Speaking of antennas...What are you using? - Videokarma.org TV - Video

RobtWB · #1 03-03-2009, 08:53 PM

The recent thread about antennas got me rethinking antennas.

As soon as the weather breaks, I am going to install a roof top antenna. But which one?

Has anyone tried a new 4, 6, or 8 element bowtie array. I know they were a very popular array before cable came along for UHF reception. Being more or less omnidirectional, they may not be ideal for everyone.

What about the corner reflectors, or the Yagi-Uda designs, or even a log periodic dipole array.

Being on the fringe area of reception for most of the "local" tv stations, I will probably have to go with a directional, high gain array of some type.

Who has the best quality? I haven't seen any in person, but the Channel Masters look to be well built.

Also, who has the best quality low loss feedline?

*zenithfan1* · #2 03-04-2009, 01:59 PM

I have a Winegard on my roof, one of the biggest ones. I only paid 100$ and it is very well made and takes a beating from the wind by Lake Michigan. It is straight as an arrow and works great. I forget the brand but I use digital quality coax, the kind with the white coating.

bgadow · #3 03-04-2009, 10:24 PM

I also have a pretty high end Winegard; got it for a song at a freight salvage. (couple bent elements, not bad) I don't have it mounted up high, though, just on the back of a shed. I'll probably go with a chimney mount eventually. I have a line on some good used rotors so will try to reserve one for the project.

For viewing local channels I'm using an attic mounted UHF antenna; basically looks like an oven shelf with 2 bowties. Works pretty well.

*zenithfan1* · #4 03-05-2009, 12:04 PM

Mine's not up high either, I wish I had a tower like my neighbor does. He don't use it either. I went and spent the money on a new rotor. I grabbed the Phillips one that has a remote control and a automatic feature that you can program to automatically move the antenna depending on what channel you put your set or box on. Pretty cool for new chinese crapola.

radotvguy · #5 03-05-2009, 01:41 PM

I have a very big channel master on my roof . It has three braces on it to keep it strong against high winds . It was 100 bucks new and does a fine job for the most part.

joemama99 · #6 03-05-2009, 02:31 PM

I also have a big channel master on a 30 foot tower.The whole setup was given to me by someone who just wanted it removed.Gets orlando(100 miles away)and Tampa (70)
great on analog.The digital is spotty and reception seems to depend on what time of the day it is,although the tampa channels work pretty well most of the time.

aerials · #7 03-07-2009, 05:13 PM

Have been installing for years and now the antenna is getting the spotlight again. The tv ads have been hammering us with the converter box and flashing rabbit ears with it. Well it isnt that easy as many viewers in North east indiana are finding out.I have been using for UHF the televes xg-43 and the performance is amazing. Also the winegard hd-1080 works well also. The new Winegard antennas look promising as well. They finally removed the long low band elements and and now only cover channels 7-51 for DTV. I installed in Downers grove, Il. A U/V antenna 2-69 type and to receive CBS-dt-3 I had to use a Wine gard pre-amp high input type . It worked very well. That low band dt-3 is moving to dt-12 . I believe this will be a major improvenent for Chgo. Wls is moving back to Vhf as well on dt-7. The televes out performs the 8-bow tie Channelmaster and the 8-bay Winegard in the test I ran last summer. I posted the results on another forum. I used a field strength meter for all testing same conditions and mast.Back in the dark ages of antennas we had a 12 bow tie antenna that looked the the C.M. 8 bow tie model but had 3db of higher gain. Someone please bring it back. This worked well to receive S.Bend from Chgo.area when the bear games were blacked out on channel 2. I have antennas stories that could last for hours and I dont want to bore you folks. I love that metal on he rooftops. It is like the cherry on an ice cream sundae. The co-ax cable I use is commscope rg-6 and for lower signal levels I use rg-11 to eleminate amplifiers in the system.

Stereoholic · #8 03-07-2009, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerials

I have antennas stories that could last for hours and I dont want to bore you folks.

I would love to read them, and I'm sure others would, too. Do tell.

Adam · #9 04-01-2009, 05:54 PM

In this new place I moved to in MI I have a nice big vhf/uhf unit with a rotor on top of a 2 story house. I'm looking forward to using it in the last few months of analog tv. I used to have several antennas on top my grandfather's sheds and up in his attic, and I used to spend weekends trying to pull in distant stations. But living in apartment complexes for the last 12 years I had to give it up. But now I'm back, with a much better antenna than anything I had before. picture here (I can't figure out how to make it appear in the thread)- http://www.audiokarma.org/gallery/sh...ze=big&cat=502 This unit is great. I'm getting a lot of channels even with the cable coming down the side of the house looking in bad enough condition that I think I must loosing something through it. But I don't know from how far I'm pulling in stations, because I don't know yet what the tv stations are and where they're located out here.

marty59 · #10 04-02-2009, 10:51 AM

Detroit area stations are broadcast from Southfield, MI. (as I recall) You should be able to pull in stations south from Toledo, Ohio if that old alliance rotor isn't froze up to turn your antenna!
And speaking of antennas, yours looks like a series offered from Channel Master.

Adam · #11 04-02-2009, 11:34 AM

I checked the rotor out yesterday, the antenna will turn a little short of 180 degrees before it gets stuck. It goes from SW>S>E>NE and back, so I should at least be able to aim it both at Southfield and Toledo.

tomrich22 · #12 04-02-2009, 11:54 AM

Hey Adam I had the same antenna on my house for about 10 years. I took it down last summer as the wind had done quite a job on it in the last few years. I am on the other side of the state just north of Grand Rapids. I got great reception with it. I could pick up the Cadilliac - Traverse City stations very clear besides the locals. Once in a while I could pick up Milwaukee stations. I got the locals on the Dish now. I use my rotor for my Wingard FM antenna that had been in storage for 25 years now.

truetone36 · #13 04-02-2009, 04:18 PM

I have a Channel Master with rotor and a large Winegard on the roof.

Zenith26kc20 · #14 04-30-2009, 03:15 PM

I use a Channel Master 4251 UHF dish atop a Wade VIP-307 for VHF. They spin on a restored Alliance U-100 rotator. Depending on weather they can reach out a long way! I lost all antennas during Katrina but they are back up as before and better than ever! My neighbors call them "NORAD"!

newhallone · #15 04-30-2009, 06:33 PM

I am putting up an antennas Direct 91xg at my parents. Currently I have a nos 70's antenna. Most likely a channel master. I posted before about it. It is pretty much vhf but it works pretty good. I will be putting up a uhf antenna this summer. I'll see how the 91xg works out for my parents.