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#1
07-23-2009, 01:42 PM
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what sort of outdoor UHF antenna are you all using in the 21st Century?
I've whined before about our OTA DTV woes, but, when it's all said and done, we are receiving a few over-the-air digital TV channels in our deep NW Boston suburban location with our old outdoor Radio Shack directional antenna and rotator. In fact, one station (WMUR in Manchester, NH) comes in much better as a digital broadcast than it ever did analog (it was analog channel 9 and probably 50 miles north of us -- EDIT 31.9 miles).
The most elusive channel for us, ironically, is the one we watch the most: WCVB (old analog channel 5). With some patient fiddling, I finally managed to get it one day on RF channel 20 (according to the converter box) with the antenna pointed sort of slightly north-east (which is NOT where their main transmitter is compared to me). Reception is on the edge; it's typically MIA in the morning and at night, and in rainy weather; not bad mid-day (say, on a Saturday). No sign of it using an indoor antenna (which has pretty much obsoleted the TV in our bedroom). I do not know if WCVB is ultimately planning to drop back to a VHF frequency (maybe not); I am thinking that a decent outdoor UHF directional antenna is probably worth the fairly modest investment. I am wondering what's a reasonable place to start? One of those bow-tie arrays, or a Yagi-type of thing. Does anyone make a parabolic reflector UHF antenna? In the early days of UHF (looking at old catalogs) it looks like the latter was the antenna of choice for deep-fringe reception. We're about 40 miles from WCVB's main transmitter in Needham, MA. (EDIT: antennaweb sez it's 22.7 miles as the waves fly) Any thoughts are greatly appreciated and gratefully received! EDIT^2 apparently WMUR is still on a VHF frequency; maybe our problem is strictly UHF, although WBZ (old VHF channel 4), in the same location, comes in fine and it is now/currently on a UHF carrier frequency.
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all the best, mrh Last edited by mhardy6647; 07-23-2009 at 01:49 PM. 
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#2
07-23-2009, 01:53 PM
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The DB8 from Terrestrial Digital is one of the highest gain UHF antennas and works well here pulling in stations from 70 miles away.
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?prod=TD-DB8 Also, have found this site to be very helpful in choosing the right antenna: http://www.highdefforum.com/local-hd...o-reception-9/
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Polk SDA SRS 1.2, Sunfire Signature 600~two, Carver C-16, Carver TX-11b, Marantz 6350Q TT, Teac V-707RX, Marantz 2325, Marantz 5220, Marantz HD-880, Kenwood KR-9600, Pioneer CS-99a, Sansui SP-X9000 Last edited by SDA SRS 1.2; 07-23-2009 at 01:57 PM.
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#3
07-23-2009, 02:21 PM
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Well, the price is right but oy that's a pretty big array :-)
Thanks!
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all the best, mrh
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#4
07-23-2009, 02:33 PM
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My home has an Omni directional antenna. Works pretty well but sometimes has trouble picking up some stations at night.
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My top vintage finds: '78 Technics SA-200 Stereo Receiver '84 MC-600 speakers
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#5
07-23-2009, 03:50 PM
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Channel Master 4221HD. Here in Brampton (Toronto area) and I get 22 digital stations from Toronto, Bufalo and Hamilton including all he major networks. If it's on TSN (ESPN in US) or other premium channel I just download it and watch it via PC to the TV.
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#6
07-23-2009, 09:18 PM
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RatShack VU-75 that cost just $16... but with an inline +10dB amp and rotator.
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/VU-75XR.html Once the stations increased their power after February, I no longer have trouble picking up stations up to about 40mi away, and I'm in a valley, too. Mark as far as I know, WHDH is the one that has been having VHF DTV problems and wants to stay on their temporary UHF channel, but AFAIK WCVB is staying put on UHF. Tom
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Tom 
Last edited by OvenMaster; 07-23-2009 at 09:22 PM.
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#7
07-23-2009, 10:50 PM
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Basic rooftop antenna (MIne is in the attic), same as I was using for analog!
Works great!
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#8
07-25-2009, 01:27 AM
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What type of antenna would work best for DTV reception in a near-fringe area? I live in an apartment building in a small town which is 33 miles from downtown Cleveland, and about 40 miles from the city's TV transmitters. I currently have cable, but was wondering if an antenna would pull in anything. (I think at least a few of the Cleveland TV stations' post-transition digital signals are on UHF channels; I know 3 and 5 are, not sure about the others.) I'm wondering about this because I'm thinking of getting a converter box and canceling my cable, but if this area is too far removed from the Cleveland TV stations, I'll keep the cable and forget about getting a box. From what I've read about Cleveland's TV stations in the digital age, they are not really making use of the subchannels (yet), except for channel 43 which is MyTV on its main signal and THIStv on one of its DTV subcarriers. Therefore, a converter box and an antenna may not be worth the expense--even if I could still get DTV converter box coupons, which I doubt. I read somewhere that the last day these coupons would be issued will be July 31, 2009.
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Jeff, WB8NHV Collecting, restoring and enjoying vintage Zenith radios since 2002 Zenith. Gone, but not forgotten. Last edited by Jeffhs; 07-25-2009 at 10:59 AM.
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