In the process of installing 30' tv antenna tower

[rabbit73]

I decided to install the new AntennaCraft Y10-7-13 VHF yagi.....I went from -4.3dBmV 30.3dB on the old mast, to 2.0dBmV, 33.3dB on the tower Y10-7-13. BIG improvement

Good job, Mike. A gain of 6.3 dB is definitely worth the effort.

 

[Comptech]

Ok, had the coax pigtails made for the antennas going on the tower, was sitting around and got a little antsy, even with the serious heat out there (90f and windy), and the muscle aches. So, I decided to install the new AntennaCraft Y10-7-13 VHF yagi, since it was going on the "bottom" end of the mast anyway (below the Televes).

Got it all ready, new balun, got it on the roof, connected the coax pigtail, tied clothesline rope to it, strapped on my belt, and climbed up to the top. Strapped in, haul it up, and popped it over the top part of the mast stub. Tightened it down, roughly aimed it.

Now, it STILL isn't at what will be its final height, because I have to install the Televes UHF antenna next. (NOT today), and then raise the mast to it's full height. I took a screenshot from the H30 meter with the old Y10-7-13 on the old mast. Then I disconnected that one, and hooked up the new Y10-7-13 on the tower above that. It's encouraging. Here's photos and meter shots.

I went from -4.3dBmV 30.3dB on the old mast, to 2.0dBmV, 33.3dB on the tower Y10-7-13. BIG improvement.

View attachment 152162View attachment 152163View attachment 152164View attachment 152165View attachment 152166View attachment 152167View attachment 152168View attachment 152169

The old mast gets removed AFTER this is a completed install.

Then you can come down, or up which ever it is. LOL

 

[primestar31]

Then you can come down, or up which ever it is. LOL

It's just on the OLD mast, the HDB91x UHF antenna is mounted 3' BELOW the VHF antenna. On the tower, I'm planning on having the VHF antenna 3' UNDER the UHF antenna. I don't want the UHF antenna "signal shadowed" by the large VHF yagi antenna.

 

[Comptech]

It's just on the OLD mast, the HDB91x UHF antenna is mounted 3' BELOW the VHF antenna. On the tower, I'm planning on having the VHF antenna 3' UNDER the UHF antenna. I don't want the UHF antenna "signal shadowed" by the large VHF yagi antenna.

Great job. By the way I am just messing with you. I am not afraid of heights at all, but a tumor requiring removing my vestibular nerves from my brain stem, makes a 6 foot ladder dangerous. No way could I get on the roof now. And I am also surrounded by trees approaching 100 foot, but must say 58 channels is not bad for what I have set up.

 

[primestar31]

but a tumor requiring removing my vestibular nerves from my brain stem, makes a 6 foot ladder dangerous

Funny that you mentioned that. I had spinal surgery on 3 levels of my neck in July of 2007. They accidentally cut the vestibular nerves below my right ear, when they cut in for the anterior disectomy. My only sense of balance is ALL visual horizon... I can fall walking on the ground, and bending over and losing sight of the "level" horizon.

So climbing that tower I have to be SERIOUSLY careful not to bend my head over without keeping an eye on a "level" visual horizon point. Oh, and I also use a safety belt, AND I have a SERIOUSLY strong death-grip on the tower as much as possible...

 

[Comptech]

I know that feeling all to much. I can fall up stairs if I do not watch my feet.

 

[primestar31]

Literally JUST got the Televes Dat Boss LR UHF antenna put up there this morning. It is NOT at its final height yet, it is NOT aimed yet, it is NOT hooked up to the downlead equipment box yet. Just took a COLD shower, as I was already sweat-drenched. Gotta rest, and chug down a Gatorade and a LOT of water. Kind of shaky right now. Later I'll get new readings for the old HDB91x, then I'll hook the Dat Boss LR up, try aiming it, and get those readings. See if I can or need to balance it signal-wise. So, almost there to the finish line.



I did all this real early, as it's only 10:35am right now, and it's 90F already. The rest should be fairly easy, once I recover from this morning.

 

[primestar31]

Huge thunderstorm over the last two hours just finishing up here. Before that hit, I was able to raise the mast to what's about the final height, and tighten things up a bit. The guy wires for the mast aren't tensioned completely as of yet, BUT, it's a VERY strong double mast anyway. It all survived the storm just fine. Here's the latest readings, note the UHF antenna isn't at its final aim yet, but it's close:

 

[televestech]

Levels look really good, how's the signal quality?

 

[c-spand]

What meter do you have?

 

[primestar31]

What meter do you have?

It's a Televes H30D3 cable meter, but it has an OTA function. Though it can't demodulate the signal, so I can't get BER and MER readings. Wish it did.

 

[primestar31]

Levels look really good, how's the signal quality?

Signal quality has changed today, but still good. Likely the thunderstorm yesterday with heavy winds had a factor. The antennas aren't in their final locked down perfect aiming position as of yet. I just spent the morning getting the TOWER guys perfectly tensioned, and tower leveled. Have to get the antenna mast twisted slightly to try to get signals balanced, then tension down the MAST guy wires.

I use a come-along, and a Chicago Grip (pork chop) device to do that, then install turnbuckles.

 

[Comptech]

Mine is the left ear. Maybe if we work in a pair, with jumper cables attaching us together we could function better!

 

[primestar31]

Still working on this, as it's not completely finished as of yet. I have ONE vexing issue with a single particular channel I'm trying to resolve, and I'm resting up and recovering from the extreme part of the job. Weather has been nasty with heavy thunderstorms lately also, so that's also delaying things a bit. But, we need the rain, so...

So, once that channel reception issue is resolved one way or another (I HAVE a workable solution for the interim, but it's NOT the permanent solution I really want), the mast guys will be locked down, and everything wrapped up.

Stay tuned, it ain't over yet, and I'm still alive! lol

 

[Tower Guy]

Which station is giving you problems?

 

[primestar31]

Which station is giving you problems?

WFFC-LD RF17, and ONLY this station, when trying to receive it on the Dat Boss LR UP on the tower at 40'~ feet. That station is only 10kw, and at 32 miles away. Up there, the signal for JUST this station is barely decodable, constant pixelation. All others are fine.

https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php?request=result&study_id=278137

My solution for now, is I mounted a Channel Master CM4228HD 8-bay (also known as the "EXTREMEtenna") that I had stashed from about 5-6 years ago onto the former 27ft tall mast pipe that previously had my old antennas on it. The signal levels from that antenna 13 something feet lower than the Dat Boss LR, and 2 feet to the East of the newly installed tower come in lower for ALL other UHF stations (to be expected), BUT, WFFC-LD comes in HIGHER, and is decodable. Go figure.

On my Tivo Roamio, diagnostics screen, WFFC-LD on the Dat Boss LR up on the tower comes in at around 37% Signal Strength,13-14% SNR.

On the CM4228HD on the mast pipe, it comes locked-in in at a solid 60% Signal Strength, and 24dB, completely decodable and working fine...

 

[Tower Guy]

Can I assume that you are trying to receive WFFC while the antenna is aimed to optimize reception of other stations?
There are two other low power stations also on channel 17. Depending on antenna aiming, one of them could interfere with WFFC.

 

[primestar31]

Can I assume that you are trying to receive WFFC while the antenna is aimed to optimize reception of other stations?
There are two other low power stations also on channel 17. Depending on antenna aiming, one of them could interfere with WFFC.

I'm pretty much aiming just about right at WFFC, maybe a degree or so South of it. About at 135 ~ degrees true. Sort of balancing out WFFC-LD RF17 with WAQP RF36, which for some reason, can also be a problem child. They had all sorts of issues with the latest spectrum sale, and going from RF48 to RF36. The new antenna they had built was faulty, and they had to have it "fixed" somehow in order to even be able to use it. I don't believe it's mounted at the top of their tower either. Rabbitears shows that I should receive WAQP solid, but that's not true. I can balance it out with WFFC, and then all the other channels are also fine.

 

[primestar31]

There's ANOTHER RF17 on almost the exact bearing BEHIND the antenna. In other words, when I point the Dat Boss LR directly at WFFC-LD RF17 (10Kw) 32 miles away at 132.7 degrees TRUE, the REAR of the antenna points more or less directly at WMNN-LD RF17 (15KW) 59 miles away at 309 degrees TRUE up in Lake City. I'm only in its "Minimum Field Strength Contour" per Rabbitears, but apparently, it may be just enough to cause issues with WFFC-LD at height, with the Dat Boss LR.

I'm told that the F/B ration of the Dat Boss LR makes this very unlikely, but I don't know.... I personally think it likely IS the cause.

In other words, the Televes Dat Boss LR antenna may be TOO GOOD in my specific application here, and picks up just enough of the signal of WMNN, that it causes WFFC to be slightly wiped out. That's the ONLY channel that has issues with reception up on the tower at 40'.

The CM4228HD down on the slightly lower mast, is completely masked from WMNN.

 

[primestar31]

WMNN: terrain RabbitEars.Info


WFFC terrain: RabbitEars.Info