Recommendations for Antenna

[sk1927]

I'm considering purchasing an outdoor antenna to pickup local HD programming.  Any recomendations for brands & models and installation tips.  I'm located in West Allis, close to Hwy 100 & I 94 about 1 mile West of the Fair Park.  I have a lot of trees in my yard except for south part of the yard.

[Tivoman44]

I do have to say I do not have an outdoor antenna, but when I get a house I will have one installed.

Not sure if you have seen any of my previous posts, I have done research for my indoor antennas.  Not sure about a specific antenna.  Before going to Best Buy or a Radio Shack, check out Amatuer Electronics near 76th and Good Hope (call before going, they are mainly ham radio, but I believe have TV antennas).  Also check out http://digitenna.com/ , //www.newegg.com, //www.monoprice.com, amazon, and even overstock.com for prices.

Just make sure the antenna can get UHF reception.  All channels except for 10 is UHF in Milwaukee.  And if Ch 10-1 is really important to you that is also broadcast on Ch 36-2.  I used to live in Grafton and my apartment had a roof antenna, worked flawlessly.  My place was basically a four family residence but then connected to about 5 other 4 family (meaning it shared one huge basement for laundry but there were 5 separate entrances each entering into four apartments.  I had my signal split four ways in that place and never really lost any signal the way that it happens when you split the TWC signal.  

I would definitely have it professionally installed to protect from lightning.  As for your trees, if the trees are taller than the house, maybe look into getting a small booster to get it above trees.  I have posted before about how my parents land up north has lots of trees around and dips down into a valley, which made only two channels come in OTA after the digital transission.  

I could be wrong about this, but check out these coax cables http://www.amazon.com/Philips-SDW5200W-27-Shield-Cable/dp/B002JR4P7G/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1322527556&sr=8-9

notice the blue color marking on the end that you connect to the TV, I have been told that blue means it carries the best signal.  If you have TWC and they haven't done any work recently, you may notice other colors which are older.  Just don't let radio shack talk you into expensive gold plated cables that cost a Harvard semester.

[Will]

You can also try Marmax on 68th and Rawson.  They are a wholesale supplier, but won't turn you away.  You can ask them what they recommend.  http://www.marmaxdistribution.com/

I'm in Tosa, so not far from you, and have great reception with a UHF only antenna from Marmax.  I have a Channel Master 4221 in my attic, and signal strengths are 95 and better for me, even on Channel 10 (really broadcasting on channel .  If you can do an outdoor mount, that's great, but with as close as you are you might be able to get away with indoor / attic.  I have lots of big trees around, and the only issue I have is when it's windy -- the blowing leaves can cause multipath.  I had absolutely zero success before I got it mounted up in the attic, but I'm in a weird null spot it would seem.

Good luck.  Let us know how it goes.

edit- forgot a couple things.  Try a rabbit ears first if you have one laying around.  You'd be surprised how many people can get away with that.  If you get decent signal, that's great, but you still might have multipath issues.  Directional antennas like the one I use can help that.

Go to //www.antennaweb.org for more recommendations, and more important for an address specific map of where the towers are located.  You're probably at about 60 degrees and 48 degrees for the two tower locations, so you can split the difference and aim at 54 and should get good results.

[Tivoman44]

Will I'm in Tosa to, i have had to do a lot of work to get a good indoor antenna.  In one bedroom a cheap piece of rabbit ears work great, but had to test many different kinds out in the old rooms.  Finally I settled on a paper thin leaf antenna, works great.  I did notice a few sundays ago when it was really windy it broke up but is better now.

I thought that the idea of digital was that if you were within like 30 miles it would be perfect, I guess that's not true.

[ddeerrff]

I thought that the idea of digital was that if you were within like 30 miles it would be perfect, I guess that's not true.

The modulation scheme chosen for digital TV is very susceptible to multipath.  Sometimes it is harder to get a clean signal 'close in' than it is from further out due to the reflections of nearby buildings.

[sk1927]

thanks for feedback. one question on splitting the signals - I have 3 TVs in the house - all are digital sets, what recomendations would anyone have so I can split the signal from the antenna. to the TVs?  Am using TWC now, and would drop the TV service but keep the Roadrunner service.

[Will]

thanks for feedback. one question on splitting the signals - I have 3 TVs in the house - all are digital sets, what recomendations would anyone have so I can split the signal from the antenna. to the TVs?  Am using TWC now, and would drop the TV service but keep the Roadrunner service.

With a good, well-aimed antenna, signal strength should not be a problem for you, since you are so close to the towers.  I used most of the old TWC coax lines as-is, and ran new coax from the attic antenna to the basement where the cable came in the house.  I just disconnected the cable input at the first splitter, and swapped the antenna one in.  You may have to run some coax, since you need to keep the cable connection to wherever your RR box is.

If you can, run a temporary line direct from the antenna to a TV for the initial aiming and testing signals.  Once you've got it dialed in, hook it up to the old cable lines and see how it goes.  I'd bet you'll be fine even if you have a rat's nest of cabling.  I've got at least three splitters and over a hundred feet of coax and still have signal strength in the high 90s.  Have fun!  Free HD is the best HD, if you ask me.

[Tivoman44]

Well that explains it why I had somewhat of a problem with signal in Tosa.  So basically it helps to be somewhat further away from taller buildings or like a big mountain range, but not so far out in the country that the signal can't travel that far from the towers correct?

When you say a modulation scheme chosen for digital TV, is there a way to change the whole modulation so the signal doesn't bounce around, or would that have other set backs as well?  

Also since we are on the topic, what is the government doing with all of the old analog signals that used to be for TV?  They sold digital TV to us (and don't get me wrong Digital is way better) so that police and other emergency operations can be freed up, but it seems police are also going digital, such as Milwaukee with their never ending open sky issues

[ddeerrff]

it helps to be somewhat further away from taller buildings or like a big mountain range, but not so far out in the country that the signal can't travel that far from the towers correct?

Yes

When you say a modulation scheme chosen for digital TV, is there a way to change the whole modulation so the signal doesn't bounce around, or would that have other set backs as well?

Not something you can do.  The modulation scheme was set with the adoption of the ATSC standards.  Search keywords would be 8VSB and COFDM.  Example, here pages 32 & 34.  The standard we adopted is more susceptible to multipath, but was easier and cheaper for the broadcasters to implement.  

Also since we are on the topic, what is the government doing with all of the old analog signals that used to be for TV?  

I believe the higher UHF channels that were eliminated will be used for mobile service.  Read cell phones.  All that video streaming needs lots of bandwidth.

[ddeerrff]

Another link comparing 8vsb with COFDM - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8VSB#8VSB_vs_COFDM

[jjallou]

The standard we adopted is more susceptible to multipath, but was easier and cheaper for the broadcasters to implement.  

Many Broadcasters pushed for COFDM. Cost was the same either way since you still need a transmitter and an antenna, just how you modulate the signal differs.  There were too many hands and money into the patent holders of ATSC to throw in the towel on it.

[Nels Harvey]

While 6 MHz. channel width is now possible with COFDM, I seem to recall that at the time 8 MHz. channel widths were a part of the discussion.  I think revising channel widths was a factor in decision making as well as other interests.

With COFDM, receiver technology is more complex than with 8-VSB, and that was construed as negative as well.