Please help with a long range antenna setup

[mr_mark95]

Here is my TV Fool report. I see where there are a couple of different options that are between 70-80 miles away. I do not care which ones I pick up as long as I can get ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX. Any help appreciated with equipment decisions. The antenna will be going into one TV only. I am able to get the antenna on a pole ~20 feet in the air.

 

[harshness]

You're pretty much SOL in terms of reliable reception of DTV signals. Anything below -80db with multiple edges is likely to be very dependent on the weather and even the presence of leaves on the trees.

The other issue is that you're needing to combine signals coming from at least two directions (236-249 and 119). You could use a third antenna aimed at 345 instead of 236 to add the MyTV affiliate, WSKY and PBS (assuming they don't overpower your tuner).

OTA isn't for everybody and you represent a very good example of someone who probably isn't a candidate. I can see a system like this costing more than $500 and still not providing you with reliable service.

 

[boba]

Here is my TV Fool report. I see where there are a couple of different options that are between 70-80 miles away. I do not care which ones I pick up as long as I can get ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX. Any help appreciated with equipment decisions. The antenna will be going into one TV only. I am able to get the antenna on a pole ~20 feet in the air.

View attachment 94635

You want the 4 major networks so FOX CH8 at 64 miles 199 true/NBC CH32 at 75.6miles 249 true/ABC CH 12 81.3 miles 236 true & CBS ch10 at 75.6 miles 249 true. Would be my best guess for possible channels you will need HI VHF and UHF antennas I would suggest Antennacraft HBU55 with a pre-amplifier as the best gamble. I would start with the antenna aimed for ABC at 236 true. With all four showing as 2 edge I would wish you Good Luck.

 

[Trip]

I think you're being rather pessimistic, harshness. Over mostly flat eastern North Carolina, I think it would be at least worth trying.

That isn't to say it will be easy. ABC and FOX will be hardest, with WCTI being furthest away and WFXI being a tough catch wherever you are. I think a good deep fringe VHF antenna could get you WNCT reliably, and a deep fringe UHF antenna would get WITN, so some type of deep fringe combo will probably make the most sense for you. WUND (PBS) will come in with any antenna. I wouldn't be surprised if WCTI was doable as well. I am skeptical about FOX though. Still, I think it could be worth a try.

- Trip

 

[Jim5506]

My suggestion is to get a longer pole.

You are on the coastal plain of North Carolina so the terrain is relatively flat almost in every direction, but your stations are so far away you need all the elevation you can get and the best antenna for each band of channels.

ABC, FOX and CBS are all VHF high band, but all three are spread out so you will need a rotator just to tune in those three.

NBC is in the same direction as CBS, but NBC is a UHF channel.

All of these channels are inimitably receivable with a powerful antenna plus a preamplifier.

I would use separate UHF and VHF high band antennas coupled with a UVSJ (UHF/VHF Signal Joiner) then amplified with a UHF/VHF pre-amp.

I would put both antennas on the post above the rotator so you can pickup UHF and VHF stations in various directions.

I hope your TV has the capability of adding channels to its database so you can point and add channels, then point and add more channels to get all your 2 edge channels in the TV database.

Generally channels down to 0.0 dB NM are receivable with proper antennas and pre-amps, especially at night and anecdotally reports of 2 edge signals in the -10 dB NM have been successfully received with stable signal after sundown.

I would get an Antennacraft by RadioShack Y10-7-13 Highband-Broadband VHF TV Antenna (Y10-7-13) for the VHF stations and an Antennas Direct 91-XG for UHF.