Indoor OTA in my area...

[GNASH]

Hi all,

I am hoping someone can give some advice on what we should do for OTA HD locals. We live in Western Michigan. The HOA in our area will not allow OTA Antennas outside the house, so we are stuck with an Indoor Antenna.
We currently have 2 Antennas linked with RG-6 Cable that work ok, however, the highest local signal we can get for stations ranges from 60's for our local CBS Station to 90's for others. CBS is by far the Weakest signal. We can rearrange the antennas to get slightly better signals on one channel at the expense of the others. We are looking to get something that will improve the OTA signals, especially for CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox. Any others would be great, but not required.

Here are the results from Antennaweb for our area:
DTV Antenna Type
Call Sign
Channel
Network
City State
Live Date
Compass Orientation
Miles From
Frequency Assignment

Uhf - WOTV-DT - 41.1 – ABC - BATTLE CREEK, MI - 80° - 9.920
Vhf - WOOD-DT - 8.1 – NBC - GRAND RAPIDS, MI - 40° - 12.97
Uhf - WXMI-DT - 17.1 – FOX - GRAND RAPIDS, MI - 36° - 12.319
Uhf - WLLA-DT – 45 – REL – KALAMAZOO, MI TBD - 83° - 10.445
Vhf - WGVK-DT - 5.1 – PBS – KALAMAZO, MI - 184° - 15.85
Vhf - WWMT-DT - 3.1 – CBS – KALAMAZOO, MI - 47° - 9.12
Vhf - WGVU-DT - 35.1 – PBS - GRAND RAPIDS, MI - 342° - 31.711
Uhf - WZPX-DT - 43.1 – ION - BATTLE CREEK, MI - 76° - 31.744
Uhf - WZZM-DT - 13.1 – ABC - GRAND RAPIDS, MI - 351° - 55.039



We would like to get really strong signals for WWMT, WOTV (or WZZM), WXMI, and WOOD-TV. We are willing to use or get rid of the current antennas we have, but what we get must be an indoor antenna.

Thanks for any input you can give,
Geoff

 

[cparker]

Your HOA can not prevent you from having an outdoor antenna. They can have suggestions about where they'd like it placed, but they can NOT tell you that you can not have one.

 

[GNASH]

Modular Home...

Your HOA can not prevent you from having an outdoor antenna. They can have suggestions about where they'd like it placed, but they can NOT tell you that you can not have one.

We live in a Modular Home Park in a double wide. According to the owners of the park we can only have 1 dish antenna on our house. We are NOT intending on staying in park for an extended period (dad is talking about moving to a piece of land after the contract is done with this park) so would like indoor antenna if possible.

Geoff

 

[joedekock]

Hi all,

I am hoping someone can give some advice on what we should do for OTA HD locals. We live in Western Michigan. The HOA in our area will not allow OTA Antennas outside the house, so we are stuck with an Indoor Antenna.
We currently have 2 Antennas linked with RG-6 Cable that work ok, however, the highest local signal we can get for stations ranges from 60's for our local CBS Station to 90's for others. CBS is by far the Weakest signal. We can rearrange the antennas to get slightly better signals on one channel at the expense of the others. We are looking to get something that will improve the OTA signals, especially for CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox. Any others would be great, but not required.

Here are the results from Antennaweb for our area:
DTV Antenna Type
Call Sign
Channel
Network
City State
Live Date
Compass Orientation
Miles From
Frequency Assignment

Uhf - WOTV-DT - 41.1 – ABC - BATTLE CREEK, MI - 80° - 9.920
Vhf - WOOD-DT - 8.1 – NBC - GRAND RAPIDS, MI - 40° - 12.97
Uhf - WXMI-DT - 17.1 – FOX - GRAND RAPIDS, MI - 36° - 12.319
Uhf - WLLA-DT – 45 – REL – KALAMAZOO, MI TBD - 83° - 10.445
Vhf - WGVK-DT - 5.1 – PBS – KALAMAZO, MI - 184° - 15.85
Vhf - WWMT-DT - 3.1 – CBS – KALAMAZOO, MI - 47° - 9.12
Vhf - WGVU-DT - 35.1 – PBS - GRAND RAPIDS, MI - 342° - 31.711
Uhf - WZPX-DT - 43.1 – ION - BATTLE CREEK, MI - 76° - 31.744
Uhf - WZZM-DT - 13.1 – ABC - GRAND RAPIDS, MI - 351° - 55.039



We would like to get really strong signals for WWMT, WOTV (or WZZM), WXMI, and WOOD-TV. We are willing to use or get rid of the current antennas we have, but what we get must be an indoor antenna.

Thanks for any input you can give,
Geoff

Hello from a fellow West Michigander!

Do you have attic space in your home. What I would recommend in your situation is to get either a regular OTA antennae that you put on your roof, and put it in your attic.

Or if you can purchase an antennae like I have. I have mine in my garage attic, and I have an amplifier there as well. I am able to pull in all the locals except WWMT. And virtually no one in West Michigigan can get WWMT on an OTA antennae unless you live within 10 miles of the tower.

Here is what I got:
http://www.winegard.com/offair/sensar.htm

This antennae is erally for an RV, but it does very well with an amplifier. My set up has the amplifier three feet off the antennae and I recommend that because it was worthless when I had it halfway from antennae and receiver.

I hope this helps.


I just noticed your last post about this being temporary. I would recommend any product from winegard.

 

[GNASH]

Hello from a fellow West Michigander!

Do you have attic space in your home. What I would recommend in your situation is to get either a regular OTA antennae that you put on your roof, and put it in your attic.

Or if you can purchase an antennae like I have. I have mine in my garage attic, and I have an amplifier there as well. I am able to pull in all the locals except WWMT. And virtually no one in West Michigigan can get WWMT on an OTA antennae unless you live within 10 miles of the tower.

Thanks for the really quick responses. We have no attic or Garage. We do have a crawl space under the house (approx. 3 feet) but there are metal I-Beams under there as well and vinyl siding for skirting. Would it be possible to put it under the house???

Geoff

 

[joedekock]

Thanks for the really quick responses. We have no attic or Garage. We do have a crawl space under the house (approx. 3 feet) but there are metal I-Beams under there as well and vinyl siding for skirting. Would it be possible to put it under the house???

Geoff

No... the higher the placement the better.

I do believe the previous poster is right. OTA antenna's and the satellite dish's that Directv and Dish use are not subject to local HOA, or City ordinances. They are federally regulated, so you should still be able to get away with an OTA antennae on your roof.

I am almost certain they can not do anything about it because I asked my local city hall for ordinances that pertain to dishes and they told me they can not regulate anything that the FCC does and Dish's and OTA antenna's fall in that classification.

Here is a "low profile" antennae that you can use outside or inside your home. I would still reccomend putting it outside. Maye mount it on the wall of your home. This way it is not mounted on your roof.
http://www.winegard.com/offair/squareshooter.htm

Click on the "more Photo's" to see some good mounting options you have with this one.

As I said before... there is nothing your are going to be able to do to get WWMT (CBS). They do not have a high enough wattage output.

 

[cparker]

You don't want to do that (put it under the house). With antennas.... higher is better. With your mix of UHF and VHF stations, ..... yikes.

You need to read this:
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

The HOA's "rule" preventing you from having an antenna is against regulations.

If you're moving and want an easy installation that you can take with you... stick some antenna mast in a 5 gallon pail and fill it with concrete. Sink the pail about half way in the ground and secure the mast to the house at the eaves.

 

[tampabay]

I'm very much in the same boat in West Michigan. OTA HD Locals are what's got me worried the most about satellite. My house is surrounded by tall trees to the north and northwest. Antennaweb says I'd need a red, and a blue rated antenna, capable of receiving from the north (297 to 25 degrees) and the south (159-169 degrees). TVFool seems to indicate that I should be able to pick most of them up with a plain indoor antenna. My TV is HD-ready, not HD tuning, or I'd test that quickly. Which should I trust?

 

[GNASH]

Update on what we decided...

Hi all,

Just wanted to give an update on what we did and how it is working.

We wanted to get rid of a couple of the Indoor Antennas that we had. That has not happened. Taking into account the recommendations from this forum, we looked at getting a more powerful outdoor antenna. We found this one from Radio Shack http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2348191 and went and picked one up. We then ran a cable to the antenna which we placed on our deck (sort of hidden by our grill) and we have the best signal we have ever seen on our local CBS.

We unfortunately also had to keep the Indoor Antennas (which are pointed in the general direction of the CBS station and the new outdoor antenna is combined into the indoor antennas which give a definite boost to all of our other channels.

Geoff

 

[Jim5506]

Combining antennas is tricky business and not to be recommended. More than likely it will reduce signal all around. Occasionally you find a bird on the ground and it helps.

Best medicine is an excellent antenna possibly with a pre-amp if needed, but go for the best antenna and only amp it if necessary.

Radio Shack antennas are considered average to good, not excellent.

 

[DishInSD]

I have tried 5 indoor antennas, amplified, non-amplified, etc and found the Silver Sensor or whatever it is called today was the best in this house and the previous one. I live in San Diego and it gets everything from Los Angeles and Orange County and just sits on top of the 622