TV Aerial advice
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: CA Central Coast
TV Aerial advice
OK, so money is tight, we have a toddler and don't want to have the tv on all the time...and cable is just too expensive and leads to too much temptation.
I can get NBC with a set of rabbit ears, but we want to pull in the local PBS station so the kid can watch Mr. Rogers/Sesame Street. We should be within range of 1 vhf and a couple uhf PBS stations, but are somewhat nestled in a small valley.
I got on the roof with an old Radio Shack Aerial that used to work great in a suburb, and got some snowy sound/audio. So, two questions because the local TV shop won't be open until Tuesday:
1. Does the regular aluminum aerial need to be grounded? Or rather, is me wearing sneakers and holding it up in the air a good enough test of its efficiency?
2. Anyone else out there in a similar situation had any luck with the fancy boosted/omni-directional yadda yadda antennas or gadgets found on the internet?
Thanks for any input (no pun intended),
Erik
I can get NBC with a set of rabbit ears, but we want to pull in the local PBS station so the kid can watch Mr. Rogers/Sesame Street. We should be within range of 1 vhf and a couple uhf PBS stations, but are somewhat nestled in a small valley.
I got on the roof with an old Radio Shack Aerial that used to work great in a suburb, and got some snowy sound/audio. So, two questions because the local TV shop won't be open until Tuesday:
1. Does the regular aluminum aerial need to be grounded? Or rather, is me wearing sneakers and holding it up in the air a good enough test of its efficiency?
2. Anyone else out there in a similar situation had any luck with the fancy boosted/omni-directional yadda yadda antennas or gadgets found on the internet?
Thanks for any input (no pun intended),
Erik
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 414
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From: Accokeek, MD
Anything you put up will need to be grounded, once in place. The antannae can be put up, tested, adjusted without being grounded, but once it's set, ground it. This is will help reception, and for safety....
I work for an Air Force communications squadron, so everything gets grounded....
I work for an Air Force communications squadron, so everything gets grounded....
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2004
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I bought the biggest channel master antenna and I can pickup stations over 60 miles away..& HDTV too ......www.channelmaster.com
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 543
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From: South East Texas
This may sound a little silly, but someone told me a long time ago that had a simular situation, that he aimed it in the direction of the nearest city and tilted it up slightly at an angle and was able to get better reception. Also you could try one of those adapters that plug into a wall socket that uses the house wiring and power lines as an antenna.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: CA Central Coast
Originally Posted by nightowl_52
Also you could try one of those adapters that plug into a wall socket that uses the house wiring and power lines as an antenna.
The sites the others listed look promising (thanks!), and I guess I'll compare them to what the local shop tells me this week.
If anyone has used the plug in thingy, let me/us know if it works.
Erik
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Originally Posted by e1p1
Funny you should mention that one, it's the one that fiinally made me post this. It sounds like one of those "as seen on tv" useless things, but I've also seen one or two "silly" things work.
The sites the others listed look promising (thanks!), and I guess I'll compare them to what the local shop tells me this week.
If anyone has used the plug in thingy, let me/us know if it works.
Erik
The sites the others listed look promising (thanks!), and I guess I'll compare them to what the local shop tells me this week.
If anyone has used the plug in thingy, let me/us know if it works.
Erik
As far as grounding, it will not stop you from getting a signal. What grounding is for is lightning. Both the antenna/pole and the cable should be grounded. A ground strap to the ground from the pole, and the coax to a grounding block, then into the house. The grounding block is nothing but a connector that has a ground strap to a grounding rod.
Also if you are getting stations from multiple directions, you may want to think about getting a rotor. Costs more, but allows you to fine tune the signal, depending upon which channel you are watching.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
What Kingfish said! Go to:
http://www.antennaweb.org
For one thing, they have a search map that lets you enter your location to display a map showing where all the nearest stations are and what their compass direction is from your location.
Also look for any trees or power lines, other transmitters or sources of electrical interference in your line of sight (between you and the signal source).
Trees are not much of a problem in the winter, but when the leaves come out they interfere massively with signals. If you know what direction your favorite signal is coming from you can mount the antenna in the clearest sight-line for it.
~Wolf
http://www.antennaweb.org
For one thing, they have a search map that lets you enter your location to display a map showing where all the nearest stations are and what their compass direction is from your location.
Also look for any trees or power lines, other transmitters or sources of electrical interference in your line of sight (between you and the signal source).
Trees are not much of a problem in the winter, but when the leaves come out they interfere massively with signals. If you know what direction your favorite signal is coming from you can mount the antenna in the clearest sight-line for it.
~Wolf
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,570
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I got the one of largest Radio Shack antennas, put it up in the attic, carefully unfolded it. Hung it on a wooden pole for low electrical mass. Ran Coax all the way to the antenna, and used a Radio Shack booster at the set, works great. This way I don't have to worry about storm damage or corrision.
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