Antenna Selection

[thomasa1980]

Sorry for starting a new thread but I didn't see a general thread for antenna selection. I'm looking for recommendations for an antenna to receive the following list of channels.

The other things is: Is it even realistic to get these channels this far away?

violet - vhf WTAE 4 ABC PITTSBURGH PA 269° 65.4 4
violet - uhf WPCB 40 FMN GREENSBURG PA 275° 63.1 40
violet - vhf WPXI 11 NBC PITTSBURGH PA 280° 74.6 11
violet - uhf WPGH 53 FOX PITTSBURGH PA 282° 74.6 53
violet - vhf KDKA 2 CBS PITTSBURGH PA 282° 75.4 2
violet - uhf WPMY 22 WB PITTSBURGH PA 278° 59.7 22

Thank you in advance.

 

[Hall]

One good thing is those towers are all in the same general direction. At 60 miles for the closest one though, you'll need a very large antenna, definitely outdoor mounted, and mounted as high as possible.

Are you looking for analog reception or for digital, i.e. HD, reception ?? If digital only, those same stations are UHF instead of a mix of UHF and VHF:

yellow - uhf	WPGH-DT	53.1	FOX	PITTSBURGH	PA
yellow - uhf	WPXI-DT	11.1	NBC	PITTSBURGH	PA
yellow - uhf	WPMY-DT	42.1	WB	PITTSBURGH	PA
yellow - uhf	KDKA-DT	2.1	CBS	PITTSBURGH	PA
yellow - uhf	WPCW-DT	49	UPN	JEANNETTE	PA
yellow - uhf	WQED-DT	13.1	PBS	PITTSBURGH	PA
yellow - uhf	WQEX-DT	16.1	HSN	PITTSBURGH	PA
blue - uhf	WTAE-DT	4.1	ABC	PITTSBURGH	PA

 

[thomasa1980]

I'm looking for digital (HD) only.

If it's any help, my zip is 16630 and the reason I'm asking about pittsburgh channels is because only two of our locals are digital as of now and the remaining are around me at different distances as well so I'd need multiple antennas (once they're all digital) and that's just not an option for me (it's enough trouble getting my wife to agree to one extra antenna as it is)

 

[Hall]

It appears that the Johnstown PA stations are somewhat in the same direction as the Pittsburgh stations. An antenna has an angle that it can pick up from and your stations are 35' apart total. If you aim right in the middle, you'll have stations 17.5' in both directions. That may be doable with the right antenna.

 

[thomasa1980]

Great, any recommendations for specific models?? Keep in mind that I'm more interested in the Pittsburgh stations and really don't care that much about the Johnstown stations so if there's a good (and cheaper) option to just pick up the Pittsburgh stations, I'll probably go that route.

I've seen things like 8 bay units or maybe a PR-9032 from winegard, will either of those work? I assuem I'll need a signal amplifier either way.

THANKS!

 

[thomasa1980]

How do I find out how high a stations antenna is placed. I'm reading a lot about feet above average something something.... And what does it mean to me?

The stations I want to pick up are "down" in Pittsburgh, and I'm "up" in the appallachia mountains (I think that's what they're still called this far north)..

I believe I'm about 2500' above sea level, but don't know anything about the stations I want to watch