What antenna? RI

[Cowpalace]

Good evening all, my rabbit ears report is here:

RabbitEars.Info

RabbitEars, where you can learn all about local, over-the-air TV channels.

www.rabbitears.info

Pretty rough. I am interested in getting the Providence stations- is this completely hopeless? I can get up about 25' onto my roof.

Thanks for any info you can provide me!

 

[N6BY]

I checked your lat/lon and the limiting factor for you appears to be antenna height, not distance. Are there hills blocking your line of sight to the TV broadcast towers?

I entered your lat/lon coordinates on tvfool.com. I then tried various antenna heights and as I entered greater heights, more stations became viewable (it let me enter up to 999 feet!).

EDIT: Forgot to mention, welcome to SatelliteGuys!

 

[Cowpalace]

Thanks for the info. Yes I'm at the base of a fairly large hill that is in the path from me to the Providence area. Not sure how I could get much higher than 25-30 feet without putting up a tower... And that's not getting past the spousal veto. I'll play with the tvfool calculator a little and see how high I have to get for a meaningful improvement.

 

[Trip]

Warning: Do not use TVFool. Its database has not been updated in more than four years, and it is now riddled with errors and omissions. The RabbitEars Signal Search Map, as originally posted, is the correct tool to use.

You're going to need something big with support for low-VHF, and even then there's no guarantee you'll get WSBE given how bad low-VHF can be. I haven't had to deal with low-VHF antennas directly lately, so I'm not entirely sure what to recommend. Hopefully someone else here has a recommendation.

- Trip

 

[FTA4PA]

Good evening all, my rabbit ears report is here:

RabbitEars.Info

RabbitEars, where you can learn all about local, over-the-air TV channels.

www.rabbitears.info

Pretty rough. I am interested in getting the Providence stations- is this completely hopeless? I can get up about 25' onto my roof.

Thanks for any info you can provide me!

Everybody's situation with OTA is different. It takes a combination of good antennas, luck and a bit of magic thrown in. I use separate antennas for UHF and VHF-Hi, namely the Stellar Labs Long Range UHF Yagi 30-2370 and the Stellar Labs Deep Fringe Directional VHF-Hi 30-2476. Along with an RCA mast mounted preamp they work well for us though they likely wouldn't cover the PBS channel as it is low VHF 2. If you really want that one too then perhaps a directional VHF Lo-Hi/ UHF antenna from Channel Master would work for you. Whatever you do don't buy one of those cheap '300 mile' antennas you see advertised. They will not work in situations like yours - only when you are close to the towers, pretty much line of sight - and they don't last long either.

Don't assume because your Rabbit Ears report says poor reception that you will not get a usable signal. My data shows the same - poor with 2 edge reception with transmitters at 42 and 57 miles away but with my setup we get a very good and reliable signal with only the occasional dropout. You really need to try even if you doubt it will work as you may be surprised what is possible. Also, since you are near the base of a hill whatever antenna(s) you choose tilt them up a bit to try to take advantage of the knife-edge effect (knife-edge effect - TIA's Glossary of Telecommunication Terms). We have a hill between us and the transmitters and it works wonders here.

Good luck and welcome to Satellite Guys!

 

[primestar31]

Looks like you have two choices: Move, or get a cable tv subscription.

 

[Cowpalace]

Thanks for all the info and encouragement. I will probably start by messing with a UHF antenna on one of my eves. If it looks promising I'll post pictures of the setup and results. Appreciate everyone taking the time to answer my questions!

 

[arlo]

I think The Antenna Guy on youtube nails it. I live in what would be considered deep fringe. With hills surrounding me. Pick a clear evening. Choose a not-so-definite mounting spot for your antenna du jour. I kind of really like my CM-777HD preamp a lot. A few feet this way, that way, and up and down makes difference. And tilt, Definitely if hills are in your way. And once you have the right spot, get away from it and check for the body effect on signal strength. The Winegard Boost XT Pro preamp looks pretty slick with it's bluetooth signal meter.
I'm still blown away with my buddy's bed springs in a tree with pulley and rope for the Bills game.
Talk about a parasitic element!

 

[mwdxer1]

Warning: Do not use TVFool. Its database has not been updated in more than four years, and it is now riddled with errors and omissions. The RabbitEars Signal Search Map, as originally posted, is the correct tool to use.

You're going to need something big with support for low-VHF, and even then there's no guarantee you'll get WSBE given how bad low-VHF can be. I haven't had to deal with low-VHF antennas directly lately, so I'm not entirely sure what to recommend. Hopefully someone else here has a recommendation.

- Trip

I totally agree. TV Fool does not even have a lot of TV stations/translators/LPTVs that have been added to markets in the past several years. Rabbitears is the best!

 

[Comptech]

Everybody's situation with OTA is different. It takes a combination of good antennas, luck and a bit of magic thrown in. I use separate antennas for UHF and VHF-Hi, namely the Stellar Labs Long Range UHF Yagi 30-2370 and the Stellar Labs Deep Fringe Directional VHF-Hi 30-2476. Along with an RCA mast mounted preamp they work well for us though they likely wouldn't cover the PBS channel as it is low VHF 2. If you really want that one too then perhaps a directional VHF Lo-Hi/ UHF antenna from Channel Master would work for you. Whatever you do don't buy one of those cheap '300 mile' antennas you see advertised. They will not work in situations like yours - only when you are close to the towers, pretty much line of sight - and they don't last long either.

Don't assume because your Rabbit Ears report says poor reception that you will not get a usable signal. My data shows the same - poor with 2 edge reception with transmitters at 42 and 57 miles away but with my setup we get a very good and reliable signal with only the occasional dropout. You really need to try even if you doubt it will work as you may be surprised what is possible. Also, since you are near the base of a hill whatever antenna(s) you choose tilt them up a bit to try to take advantage of the knife-edge effect (knife-edge effect - TIA's Glossary of Telecommunication Terms). We have a hill between us and the transmitters and it works wonders here.

Good luck and welcome to Satellite Guys!

I agree, Whns fox carolina says poor on my report, but git it better than any of my good stations

 

[stumpd]

i have a db8 in north kingstown.. half way up the hill.. some trees' i point it 7 degrees or so (compass) and tht hits most stations.. i cant get any hartford stations.. my db8 is decent antenna.. and it is 2 directions but i have them both pointed same direction.. (didnt realize they rotated when i put it on roof) .. its up about 30-40 feet.. i get 92 stations i think.. but half fringe.. (this counts 10.1, 10.2, 10.3) etc as seperate stations. i even get cozi? (channel 15.1 and 15.2) which i think are from New Hampshire. IF i rotated half the db8 elements west i might pick up some connecticut stations. I think Height is important directional antenna outside on the roof important .. a pre amp ON the antenna important.. and a decent tv tuner.. i have good antenna.. good preamp ON the antenna (wineguard) decent height half way up a hill.. so my worries are the tuner a hdhomerun 2nd generation i think older than the quad tuner units.. and i really worry that splitting the one antenna singlal into 4 tuners is going to kill my fringe stations. no atsc 3.0 here anyway.. so havent pulled the trigger.. and atsc 3.0 was next in line 10 years ago for rhode island.. so mabye in 50 years.. my grandchildren can watch it..

 

[brice52]

I agree, Whns fox carolina says poor on my report, but git it better than any of my good stations

I am the same way, WNCT rf10 57.8 miles away and it listed on rabbitears as poor and never misses a beat. I am also in eastern coastal plain in North Carolina. I also have a 30ft tower 120 ft from my house

 

[FTA4PA]

Welcome to Satellite Guys stumpd!

 

[Jim5506]

Go to Rabbitears.info and enter your exact location on the Signal Search map and zoom in on your house. This will give you a good idea of what is possible to receive. That DB8, if you turn half of it away from the other half, it drops your incoming signal by 1/2 because the incoming signal is re-radiated out the other half of the antenna, so keep it all pointed one way for fringe reception.

Looking at the maps we cannot determine where hills are so if you could either run the location program (Signal Search) your self or give us a bit closer idea of where you are it would be helpful.

Here is my data from the North Kingston High School area: https://www.rabbitears.info/s/822046

 

[mwdxer1]

Everybody's situation with OTA is different. It takes a combination of good antennas, luck and a bit of magic thrown in. I use separate antennas for UHF and VHF-Hi, namely the Stellar Labs Long Range UHF Yagi 30-2370 and the Stellar Labs Deep Fringe Directional VHF-Hi 30-2476. Along with an RCA mast mounted preamp they work well for us though they likely wouldn't cover the PBS channel as it is low VHF 2. If you really want that one too then perhaps a directional VHF Lo-Hi/ UHF antenna from Channel Master would work for you. Whatever you do don't buy one of those cheap '300 mile' antennas you see advertised. They will not work in situations like yours - only when you are close to the towers, pretty much line of sight - and they don't last long either.

Don't assume because your Rabbit Ears report says poor reception that you will not get a usable signal. My data shows the same - poor with 2 edge reception with transmitters at 42 and 57 miles away but with my setup we get a very good and reliable signal with only the occasional dropout. You really need to try even if you doubt it will work as you may be surprised what is possible. Also, since you are near the base of a hill whatever antenna(s) you choose tilt them up a bit to try to take advantage of the knife-edge effect (knife-edge effect - TIA's Glossary of Telecommunication Terms). We have a hill between us and the transmitters and it works wonders here.

Good luck and welcome to Satellite Guys!

The Antenna Direct 91XG is also an excellent antenna for UHF.

 

[FTA4PA]

The Antenna Direct 91XG is also an excellent antenna for UHF.

Yes it is. We actually had one of those at one time as well. As far as specifications the only real difference between the two is the 91XG is about 6 inches longer and may have just a tiny bit more maximum gain at certain frequencies. Cost for the Stellar Labs long range UHF Yagi (30-2370) is much better though, currently almost $35 less.

 

[localclassictvfan]

definitely rabbit ears

 

[sktn77a]

I use an 8-bay ChannelMaster Extrema 80 antenna. Its the only antenna that came even close to decent reception in my area. It is listed as UHV and VHF-Hi but I get Blue Ridge PBS Roanoke (Channel 3) just fine.

 

[mwdxer1]

Yes it is. We actually had one of those at one time as well. As far as specifications the only real difference between the two is the 91XG is about 6 inches longer and may have just a tiny bit more maximum gain at certain frequencies. Cost for the Stellar Labs long range UHF Yagi (30-2370) is much better though, currently almost $35 less.

All 6 of our LPTV/Translators are all in the same direction, North, so the 91XG works fine. I do not need a rotor.

 

[Jim5506]

My suggestion is get a 4 section (approx 36 ft.) telescoping antenna mast with 4 sets of guy wires and put it in the center of the roof, guy it to the four corners and get that antenna up there about 50 ft or so, the best you can.

You are not that far from providence (36 miles) but you are behind a hill and need height more than a really fancy antenna/amplifier setup.