Need to add a UHF antenna to my mast

[pjman]

Hi;

I'm 25 miles west of Chicago. Zip 60172. I have 3 analog sets with digital converters although I may end up buying one digital set before too long. My VHF reception if great using a Magnovox MANT 902 on a 10 foot rooftop mast. I can't get UHF very well though. With all but 2 local stations transmitting digital on UHF I'm wondering if I can add a UHF antenna to the mast or if I should mount a second mast. Also, what's the best way to combine the 2 signals?
Thanks;
pjman

[tigerbangs]

If you are splitting the signal 3 or 4 ways, you probably have enough splitting and line losses that the issue isn't our antenna, it's system loss. I would suggest a good preamplifier for you before messing with new antennas. Look at the Winegard HDP-269, which is a high-input-low-noise preamplifier that won't overload in the face of strong local signals. Mount the preamplifier on the antenna mast, make sure that your coaxial cable connections are good and tight, and not shorting out, and mount the power supply for the preamplifier indoors before your signal splitter. Have a look at your splitter, too, as you should be using a low-loss 1 gHz of better quality splitter to be sure that you pass the entire UHF band as well as VHF. Thet are cheap enough, so be sure that you use a good one. Also, while you are on the roof, take the time to be sure that your antenna is properly aimed: UHF antenna require more specific aiming than VHF does. And be sure that you haven't aimed the antenna 180 degrees AWAY from the signal: make sure that the UHF portion of the antenna (the side with the corner reflector) is the part aimed at the transmitters.

[pjman]

Thanks for the feedback. In rereading my post, I see I erred and left out the fact that one of the sets is not hooked to the outdoor antenna but rather to an indoor antenna. So I'm actually splitting the outdoor signal only 2 ways. As for aiming the antenna, it doesn't take much moving to throw the VHF channels out of whack and no amount of aiming seems to improve UHF reception. Could a better splitter or preamp fix that ?


Pat

[tigerbangs]

Aiming is critical, so it is helpful to have a compass and a TVFool.com report for your location on-hand when aiming the antenna, but, to answer your question: assuming that your antenna is connected correctly and aimed properly, a preamplifier and a high-quality splitter will make a big difference in signal quality, especially in UHF in your area. If I had to do this over again, I might have chosen a different antenna, but we can use what you already have with success.

[pjman]

Thanks again for your feedback. I'm looking at the manual for the winegard preamp and I see that it calls for separate UHF and VHF inputs. Maybe I'm missing something in my antenna set-up. I only have have one connection from my antenna. There are not separate UHF and VHF connections. Should there be ? If there should be, maybe that's the problem.

Pat

[pjman]

After further investigation and experimenting, I'm convinced I'm getting little or no UHF reception from this antenna. I went to the Wingard site and used their antenna recommendation tool and they suggested their HD-1080 2-Bay Bowtie UHF and High Band VHF Antenna. However, their specs indicate that it's only suitable for channels 7 - 69, which doesn't cover 5 and 2 here in Chicago. I don't mind shelling out for new antenna. Any recommendations ? How about Radio Shack's Low-Profile Omnidirectional Amplified TV Antenna Model: 15-1634 | Catalog #: 15-1634 ? They're close by and I could always return it if it doesn't work as advertised.

Thanks;
Pat

[tigerbangs]

Omnidirectional antennas are almost ALWAYS junk: you really need a decent directional antenna to accomplish what you want. If you want a new antenna, try a Winegard HD-7694P high-band VHF+UHF antenna, and use the Winegard HDP-269 preamplifier. The preamplifier only ha one inpit and one putput: you run the output of the antenna into the preamplifir, and the output of the preamplifier to the indoor-mounted power supply. Mount your splitter after the preamplifer power supply.

[pjman]

Thanks;

In reading the HD-7694P specs, it says it's not optimized for any VHF channels lower than 7 though. In understand that CBS digital will still be on channel 2. How do I receive channels 2 through 6 ?

Pat

[tigerbangs]

That's wrong information: WBBM-DT will be on VHF channel 12 after Feb 17, 2009, the only other VHF station in Chicago will be WLS-DT which will remain on channel 7. WBBM-DT is currently operating on VHF digital channel 3, but will change over on Feb 17, 2009...

[pjman]

Thanks for the update on WBBM. So, if I go with the antenna and per amp as suggested, does that mean I won't be able to receive WBBM (channel 2) until the change over ?

A couple of of other questions.

1. Why, if my VHF signal is so strong, isn't the UHF strong also ? (I'm trying to avoid the pre amp route as it means wiring up a socket in a difficult to access attic space for the power supply)
2. There a 150 foot WiFi tower about 300 feet away from the house. It's directly in line with the antenna aiming, but about 5 -10 degrees off. Could this be affecting the UHF reception?

Pat