Multiple UHF antennas facing different directions...hinder reception?

[Mr Tony]

I've got a technical question.....

Right now on the roof I have a my Y5 7-13 aimed NW for my CBS (KCCW 12) and the XG91 clone facing west for the UHF stations that are local to me. K48IF FOX, KAWB PBS and ABC which is still analog.

I have a 8 bay on a 10 foot mast that I have on the deck right now aimed pretty much south for Minneapolis that comes in at night (most of the time...I'm 93 miles from the towers). Minneapolis is UHF except for NBC but that doesn't reach here unless its really humid out. I mainly use the Mpls stations for AntennaTV, MeTV and the CW (they have Ring of Honor Wrestling)

What I would like to do is this
Put the 8 bay on the tripod on the roof and face it south. That antenna is on a 9 foot pole. I can't take the antenna off as the screws to hold it to the mast are stripped. If I loosen it they wont tighten again.
Have the XG91 clone below that a couple feet and aimed west
The VHF is about 1/2 inch above the top of the tripod. Thats the "sweet spot" for signal

The "local" setup and the 8 bay would have separate lines running down into the house

Will the 2 UHF antennas "clash" and actually hinder the others signal picking up even if they are not combined in any way? My FOX is a low powered translator and right now is optimized for best reception but any interference will probably screw with the signal

And I know someone might ask "why not use a rotor?". Well there are programs that are on at the same time on both antennas....so I have to choose

 

[FaT Air]

Since you're not combining them it shouldn't be a problem. No guarantee's mind you, but I've done the same in the past. (but it was VHF)
You should be able to combine them if there's no co-channel or strong adjacent (at least I'd try it) But if you have independent tuners - go for it.

 

[Mr Tony]

Since you're not combining them it shouldn't be a problem. No guarantee's mind you, but I've done the same in the past. (but it was VHF)

I remember when I lived in the house I had a HBU44 and a HBU33 on the same mast running independently and it was fine (but they were facing the same direction...except when I was DX'ing)

You should be able to combine them if there's no co-channel or strong adjacent (at least I'd try it)

Nothing up here is "strong"
2600 watt FOX translator 26 miles away
analog ABC translator 26 miles away
PBS (40) and CBS (56) miles away
Minneapolis 93 miles away

But if you have independent tuners - go for it.

2 Tivos with different zips in them.

The main reason I haven't "just tried it" is because my FOX is very tricky to get. Its a translator and has ot be just at the right spot or it pixelates. Thats why I've taken the Series 3 up on the roof to peak it

 

[primestar31]

As long as they are at least 3 feet apart, they shouldn't interfere with each other. Technically, they should be 1 wavelength of the LOWEST (Real) channel apart.

My HDB91x is 48" below my Y10-7-13, and there's no interference at all. Earlier in it's life they were only 24" apart, and that caused some issues.

 

[FaT Air]

2600 watt FOX translator 26 miles away

Think you're lucky to get it at all. (Just thinking here) How about the 8 bay for the FOX and other locals, the XG for MPLS???

 

[Mr Tony]

Think you're lucky to get it at all. (Just thinking here) How about the 8 bay for the FOX and other locals, the XG for MPLS???

Originally I had the 8 bay for the locals. But the XG gives me higher signal on the TiVo.

My HBU22 can pick up the station too.... but the signal is really low on that antenna. Goes out during the day.

 

[larrykenney]

As others have said, you shouldn't have any problem with the proposed set up. Hopefully you'll be able to get the UHF antenna for the FOX station back at the right height and direction to give you a solid picture. Having the 8 bay higher for Mpls should give you better signals, but as we know height isn't always the answer, but it is most of the time. Good luck. Let us know what your results are.

 

[Mr Tony]

As others have said, you shouldn't have any problem with the proposed set up. Hopefully you'll be able to get the UHF antenna for the FOX station back at the right height and direction to give you a solid picture.

That's the hard thing. But I have noticed there is about a 3 foot area on the mast where the signal (if aimed right) will be the same signal.
With the Vikings being on FOX I want to make sure the signal is fine to watch the games
(and being a former FTA'er I have that "oh the signal is 90...want to tweak it so its 91")

Having the 8 bay higher for Mpls should give you better signals, but as we know height isn't always the answer, but it is most of the time. Good luck. Let us know what your results are.

Thats the thing. Right now on the deck it works well enough for what I want it for (which is AntennaTV and MeTV at night). And if I move the antenna to the roof and mess with it for a couple hours and nothing really changed then I'll be mad

Oh and here is what it looks like right now

 

[FaT Air]

Thats the thing. Right now on the deck it works well enough for what I want it for (which is AntennaTV and MeTV at night). And if I move the antenna to the roof and mess with it for a couple hours and nothing really changed then I'll be mad

But the experience of how it worked is a new knowledge 'learned'.
TV antenna installations are part art and part theory. And many times the art outweighs the theory. Hope whatever you do 'do' works well for you.

 

[Mr Tony]

The thing is I've worked with the setup on the roof in multiple ways using multiple antennas.

The thing I'm starting to notice as the less humid it becomes, the harder it is to bring in the signal from the Minneapolis stations. This is using what I currently have set up and putting the XG91 on a rotor and trying.

I wish that KSTP would put AntennaTV on their satellite KSAX instead of MeTV That would solve the problem
(KSTP is based in Minneapolis and they have a satellite station KSAX in Alexandria...which comes in pretty good at night. KSTP owns an Independent KSTC and they have ME, This and Antenna on it. On KSAX they have ABC -1, the Independent on -2 and MeTV on -3)

 

[Mr Tony]

Forgot to mention I tried doing the setup with both UHF and the VHF on the roof and for some odd reason it actually hindered my "local" reception. Throw in the fact its getting cold here and the signal doesnt travel as far and I scrapped the idea.

 

[PopcornNMore]

That's the hard thing. But I have noticed there is about a 3 foot area on the mast where the signal (if aimed right) will be the same signal.
With the Vikings being on FOX I want to make sure the signal is fine to watch the games
(and being a former FTA'er I have that "oh the signal is 90...want to tweak it so its 91")


Thats the thing. Right now on the deck it works well enough for what I want it for (which is AntennaTV and MeTV at night). And if I move the antenna to the roof and mess with it for a couple hours and nothing really changed then I'll be mad

Oh and here is what it looks like right now

View attachment 110086

I thought this my my house for a minute.

Are you using a 10' mast on the roof? Was it hard to install? Lag screw size anchored into the roof?

 

[PopcornNMore]

I combine my antennas. One aimed towards Pittsburgh and another towards Johnstown.

 

[Mr Tony]

Are you using a 10' mast on the roof? Was it hard to install? Lag screw size anchored into the roof?

I have since moved back to Minneapolis but to answer the question
On the roof was a 5 foot mast with both antennas. Installing was easy and since it was mainly a temporary setup it was just some wood screws

If you wanted to do it I would say yeah use lag bolts. Thats what I did when I had my house in Minneapolis a few years ago. Had 3 anetnnas on the roof on 2 tripods. All with lag bolts

 

[PopcornNMore]

I now remember seeing your pictures showing 2 tripods. This might be my next Spring project.

Solid Signal sells this tripod along with a 5' mast, but a reviewer said it needed 6 lag bolts and the mast could still be rocked back and forth due to rivets being used rather than bolts on the tripod.
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...h-Pitch-Pad-(CM3092)&c=Mounting Supplies&sku=

 

[FaT Air]

6 lag bolts is SOP. 2 in each foot.
CM tripods used to be quality. Not requiring drilling out the rivets to replace with nuts and bolts. Years ago only had to do that with a 'cheap' one.
But since manufacturing moved to China that has changed.
Today it's almost mandatory SOP to drill 'n' bolt.

 

[Mr Tony]

I now remember seeing your pictures showing 2 tripods. This might be my next Spring project.

I never had 2 tripods on the roof of the lake house. One on the roof and one on the deck (as posted above)