What would I need to receive these

[partyharty]

Hello,

I am working on a FTA setup (satellite based) but I also am going to try to pull in my locals. We are located in Arkansas and the existing Antenna pulls in CBS and PBS (CBS out of Fort Smith and PBS out of Fayettville). I have a lot of channels according to Antennaweb that I could pull in but so far the only ones I have been able to pull in are KFSM (CBS) and KAFT (PBS)

Now I want to pull in other stations and I do have a rotor but it is not installed. I have gone out and turned the antenna by hand and have yet to pick up any other stations.

My antenna is 20+ ft in the air and was here when we got the house. I have attached a picture below. I am going to go up (as soon as I get a ladder) and rewire the thing (there is some wiring issues with this as I can fiddle with the wire and get better/worse performance.

Anyways my question is. How do I pull in more of the stations below. Its weird that I can pull in stations from 53 miles away great but not 56 miles away.

I should also say that while I like HD I am looking for help for SD as well (more channels = happier wife).

Thanks for any help in advance.
Chris


blue - uhf KFTA 24 NBC FORT SMITH AR 293° 55.1 24
blue - vhf KARK 4 NBC LITTLE ROCK AR 128° 57.5 4
blue - vhf KFSM 5 CBS FORT SMITH AR 277° 62.8 5
blue - uhf K53GB 53 FOX PARIS AR 238° 27.0 53
blue - uhf K52FJ 33 FOX CLARKSVILLE OK 260° 28.4 33
violet - uhf KWFT-LP 34 WB FORT SMITH AR 278° 63.8 34
violet - uhf KSJF-CA 59 FOX POTEAU OK 253° 82.4 59
violet - uhf KASN 38 UPN PINE BLUFF AR 133° 86.3 38
violet - vhf KATV 7 ABC LITTLE ROCK AR 132° 85.3 7
violet - vhf KEMV 6 PBS MOUNTAIN VIEW AR 56° 63.1 6
violet - vhf KETS 2 PBS LITTLE ROCK AR 132° 85.3 2
violet - uhf KLRT 16 FOX LITTLE ROCK AR 128° 57.9 16
violet - vhf KAFT 13 PBS FAYETTEVILLE AR 303° 53.6 13
violet - vhf KFDF-CA 10 UPN FORT SMITH AR 273° 62.5 10
violet - uhf KPBI-LP 46 FOX FORT SMITH AR 273° 62.4 46
violet - uhf KHBS 40 ABC FORT SMITH AR 253° 82.4 40
violet - uhf KUFS-LP 54 UPN POTEAU OK 253° 82.6 54
violet - uhf K16ER 16 TBN FORT SMITH AR 273° 62.5 16
violet - uhf KHTE-LP 50 REL LITTLE ROCK AR 128° 57.7 50
violet - uhf KWBF 42 WB LITTLE ROCK AR 128° 57.7 42
violet - uhf KVTN 25 IND PINE BLUFF AR 126° 89.2 25








The 1st Picture is from the antenna location to the west and the 2nd picture is to the north. 3rd picture is of the antenna.

I have mountains pretty much all around (although they are a ways away and the transmitters are located either on them or on higher mountains).

 

[fayrich]

Rewire with a good quality RG6 cable. If that does not help enough, add a CM7777 preamp. (I think that number is right).

 

[partyharty]

Definatly going to get the rewireing done. I have noticed some issues with it. The Channelmasters 7777 amp is a good idea too. I have to get a ladder to get everything checked out though (either that or remove all of the guy wires and drop it down. The people that lived here before ran 4 guy wires to the antenna.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[dougruss]

After looking at that pic of the Antenna....trying figure out why there are 2 runs going up to the Antenna connectors? Do you have 2 lines going into your house?

 

[partyharty]

Looking at the picture myself (as I havent gone up to check it out) it almost looks like one of the wires is going to the vhf hookup and one is going to the uhf. That would be fine but we only have the coax going into the house (in other words the other hookup dosent appear to be going into the house at all).

1 of the leads is the 300ohm flat cable and the other is rg6 (we have rg6 going inside the house).


UPDATE I went out today and the 300ohm cable is not hooked up at all (it was behind some bushes and was cut). So that might explain some of the problem
I didnt notice it until noted the 2nd lead above.

I am going to pull it down and look it over to see what is messed up on there. Something isnt right. Now I just have to find the time to do it.

 

[Mike0616]

It looks from the picture like you have a amp on the mast as well. Do you have the inside portion of that plugged in? (I know, a dumb question, but previous people may not have left that for you.)

The wiring looks like it needs to be replaced, in total (as others have mentioned) and the removal of the 300 ohm will not do anything but help you.

The distance you are from the transmitters is going to be a challenge, doable, but a challange.

Trying things a bit at a time would be my recommended approach, until you get what you are wanting.

Also, when you get your rotor working and are trying to get the locks on all the channels, remember that the readings that are on antennaweb are approximate. Some of mine are 5 degrees different than what antennaweb shows, but hey, I get a perfect picture.

Best of Luck!

 

[partyharty]

Thanks Mike,

I agree a rewire is definatly in the works. There is no "inside" portion to the amp to plug in. (or if there is it wasnt left here when they moved). So thats not a stupid question in the least.

Funny thing is in our old house I had a new antenna setup and pulling in stations from further away (most were in the 80 mile range) and we lived in the mountains. It just took time to get everything up and tweaked. I am guessing that is what it will take here. The previous owners had this and then they went to satellite only. The antenna went unused for a while (so I gotta dust off the cobwebs and get it back up and running.

Fun Stuff,

Thanks for the help
Chris

 

[Mike0616]

You may as well look into getting a pre-amp, so that when you are rewiring and installing your rotor, you can go ahead and attach it to the new rg-6 at the antenna. The channel master 7777 is really recommended on here (lots of happy users), is pretty affordable, has a good gain / noise ratio, and easy to install while you are at the antenna (the one part hooks up to the leads on the antenna, downlead cable to the house from it, then close to the TV, you plug in the power unit and then put in-line and run to back of set or STB.)

Most people recommend pre-amps when you have long runs of cable from the antenna to the STB or receiver (over 50 ft.), but I think in your situation, you really don't want to lose any of the signal from any length of run (over 25 feet, I would think.) It will not get you any better signal to the antenna, but will keep you from losing what you do get on the way to the set.

 

[fayrich]

In looking at blowup of your picture, you definitely have a pre-amp up there. Kind of even looks like a CM. But if there is no indoor section, I am surprised that you would be getting any signal at all. The kind of situation you have, running to outdoor pre-amp, then directly to the tv is a real signal killer. So as recommended, you can install a 7777, but from what I see, maybe just disconnect from the outdoor pre-amp and run directly from antenna to the tv. This might accomplish what you need. Also disconnect and discard the flat 300 ohm cable completely. It is just junk. Are you sure that the coax is RG6? It could be just Radio Shack junk. If so, get rid of that too.

 

[partyharty]

I will know a bit more when I get up there. It did look like RG6 from the bottom (its marked as RG6 on the part that comes into the house). I will know a bit more when I climb up there to get a good look. I have to get a ladder (and time) to do it. I am going to try to get it done this weekend. The 300 ohm cable will be gone (as I noted above its not even connected to anyting, it was just lying behind a bush (cut)).

I will let yall know more when I get it pulled down.

Thanks for the help,

Chris

 

[fayrich]

Be careful with a ladder on the roof. I have a screw in my foot from a mishap a few years ago. Would also repeat trying to connect your present RG6 directly to the antenna. Could possibly save you spending money on the pre-amp. Good luck.

 

[partyharty]

Thanks for the word of wisdom Fayrich

I havent fallen off one before (and I have been on plenty) but my dad a few years ago fell off one (he was hanging a plant on the eves of the house and fell approx 5 ft to the ground. The fall didnt get him but the problem was he was holding a drill when he fell (and he didnt think to throw it away. He has a nice little scar on his forehead where they put the stitches).

Now this is a guy that has been on more roofs than I care to count (he is plumber and is having to go up on top of houses to run a cleanout machine), before that he was all the time up in radio/ham towers etc)

But it can happen to anyone that has a minute of carelessness.

Chris

 

[oljim]

I wonder if the 2 loops at the back of the UHF section should be out rather than pointed to the front of the ant.