Antenna Recommendation
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All but 2 or 3 Chicago stations are UHF.
I think I'd go with an 8 bay bow-tie type antenna with a good pre-amp. If you need WBBM - 12 CBS then add a VHF-hi bander to that.
Sometimes its even cheaper to use 2 antennas than to buy an expensive combo.
I think I'd go with an 8 bay bow-tie type antenna with a good pre-amp. If you need WBBM - 12 CBS then add a VHF-hi bander to that.
Sometimes its even cheaper to use 2 antennas than to buy an expensive combo.
The Masterpiece has considerably better gain numbers for UHF and VHF.
Joining an amplified antenna with a non-amplified antenna may not be trivial and the higher gain may allow one to avoid a pre-amp.
There may be some shared channel issues with RF31.
I think this is the wrong time to be investing in an antenna dedicated to picking up DTV when Next-Gen is on the horizon.
All advice is null and void if the new antenna is to be mounted other than high atop the home.
Which 8 bay would you recommend and could I put an amplifier inline before my Channel Master 8 port distribution amp?
Sent from my SM-N950U using the SatelliteGuys app!
Sent from my SM-N950U using the SatelliteGuys app!
I just installed 2 masterpiece antennas. I have the masterpiece 100 aimed toward Chicago and a masterpiece 45 aimed at South Bend. Alone they work great.
Alone I get 19 channels on the masterpiece 45 from South Bend and 32 channels on the masterpiece 100 from Chicago. When I use a 1ghz splitter to combine them I only pick up 23 channels on the scan with Chicago channels being pixelated. Any suggestions?
Alone I get 19 channels on the masterpiece 45 from South Bend and 32 channels on the masterpiece 100 from Chicago. When I use a 1ghz splitter to combine them I only pick up 23 channels on the scan with Chicago channels being pixelated. Any suggestions?
That's because each antenna is picking up a little of the signal from the opposite antenna, and the phase shift cancels (or messes up) the reception. The easiest solution, is either separate antenna coaxs into a coax switch (bad if you aren't around to manually switch back and forth), or TWO ATSC tuners/dvr's, each getting an input from an antenna.
Or, you can try rotating one or the other antenna's to a slightly different azimuth, that MAY lower the signal slightly, yet find that possible balance point that'll allow both of them to work acceptably. It's kind of voodoo, but it might be doable.
Ill give that a try. Should I stay with the splitter or would the channel master jointenna help?
Sent from my SM-N950U using the SatelliteGuys app!
Sent from my SM-N950U using the SatelliteGuys app!
Joining two antennas that are pointed in different directions will drop the signal from each antenna by at least 1/2 strength due to some signal being re-radiated out the other antenna from each. There is also some loss by reflection back to the receiving antenna at the junction point.
All in all joining antennas that are pointed in different directions is the worst way to get the job done.
All in all joining antennas that are pointed in different directions is the worst way to get the job done.
There's also a loss built into the splitter that you can't easily fix and that's perhaps as big a factor as anything.
A jointenna is intended to fold in one channel as opposed to an entire new market so that's not the answer.
The front-to-back ratio of the Masterpiece 100 is 17dB -- better than most. The ratio on the 45 is no so good at 12dB but much higher than its gain. I would discount the suggestions that the antennas are creating multipath for each other.
It is probably important that the antennas not be mounted to near each other and they should be back-to-back rather than atop or facing each other to prevent signals being reflected from one from being picked up by the other.
A jointenna is intended to fold in one channel as opposed to an entire new market so that's not the answer.
The front-to-back ratio of the Masterpiece 100 is 17dB -- better than most. The ratio on the 45 is no so good at 12dB but much higher than its gain. I would discount the suggestions that the antennas are creating multipath for each other.
It is probably important that the antennas not be mounted to near each other and they should be back-to-back rather than atop or facing each other to prevent signals being reflected from one from being picked up by the other.
I hate to admit this but I forgot to fold out the elements on the balun on the Masterpiece 45.
Since I've fixed that I'm having great luck with the splitter. Thanks for the help everyone!!
Since I've fixed that I'm having great luck with the splitter. Thanks for the help everyone!!
Going to try a multi-stack system. Pointing a UHF and VHF antenna array with an RCA TVPRAMP1E preamp for Watertown NY, 80 miles East, A Winegard 8 Bay UHF, with a CM7777 preamp pointed 115 miles south for Syracuse NY and a UHF and VHF antenna array with a CM7777 at Rochester, NY, 90 miles south west, all on top of a 30 foot tower and an 8 foot mast on top. Three lines coming into the house, with separate preamps, then funneled into a 3 way joining switch at the back of the television. Anyone out there have any idea's that would enhance this project going forward? Would I lose much gain doing this in my planned setup?
What is a 3 way joining switch, is it a switch or is it a joiner?
The switch will provide you only one antenna at a time with very little loss.
The joiner will provide all but with about 75% signal loss off of each antenna.
The switch will provide you only one antenna at a time with very little loss.
The joiner will provide all but with about 75% signal loss off of each antenna.
