Washington D.C. Metro area Voomers

[jgantert]

More Antenna Frustration

Guys,

Just got my antenna grounded today... finally!

Right now I have the Square Shooter and only get 2 (sometimes), 11, 13, 24(!), and 67 (very poorly, tho) on my Samsung box.

They are finally going to replace my Voom box, so hopefully the new one will pull in some OTA channels.

Originally Voom upgraded me to the Winegard 8800, but got no picture (probably due to a bad voom box). Today, I called a local antenna installer, and he said for $480 they would install an 8 bay bow-tie antenna with rotor.

My question is, do you know if the 8800 is an 8 bay bow-tie antenna? If so, I wonder if Voom will let me go back to the 8800? So far, I'm not impressed with the Square Shooter.

-John

 

[riffjim4069]

New DTV Antenna for WTTG-DT and WDCA-DT in 2005

Please see my post at: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=3815078#post3815078

Later,
Riff...<EOT>

 

[wasch_24]

Guys,

Just got my antenna grounded today... finally!

Right now I have the Square Shooter and only get 2 (sometimes), 11, 13, 24(!), and 67 (very poorly, tho) on my Samsung box.

They are finally going to replace my Voom box, so hopefully the new one will pull in some OTA channels.

Originally Voom upgraded me to the Winegard 8800, but got no picture (probably due to a bad voom box). Today, I called a local antenna installer, and he said for $480 they would install an 8 bay bow-tie antenna with rotor.

My question is, do you know if the 8800 is an 8 bay bow-tie antenna? If so, I wonder if Voom will let me go back to the 8800? So far, I'm not impressed with the Square Shooter.

-John

The 8800 is an eight bay antenna. I don't know if Voom will change you back, they might since the 8800 is cheaper then the Square Shooter.

 

[Dreedy]

"
Dreedy,

Any luck getting Baltimore locals with your Silver Sensor? I sure wish I didn't live in a sink hole
__________________
"This VooM is pretty decent, I must say!" "

I can get a signal on 2, 11, and 13, but not enough to pull them in. I'm hopeing that an antenna in the attic will help me pull them in.

Wayne

 

[joebob2]

Guys, is there anything keeping those with bad OTA reception from climbing on their own roof and putting their own antenna in place of the crappy Voom one? Aiming is the hardest part and I would at least hope that installs Inc would leave the sensor pointed the correct direction. Then just point the better antenna in the same direction and good to go.

I realize that many are not the DIY type, so your mileage may vary. But I do know the good antennas are cheap. And I am lucky that I have a good antenna installed by FX Antenna long before my voom install of this Saturday. So yea, I guess I can see why people don't put their own antennas up most of the time.

You could always pay Fairfax Antenna $275 to install an antenna that will get you every channel available (depending on location obviously) and hook that line into your Voom receiver. I currently get every DC station and Baltimore station. I am dreading the non cutom mapping and losing the baltimore stations on Saturday. Hope that FW gets updated soon.

E. J.

Edit: you can see my antenna on my site here: My HT

The antenna that was installed on my chimney with the dish (the stealth?) was not picking up some of my channels.

Pre-Voom I was using a Samsung OTA tuner and a $19 Radio Shack UHF antenna. This setup worked perfectly: I could get ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, WB, and PBS. PBS was about a 50/50 shot, though.

After the Voom install (using the Voom box and and their antenna) I was getting fewer locals which was unacceptable. On a whim I unplugged the de-multiplexor from the back of the Voom box, plugged one line into the Sat input and plugged the line from my UHF antenna in the attic into the Ant input. All my channels were back instantly (with the exception of ABC's sub channels which I think is a mapping problem)

Now, what is strange is that the signal coming into the house still contains the multiplexed Sat/Ant signal on the line connected by the Voom installer and is plugged into the Sat input directly, without being de-multiplexed. It works but it seems like it shouldn't.

 

[ejfiii]

I would seriously suggest you call and ask who the installer is. If they ask why tell them it has been reccomended to you that you avoid having William Hinkle come to your home at all costs. Request Tod Reinholtz, he actually gives two-sh**s about doing a good job.

Well, I just confirmed, I got a guy named Ronald coming to the house in the morning to do the Voom install.

Wish me luck.

E. J.

 

[PBHDinSD]

x5andr6,
Don't pay for any upgraded antenna! Call 1-800-GET-VOOM and tell them that you have no OTA and the installer exhausted all possible options with the Stealth and they will schedule you for installation of the Channel Master 4228 8Bay antenna which has a 60 mile range
FOR FREE!!!!!!

Did you have to use a rotator with 4228 8Bay?

 

[wasch_24]

Did you have to use a rotator with 4228 8Bay?

I ended up getting the Wineguard 8800 and no I don't need a rotor. I am SW of Manassas and there is only about 2.5 degress of seperation between the big four, FOX, ABC, CBS, and NBC.

 

[jgantert]

I ended up getting the Wineguard 8800 and no I don't need a rotor. I am SW of Manassas and there is only about 2.5 degress of seperation between the big four, FOX, ABC, CBS, and NBC.

So how does the 8800 work for you? I have an installer (my own) coming today to install an 8800 with rotor (and amp if needed). I'm not far from the stations tho. 13 mi to Baltimore, 22 mi to DC.

Still waiting on a new Voom box... I bought the Samsung hoping to return it after they get the Voom box working. But after hearing the rumor that the manual OTA tuning may not make it into the Voom box, I might end up stuck with the Samsung tuner.

-John

 

[wasch_24]

So how does the 8800 work for you? I have an installer (my own) coming today to install an 8800 with rotor (and amp if needed). I'm not far from the stations tho. 13 mi to Baltimore, 22 mi to DC.

Still waiting on a new Voom box... I bought the Samsung hoping to return it after they get the Voom box working. But after hearing the rumor that the manual OTA tuning may not make it into the Voom box, I might end up stuck with the Samsung tuner.

-John

Works great. Although, sometimes the STB struggles to maintain a signal lock when it is really windy. The 8800 is about 2.5 by 2.5 feet. With the stealth I only got NBC and CBS from DC and now I get all the big ones plus 26.1. Very happy with it.

 

[PBHDinSD]

Works great. Although, sometimes the STB struggles to maintain a signal lock when it is really windy. The 8800 is about 2.5 by 2.5 feet. With the stealth I only got NBC and CBS from DC and now I get all the big ones plus 26.1. Very happy with it.

Dammm! I like the sound of it. Size and cost. How much was it?

So your main problem was distance from the transmitters or was it terrain? I am guessing it was distance since it's pretty flat in Mananass. I am in San Diego and my problem is terrain, I am not sure any antenna will help.

The square shooter brought in zero channels, the steath does much better but I have been looking for other options since I can upgrade with $60 toward an antenna.

 

[jgantert]

Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, the antenna installer I had hired installed a Channel Master 4228 (8-bay UHF) antenna with Channel Master 9521A rotor (sweet remote controlled unit), and a Channel Master Spartan amplifier. He also re-wired the Voom dish (he said he replaced the 5-point crimps which are not waterproof), removed the diplexer, and in general cleaned things up.

Now I get 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 22, 24, 45, 50, 54, 67. All around 80 signal strength/quality! Sweet!

I just think the satellite installers that Voom hires don't know sh*t about OTA antennas.

Still (no info) on the program guides. Called Voom and they sent another hit down to my box.

Now all I need is manual OTA tuning to get the DC channels on the Voom box!

-John

ps> all this, 4 hours labor and 5% tax was under $450. Not too bad.

 

[wasch_24]

Dammm! I like the sound of it. Size and cost. How much was it?

So your main problem was distance from the transmitters or was it terrain? I am guessing it was distance since it's pretty flat in Mananass. I am in San Diego and my problem is terrain, I am not sure any antenna will help.

The square shooter brought in zero channels, the steath does much better but I have been looking for other options since I can upgrade with $60 toward an antenna.

It was FREE from Voom

 

[wasch_24]

jgantert,
Ain't digital/HD OTA sweet!?

 

[mkrans]

VOOM in Culpeper

Does anyone here live in the Culpeper area? I have signed up for VOOM, the installation was scheduled for today, the installer has not gotten the equip., so I am rescheduled for Thursday, June 3. Is anyone familiar with C & P installers out of Stafford, Va.? Should I call VOOM and request an upgraded antennae due to my location? Any info would be appreciated!

 

[wasch_24]

Does anyone here live in the Culpeper area? I have signed up for VOOM, the installation was scheduled for today, the installer has not gotten the equip., so I am rescheduled for Thursday, June 3. Is anyone familiar with C & P installers out of Stafford, Va.? Should I call VOOM and request an upgraded antennae due to my location? Any info would be appreciated!

You can try and call but they will most likely insist on the installer trying first and then rescheduling for the upgrade. When you go to Zap2it's website do you get programming info for the DC stations for your zip?

 

[mkrans]

No, I haven't gone to zap2its, I will try it. VOOM told me we would get stations out of Richmond, Charlottesville and Harrisonburg. The installer told me he did a job in Rixeyville (a little west of here) and they got DC stations. I'm not sure. I am going to the web site and see what is on there.

 

[jgantert]

jgantert,
Ain't digital/HD OTA sweet!?

Oh yeah! Heck, I even get a station not listed on antennaweb.org. Some PAX channel from the DC direction. I forget the channel number, maybe 43?
[update - Just tuning in my channels a bit further, and I notice I get no signal at all on 20, and a VERY weak signal on 43 and 57]

So far I have noticed DC channels are *FAR* superior to Baltimore channels, with the exception of Ch. 2 (ABC). DC's FOX and WB are both HD, but are not in Baltimore (45 & 54).

Hopefully they will put Kingdom Hospital back on the air, so I can check it out in HD!

-John

PS> Returned the Samsung OTA tuner, and got an open box Zenith for $150. Not bad. I'm not going to sit around and wait for Voom's supposed manual OTA tuning.

 

[WarrentonHD]

Anyone in or near Warrenton VA have Voom? I am scheduled for install on Jun 8th by Datalink Communications. I'm most interested in finding out what OTA channels I can receive using Voom equipment, and which is the best of their OTA antennas for this area.
Thanks

 

[wasch_24]

Anyone in or near Warrenton VA have Voom? I am scheduled for install on Jun 8th by Datalink Communications. I'm most interested in finding out what OTA channels I can receive using Voom equipment, and which is the best of their OTA antennas for this area.
Thanks

I'm out of Manassas so I don't know what you will be able to get OTA. Have you gone to antennaweb.org yet? As far as your Datalink install goes, reference previous posts about their installers. I would reccomend that you call (1-888-316-4679) and find out who is scheduled to perform your install and make your own decision based on the posts about their installers.