Need antenna configuration advice

[madcow]

Here is the TV-Fool link:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapp ... f4c2b0fc8b

I live in a two storey townhouse with digital TVs on each floor. It is a low area blocked by trees and hills. I put up a rooftop mast with a VHF and another small UHF antenna, and added an amp, all of which is somewhat ok, but the setup often doesn't cut it on certain channels, especially in any kind of bad weather. We don't watch enough TV to justify a paid subscription service, but would still like to see if it is possible to get good reception using an antenna setup. I am a real newbie to this stuff, so I greatly value your advice. Not afraid to spend the money on a good system and am perfectly willing to put in the muti-antenna setups with associated gizmos if needed.

[tigerbangs]

I'd really like to know what you used for equipment before I recommend anything: your TV signals are very strong at your location, but multipath and/or improper aiming may be at issue. Also, I'd be leery about using a preamplifier in this situation because of the risk of overload.

[madcow]

It has been almost a year now and I can barely remember the antennas I bought, and I someone else has my ladder right now, but I believe it was these:

ClearStream5 High Gain Digital VHF antenna: http://www.antennasdirect.com/store/C5- ... tenna.html

Phillips 28 db amplified TV antenna: http://www.usa.philips.com/c/tv-and-mon ... 40_27/prd/

Today, I just realized that there should be a certain distance between the antennas based on wavelengths. At the moment, the UHF is less than a foot below the VHF.

They are connected together through a splitter up on the mast. The wire goes into a RCA MODEL DT 140M Mini Drop amp/splitter, which is located in the bedroom on the second floor. It is about 20 feet from the antennas. You say the signal is strong, but without that amp, we would be getting nothing. And as the chart says, ABC and NBC are very weak, but now after seeing the direction those two are originating from, I can see why. That TV Fool site is really informative and I am glad you steer people to it. I wish I had found that a year ago.

I pointed each of antenna at about 100 degrees, which is where most of the stations originate, it appears, being especially interested in one of the PBS stations (WHYY) in particular. I get the feeling that perhaps I need more antennas, one pointing due north, and another at about 270 degrees to catch groups of other stations. (We really want to get as many PBS as we can, and getting the ABC, CBS, and NBC stations are valuable to us for local news.) And now after seeing TV Fool, it looks like I need another antenna for a group of stations at 59 degrees. But, my main concern is the fact that as it is pointing now, the mini-forest a few feet from our house is impairing the signals 100 degrees ...or at least that is my suspicion. But the fact is that any kind of bad weather, even just a mist, will hamper the reception as well. You can see exactly the extent of it in relation to our house by typing in 31 Militia Hill Dr, Chesterbrook, PA 19087 in Mapquest. That is not our real address, but we are on that block, close by.

So, I don't know how to go about this. I don't know whether to get a whole bunch of antennas, or a couple of super-duper antennas, or whether the little forest will be messing up everything anyway.

[tigerbangs]

Boy, what a convoluted way to accomplish something so simple! WPVI is on VHF low-band channel 6, and the C5 is not designed to receive it. Dump the antennas that you have and pick up a Winegard HD-7082P, eliminate the splitter and run the single coax cable to your distribution amplifier/splitter. Mount the new antenna at the highest point of your roof, and aim the antenna at at 113 degrees compass heading. Be sure to engage the FM trap in the amplifier if it has one, otherwise, get yourself an FM trap and put it in the line between the antenna and the amplifier. Everything should pop in without a problem if you install carefully.
Be sure to re-scan your digital tuners once the new antenna is in place.

[madcow]

Thank you for the advice. I have gone ahead and ordered the antenna you recommended and will pick up a FM trap too.

[tigerbangs]

Please let me know how you make out...