Forum Discussion

az99's avatar
az99
Explorer
Feb 09, 2014

More OTA Antenna Questions

Since there have been several OTA antenna discussions lately I decided to play around with it at home since it got up to a balmy 25º. I am trying to get everything ready so I can record OTA network programs while in the MH. I got an iView digital converter and an AM21 for the sat but had no OTA antenna here at home to test either new piece. Unfortunately I was dumb enough to buy the chinese piece of junk antenna from fleabay mentioned in another thread. Knowing I got many more channels when the MH antenna was used I decided to take my batwing with wingman off the MH and try it mounted up high on the house where I had the other one. I got far more channels than when mounted on the MH because it was about 20' higher. I was surprised and impressed by the performance. In fact I got so many channels that I don't get as locals from DTV I decided I would get an antenna for the house.

Could any of you antenna experts please recommend an outdoor UHF only and preferably flat antenna that would give equal performance to the Winegard batwing from the MH for mounting on the house? I won't need a rotor. I am 50+ miles from the stations,at higher elevation but with a lot of trees and in a valley if any of that matters.
Thanx
  • MNtundraRet's avatar
    MNtundraRet
    Navigator
    Feb 09, 2014
    I don't understand your question? :h

    After using the Winegard/Wingman set up on top of your house, and getting excellent results, why on earth you now want to replace it with a "POS" type of antenna?

    That type of antenna are for those who live city within about 20 miles of the transmitter.
  • Bill_Satellite's avatar
    Bill_Satellite
    Explorer II
    Feb 09, 2014
    Well, I understand your question!
    You can take a look here at some of the Winegard home antennas.
    Winegard home UHF antennas
    I don't think the Flat Wave is what you would want but the other will do the job.
    Now, with that said, are you sure you only need UHF? You know your market better that I, so I will not question it, but just be sure you know what frequencies the various channels are broadcast on.
    I found an interesting list of TV stations in PA (Wikipedia, of course). Take a look at the channels you want to watch. The RF list shows UHF (above 14)/ VHF (13 and below).
    PA TV Stations
  • az99's avatar
    az99
    Explorer
    Feb 09, 2014
    There are a few VHF but nothing of interest if I could get away with a flat UHF only antenna. Where I have to mount it would be a problem to put up an old style large antenna.
    Would the HD-8800 equal the performance of the batwing?

    I guess I could always get another batwing head and some sort of 110AC to 12VDC power adapter. Then I would always have a set of spare parts for the MH. :)
  • n7bsn's avatar
    n7bsn
    Explorer
    Feb 09, 2014
    Personally I would never go with a UHF only, VHF/UHF would me (and has been) my choice.
    We have an AntennaCraftHD-360 (RadioShack) and find it works well. Of course, unlike the bat-wing I have to erect it, but it out performs the Jensen POS that came with the rig ("44" stations vrs "6") and putting a hand-crank antenna is not possible.
  • WyoTraveler's avatar
    WyoTraveler
    Explorer
    Feb 09, 2014
    You could just hang a VHF/UHF antenna in your attic unless you have a metal roof. Hang them with nylon cord from the rafters.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Feb 09, 2014
    I like Channel Master antennas, The wingman is low to medium grade as far as CM is concerned. YOU WILL need a rotor to aim it with though unless all the channels are in the same direction.

    Back in "ye old analog days" my parents had I think the #2 Channel Master 100' up a tower (I know, cause I climbed up there to install the mast head pre-amp, and I happen to be arophobic... Thankfully my trust in my safety harness was greater than my fear of height).

    We were on the south side of Union city MI (you may map it, Franscisco and Snow roads) and we got Gun Lake (Kalamazoo/Grand Rapids) Lansing/Jackson) (not sure where they put the towers) South Bend Indiana, Detroit (Southrield) and more.

    That puppy could see stations over 100 miles away.
  • SCVJeff's avatar
    SCVJeff
    Explorer
    Feb 09, 2014
    Personally I would go with the HD7084 if there is any VHF at all to be had within 100 miles. I used to put the equivelient model in at my dads and then all the neighbors with low noise deep fringe pre-amps in the late 70's because thats all that worked.

    If you have no reason for VHF, its awful hard to beat a bowtie antenna. To this day when people call the stations complaining about reception problems, we steer them toward either a 4 or 8 bay bowtie. In extreme cases they also make (or made?) a stacked side by side 16 bay antenna (2ea. 8-bays side by side). I've seen 150 miles+ out of those in a quiet area.
  • Fizz's avatar
    Fizz
    Explorer
    Feb 09, 2014
    One more time...

    Do a search for... 4 Bay HD TV Antenna
    Shop around I found them locally for $17
    You will even find plans for building your own. I tried it and liked the reception so I bought two of them.

  • Gdetrailer's avatar
    Gdetrailer
    Explorer III
    Feb 09, 2014
    Fizz wrote:
    One more time...

    Do a search for... 4 Bay HD TV Antenna
    Shop around I found them locally for $17
    You will even find plans for building your own. I tried it and liked the reception so I bought two of them.



    While those types can work, they are less than ideal in MOST major markets. This is due to the fact that not ALL TV stations are on UHF.

    After the digital transition was completed and all analog broadcasts stopped, some stations opted to go back to their old VHF channel frequencies (7-13 analog).

    Not to mention you may run into an occasional analog "repeater" since not all of them have been phased out (although that transition might be now complete). Analog repeaters were allowed to continue on well past the digital transition.

    For most homes I would recommend any antenna which includes VHF for MAXIMUM benefit of getting all available channels.

    I would also recommend get a good outdoor preamp (one that has an outdoor amp which mounts at the antenna)for amplifying the actual signal instead of noise..

    Use 100% shielded RG-6 (do not skimp on the wire and use RG-59) and keep the run as short as possible.

    If splitting for two or more TVs then use and amplified coupler instead of a passive splitter (passive splitters reduce the signal by 3.5 DB for a two way which is MORE than HALF of your signal).

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