My TVFool report, looking for antenna advice

[darrengs]

Looking for some antenna advice, or do I just give up any hope

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=8e03edea81e450

 

[jayn_j]

That's pretty sad. Deep fringe antenna pointing south, as high as you can get it and pray.

One of the issues is that two of your strongest signals are VHF and 2 edge. That means you must use a yagi with low band. Might be best to combine that with a UHF only array. Ice will give a better answer, but all those 2 edge signals are always a crap shoot.

 

[Mr Tony]

That is one fugly looking tvfool. I thought mine was bad

I dont know that area very well but the only time I've seen 25-30 miles away and 2edge with low db is in the mountains. I also noticed you didn't put a height. Try putting a height in there to see if that makes alot of difference

edit: I did a zip run at 25 feet and alot of the stations went to 1edge and above 10.0db NM

So before I suggest an antenna, please rerun the tvfool with various heights (or approx how high the antenna will be off the ground) and repost it

Thanks!

 

[darrengs]

That is one fugly looking tvfool. I thought mine was bad

I dont know that area very well but the only time I've seen 25-30 miles away and 2edge with low db is in the mountains. I also noticed you didn't put a height. Try putting a height in there to see if that makes alot of difference

edit: I did a zip run at 25 feet and alot of the stations went to 1edge and above 10.0db NM

So before I suggest an antenna, please rerun the tvfool with various heights (or approx how high the antenna will be off the ground) and repost it

Thanks!

Yup, you are right I did not put a height in and I am I am in the mountains of Northern New Jersey
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=8e03afedfb7c47

Thanks gain.

 

[Mr Tony]

Didnt know NJ had mountains...learned something new

Oof...still doesnt look good honestly. You have a couple options
for full band (2-51) you'd be looking at something like this
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...r-TV-Antenna&sku=700112818356&q=xtreme signal

You have a couple stations on Low VHF (mainly 3 which is MeTV)

If you dont care about VHF Low you can always try a smaller combo unit (smaller as in it doesnt have the long elements for VHF Low) like a HBU44 or HBU55 (which sadly arent made anymore but can be found) or the 7697
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...eries-TV-Antenna-(HD7697P)&c=TV Antennas&sku=

Another option is separate VHF & UHF antennas

It is up to you whether you want to spend the money and invest the time for a few stations. But note tvfool isnt an exact science. The channels that show below 0 in the NM category can **possibly** be picked up. On mine I have a station that is down in the -20 area yet it comes in at night pretty well (minimal glitches)

 

[darrengs]

Didnt know NJ had mountains...learned something new

Oof...still doesnt look good honestly. You have a couple options
for full band (2-51) you'd be looking at something like this
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=HD8200XL&d=Solid-Signal-HD8200XL-Xtreme-Signal-Long-Range-VHF/UHF/FM-Outdoor-TV-Antenna&sku=700112818356&q=xtreme signal

You have a couple stations on Low VHF (mainly 3 which is MeTV)

If you dont care about VHF Low you can always try a smaller combo unit (smaller as in it doesnt have the long elements for VHF Low) like a HBU44 or HBU55 (which sadly arent made anymore but can be found) or the 7697
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=03&p=HD7697P&d=Winegard-HD7697-High-Definition-VHFUHF-Series-TV-Antenna-(HD7697P)&c=TV Antennas&sku=

Another option is separate VHF & UHF antennas

It is up to you whether you want to spend the money and invest the time for a few stations. But note tvfool isnt an exact science. The channels that show below 0 in the NM category can **possibly** be picked up. On mine I have a station that is down in the -20 area yet it comes in at night pretty well (minimal glitches)

Iceberg, I appreciate the help and your time.

Thanks

 

[localclassictvfan]

If he can catch all the channels in order from WJLP to WKOB (which the first two look to be in the yellow and the others in the red) that are in the positive under the NM(db) I would say he can get some good subchannels like (Me, Justice, Laff, Antenna, This, Retro). Which would be under WJLP, WABC, WPIX.......That close to New York City Market with the NBC, CBS, FOX in the negative (under the NM (db)).......

 

[localclassictvfan]

Hey ice dont forget to tell him about that blonder tongue thing (the combiner) if he gets both antenna's (which those two you gave the links to he'll get good reception)

 

[Mr Tony]

If he can catch all the channels in order from WJLP to WKOB (which the first two look to be in the yellow and the others in the red) that are in the positive under the NM(db) I would say he can get some good subchannels like (Me, Justice, Laff, Antenna, This, Retro). Which would be under WJLP, WABC, WPIX.......

correct. But 2 of his stations that carry those subs (Me, Justice, Retro) are on VHF Low which requires a larger antenna. Folks in NYC proper have had issues with RF2 (where Retro is) and RF3 (Me, Justice) even with outdoor antennas. Channel 2 (WKOB) broadcasts at a "flame throwing" 300 watts
If the OP has satellite MeTV is carried on the locals.

Its up to the OP if he wants to spend the money to try and get the stations. When dealing with 2edge (as most of his stations are....the signal bounces off two things to get to him) reliable reception may not be in the cards. I deal with that (2edge) at my location.

That close to New York City Market with the NBC, CBS, FOX in the negative (under the NM (db)).......

He's in the mountains (per his post above)...mountains can wreak havoc on a signal (and block it too)

 

[ejb1980]

I have driven through that area in NJ many times. Judging by the way radio stations come in (and don't come in) along I-78 it could help significantly just moving a little bit. Check out the coverage maps on tv fool and see if there are any predicted sweet spots that you could start experimenting near. The L-R style maps they use are quite accurate but not perfect. The Montreal channels are worse for me on my report but 4 of them come in from time to time, 1 of them (CBC thankfully) comes in most of the time. Don't give up hope, but don't spend too much either.

 

[Mr Tony]

Don't give up hope, but don't spend too much either.

so true. It all depends on how much money and patience one has

 

[david_jr]

I have the HD 8200 mounted on a tripod on my roof and I am about 36 miles to the east of my local towers, which are located west of Albany, NY. I am also in mountainous terrain similar to northeast NJ. I get very good reception on VHF low 6, high 7, 12 & 13. My problem is with UHF which I can't get from the 8200 pointed directly at the towers. I do get UHF bounced off the mountain behind me about 100 degrees to the northeast of where the 8200 points. I use an Antennas Direct XG91 combined through a Channel Master 7777 Preamp to receive UHF. Even with this separate antenna UHF is not as reliable as VHF here. Of course you don't know what your signals will require until you start playing with it. I'm guessing that with the 8200 you will get VHF okay, but might struggle with UHF. My signals are all 2 edge.