Digital TV Antenna Question:

[pattycake]

Hi everyone, I am Pattycake's DH. Could any of you nice folks help me with a digital TV antenna problem? I have a relative in Kentucky who lives 100 miles from Lexington, Louisville and 120 miles from Bowling Green. He lives in a wooded area and just purchased a 100 mile range Channel Master antenna with a 23-28db booster and brand new RG6 cable. About every 2-3 days, he
can pick up a station in Bowling Green and that's about it. Any suggestions on what he might do to get reception? He has had cable in the past but is trying to reduce his cost. Any help would be appreciated.

[chickenslayer]

How high is the antenna?

[pattycake]

Chickenslayer, I'm not certain of the antenna's height. I believe the antenna is above the roof but not taller than a near distant tree line. All trees within 50' of the house have been cut down. Thanks.

[arabian knight]

Originally Posted by pattycake

Hi everyone, I am Pattycake's DH. Could any of you nice folks help me with a digital TV antenna problem? I have a relative in Kentucky who lives 100 miles from Lexington, Louisville and 120 miles from Bowling Green. He lives in a wooded area and just purchased a 100 mile range Channel Master antenna with a 23-28db booster and brand new RG6 cable. About every 2-3 days, he
can pick up a station in Bowling Green and that's about it. Any suggestions on what he might do to get reception? He has had cable in the past but is trying to reduce his cost. Any help would be appreciated.

Well what I underlined is the problem. I bet in the winter after the leaves drop he will get lots better reception.
Like the other poster said high high?
He may have to go UP higher.
But heavily wood lot of tress make it hard for the digital signal to get through all the foliage.
I bet this winter he will get more channels and pretty much stay on.
Also does he have a Rotor? Get that antenna turned the correct direction, being 100 miles away a few degrees one way or the other can mean seeing a channel and not getting it all.

[fordy]

Originally Posted by pattycake

Hi everyone, I am Pattycake's DH. Could any of you nice folks help me with a digital TV antenna problem? I have a relative in Kentucky who lives 100 miles from Lexington, Louisville and 120 miles from Bowling Green. He lives in a wooded area and just purchased a 100 mile range Channel Master antenna with a 23-28db booster and brand new RG6 cable. About every 2-3 days, he
can pick up a station in Bowling Green and that's about it. Any suggestions on what he might do to get reception? He has had cable in the past but is trying to reduce his cost. Any help would be appreciated.

...............Those are rather long distances for reliable reception if Digital TV ! At the distances stated any physical object between his antenna and the incoming DTV signal is going too attentuate the signal strength and quality . DTV seems to be an all or nothing situation where quality of reception is concerned . He might want too consider Hughes net or Dish given the remoteness of his location . , fordy

[chickenslayer]

That far from the station you are really going to have to raise the antenna above any obstruction to get a clear line of sight. You might want to check out a topographical map to see what your elevation is compared to the height of the transmitters and see if there is any earth in the way. I live about 45 miles from the T stations here and I had to put up a 50' tower to have the antenna work at all.

[pattycake]

I so appreciate this advice!

[Wis Bang 2]

I managed to get stations 70ish miles away [Poconos to Philadelphia] after Mt. Pocono kept me from reaching closer transmitters.

I have problems w/ leaves, etc. and have daytime reception on most channels.

I had to add a Radio Shack signal amp to pickup a few stations I saw on a manual scan but couldn't receive. I put the GPS coordinates into tvfool.com to see a 360 degree listing of stations and get a compass bearing towards the Phila stations..

[arabian knight]

And as far as a antenna saying it range is UP TO 100 miles. And "UP TO" is very important.
In The Fine Print it will also say this.
That the results are tested over the Best conditions~!
Which means it was tested Over Flat terrain, no buildings, no tress just wide open spaces.
And trying to reach a station 125 miles away is pretty much out of the picture with todays digital signal.

[farminghandyman]

this place has coverage maps,
http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...ask=view&id=15

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=90
once you get the tv list, one can click on the tv station and see a map of the coverage with the terrain taken some what in to effect,

http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?opti...pper&Itemid=90

I found putting in the concordats the best, and it will pin point your location (Google earth is a easy place to get your coordinates)

[farminghandyman]

I put up a 75 mile antenna and amplifier, and only about 20 miles away (now this is a translator not full power), but if you do not have a signal you can not pick it up, mine flakes in and out a lot yet, (there going to put in one more translator that I should be able to pick up easer,

but when the TV was analog I could pick up TV from 150 miles away if the antenna was pointing at it,

IMO this digital is not that good, because when it get weak you just loose it at least one could still watch the analog, if one wanted to,
yes it nice and clean when it works, but when it only works about 50% of the time it the pits,

[idahodave]

I second farminghandyman's suggestion to try tvfool.com and see what signal levels you could expect at his location. TVfool has an advanced propagation and terrain model to predict signal levels.

Look at the NM column, signals with a minus are almost impossible to receive. If the path column says 2Edge it will probably be hard to receive, no matter what the NM is.

100 miles is a long way to receive a tv signal unless both ends are on mountian tops!