antenna arrays?

[steve4810]

My stations are in three directions and I have two inexpensive directional uhf antennas and will get a third if needed.

The thing is, I think I have to aim one antenna at each of the two most distant groups. The third location is behind these groups and pretty close.

Can I just connect the two uhf's in parallel before the balun to cover the two distant groups and just hope the strong station behind will get into the back of the two uhf antennas that point the other way? This one station is so strong that if you don't keep connectors tight on all the coax it will get in enough cause a ghost image (of the old SD signal when using analog cable) and you can get a pretty clear picture from this one by just touching the 300ohm antenna terminal with a screwdriver .

2 stations, 20 miles 312 degrees
3 stations, 09 miles 035 degrees
1 stations, 07 miles 159 degrees (powerful and directional and aimed my way)


I believe if the air was clear enough I could see all three locations from the mast location on my chimney since there are no obstructions in any direction.

By the way rotors are not an option with the group in this house. Everybody wants watch whatever, whenever.

I hope I haven't been too long-winded.

Thanks for whatever advice you can give me.

 

[VinceT3]

I have all mine in 2 directions that are 180 of each other.. 1 antenna facing towards the furthest picks up all of them.. though I did get two for more signal

 

[Jim5506]

Most likely connecting antennas pointing in diffeent directions will negatively impact signals, but you never know unless you try.

You might try picking the three station direction and adding the one station direction to it with a Channel Master jointenna. It blocks frequencies from all but a narrow range so it can be used to inject a channel into a line.

If that is successful you can add the other two channels in to the mainline each using a jointenna as long as there is a 3-5 channel seperation between the injected channel and any surrounding channels.

It is doable but not easy. Is there some reason you aren't considering one antenna and a rotator?

 

[charper1]

My stations are in three directions and I have two inexpensive directional uhf antennas and will get a third if needed.

The thing is, I think I have to aim one antenna at each of the two most distant groups. The third location is behind these groups and pretty close.

Can I just connect the two uhf's in parallel before the balun to cover the two distant groups and just hope the strong station behind will get into the back of the two uhf antennas that point the other way? This one station is so strong that if you don't keep connectors tight on all the coax it will get in enough cause a ghost image (of the old SD signal when using analog cable) and you can get a pretty clear picture from this one by just touching the 300ohm antenna terminal with a screwdriver .

2 stations, 20 miles 312 degrees
3 stations, 09 miles 035 degrees
1 stations, 07 miles 159 degrees (powerful and directional and aimed my way)


I believe if the air was clear enough I could see all three locations from the mast location on my chimney since there are no obstructions in any direction.

By the way rotors are not an option with the group in this house. Everybody wants watch whatever, whenever.

I hope I haven't been too long-winded.

Thanks for whatever advice you can give me.

I would go with a CM4228 or CM4221 and aim more toward the 312° heading, but not directly at it; maybe in the 250° range. Test it, but just get one quality antenna as listed. You VERY CLOSE proximity is key.

 

[Peter Parker]

Hard to say whether the 4221 or 4228 would be better here. the 4228 has more gain but is more directional. You don't really need gain. For taht reason i might try the 4221.

I own a 4221 and I actaully get more stations than neighbors with the 4228.

 

[steve4810]

Is there some reason you aren't considering one antenna and a rotator?

The same reason everyone around here has their own cellphone and nobody gets calls or makes calls from the phone on the desk

(Sorry for the smart-a## remark)

Seriously, there is usually one person per TV and no two are ever tuned to the same channel.

Nowadays there aren't often a lot of people around but there are 9 TVs in the house and no one expects they need to check with someone else before they choose a room and grab a remote. You wouldn't believe the uproar when I got Dish and tried to drop cable.

 

[steve4810]

I would go with a CM4228 or CM4221 and aim more toward the 312° heading, but not directly at it; maybe in the 250° range. Test it, but just get one quality antenna as listed. You VERY CLOSE proximity is key.

As someone else here said "you don't need gain" and I **am** VERY CLOSE so what's wrong the antennas I have? How good do they need to be at these distances? And they're paid for.

How much do the CM4221/8s cost?

 

[charper1]

Some antennas have a better beam width (reception angle if you will) some are more directional. The CM4221 & 4228 are top proven models in this regard; directionals are great for a sigle need aimed where all signals originate from the same very few degrees of separation.

 

[Peter Parker]

The beam width of the 4228 is 15 degrees. The beam width of the 4221 is 45 degrees. I am also so close in that I get adequate reception for stations 180 degrees off from the back.

For that reason while i realize that the 4228 has more gain and is probably better for most applications the 4221 is sometimes a better performer if like me you are close in but the ststiosn are more spread out.

I havea 4221 and get some ststaions that neighbors witha 4228 can't. Of course I live in an area with tall trees and uneven terrain.

 

[charper1]

How much do the CM4221/8s cost?

4228 = $50 ish

4221 = $25 ish