Torn a bit on Which Antenna to Buy, advice please!

[adam61]

I'm moving to a new area in a new subdivision and want to get HD OTA network channels because Dish won't be offering them for my area for 2-4 years in my approximation. The following is my channel situation and I'm not sure what antenna I need to buy to get all these channels.

yellow - uhf KETK 56 NBC JACKSONVILLE TX 172° 9.3 56
yellow - uhf KYTX 19 CBS NACOGDOCHES TX 140° 24.4 19
yellow - uhf KYTX-DT 19.1 CBS NACOGDOCHES TX 140° 24.4 18
yellow - uhf KFXK 51 FOX LONGVIEW TX 73° 22.2 51
green - uhf KETK-DT 22.1 NBC JACKSONVILLE TX 172° 9.3 22
red - vhf KLTV 7 ABC TYLER TX 9° 24.5 7
red - vhf KLTV-DT 7.1 ABC TYLER TX 9° 24.6 10

I'm specifically interested in the x.1 for my new HD but would like the others as well because they are going HD soon. The farthest ones are 25 miles away, which with a roof antenna would "seem" like it would be a walk in the park. But this has me needing a medium multi-directional UHF and a directional VHF (to pick up the 1 VHF channel). I also live in a new neighborhood with pretty restrictive covenants on what you can put on your house. As I understand it, a reasonably sized OTA antenna is permissable no matter what, but I can't and shouldn't get outlandish with its size. I'd also prefer not to have to rotate the antenna just to watch my network channels. I know this may be a bit much to ask, but I feel like all 4 are pretty close by and I was hoping this was possible. Is there a medium sized reasonably inexpensive and easy to install antenna that will get me these 4 main channels?

Thanks for your help!

 

[gbranch]

I use the 4228 to receive KLTV-DT at 28 miles. It works just fine. It is also bi-directional at VHF frequencies, so there is about as much gain out the back as the front. Have never tried it on analog channel 7.

Adam61, is there any reason why you want to receive BOTH analog and digital channels? If not, stick with the digital stations only and you should be able to receive these:

7.1 RF10 KLTVDT ABC-HD
7.2 RF10 KLTVWX 24/7 Weather
7.3 RF10 KLTV ABC-SD
19.1 RF18 KYTX-DT CBS-HD
19.2 RF18 KYTX-UP UPN-18 (To be independent 9/06)
51.1 RF31 KFXK-DT Fox-SD (HD by end of the year, will add 51.2 KLPN)
56.1 RF22 KETK-DT NBC-SD (HD by end of the year)

Anyway you cut it, if you use an outdoor directional, you are going to need a rotator. You are close enough that you may be able to get by with a multidirectional outdoor, like one of the TERK disc type antennas, but make sure that you can return it if it doesn't work.

All four digital stations in Tyler-Longview have nice strong signals - KLTV-DT at VHF is transmitting with 15kW, KYTX-DT at 640kW, and KFXK-DT and KETK-DT at 1000kW. KLTV's signal is not as strong as it was before the Red Springs tower fell, but it is still OK and will be back to normal once the new tower is completed.

I use the 4228 to receive all 4 channels at a single orientation, but I am in Longview the UHF stations are between 197° and 216°, with KLTV-DT at 254°. I am also farther away than you are.

You also may want to try to hit Shreveport. People as far west as Tyler have reported good success with receiving Shreveport.

 

[texasbrit]

The CM4228 may be OK on Channel 7 given that you are only 25 miles from the transmitter. See the performance graphs for the CM4228 on VHF at http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

In any case the analog station on channel 7 will go away when everything transitions to digital so as long as you can get channel 10 you will be OK. Certainly it's worth trying the CM4228, if you can't get channel 7 and you must have it, then you can add a VHF antenna just pointed at KLTV.

The CM4228 has a beamwidth I believe of about 15 degrees which makes it pretty directional, you would need a rotator.

It might be worth trying an omnidirectional antenna like the CM3000 just to see what you get. But I suspect you will end up with something on a rotator.

And your HOA CANNOT restrict what sort of an antenna you put on your roof, if there are HOA rules which try to tell you what you can do then they are not enforcable, as per FCC ruling.

 

[adam61]

I don't particularly need the analog stations, sorry for putting them in there. Just digital would be fine. Thanks for the replies so far!

 

[gbranch]

In any case the analog station on channel 7 will go away when everything transitions to digital so as long as you can get channel 10 you will be OK. Certainly it's worth trying the CM4228, if you can't get channel 7 and you must have it, then you can add a VHF antenna just pointed at KLTV.

I forgot to add that KLTV-DT has chosen to return to channel 7 once analog goes dark, but that is at least 3 years out and a lot can change between now and then.

Good idea about a VHF only for channel 7. You can get an inexpensive VHF or even a V/U antenna at Radio Shack, add a V/U coupler and be in business.

And the Channel Master 7777 preamp has separate V/U inputs.

Tyler is a difficult OTA market because there is no common antenna farm like many cities have. The big four networks are in 4 different directions. Up until 1984, we only had 1 channel - KLTV. Most people had cable and if you wanted to get DFW or Shreveport, you put up a big tower and rotator. Here in Longview, KLTV and the 3 Shreveport channels were almost exactly 180° apart. A special antenna was designed and sold here called the "East Texas Special." It was VHF only, and received 3, 6, and 12 from Shreveport out the front, and 7 from Tyler out the back. Thousands of those antennas were sold in and around Longview. When the new UHF stations went on the air in the 80's and 90's, they all decided to put their towers in different locations, and the East Texas Special became obsolete.

By comparison, most of the DFW stations transmit from Cedar Hill, and most of the Shreveport stations transmit from Moringsport.