hd roof top antenna

[badgolferman]

I'm considering ditching cable TV and going streaming and broadcast. I
assume I can run the antenna feed to the same place where the cable
connects into the attic. This will be good enough for all the outlets
throughout the house, correct? My current cable connection requires a
powered amplifier though.

My biggest hesitation deals with the fact that I have some big maple
trees in my back yard that I believe would be in the direct path of the
direction I must aim the antenna. Is there a way to determine if this
is a problem before goint through the entire installation process?

[Jim Wilkins]

Post by badgolferman
I'm considering ditching cable TV and going streaming and broadcast.
I
assume I can run the antenna feed to the same place where the cable
connects into the attic. This will be good enough for all the
outlets
throughout the house, correct? My current cable connection requires a
powered amplifier though.
My biggest hesitation deals with the fact that I have some big maple
trees in my back yard that I believe would be in the direct path of the
direction I must aim the antenna. Is there a way to determine if this
is a problem before goint through the entire installation process?

One of my antennas is on a mast made of 1-3/8" chain link fence top
rails, which are almost the same diameter and fit together like TV
antenna mast but cost 1/4 as much, running from a post in the ground
up the side of the house and extending about 10' above the roof.

I can plug a small TV/monitor on a folding table into its downlead to
aim the antenna by hand from the ground for maximum signal strength on
the weakest channels. The best direction toward Boston changes a
little depending on whether or not the leaves are out.

The joints are shimmed with one turn of Gorilla tape to take out most
of the play, and secured from rotating with tape around the joint
until I make a drill jig to drill then all uniformly for joint screws,
to make the sections interchangeable for repairs or modifications.

Pipe hanger straps hold the mast loosely at the top and tightly to the
stake, so the antenna can't shift in the wind. I cut one section of
the 126" tubing in half and put the part with the swaged joint at the
bottom pointing up and the other plain one at the top, holding the
antenna. Removing the bottom 5' section lowers the mast so I can
safely reach and undo the upper joint on the roof and lift off the 5'
tube and antenna as one. A top rail end fitting with a bolt loop
serves as the rain cap to keep the joints from rusting.

The top rail is available in 20' sections too but I felt that 10'
pieces were easier to transport and erect and take down to maintain
the antenna. I lost signal strength when the contact resistance
between the elements and feed lines rose to about 300 milliOhms,
possibly higher before I disturbed them. Cleaning the joints and
coating them with Ox-Gard lowered the resistance below 20 milliOhms
and restored good reception. I replaced the rivets with aluminum
screws to make the joints easier to clean.

-jsw

[Bert]

Is there a way to determine if this is a problem before goint through
the entire installation process?

A visit to http://www.antennaweb.org/ will give you an idea of where the
OTA stations are relative to your location and how much of an antenna
you'll need to get a useable signal from them.

The Web site is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association and
the National Association of Broadcasters.

[Jim Wilkins]

Post by Bert

Is there a way to determine if this is a problem before goint
through
the entire installation process?

A visit to http://www.antennaweb.org/ will give you an idea of where the
OTA stations are relative to your location and how much of an
antenna
you'll need to get a useable signal from them.
The Web site is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association and
the National Association of Broadcasters.
--

I don't believe they give enough weight to local terrain and ghosting
where those are serious problems, like here. Otherwise their
suggestions seemed pretty close as long as I entered 50' for the
height to clear obstructions.

At ground level I can get a good signal on a tiny USB tuner antenna
that clips onto a laptop screen for some distant stations but nothing
at all for much nearer ones.

-jsw

[Smarty]

Post by Jim Wilkins

Post by Bert

Is there a way to determine if this is a problem before goint through
the entire installation process?

A visit to http://www.antennaweb.org/ will give you an idea of where the
OTA stations are relative to your location and how much of an
antenna
you'll need to get a useable signal from them.
The Web site is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association and
the National Association of Broadcasters.
--

I don't believe they give enough weight to local terrain and ghosting
where those are serious problems, like here. Otherwise their
suggestions seemed pretty close as long as I entered 50' for the
height to clear obstructions.
At ground level I can get a good signal on a tiny USB tuner antenna
that clips onto a laptop screen for some distant stations but nothing
at all for much nearer ones.
-jsw
TVFool.com is another web site which does a good job of estimating signal strength at your location and antenna height. It provides some additional data which Antennaweb.org does not provide.

I was also reluctant to commit to buying OTA antenna and related
hardware, and used both of these web sites to predict / simulate my
situation. The footprints / signal strength profiles they provide are
quite accurate, but as you fear, do not really account for foliage,
local obstructions, or weather conditions, all of which can totally
screw up reception.

Despite the errors in prediction, the models do provide enough evidence
of signal strength to give you a good reason to make an informed
decision. Also, some places do have a return policy which would allow
you to try out the configuration to see if it works adequately. Local
stores like Home Depot and Lowes also sell antennas which could be
returned if things really go badly.

One other cautionary note: The antenna will work best with very low loss
RG-6U coax all the way from the antenna to your receiver(s). I would not
necessarily assume (as you apparently have) that the cable TV wiring in
you house is of this type, even though it is coax. Mine was much higher
loss RG-59U which worked terribly for HDTV / UHF frequencies.

Smarty

[Ant]

Post by Smarty
I was also reluctant to commit to buying OTA antenna and related
hardware, and used both of these web sites to predict / simulate my
situation. The footprints / signal strength profiles they provide are
quite accurate, but as you fear, do not really account for foliage,
local obstructions, or weather conditions, all of which can totally
screw up reception.

Yep, I saw this in my locations.

Post by Smarty
Despite the errors in prediction, the models do provide enough evidence
of signal strength to give you a good reason to make an informed
decision. Also, some places do have a return policy which would allow
you to try out the configuration to see if it works adequately. Local
stores like Home Depot and Lowes also sell antennas which could be
returned if things really go badly.

Nice. I didn't know those places sell TV antenna(s/e). Other places
would be Best Buy, Fry's Electronics, Radio Shack, etc.