help picking an antenna

[jonarnold2]

I just bought a Panasonic TV with the hi def tuner built in. Model # pt-53WXD63. I went to radio shack and bought a small rooftop job for $30 and through it in my attic. I got most of the digital stations but not channel 6 and some others would ocasionally break up. I went back and paid $70 for an "HD compatible" spaceship looking thing with a little amplifier. Now I have even less channels. Please help!

[Kevin Arnold]

That omni directional antenna they sell is junk. I have one and a coathanger works better. The first antenna you bought is the way to go with the addition of a pre-amp also from Radio Shack. With the two of those you should be fine. As for Fox 6's digital signal, it is very difficult to receive. The transmitter is on a 200 foot tower at their station using very low power, hence only a handful of people can get it over the air. Sooner or later they will move it to their main tower and that should help.  Happy viewing.

[jonarnold2]

Thank you ever so much. I'll put the old antenna back to work. Luckily I kept the box and reciept for the new one

[chure]

What is the modela of the $30 roof top job (antenna ) that works good?

[jonarnold2]

I don't know the model number. But I bought it at radio shack for $29.95. It works fine except for channel 6. Its just the normal old fashioned looking type of antenna. I don't use any type of signal amp. They just seem to make it worse.

[chure]

It's one of the roof mounted antennas, correct?

Looking at Radio shack's wed site I don't see one for $29.95...

[StarvingForHDTV]

http://www.cmnc.com/pages/u1.htm

I own the 4221 and have been happy with it.  I think the 4228 is even more powerful.  Your mileage may vary.

Starving

[jonarnold2]

model #15-2151 is $35 bucks. It looked the same as that. maybe it was just in-store. this one might be a tad bit bigger. Who knows maybe I inadvertantly got it on sale

[Dan the Man]

For my money, here is the best antenna you can buy, and at a good price:

http://www.warrenelectronics.com/antennas/4228.htm

I have this baby and I can get all the local DTV signals at 100% except for Faux 6. And with no amp. I tried this antenna with an amp and that caused problems. You are always better off going without an amp if you can.

If I had a rotor, I bet I could get the Madison stations.

Good luck with the game tomorrow. Too bad I will be at a friends house and alas, not HDTV there. ENJOY!!!

[GADGET71]

Dan The Man-

You mentioned problems with a preamp and your 4228?  What kind of problems?  I put this one up last week and get no stronger signals, actually weaker on Fox 47 in Madison because the 4228 is VHF only.   I tried my preamp(winegard 8700) but could not pull in even one channel with the combo.  I did better with my $30 menards antenna and preamp than I am with the 4228.  I am curious if you lost signal strength all together or just weakened the signal with the preamp?
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[Dan the Man]

When I had the amp hooked up, my HD satellite box would not lock a signal on a few of the channels. I do not remember which channels, but once I removed the amp, I got great signals from all the channels, both analog and digital.

Are you talking about Madison 47 analog or digital? Is Madison 47 digital broadcasting on a UHF frequency? If so, what channel are they using?

The 4228 antenna is directional. If you have it pointed towards Milwaukee, you will not pick up the Madison signals (depending on where you live). A rotor would correct this.

If I had a rotor, I bet I could get the Madison signal also, but I really don't care that much so I never bothered installing a rotor.

I still think that 4228 antenna is the best for UHF only reception.

[GADGET71]

Dan-

Fox 47 Madison is channel 11 on my Samsung 151 Hd box.  This puts it in the VHF range.  But I still pick it up with a couple of bars on the signal strength meter.

I would be interested in hearing if anyone out in your area can pick up Madison fairly stable from there with the CM4228.   I don't know what my trouble is but it's been tough.  

Gadget71
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[PWFD81]

Just was surfing around and found this thread.  I live in Port Washington and I have a Zenith Set-Top UHF Anetnna "ZHD-TV1".  This is a small set-top antenna that does a great job.  It's not amplified and the cost was around $25.  I am able to pull in all stations at 95 - 100% except Fox of course.  Anyone looking for a nice OTA this is pretty sweet.  No big thing to mount on your house.  I actually have it hidden on top of a cabinet.  Can't even see it.  I didn't think it would work way up here in Port but it sure does.

[HiDefDon]

The CM4228 is definitely a UHF antenna.

I am using separate VHF and UHF antennas stacked on a wooden dowel with a rotator in the large attic space above my living room. Unfortunately the antenna pointing direction requires that the antennas are pointed directly at the A/C unit and brick chimney in the attic. I have compensated for that by using the largest possible antennas and then using attenna pre-amps for both UHF and VHF. The UHF antenna is an 8-bay bow Channel Master 4228. The VHF antenna is a Wingard CA-4052. I am using a Wingard AP-2880 (29dB gain) pre-amp for VHF and a Wingard AP-4800 (28db gain) pre-amp for UHF. I am also using a Wingard DA-1127 system amplifier for the UHF signals. The combined VHF/UHF signals are split 3-ways with connections to Analog TV, HiDTV tuner card, and RCA DTC-100 digital receiver. This arrangement is working very well for me and I am able to obtain reliable reception of 12 digital stations in the Dallas area and also KXII-DT in Sherman. KXII-DT is broadcasting on UHF channel 20 which is almost 70 miles away from my house!

You need to be careful with pre-amps since they can cause overloading. When things get overloaded you will see the digital signal levels actually appear to decrease as you increase the amplification. The DA-1127 has adjustable gain and I used a small attenuator on the input side. This allowed me to adjust the amplifiers for optimum gain.

DonP

[tazman]

Hey "Dan the Man"  what side of town are you on?  I'm just a little more than just a stones throw from the fair park to the east.  I've got a Winegard HD7084P up about 30 to 35 feet on a tower with a rotor and I can barely get Madison, not good enough to even watch that is.   I was woundering how your reception was with that antenna.  Are you able to get 6 digital.  I'm contemplateing getting the 4228 and mounting it near the top of my tower in a static position towards Madison since most of Madisons stations are UHF anyway.  Still looking for a remote selectable A/B antenna switch though.  I know they make them for HAM radio, but have not found one for TV use.