Why am I having problems?

[ebag4]

Hello, this is my 2nd post to this fine forum.

I am hoping someone can help me figure out why I am having issues with my HD OTA reception.

The equipment I am using is a Dish 811 with an older Terk 50 (stick type with small amplifier that came with it) antenna which is mounted in my attic, probably 60' of RG6.

Right now I am picking up 1 station (WLKY) with no dropouts, very stable (80-85%). I am not picking up the balance of the other local stations, many of which I have picked up off and on in the past. I can occasionally pick up WHAS, but just for a few moments before it freezes and drops out, yes, I am getting that annoying 49% reading on the 811.

Here is what antenna web shows for my location:

DTV Antenna Call Sign Channel Network City State Live Compass Miles Frequency Type Date Orientation From Assignment
*yellow - uhf WAVE-DT 3.1 NBC LOUISVILLE KY 43° 8.9 47
*yellow - uhf WDRB-DT 41.1 FOX LOUISVILLE KY 44° 7.2 49
*yellow - uhf WHAS-DT 11.1 ABC LOUISVILLE KY 42° 7.6 55
*yellow - uhf WMYO-DT 58.1 MNT SALEM IN 44° 7.2 51
*yellow - uhf WKPC-DT 15.1 PBS LOUISVILLE KY 43° 8.7 17
*yellow - uhf WLKY-DT 32.1 CBS LOUISVILLE KY 43° 8.9 26

I apoligize for the format of the table above, I couldn't get it any more organized.
Do I have the right equipment to get the job done?
Any help is appreciated.

Best,
Ed

 

[lunkie]

As close as you are to the transmitters you shouldn't have a problem. Perhaps a coax connector is loose, nail in coax or the preamp went bad. Anyone construct something between your antenna and the stations? I'd try going to radioshack and buying a cheap UHF indoor loop and put it top of the TV. If you still want something in the attic checkout http://www.warrenelectronics.com. Any small inexpensive UHF antenna should work where your at, without a preamp.

 

[RandallA]

Remove the amplifier, since you're so close to the transmitters the amplifier is overdriving the tuner. If that doesn't work, I would try an indoor Silver Sensor antenna, they are highly directional and do a great job.

 

[charper1]

I am not sure that low rated Terk stick, non-aimed and in the attic is going to cut it no matter how close he is; it really is a piece of junk; that is no slight to the OP, just the review of the item.

 

[ebag4]

Thanks for the responses guys. Last night I went into the attic to work with it a bit. The antenna is on the wall which faces about 40° +/-. The exterior of the wall is brick. I noticed that it appeared that the antenna was facing 180° from where it should be. I fliped it around and ...nothing. I couldn't get any channels. I began to move it around with my wife watching the signal meter on my 811. The location it ended up was about 8' further into the attic away from the wall but in the same orientation it was before I started. I am now getting WDRB, WHAS, and WMYO, but I am not getting WLKY which was the only station I was getting prior to moving it. Questions:
Does the brick on the outside of the house make a big enough impact that I should move the antenna outside?
Should the Silver Sensor antenna work well in my attic?

The room my projector and 811 are in is in the basement, I am guessing that may not be the best place to locate an indoor antenna, is this incorrect?

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Best,
Ed

 

[raoul5788]

Thanks for the responses guys. Last night I went into the attic to work with it a bit. The antenna is on the wall which faces about 40° +/-. The exterior of the wall is brick. I noticed that it appeared that the antenna was facing 180° from where it should be. I fliped it around and ...nothing. I couldn't get any channels. I began to move it around with my wife watching the signal meter on my 811. The location it ended up was about 8' further into the attic away from the wall but in the same orientation it was before I started. I am now getting WDRB, WHAS, and WMYO, but I am not getting WLKY which was the only station I was getting prior to moving it. Questions:
Does the brick on the outside of the house make a big enough impact that I should move the antenna outside?
Should the Silver Sensor antenna work well in my attic?

The room my projector and 811 are in is in the basement, I am guessing that may not be the best place to locate an indoor antenna, is this incorrect?

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Best,
Ed

The best place for any antenna is outside, as high as possible. If you can't do that, then still, as high as possible. If your attic isn't working out, try the Silver Sensor in a window facing the station towers.

 

[RandallA]

My experience with a Radio Shack antenna that looks exactly like the TERK 50 in the attic wasn't that good. I got very low signals in the attic so I ended up putting it behind our bed and it worked there. I was still missing one channel though. Like Charper said, TERK antennas are crap.

Try the Silver Sensor, it's smaller highly directional and you want to aim it through a windows like Raoul said. It worked great for me.

This is the one I got from Circuit City:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Phil...58311/catOid/-15607/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

They seem to go very fast. Also, I would buy one from a place where you can return it if it doesn't work.

 

[ebag4]

Thanks again guys. I found a Philips Silver Sensor at a local Circuit City so I picked it up, I will give it a try tonight. This appears to be an older model (same unit that is in Randall's link) because they have a newer version that looks physically different and includes an amplifier however it has the same name as the older unit.

Best,
Ed

 

[RandallA]

Just aim it at the transmitters and you'll be good to go.

 

[ebag4]

You guys ROCK!
I went home, put the Silver Sensor together and hooked it up with the 6' cable included with the unit...nothing. Of course that is to be expected because it is in the basement. I then disconnected the cable and amplifier from the 811 and plugged the cable up directly ( the terk 50 is still connected in the attic) and VIOLA, the channels start coming in. BTW, turning the amplifier off instead of removing it from the ckt does not yield the same results, live and learn. I did a scan and 3 channels came in but were intermittent. I took the Silver Sensor into the attic, put up a small shelf and hooked it up, completed a scan, 3 channels came in well, 2 channels were intermittent. I went back into the attic with my wife watching the signal strength, long story short, I now have 6 channels all with signal strength above 75%. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions and pointing down the right path.

Best Regards,
Ed

 

[raoul5788]

alright!

 

[RandallA]

Cool! The Silver Sensor made me a believer and it definitely rocks!

 

[sprintcarcrazy]

The Terk Sticks have a major problem with multipath, even outside, they are junk. I threw my $70 Terk in the dumpster after about 2 weeks and went with the silver sensors, It's in the Attic, all stations are north and I Pick up stations 40 miles away.