Antenna explanation

SCVJeff wrote:
You seriously need to get you facts straight as almost everything you state here is incorrect.

Where do you get this from anyway?

Actually I think it is you who isn't paying attention. You are technically correct when you state there isn't such a thing as an "HD antenna", but that is splitting hairs.

Pre-HD (analog TV days), UHF channels were the minority of channels in most markets, and they were also often independent channels people didn't care about. So the antennas made back then were tuned for optimal VHF reception, since those tended to be the more difficult channels to tune in over a long distance. In order to recieve UHF channels, you either had to get an antenna with a UHF grid, or add one to your antenna stack. Many people didn't care enough about UHF to bother with this step. (I know 2 personally)

Newer antennas marketed as "HD" as simply tuned to receive much better UHF, since that is now the vast majority of broadcast network transmissions. They still recieve VHF (mine does) so you don't lose any of those channels either, but the UHF reception is dramatically improved, so your HD reception is dramatically improved.

I will agree with you, that if someone HAS an old antenna on their roof or RV that picks up UHF acceptably, it will work fine with HD. (Hence no such thing as an "HD antenna")

But if your old antenna had weak UHF reception to begin with, then it will suck picking up HD. Installing one of the newer designs will make a dramatic improvement.

My own house is right in between 2 major markets, unfortunately 50+ miles from each. In the old days, I couldn't pick up ANY of the UHF analog broadcasts, they were far too weak. But I paid decent money for a massive beam antenna that picked up VHF reasonably well, even though it had to run through a rotor to get both markets. After the HD broadcasts began, I replaced this massive beam antenna with a small grid-style "HD antenna", and removed the rotor completely. I now receive all channels, from both markets, with no need to turn the antenna at all. I went from a beam antenna that weighed 30 pounds and had about a 5 foot span and needed a tripd mount on my roof to support, to a grid about 2 feet square that is light enough to mount on a pole attached to my gutter.

So don't tell me there isn't a benefit in the new antennas.