Antenna Recommendations Please

[FloridaMac]

Hi everyone,

Like most new people here I'm looking for experienced advice to avoid wasting time and money. Thank you!

I can get about 35 feet off the ground. The good news is, all of the antennas I want to hit are in the same place, within 1 or 2 degrees of each other so I won't need a rotor.

I'm looking at the Channel Master Masterpiece 100, CM 5020, the gain numbers look great and the physical size isn't too huge at 109 inches. I would also add a preamp if needed. See signal analysis below. All of the channels I care about are in the yellow, except WFLA TV 8 which isn't on this map but is in the same area as all the others on the FCC map (RF 7, to become RF 9).

Editing... Tried to post link to my signal analysis from TVFool but suspect that is causing my post to be rejected as spam? I copied the numbers....

Real
Chanel NM PWR Path Distance
32 24.4 -66.4 2edge
10 23.8 -68 1edge
13 21.0 -69.8 1 edge
12 20.8 -70.1 1 edge

 

[harshness]

Give RabbitEars.Info a try for your location. Since you only have one post, you'll have to make another couple posts at least before you can post links (what you've called a spam rejection). One of those posts could be your five digit zip code and the other could be a list of the most important stations (by callsign since it isn't impacted by the repack) that you're looking to receive.

From what you did offer:

The edges are scary right out of the box. If you're using 35' AGL in your model, you must be pretty well shaded. Otherwise, the power levels don't seem to beg for anything special in terms of an amplifier. If the edges foster multipath, any kind of amplification could make the situation much worse. I worry that the antennas you're considering may be overkill gain-wise but you may need the narrower beamwidth to reduce multipath.

Clearly you're going to want something other than an "HD" antenna given the population in the VHF-high range. It would be useful to know how many ways you plan on splitting the signal.

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys FloridaMac!

 

[Trip]

Give RabbitEars.Info a try for your location. Since you only have one post, you'll have to make another couple posts at least before you can post links (what you've called a spam rejection).

Alternatively, the OP could post the ID number from the end of the address it gives you.

- Trip

 

[Wireless Engineer]

Hi everyone,

Like most new people here I'm looking for experienced advice to avoid wasting time and money. Thank you!

I can get about 35 feet off the ground. The good news is, all of the antennas I want to hit are in the same place, within 1 or 2 degrees of each other so I won't need a rotor.

I'm looking at the Channel Master Masterpiece 100, CM 5020, the gain numbers look great and the physical size isn't too huge at 109 inches. I would also add a preamp if needed. See signal analysis below. All of the channels I care about are in the yellow, except WFLA TV 8 which isn't on this map but is in the same area as all the others on the FCC map (RF 7, to become RF 9).

Editing... Tried to post link to my signal analysis from TVFool but suspect that is causing my post to be rejected as spam? I copied the numbers....

Real
Chanel NM PWR Path Distance
32 24.4 -66.4 2edge
10 23.8 -68 1edge
13 21.0 -69.8 1 edge
12 20.8 -70.1 1 edge

With levels that strong all you need is a Winegard 7694 and the Winegard LNA-200 preamp and signals should be solid as a rock.

 

[FloridaMac]

Give RabbitEars.Info a try for your location. Since you only have one post, you'll have to make another couple posts at least before you can post links (what you've called a spam rejection). One of those posts could be your five digit zip code and the other could be a list of the most important stations (by callsign since it isn't impacted by the repack) that you're looking to receive.
.

Thanks Harshness. I'll reply in two posts. Below are current and post-repack from rabbitears. Posting only the stations I care most about.

28‑1 (29) WFTS-TV ABC TAMPA FL 43.3 172° 166.1° 63.41 Fair 23.18 7
10‑1 (10) WTSP CBS ST. PETERSBURG FL 44.9 172.2° 166.3° 55.38 Poor 19.38
13‑1 (12) WTVT Fox TAMPA FL 45.1 170.6° 164.7° 53.69 Poor 17.69
3‑1 (13) WEDU PBS TAMPA FL 42.9 172.1° 166.2° 52.94 Poor 16.94
8‑1 (7) WFLA-TV NBC TAMPA FL 43.3 172° 166.1° 52.85 Poor 16.85 9

This is post-repack (tvfool numbers were post)...

28‑1 (17) WFTS-TV ABC TAMPA FL 43.3 172° 166.1° 64.32 Fair 25.28 7
10‑1 (10) WTSP CBS ST. PETERSBURG FL 44.9 172.2° 166.3° 55.38 Poor 19.38
3‑1 (13) WEDU PBS TAMPA FL 42.9 172.1° 166.2° 54.76 Poor 18.76
8‑1 (9) WFLA-TV NBC TAMPA FL 43.3 172° 166.1° 54.24 Poor 18.24 9
13‑1 (12) WTVT Fox TAMPA FL 45.1 170.6° 164.7° 53.69 Poor 17.69

 

[FloridaMac]

From what you did offer:

The edges are scary right out of the box. If you're using 35' AGL in your model, you must be pretty well shaded. Otherwise, the power levels don't seem to beg for anything special in terms of an amplifier. If the edges foster multipath, any kind of amplification could make the situation much worse. I worry that the antennas you're considering may be overkill gain-wise but you may need the narrower beamwidth to reduce multipath.

Clearly you're going to want something other than an "HD" antenna given the population in the VHF-high range. It would be useful to know how many ways you plan on splitting the signal.

I'm far from the middle of my zipcode, here are my coordinates 28.463428, -82.360868

Beamwidth: If there are multipath issues (which we can't know yet right?) would the CM5020 beamwidth be narrow enough? Or is there another antenna you would prefer, and how strong is that preference?

I was going to hold off on the amp until I see what the antenna does. Not planning to split the signal, we have only the one TV.

Thanks again!

 

[FloridaMac]

Alternatively, the OP could post the ID number from the end of the address it gives you.

- Trip

Yes, that's a good idea. Here's everything to the right of the domain name /?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9038ce0aaeaa6d

...and let's see if I can post a link now, here's the link from rabbitears.info RabbitEars.Info

2nd edit... interesting, TVFool analysis seems to be missing two channels, but RabbitEars has all

 

[harshness]

Now we have a good starting point.

I'm surprised that you're so well protected from the signals given the typically uninspired topography of Florida. Looks like vegetation may play significantly into this equation.

RabbitEars' data is probably better maintained than that of TVFool as it borrows from field reports in addition to computer models and online databases.

 

[FloridaMac]

I'm surprised that you're so well protected from the signals given the typically uninspired topography of Florida. Looks like vegetation may play significantly into this equation.
.

I'm at about 115 feet, fairly low even for this area. Lots of 200 foot "mountains" around

 

[Wireless Engineer]

I'm at about 115 feet, fairly low even for this area. Lots of 200 foot "mountains" around

My location has nothing but 1 and 2 edge signals that are hidden behind a forest and hills over 50 miles away and tvfool shows my levels over 10Db lower than yours.
My Winegard 7694 pulls them all in solid as a rock even without the preamp.
The Channelmaster has channel 2-6 elements which are useless in your area and i have found that Winegards have greater gain and are built better than the made on china channel masters.
If you insist on a antenna with maximum gain then you should buy the HD stacker as it has the highest gain of any combo antenna and will easily out perform the 5020 and it's only about 6 feet long.

 

[Comptech]

This is what I use. I live in a mountain area and my signals come from all directions. This picks up all VHF and UHF, even though the UHF is coming from the backside and sheltered by heavy forest behind me. https://www.newark.com/stellar-labs/30-2476/deep-fringe-directional-antenna/dp/71Y5462