What antenna do you recommend for my location

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pmasterp

SatelliteGuys Family
Original poster
Feb 23, 2008
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Hi All,

I'm trying to install a new antenna (based on recommendations from this site) but based on my location some channels seems pretty distant and therefore with dB coming into my house.

Here is my tvfool's report:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=d243ef64b94c3f

Based on this report what equipment do you recommend?

I want to maximize my reception in a 75+ miles radius, but based on the dB I know some of them wont be receivable.

Thanks.
 
Thanks Buddy for all your answers. I was thinking to buy a Channel Master CM-5020, but if this antenna does the work with a pre-amp it will do magic.
 
jayn_j said:
You need a tall location and an extreme fringe antenna. Something like the Antenna Direct 91-XG.
Click to expand...
but he has a VHF station too (ABC). I wouldn't trust the tvfool for KOLD 13. Its a translator at 300 watts. The main station is on UHF

But sidenote...thats one fugly tvfool.
 
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At that distance with signal levels that low, you will be fortunate to get some signal at night, regardless.

Any amplification will be tempered by the extreme closeness of channel 2.
 
Basic Cable I do have. I just enjoy to get some channels OTA, and also I do have a 10' C-Band Dish and 36" KU Band dish so anything extra it's good.
 
This antenna and the pre-amp Jayn_j suggested might work for some channels, but it's a monster of an antenna, it's big, you'll need some space for it.

Amazon product ASIN B001DFS4BI
Your TvFool report isn't all that great so it's kinda a crap shoot as to what you might get. All your signals are 2 edge [the signal has to bounce off of two things to get to you] and pretty far away except XEFA at 2.6 m, but even that's 2 edge. If you try it, I'd go with this antenna and point it toward 351 degrees [north], but it might be a waste of time and money, your TvFool report isn't very good.
 
I think there is a hidden issue here. If you analyze the TVFOOL report, you will see that the location is well into Mexico. The cable service probably doesn't include US stations, so he is trying to expand coverage.

If I am correct, then your best solution is still to subscribe to a satellite service and 'move' by selecting a service address different than your billing address that is in the US. You should be within the spot beams for Tucson and even Phoenix. Go to the DISH forums and research 'moving'. It will take some effort on your part, but many have done this.

Best of luck. Given that TVFOOL report, this really is your best option.
 
Jayn, Yes I do live at the border from Mexico and US and I would like to extend my coverage. The issue on my area are hills we are surrounded by them and situation is weird since depend in where you live you get reception or a completely blocked sight. Since this for me it's a hobby I will buy an extended UHF antenna to test it. Thanks for help

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
If you can, also look at getting yourself a tower to mount the antenna(s) on.

Depending on which part of Nogales you live, you may be able to overcome some of the bowl you live in and see over the edge with a 100ft tower or so.

But it will not be cheap, if allowed in Mexico.

The western side of town near El Manantial area can get LOS for a couple of channels out of Tucson @ 100 ft AGL.
 
Jim5506 said:
If you can, also look at getting yourself a tower to mount the antenna(s) on.

Depending on which part of Nogales you live, you may be able to overcome some of the bowl you live in and see over the edge with a 100ft tower or so.

But it will not be cheap, if allowed in Mexico.

The western side of town near El Manantial area can get LOS for a couple of channels out of Tucson @ 100 ft AGL.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jim5506, It's crazy how going west it changes the way Tucson broadcast channels came by, I did a report from my brother's house and signal is a LOS and mine are 2 edge. I just one buy an antenna DX91 and I'll post my results on next week.

Thanks for all your support.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
I'm guessing that right now, if you already have an antenna set up, you get XHNSS-TDT 31 (not on the TVFool report) and nothing else digital, is that right?

I have to say, that report is very pessimistic. Nogales is pretty cut off from the Tucson stations, though you could certainly try and see. It tends to get less reliable when dealing with sharp mountain ridges, and I've seen reports that bad due to sharp mountain ridges turn out to be usable. It's worth trying, I think.

- Trip
 
Hi Trip,

Nogales has 5 Channels just one of them has turn into digital which is the 31.1 has you mention the other 4 they are still transmitting in Analog, as I mention previously I would like to extend my view from local channels to the networks, it's going to worth the try and I will post my results if they are better than my expectations it will simple had more for me to watch. If not I do get FTA and Cable.

Let's see what happen and no tower allowed in my area.
 
I did some testing on my new acquired equipment that it was Antennas Direct 91XG and Channel Master CM-7777 and the results were mixed:

I was able to pull all my local stations with this antenna and the one Channel I could find was PBS, based on the tvfool's report I should been able to receive that channel since it has a lot of NM in my area, but despite that to my surprise is one of the closest antenna I have near my home address.

Also using the pre-amp I wasn't able to get a signal of that channel. But I couldn't get none of the other networks channels. Don't know if this is caused by my proximity to the local antenna and using a pre-amp is causing a signal lossing.

I'm open to all of the ideas you may have and please consider my area is a hilly area and nice thing is there not many trees.

I will upload some photos of what I took by tomorrow so you can see what I was able to achieve.

P.S. My test was on a hill back to my house, clear sky, no trees blocking my signal and one hill in front of my house blocking part of my true south view.
 
pmasterp said:
I did some testing on my new acquired equipment that it was Antennas Direct 91XG and Channel Master CM-7777 and the results were mixed:

I was able to pull all my local stations with this antenna and the one Channel I could find was PBS, based on the tvfool's report I should been able to receive that channel since it has a lot of NM in my area, but despite that to my surprise is one of the closest antenna I have near my home address.

Also using the pre-amp I wasn't able to get a signal of that channel. But I couldn't get none of the other networks channels. Don't know if this is caused by my proximity to the local antenna and using a pre-amp is causing a signal lossing.

I'm open to all of the ideas you may have and please consider my area is a hilly area and nice thing is there not many trees.

I will upload some photos of what I took by tomorrow so you can see what I was able to achieve.

P.S. My test was on a hill back to my house, clear sky, no trees blocking my signal and one hill in front of my house blocking part of my true south view.
Click to expand...

I'd suspect the pre-amp as being bad. I just bought a CM-7777 myself last week for a third antenna I'm putting up and it was DOA. The 7808 V reg. inside was shorted and it had numerous bad solder joints. I fixed it and it's working now. There are numerous bad reviews on Amazon stating DOA or intermittent units and I'd ignored those, chalking them up as operator errors, but I don't think so now, CM isn't as good as it once was.

I'd suggest returning the CM-7777 as defective for a refund and trying a different pre-amp. Winegard AP-8275 pre-amps work excellent and have almost the same gain as the CM-7777, something like 29db VHF and 28dbUHF, but they're hard to find now because they've been discontinued. Amazon has some for sale for $199, but that's way too overpriced, the two I have I paid around $70 for. Even though the CM-7777 I just bought is now working, from the looks of inside it, I don't trust it to stay working. :(
 
A little lower gain, and reviewed favorably compared to the original CM-7777* (I seen 'em but cant' find 'em now) is the RCATVPRAMP1R (I've seen 'em at Menards for a few $ more, Maybe at wallyworld) *Also has switch selectable combined or separate UHF VHF input. FM Trap.
Check your coax for opens or shorts between the power inserter and the amp. (I blew up the inserter on my RCATVPRAMP because of a short - gotta fix that one day)
 
I did a troubleshoot on my coax cable, pre-amp and power inserter. I did find out that my power inserter on the TO TV exit was dropping my complete voltage to ZERO and therefore making it unsuable, I did check cable with a volt meter and it was good and pre-amp by visual inspection and it was good as well. I did order a replacement for my PCT-MPI-1G and now let's wait and see.

If other users has the same symptoms please refer to this youtube video in how to properly check your power supply, cable and power inserter connections. This is for a winegard pre-amp but all companies has the same principles:

 
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