TV Antenna recommendations? - Videokarma.org TV - Video

bgadow · #1 09-10-2005, 11:02 PM

I am thinking about putting up an outdoor tv antenna. As background: rabbit ears will do nothing but the 3 local UHF stations here, & even then not so well. I mounted a big UHF antenna in the attic & that gives me a clear signal from the locals for what its worth. I have a Radio Shlock FM outdoor antenna which I knew was not great on VHF but I have tried it. First I put it in the attic but not worth the trouble. Now I have mounted it to the roof of a shed & this got the higher VHF okay but I guess its cut way wrong for the lower end. Thats the problem-I really want to get 2 and/or 7. I don't know right now if I will really go through with this, but if I buy a decent antenna does anyone have any experience they can relate? I can't find one online like the one we had at the first 2 houses I lived in, and like my neighbor has now. They all have 2 sets of VHF elements, one facing up, the other facing down. I don't know that this makes them any better, just noticed that I can't find one. The best thing I saw searching the web was a Delhi (used to be Jerrold) which was expensive but looked good & measured over 16', which ought to count for something!

(part of this is due to the impending move of Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy, beginning Monday, from WMDT-47 to WBOC-21 DT. There will no longer be anything my wife wants to watch for that hour, via analog. My solution is to 1)buy a set top converter box ($$$), 2) enter the contest WBOC is having & win a converter or, 3) get a good enough antenna to pick up another Wheel/Jeopardy station, either WMAR-2 or WJLA-7.)

OvenMaster · #2 09-11-2005, 04:44 AM

http://www.channelmaster.com/pages/c1.htm
Winegard starts at http://www.winegard.com/offair/chartselector.htm This site's admittedly hard to navigate, though.
http://www.kyes.com/antenna/antennadex.html has lots of basic info
http://www.anarc.org/wtfda/crossfire.pdf
http://www.starkelectronic.com/cmant.htm
The antennas with the up-down elements may be the discontinued (of course!) Channel Master "Quantum" series. http://www.starkelectronic.com/cmquant.htm

Looks like Stark has just about everything on the market: http://www.starkelectronic.com/allant.htm

I bought a lowly RatShack VU-75 and put it up in 2000, and have never regretted it. I use it for both TV and FM. Total installation of antenna, rotor, amplifier, cable and hardware all ran just $120; I supplied the free labor

I did look up RadioShack outdoor TV antennas and it seems there's nothing online, just in the stores now. If it hasn't been cleared out yet, that is...

Best of luck, Bryan.

Tom

Randy Bassham · #3 09-11-2005, 07:12 AM

Check out the Y10-7-13 and the Y5-2-6 on Stark's site. The gain factor on these cut band yagis is as good as the largest of the all channels. My antenna blew down in the spring and I'm trying to decide what to do about putting up another one. I've got a NOS Channel Master 3610 in storage and will probably put it up, but these yagis are tempting. I'm on Directv and have the local channels, but it's not much good during storms when you're trying to find out where the tornado is and rain fade takes over.
http://www.starkelectronic.com/acantena.htm#Y10

bgadow · #4 09-12-2005, 09:49 PM

I posted a picture of my neighbor's antenna. I looked up as I rode through town & I would venture to say that the majority of the antennas I saw were of this style, the others were either cheapies or large antennas of the "single plane" variety. But, again, that doesn't mean this style is any good! I have yet to find one listed for sale, anyway.

Looks like lots of choices out there. Thanks for the help!

OvenMaster · #5 09-12-2005, 09:54 PM

Oh, man, I haven't seen one of those in ages. I live in an area where cable TV penetration is officially at least 90% of all households, so almost everyone took their antennas down back in the 80's. Nowadays when anyone puts up a new antenna, they stick out like beacons.

Best of luck with the search, Bryan.

Tom