connecticut OTA help

[craig9747]

Hey guys, I running a 6000 and I trying to improve my OTA reception for HD. I live in Bristol, CT and according to antennaweb.org I live about 10-15 miles from the local stations antennas. I live up on mountain with a clear view to the NE sky. I have an 80" Boom Length, 32 Element Antenna (VU-90 XR) from radio shack in my attic pointed at 75 degrees. I get WFSB at around 80% (according to the 6000) and I get WTIC at around 65%. Sometimes WTIC drops below 50% and then I get breakup or nothing at all. I think I also get the PBS stations but nothing else. A buddy of mine that lives across town gets most of the CT stations with his $5 rabbit ears. I've tried the rabbit ears with almost the same results as my attic antenna. Someone at work told me parts of Bristol is in a valley and that could be my problem. Anyways...What antenna will work best in a valley? I'd really like to keep the antenna in my attic but would it make a bid difference if I mounted it outside? I just bought a 921 (from dishdepot), will getting that help for some reason? Thanks in advance.

Craig

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The company I work for owns the WTIC antenna on Rattlesnake Mountain.

They are doing some equipment changes and will be switching to a new transmitter, because of this the Digital Signal will be weird for the next 2 weeks.

 

[hancox]

hmmm - you *might* be getting too strong a signal from your big antenna. Try an attenuator (Radio Shack has these).

Also - Value Electronics (one of the site's sponsors) sell the Silver Sensor. Great antenna. What does antennaweb.org rate you at? Yellow? Green?

 

[madpoet]

One thing to note, our ABC broadcasts VHF in CT so the Silver Sensor won't help you get it.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

He is under the antenna in Bristol so Hancox may be correct, unhook your current antenna from your receiver, then take a paper clip, unfold it and plus it into the antenna in jack on your receiver.

I would not be surprised if you can get it fine now.

 

[hancox]

One thing to note, our ABC broadcasts VHF in CT so the Silver Sensor won't help you get it.

**Actually** the silver sensor is known to be pretty good at pulling in high VHF (in this case 10). You *might* be in the clear on this one...

 

[madpoet]

It doesn't do it for me at all... I get much better VHF reception with a pair of rabbit ears than my SSS. *shrug*

 

[craig9747]

I tried using a paper clip with almost no luck. I brought my rabbit ears outside and ran a cable line. I was able to intermittly get WVIT but I lost 61 all together and the signal strenght dropped down 5-10% on WFSB. I'm mostly in the yellow area. I'm going to try a silver sensor. Thanks for all the input!

 

[craig9747]

I guess the problem is fixed. I just hooked up my new 921 and now I'm getting 3, 20, 30, 61 with no loss of signal at all. I don't get ABC (8) or WB (59) from New Haven at all. I guess because of how I pointed my antenna. The 921 blows away the 6000 in more ways than one. Thanks guys for info!!

 

[hancox]

yeah - doesn't shock me that 921 handles multipath better than the 6000 - OTA has come quite a ways, eh?