion. I believe in only solder connections. One less point of failure. Crimpper or pliers, as long as there is a good electrical connection what is the difference? Although I will admit to buying a crimper to do the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Also must keep in mind depending where you live. DTV also may also transmit on the VHF frequencies as they do in the Phoenix metro area. UHF only antennas will not work with VHF. Connectors are also a factor. Compression connectors are much better then the crimp type. Once in a while I get someone that put a connector on and has crimped it with a pair of pliers. Max-Paul is correct. Do your research or ask someone in your area that's in the business.DTV I presume you are speaking of satilite? I believe we are talking more like 1.2Ghz. This is way above VHF which is defined as 30 to 300 Mhz and 300 to 3 Ghz as UHF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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