Video Asylum

Posted by audio_schef (A) on September 21, 2003 at 20:52:34

In Reply to: Any Experience with HDTV Antennas out there? posted by Paul in Sterling on September 16, 2003 at 02:33:02:

I live 26 miles from Chicago and use a combo UHF/VHF antenna with many elements and mounted on the roof (gable end)with a 10 foot mast from Radio Shack. I think the model is XR-190 made for Radio Shack by Antennacraft. The reason I need the full spectrum is that our CBS-HD is a VHF station not UHF like all the other digital stations. VHF stations require the bigger antenna elements since it is a lower frequency band. I also have a Channel Master 7777 mast mounted preamp. The reason I need all this is that there are some really tall trees in the way of my signal in addition to the 26 miles. So it all depends on what your requirements are. Apparently the Antennacraft brand is a bit more directional and not as heavy duty as the top of the line brands, Wineguard (Chromstar 2000 HD8200P for example) and Channel Master (#3678 for example).
Stark Electronics and Warren Electronics have a big selection of antenna, preamps, rotors etc. I got my preamp from Warren since they are near me.
Check your local Digital OTA stations to see if you would only need UHF. Either way you may want UHF/VHF antennna anyway if you have any analog TVs you want to connect up to it. The HD tuners are sensitive to noise so you would need a preamp or distribution amp if you have many TV to hook up. My HDOTA tuner (the flakey Panasonic TU-HDS20) has a standard tv tuner inside as well as digital and HD. This comes in handy whenever the digital station drops out for a few seconds I can switch over to the analog station for a little while till it is safe to go back.
Don't be fooled by the claims of the little indoor power antenna unless you live within 10 miles and don't have too many trees or buildings between you and the signal/station. Stark has a good selection of the indoor antenna on the web page too.
My dad and I put up the antenna in a few hours. Roof top antenna must be grounded according to the NEC rules on grounding that are usually in small print somewhere in the antenna manual.
Good luck.