Antenna selection- Need help.

[High Gear]

I have been kicking the idea around for some time. Being through with my commitment with Direct TV and not being able to get the same great deal as a new customer. I want to try OTA. I want to first set up the antenna in the attic and then move it to the roof as soon as the weather gets better. I'm thinking a multi directional. I would like to pick up Springfield MA. too. I hear a lot of good things about the DB8 antenna. Would an antenna like this be overkill? I'm in wethersfield, CT. My coordinates are: Lat. 41.69689 Long. -72.669058

[tigerbangs]

All these people from Hartford! Fortuately, I have lived in the area for many years. A DB-8 is NOT the way to go! It is a poor choice in an attic, as it is subject to multipath inerference, and it has too narrow bandwith to see the Avon Mtn and Rattlesnake Mountain transmitters without using a rotator. Also, it sucks on VHF, and WTNH-ABC is on VHF channel 10, and WWLP from Springfield is on channel 11. You have stations coming from 4 different directions.

What to do? Unless you are willing to use a high-gain all-channel antenna antenna on a rotator, you're not going to see the Springfield channels reliably. If you can settle for the Hartford- New Haven stations, I would use a Winegard HD-4400 aimed West-North West of your location to see WFSB from Avon Mountain and also to see NBC, CW ,PBS and FOX from Rattlesnake Mountain, I would join the two antennas using a Pico-Macom UVSJ and use a separate Winegard YA-6713 aimed south to pick up WTNH

[High Gear]

OK, I get the idea now. A big multi dir. is not a good idea in my area. I don't think my wife would like the idea of having two antennas on the roof. What would be my best choices for a high gain antenna with a roator like you mentioned? Also, is using a chimney mount for this OK?

Thanks

[tigerbangs]

The antennas that I suggested to you are pretty small and wouldn't attract too much attention, but if you want to go the rotator route, you might want to try a Winegard HD-7696P mounted on a rotator. That antenna WILL get you all the CT stations as well as the Springfield stations. Isn't it funny: I live in Springfield now, and can get all the Hartford stations with little more than a paper clip for an antenna, but when i lived in West Hartford, I needed an outdoor antenna to see Springfield: go figure!

[High Gear]

I looked into the two Winegard antenns and you are right, they are on the smaller side. The prices are lower than I would have thought. I may be able to do this job for under $140. Maybe I could upgrage in the future to the high gain on a rotator. The more I thought about it, this would be a better solution for me right now with the kids not having to tune in stations if I went to a rotator. So how many stations do you think I will be able to pull in with the two antenna set-up? Will I be able to wount both on the same mast? Or do the have to be apart?

Thanks Tiger B

[tigerbangs]

When mounting a VHF and UHF antenna on the same mast, mount the UHF antenna above the VHF antenna by a minimum of 4'. You should be able to see the following stations without any problem: WFSB-CBS, WVIT-NBC, WEDH-PBS, WTIC-FOX, WTXX-CW, WTNH-ABC plus a bunch of Spanish stations. You may be able to see WCTX-MyTV, whose transmitter is on the same tower as WTNH. You may get lucky and see a couple of Springfield stations, as well: