antenna TV question total newbie

[AlmostBoatless]

Thanks again for your help. We are in a rustic CG in Tamworth, NH for the summer, no cable TV. We only have our new Winegard batwing for antenna TV and we ONLY get one channel (ABC network). WE have tried moving the antenna, nothing more. We would love to watch NBC (for the Olympics) in August.

We understand just enough to be dangerous about TV reception and antennas and are definitely not tech savvy, so any advice would be appreciated. I went onto local Craigslist and typed in satellite tv and found one result advertising this: Trackvision R6 In Motion Satellite Dome $395 within a few miles of us. We don't want to spend $500 on a satellite dish on TV for 3 months as we will not be in the camper this winter.

Does anyone have Direct TV only for 3 or 4 months and how does it work? either that, or beg our neighbor to watch their TV or go to the local pub which would entail many calories I need to avoid! haha!

Yes, we are not tech savvy at all and need much advice so thank you all again!

[Lorne_Lorraine]

Here is the TV Fool report for Tamworth.

Tamworth Report

I usually cannot pick up stations with a NM (5th column from the left in the report) below 0 with my batwing with wingman. It may be that the OP can pick up more stations depending on his specific location (coordinates give a more accurate result). The OP mentions ABC and "moderate" for NBC. OP are you getting any other stations than these two and is NBC consistent?

[dockmasterdave]

I guess I'll stick with antennapoint.com.
The OP already posted that he now has more channels.

[Lorne_Lorraine]

For Tamworth, NH TV Fool shows that ABC 8.1 is the only TV station you can normally expect to get with the batwing antenna. The signals from all the other stations are too weak at this location.

[AlmostBoatless]

Bucky Badger wrote:
After you rotate your antenna are you rescanning channels?

yes, I even turned it off and on and prayed. THank you!

[AlmostBoatless]

Gene&Ginny wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
I am not familiar with the area, but AntennaPoint shows NO tv stations within 100 miles of Tamworth, NH in any direction. Sorry.

I got this:
Search Results: Found 10 transmitters within 60 miles of 03886
http://antennapoint.com/antennas/show?id=03886&commit=Search

Thanks for this info. We do get ABC whoopee!

[AlmostBoatless]

dmck413 wrote:
try antenna pointer to find stations and directions in your area

Yes, we are in a valley with lots of trees and Ossipee MT right next to us! So we suspect that we may need a satellite dish to get anything but ABC.

Well, we tried this and it shows moderate for NBC, so we will check out turning the antenna some more and check back in.

Thanks again, to all you helpful members!

[RJsfishin]

Agreed, add the sensor pro, and you can quit wondering !
If it don't show a signal, there ain't any, period.
And if it shows a signal, you can bet there is one.
And if it shows a signal in more than one direction, you just scan them out.

[jcpainter]

Adding the SensarPro to our Winegard Sensar with the Wingman attachment helped a lot with boosting and fine tuning the antenna pointing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ctj8AjLDdBg

Since the station you get and the channel you want are so close to each other and the station you want shows a stronger broadcast signal, it looks hopeful.

[W4RLR]

The Winegard Sensar with the Wingman attachment is a great antenna. That being said, even a great antenna will not get you a signal if you are in a mountainous area and your campsite is in a valley. When the DW and I were looking for our new home in Tennessee, we rented a site on a monthly basis at a campsite 25 miles from Chattanooga. Most of their transmitters are on Signal Mountain, a Chattanooga suburb that was even closer to our campsite. It made no difference, as we got ZERO over the air signals, as the signals were over our heads. We couldn't even get a cellular signal, no bars. The only way to get television in that area was satellite and cable. If you are in the valley, you probably will not get any usable signal on your Sensar with Wingman.

[Gene_Ginny]

Johno02 wrote:
I am not familiar with the area, but AntennaPoint shows NO tv stations within 100 miles of Tamworth, NH in any direction. Sorry.

I got this:
Search Results: Found 10 transmitters within 60 miles of 03886
http://antennapoint.com/antennas/show?id=03886&commit=Search

[Johno02]

I am not familiar with the area, but AntennaPoint shows NO tv stations within 100 miles of Tamworth, NH in any direction. Sorry.

[Johno02]

Ask some of those around you if they get any OTA signals. They probably know a lot more than any of us, unless one of us is parked next door to wherever you are. If they get any, you should also. if not, forget about it, you won't either. Free OTA TV depends on how many people can receive it to see the commercials. If its not a highly populated area, there migh not be any OTA available. There is a lot more space with no TV than there is with.

[rk911]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
...A full 90* swing does NOT bring in signals ....signals are very directional and moving antenna just a few degrees will get/loose signals...

30-years of traveling tell me different. we pretty much rely on satellite now so don't do much with the OTA antenna. but when we did I followed the advice I gave and generally had very good results. there were occasions, prior to the digital disaster, where I would have to tweak the antenna a few degrees to change it from a snowy picture to a less snowy picture but that didn't happen too often. digital is much more finicky (no snow, it's either there or it's not) but on the rare occasions we can't get satellite I follow the same advice I gave. diff'rent strokes.

[Gene_Ginny]

Tamworth is not a good place for TV reception. The nearest NBC station is WCSH in Portland Maine and I don't think their signal will make it over the hill.

update: WCSH transmitter is almost due East from Tamworth and is on a hill on the West side of Sebago Lake.