What's a Good OTA Antenna for these results?

[Muckrak3r]

Okay, I ran the antennaWeb deal and this is what it says:


red - uhf KTVT - DT 11.1 CBS FORT WORTH TX 198° 57.619*

blue - uhf KERA - DT 13.1 PBS DALLAS TX 198° 57.614*

blue - uhf KXAS - DT 5.1 NBC FORT WORTH TX 199° 57.541*

blue - uhf KDAF - DT 33.1 CW DALLAS TX 198° 60.032*

violet - vhf WFAA - DT 8.1 ABC DALLAS TX 200° 57.89*




CBS, PBS, NBC, and ABC are the only ones I am really interested in getting, but I would be okay even with just 2 out of the major 3 networks. I have the 722 DVR and occasionally run into recording conflicts with the 2 tuners, and would like a 3rd tuner for those crunch times. I seriously doubt that there is an indoor antenna that will work at these distances, but I also don't feel like spending the time, $, and effort on mounting an outdoor one if i don't have to. Any suggestions are appreciated!

edit: I read up on the CM4228 on Ebay and it says it only picks up UHF reception, and only on channels 14-69. Almost all these channels are lower than that range.....

 

[Tower Guy]

Okay, I ran the antennaWeb deal and this is what it says:

You deleted from the post the actual RF channel that those stations are on. I know that WFAA is VHF channel 9. The others are likely UHF. The 4228 performance on channel 9 is so-so. You could start with a 4228 and add a Y10-7-13 if you find it necessary.

 

[oljim]

All the stations are UHF but ABC and it ch 9 The 4228 is the best way to go

 

[Muckrak3r]

My only concern is that is says UHF channels 14-69. What am I missing? The only one in that range is KDAF.

 

[Peter Parker]

you don't uneratand muck. Many of those digital channels are really on UHF. In my are the digital version of Ch 4 is broadcast from 48. The signal just contains data that telsls my receiver that it is 4.1, 4.2 etc.

 

[thiggin2]

I use this one from Radio Shack. I have had it for going on 1 year and it works GREAT.
RadioShack.com - Home Entertainment: Accessories: Antennas: Outdoor: HDTV Indoor/Outdoor Directional Antenna

 

[Muckrak3r]

you don't uneratand muck. Many of those digital channels are really on UHF. In my are the digital version of Ch 4 is broadcast from 48. The signal just contains data that telsls my receiver that it is 4.1, 4.2 etc.

thanks - I was wondering what was going on! I do understand the difference between UHF and VHF, and the bandwidth and signals associated with each, and how the curvature of the Earth is used to assist in transmitting these types of signals beyond 30 miles, but I didn't get that the channel #'s were masked!

 

[Muckrak3r]

I use this one from Radio Shack. I have had it for going on 1 year and it works GREAT.
RadioShack.com - Home Entertainment: Accessories: Antennas: Outdoor: HDTV Indoor/Outdoor Directional Antenna

That actually looks pretty decent and isnt all wirey and odd looking like the 4228, but it lists its range as up to 50 miles. Most of my channels are 60 miles... I don't know if I would trust it from that distance.

 

[Jim5506]

I would not count on a 4228 pulling in channel 9 at nearly 60 miles.

I would use a stack of two antennas, for UHF an Antennas Direct 91XG, and for VHF a WInegard YA-1713. Combing them with a Channel Master 7777 pre-amp. It has descrete UHF and VHF inputs.

Mount it just as high as you possibly can.

If the price of the 91XG is too much (est.$120 with shipping), you can substitue a CM4228 ($75 with shipping) for it, but the 4228 has a lot more weight and a lot more wind loading.

 

[arxaw]

I use a CM 4228 antenna + CM7777 v/u preamp for great UHF, as well as these distant VHF channels:
9 @ 45 mi digital
10 @ 70 mi analog
13 @ 45 mi analog
And occasionally channel 8 analog from >100mi. 8 of course, is snowy at that distance, but the others are great.

Muckracker, this antenna+preamp setup should work well for you.

 

[zaxxon]

I use the CM 4228 and CM 7777 pre-amp and pick up stations that are 60 miles away.

The 4228 is pretty hard to beat

 

[arxaw]

zaxxon, I agree. For the price, it is hard to beat in terms of net gain over a wide frequency range.

 

[Muckrak3r]

I use a CM 4228 antenna + CM7777 v/u preamp for great UHF, as well as these distant VHF channels:
9 @ 45 mi digital
10 @ 70 mi analog
13 @ 45 mi analog
And occasionally channel 8 analog from >100mi. 8 of course, is snowy at that distance, but the others are great.

Muckracker, this antenna+preamp setup should work well for you.

thx - how hard is it to mount and feed the coax to the 722? I really am not a huge DIY kind of guy.

 

[arxaw]

It would be impossible to answer that without seeing where/how you want to install the antenna.

You basically mount the antenna on a suitable pole (for example: a DS-3000), ground the mast, run the coax to a ground block continue into the house to the 722 and connect the coax to the antenna jack on the back of the DVR.

 

[stevelite]

Check out this link for "Comparing some commercially available antennas"

Comparing some commercially available antennas


I had good results with both 4 bay and 8 bay.. with 8 bay being better.

 

[stone phillips420]

i use this antenna in msp roughly 18 miles from big4
others go as far as 45 miles away

AntennaCraft D9000 Discovery for Extreme Deep Fringe VHF UHF FM HD Antenna (DS9000)
Antennacraft D9000 VHF/UHF/FM Antenna
works great

seems tobe priced around 100 dollars or so