Multiple UHF antennas

[Paul Bethke]

I have a technical question...

I am fortunate enough, living in Oconomowoc, to be within acceptable reception range of Madison TV, and pretty much directly between Milwaukee/Madison. I am even picking up once-in-a-while digital reception off the back-end of my antenna pointed toward Milwaukee. (19' roof-mount)

My question is, I have a UHF reflector antenna lying around. Is it reasonable to throw it up on my mast, point it at Madison, and somehow combine the two antenna signals for a the "best of both worlds"? If so, what is the best way to combine the signals?

Thanks in advance...Paul

[Gregg Lengling]

No you would really have to run another coax feed for te secod antenna andhave a switch below to select which antenna you want to use, unless you are lucky like I am to have to antenna inputs to my receiver. Combining 2 antennas to one feedline is a very touchy subject that requires phase matching and impedance matching, I' ve seen people get lucky but for the most part it never works quite right. We do phasing on mulitiple antenna's on our commercial systems however these are designed from the ground up to work that way. And we buy them with the proper phasing harnesses and the antetnnas are mounted at certain wavelength distances from each ohter.

[kjnorman]

Originally posted by lummox:
... for te secod antenna andhave a switch .... the antetnnas are ... each ohter.


Posted at 3:40 in the morning!! Me thinks lummox was out partying last night judging from the spelling!!

Sorry for off topic post, but I just couldn't resist giving lummox a hard time http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/smile.gif

Man, you need to get some sleep http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by kjnorman (edited 07-25-2002).]

[Gregg Lengling]

I guess an update is in order. I herniated a disk in my L3=L4 lumbars 2 weeks ago. I know live on a mattress in the family room floor. I have the computer, 61" 16:9 tv with all remotes and the computer. I have to talke pills every 4 hours so you caught me taking a heavy duty pain pill so please excuse the spelling. Of course if this post had a spelling checcker things would be better but in a perfect world all channels would be HDTV and all the locals would be on the air. I go in Monday for another injection in my lower spine so we'll see if this one helps....it's a bitch when I've been so active. The doctor took away my daily jog and also my golf clubs, hasn't taken my computer away yet, but I'm not telling him about it. Thanks for putting up with my drug induced stupors.


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Gregg R. Lengling
RCA P61310 61" 16x9
glengling@ameritech.net

[Paul Bethke]

Thank *you* for taking the time to respond.

Yeah, I'd thought about the switched antenna option - and a "rotor" option. I'm trying to make the system as adjustment-free as possible as my wife/kids are already grumbling about how many things they have to remember to watch TV. http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/smile.gif

Perhaps I'll put up the 2nd UHF antenna, and try to "get lucky". When that doesn't work I'll break down and run the 2nd coax.

Any opinions on an Omni-direction antenna for UHF? I have a discone antenna up there I used to use for scanners. Hmmm.

[kjnorman]

Lummox, now you are making me feel bad for giving you a hard time.

Well I will wish you good health and a speedy recovery!

Kerry

[uplinkguy]

UHF only for Madison will work for now. Who do you think will win the race: Madison's Sinclair Fox 47 (digital channel 11) or WITI's real signal?

I would try an outside mast-mount antenna for trying to watch Milwaukee's stations, but from this forum, sounds like there is no need to.

[Gregg Lengling]

Your right it would be a lost cause, with some stations running low power, some running micropower with microantennas and 1 station with an antenna horizontal on the ground with no transmitter hooked up to it. Also with the sub-continental divide between you and the stations here the only luck you will have is by building an 1800 foot tower or just waiting for tropo inversions. Gee I'm 5 miles for Fox and I have to wait for tropo inversions to receive their quasi digital signal (and it's not worth it, I don't get ghosting on analogue and that would be the only improvement right now seeing as they have no real digital programming.


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Gregg R. Lengling
RCA P61310 61" 16x9
glengling@ameritech.net

[MesaV]

Hey uplinkguy, don’t waste your time with the Milwaukee pseudo HDTV signals. I’m in Waukesha and my antenna is pointing to the west. I can’t find my email from the station manager of ch. 11, but they should be up around Nov 1st this year. Unfortunately they too will have a weak signal, 15kw ERP. I can only hope that a VHF signal will carry farther then a UHF signal.

[uplinkguy]

Thanks MesaV and Gregg. I drink beer with the chief at WMSN Fox 47/DT 11 on occasion. He is waiting in the wings like the rest of the sinclair stations. Also, the GM of Fox 47 was promoted to GM of Ch 18 and 24 in Milwaukee while retaining Fox 47.

Can you receive their analog ch. 47? The dtv channels where always only intended to match the current viewing area of the analog station. Since Fox 47 never really put out as strong as a signal as they could have asked the FCC for, the dtv channel won't be very strong. Still should do as well as their analog or a bit better.

here's hoping for tropo inversions for you guys,
andy

[Greg Oman]

Paul,

I didn't see a reply about the UHF antenna question, but I have a Channelmaster 4228 UHF on my roof. Winegard makes a similar unit, I'd consider that one as well. From my place I receive 27 and 3 well, although I can't get the NBC affiliate on 19. I have about 100' of cable to the receiver and did add a Channelmaster amp, I'd have to confirm the model, I think it was a 7778 though.

I also did put up a Channelmaster rotor, and the wireless remote is handy. I got most of the stuff from Skywalker Communications in New Berlin.

Let me know if I can be of any further help.

Greg O.

[veyj]

Skywalker doesn't have any Channel Master Rotors left. They said CM recalled all their inventory. Apparently there's a problem with the motor. They expect to have them back in stock in September.

[Greg Oman]

Well, I guess there's always the Radio Shack.... Wait, I have one of those too...

Greg O.

[Paul Bethke]

Hey - thanks Greg!

So many options - no time to play with them. I won't get to for a couple weeks, now. C'est la vie.

I appreciate all your kind advice. I will let you know if I come up with anything spectacular.

I'm getting 3/21/27 sporadically off the back end of my current antenna pointed toward Milwaukee. I even had signal strengths in the 70s on 21-1 the other night. http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/smile.gif

Thanks everyone!

Paul

[JohnRacine]

I'd appreciate it if anyone could give me the model for an antenna that does a good job picking up the signal from digital Channel 58. I currently have an old 40" Yagi style Archer U-100 that will sometimes pick up 1-1, but not always. A month ago I installed a brand new Winegard HD-9095. Unfortunately, although the 9095 is doing a great job pulling in the stations from Chicago, it will not work at all for Channel 1-1 (That's how digital 58 shows up on my STB). The old Archer antenna does receive 1-1 now and then but I find that my set top box (Toshiba DST3000) needs a signal of 35 or higher to lock in the signal. I used to get digital 58 with a signal strength of 50 or better but now the signal has deteriorated to point that I can rarely receive it. At first, I thought that the leaves on a nearby tree were interfering but that tree has done nothing to diminish the signals from 4-1 and 10-1 which never go below 95 on my meter. And, I have trees to the south of my antenna as well but they do not seem to bother the signals from the Sears tower which are always above 50 and sometimes in the 90's. So, for whatever reason, I have now all but lost digital 58 and would love to get it back now that they are showing HD Net. I have a very convenient antenna switch box which makes it easy to switch between alternate antennas so putting up another one is not a problem for me. My roof is not steep and the cable run is about 60". Any ideas on a good antenna to receive digital 58 would be appreciated. I'm located on the south side of Racine, one mile north of the Kenosha Co. line. Thanks for any ideas.

[drgingras]

Paul & JohnRacine:

I'm currently using a setup that might be of some interest to both of you. I have an old amplified omni mounted above a Channelmaster 3021 (used to be #4225). I'm also using a Radioshack A-B-C switch that, as Gregg mentioned, keeps signal loss out of the picture - pun intended http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/wink.gif

With a CM7775 amp, I'm getting Chicago digital with pretty good success. The omni doesn't much care wich direction it's aimed, but it also doesn't have much range.

pictures (http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/drgingras/lst?.dir=/Antenna+%26+Dish+Setup&.view=t)

The rotor you see is that hard-to-come-by Channelmaster remote controlled unit. I've programmed our universal remote to position it by channel number to maintain family sanity. Well, sort of.

I would agree with Greg O that the 4228 might be better for longer distance. I chose the smaller 4-bay for it's low wind resistance and cost. The amp seems to have made up for most of the lower gain. However, I'm pretty high up and have mostly unobstructed views to the South. Manufacturer's info:

Channelmaster (http://www.channelmaster.com/pages/u1.htm)

Hope this helps.

Dave




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I kinda thought that might happen ...

[JohnRacine]

Dave,

Thanks much for the info on your set-up. I will likely purchase the biggest CM antenna that they have and maybe also an amplifier. Do you happen to know of a dealer in SE WI? Perhaps Chester Electronics in Kenosha would be a good place to shop. Thanks again.

JOHN

[drgingras]

John;

Besides Skywalker in New Berlin (mentioned above and used by a lot of the NW Milw. members), some of us South Siders have used Marmax in Franklin. They're on 68th & Rawson. They are a distribution company, so their weekday hours are limited and not open on weekends http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/ubb/frown.gif 414-425-8020. I origionally found them on Channelmaster's website listing of dealers. Might want to try there for something in Racine or Kenosha

Dave

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I kinda thought that might happen ...