cowboyup4christ

AntennaCraft U8000 8 Bay UHF Antenna HDTV Bow Tie U-8000
this is the one I use and pick most of my stations from 50-60 miles away This antenna is well built and light weight it has no wire grid like the channel master which makes it have a little less forward gain 12db but if weight and wind load are an issue this is a good choice in an 8 bay UHF. I also use a wine guard 4800 pre amp which gives a 28 db gain with a 2.7 db noise factor, and a Channel Master 9521A Programmable Rotator this antenna has a narrow beam of 15 degrees which means if your transmitters are greater than 15 degrees apart you will need a rotator This is the setup I use and here in central NC. I receive 35 digital channels with the antenna at 30 ft.


Specifications:
• HDTV 8 Bay UHF Deep Fringe Antenna
• 34 Electronic Elements
• 12 dB Gain
• 17.3 db Front to Back Ratio
• Width 40.5"
• Height 36"
• Durable Design
• Pre-Assembled for Easy Installation
• UHF Range 60+ Miles
• UHF Channels (14-69)
• Includes 300 to 75 Ohm Balun Connector

U8000User

No Assembly required on the U8000, which is nice not having to put together every nut and bolt. I purchased mine about 6 months ago to improve reception over an old Yagi antenna (which was installed by the previous homeowner), and I now receive the full range of stations. I live about 55 miles from transmitters, and have minimal reception problems on windy days, but being located just outside of Chicago, we get plenty of wind and rain. Originally I had added a preamp to try and improve reception on some outside stations, but didn't seem to make a difference. My recommendation to anyone on this antenna is as Cowboy has recommended, use a rotator if your stations are not located generally in the same area.

Tim58hsv

The distance range of bowtie antennas is way under estimated. A 2 bay is suppose to be good for only 20 miles but the one in my avatar reaches out to channel 53 in Chillicothe, Ohio which is exactly 54.7 miles from here according to Antenna Web. There's some occasional minor pixilation but for the most part it's picture perfect.

I also have the antenna craft 4-bay model which is rated at only 45 miles but the same channel is perfect at least 99% of the time with that antenna.

BTW, both antennas mentioned above are recieving those signals from my attic.

Don't have an 8-bay model but I'd imagine it's range to be well over the 60+ mile zone.

U8000User

I think they're definitely under rated and estimated. I had a hard time trying to figure out what to go with because they're aren't a lot of reviews for 50-70 mile distance antennas, but I had a local antenna tech do a signal test and recommend the U8000. My dad's house in Chicago has the 2 bay bowtie design, little bit different from the picture in your profile, but it works great.

Tim58hsv

Just found a couple of new versions of bow tie antenna's at the Summit Source web site. They have one called the Super G 1483 which is two 4 bays stacked and, now get his, they have two Super G's ganged together to form a 16 bay bowtie antenna. That dude's rated in the blue zone! Check 'em out here... http://www.summitsource.com/outdoor-...-47_57_60.html

btw the drawing they show of the 16 bay actually looks to be an 8 bay. Guess their artist is on vacation.

AndyTiedye

Even that 16-bay they only rate for "blue zone". What do you use in purple?

Tim58hsv

Far as I know there are no antenna designs for reception beyond the blue zone. To get reception any further out you would have to stack or gang the same type antennas or add a pre-amp or both or elevate an antenna very high, etc.

cowboyup4christ

purple is a blue zone with a pre amp

Eureka

How is the U8000 on highband VHF channels?

Piggie

Comparing some commercially available antennas

Scroll down to

Using a UHF antenna for VHF

I don't see that antenna listed but you can "assume" it is in the HD 8800 range, because it has similar directors that are not continuous.