OTA and Apartments

[digideal]

got Voom installed yesterday, less than two hours. Metrotech Solutions out of Dallas and J.C. was installer, very professional and did a great job putting it all together.

Only problem is that I am in an apartment building and we decided not to hang the Stealth off the balcony in addition to the Dish, so I went to BB and bought a TERK TV55. Picks up a few channels in different positions, but nothing consistant across the board to all channels. You guys have any suggestions out there of high powered, non obtrusive antennas or tricks to get some OTA pluggin into my place? With no ESPN and now no CBS, I am going C R A Z Y for basketball on the sony XBR i bought!!! ouch...

Thanks everyone,

 

[Sean Mota]

Did you try the Silver Sensor indoor antenna? If your local channels are transmitting on UHF, it is a great piece of equipment. If they are VHF, do not use it.

 

[StevenD]

Digideal...where are you located?

ABC is on VHF here...all others are on UHF.

 

[digideal]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will go to BB And look for the Silver Sensor...

Steven: I am in Dallas, just outside of downtown, so i should have fairly good access to the towers, but I just can't get anything consistently. Quite frustrating.

Sean: my zip is 75204, can you help me figure out what exactly might be goin' on and what the best antenna would be, besides your silver sensor suggestion? Many thanks,

 

[Sean Mota]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will go to BB And look for the Silver Sensor...

Steven: I am in Dallas, just outside of downtown, so i should have fairly good access to the towers, but I just can't get anything consistently. Quite frustrating.

Sean: my zip is 75204, can you help me figure out what exactly might be goin' on and what the best antenna would be, besides your silver sensor suggestion? Many thanks,

Try the Silver Sensor first. Your location might be subscetiple to multipath if your signal is so jumpy. Let me know what happens with the Silver Sensor.

 

[StevenD]

Now, I know...Terk is CRAP in every single language, but, Digdeal, you might also want to try the Terk TV55. Your close enough to the towers that it might actually work.

 

[Mr. Biggles]

Not the cheapest of antennas, but the SquareShooter is unobtrusive and performs very well.

Bill

 

[digideal]

Thanks everyone. here's my update: Terk TV55 provided NO help! I was able to tune in one channel. Went back to BB and bought the Silver Sensor. I am able to get two channels perfectly, and across the board my signal power is in the 50's, and the signal strength varies. For example:

violet - vhf KTVT 11 CBS FORT WORTH TX 205° 17.6 11 - Signal Strength is 60 and good PQ
but
blue - vhf KXAS 5 NBC FORT WORTH TX 208° 17.5 5 - signal strength is 20 at best, no matter where I move the antenna, no picture or sound.

I can look for the SquareShooter (any starting places to look for one of these)? Because the Silver Sensor is a VHF only, I am not able to get in the UHF.

Should I use a diplexor to hook up two OTA antenna's at the same time?

At this point, I am getting frustrated with Voom. I know it is a growing technology, but they have a LOT of bugs to work out before I will be 100% satisfied. I will wait to see what D* is rolling out with their new HD and go from there...

 

[Gr8Reb8]

I can look for the SquareShooter (any starting places to look for one of these)? Because the Silver Sensor is a VHF only, I am not able to get in the UHF.

I think you got it backwards. The Silver Sensor is a UHF only antenna.

 

[Sean Mota]

Should I use a diplexor to hook up two OTA antenna's at the same time?

That won't work. My guess is somehow your location is quite inadequate for OTA reception from the inside. Did you try the pre-amp with the silver sensor to see if that helps. Also, as it was mentioned before, the silver sensor is only UHF. It won't pick up any VHF channels. If you need a VHF/UHF antenna, I suggest to have the installer back and put up the Stealth Antenna (outside). Also, it helps to find out if those stations are transmitting at high power. Some maybe transmitting at low power and therefore you cannot pick up. It happens to me with an outside channelmaster (UHF only) antenna.

 

[StevenD]

This is the cheapest Ive seen the SquareShooter:
http://www.warrenelectronics.com/Antennas/squareshooter.htm

CBS 11 shows violet for you? Im all the way out in Plano and mine is blue. You must be having some issuses being that close to the buildings downtown.

 

[Gr8Reb8]

This is the cheapest Ive seen the SquareShooter:
http://www.warrenelectronics.com/Antennas/squareshooter.htm

CBS 11 shows violet for you? Im all the way out in Plano and mine is blue. You must be having some issuses being that close to the buildings downtown.

These guys have it for about the same price: http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=SS-1000

 

[Mr. Biggles]

This is the cheapest Ive seen the SquareShooter:
http://www.warrenelectronics.com/Antennas/squareshooter.htm

Thats where I got mine from. The SqS works well in urban settings with reflected signals and dealing with the multi-path inherent in those environments.

Bill

 

[Gr8Reb8]

Thats where I got mine from. The SqS works well in urban settings with reflected signals and dealing with the multi-path inherent in those environments.

Bill

The SqS was to directional for me.
My DIGITAL station transmitters are spread around like this:
(Using a clock to describe the directions)

At the 4 o'clock direction, I get channel 44 (UHF-22 Miles)
At the 7 o'clock direction, I get 20 (UHF-18 Miles) and 45 (UHF-19 Miles)
At the 8 o'clock direction, I get 2 (VHF-15 Miles), 7 (VHF-11 Miles) and 19 (UHF-11 Miles)
At the 10 o'clock direction, I get 11 (VHF-25 Miles) and 24 (UHF-25 Miles)
At the 11 o'clock direction, I get 39 (UHF-41 Miles)

Squareshooter = no go
Silver Sensor = no go
Large directional antenna = no go.
I do not want to use a rotor.

 

[Mr. Biggles]

The SqS was to directional for me.

Mine certainly isn't perfect. The towers for me are 180 degrees opposite of each other. I have it pointed at an adjacent house actually, picking up reflected signals. This does cause some fluctuation in signal strength, but typically not drop outs. My PBS is low powered and a pain. My FOX comes from the same direction but is not yet mapped. but came in fine with my D* reciever. ABC (also not mapped ) CBS, and NBC come in fine.

Bill

 

[digideal]

I am using the amplifier on the antennas, the difference it seems to make is that it will steady the signal, instead of it bouncing around from the extremes. So, it's worth having it plugged in. Will the Wineguard do both UHF and VHF?

Sean: I understand the Silver Shooter is only UHF, but I can perfectly get the VHF signal on a few different channels, and can't even come close on the UHF ones.

Here's what AntennaWeb says I should be able to get:

red - uhf KMPX 29 DAY DECATUR TX 300° 8.6 29
red - uhf KMPX-DT 30 DAY DECATUR TX TBD 300° 8.6 30
red - uhf KJJM-LP 46 FMN DALLAS TX 99° 10.0 46
red - uhf KATA-LP 60 FMN MESQUITE TX 99° 10.0 60
blue - vhf KXAS 5 NBC FORT WORTH TX 208° 17.5 5
blue - vhf KDTN 2 PBS DENTON TX 209° 17.5 2
blue - vhf KDFW 4 FOX DALLAS TX 210° 18.0 4
violet - uhf KXTX 39 TEL DALLAS TX 208° 17.7 39
violet - vhf KTVT 11 CBS FORT WORTH TX 205° 17.6 11
violet - uhf KTXA 21 UPN FORT WORTH TX 209° 17.5 21
violet - uhf KSTR 49 UNI IRVING TX 202° 19.9 49
violet - uhf KPXD 68 PAX ARLINGTON TX 208° 17.5 68
violet - uhf KUVN 23 UNI GARLAND TX 209° 17.5 23
violet - uhf KLEG-LP 19 SPA DALLAS TX 22° 3.6 19
violet - vhf WFAA 8 ABC DALLAS TX 210° 18.0 8
violet - uhf KDTX 58 TBN DALLAS TX 209° 17.5 58
violet - vhf KERA 13 PBS DALLAS TX 205° 17.6 13
violet - uhf KLDT 55 IND LAKE DALLAS TX 318° 17.7 55
violet - uhf KFWD 52 IND FORT WORTH TX 208° 17.5 52
violet - uhf KDAF 33 WB DALLAS TX 202° 19.9 33
violet - uhf KDFI 27 IND DALLAS TX 209° 17.5 27

(Side note: WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN?!?

 

[Gr8Reb8]

Click on the "View Street Level Map" button. Perhaps that will help.

Since I'm interested in digital HD from my locals, I first click on the "Show Digital Stations Only" button first.

If you can read a map, the street level map picture should show you in what direction to aim your antenna to get the various channels.

 

[digideal]

Gr8: what type of antenna should I point?

 

[Gr8Reb8]

Gr8: what type of antenna should I point?

A TV antenna!

First, look at the list from Antennaweb. Single out the channels that you should get and that you want to get. (disgard the ones to far away).

Look at the map. If you are fortunate, most if not all the VHF channels (2-13) will be pointed in the same general location and most if not all the UHF antennas will be pointed in the same general location.

Quickly glancing at the list you provided, I see many channels between 200 and 210 degrees, but I am sure you saw that.

 

[digideal]

Okay everyone, if the Silver Sensor is the best UHF, what's the best VHF antenna? (or hybrid). Does the Winegard do both better than either?

I am attaching the image of my map, i face pretty much directly south, maybe a tad south west, so consider the longer northish-southish line as parallel to my view.

Thanks for helping this newbie out! I never wanted to know this much about airwaves!