Piggie

RaRaLew

Hi Piggie,

It would be easier for me if I put the antenna on the east side of my house as the previous owner had cable TV with coax entering on the east side. I doubt that there's a lot of metal behind the walls, but I don't know for sure. It's a small ranch with wooden shingles.

The east side of my house is also where the paved driveway is, so I can't put a pole in the ground. It's going to have to be mounted on the side of the house or on the roof's peak. I can measure the peak tomorrow when I'll have a new extension ladder. I'll get right back to you with the measurement.

I hate to be dense, but when you say, "peak" of the house, should I measure the peak on the highest rise? My house is on a bit of an incline with a walkout, finished basement in the back. From the back the house looks like a 2-floor, but from the front it's a 1-floor ranch with a smaller rise. The back (north side) has the highest rise from peak to ground.

I have a television in the finished basement on the west side with a higher rise than the east side. I know this sounds weird. Am I making any sense?

By the way Piggie, thank you for all of the great information. Thanks to everybody else too. I am not technically savvy, so your help is very appreciated. Not too good with a drill and a wrench either, but I'll try.

Piggie

That will work, the cable TV coax. They use RG6, which is the good stuff. Be sure you know where it goes in the house. Does it go to a spliter for 2 rooms? What type of splitter, 2 way, 3way, 4 way? You need to find where the coax goes in the house.

Putting up antennas mounted to the roof itself is only good when you are really good at construction stuff. Lets say actually mounted up on the roof is out. You can put up two wall mounts on the side of the house and hold a small antenna like the HBU22 just fine, even in the snow and ice.

The peak is the highest point on the roof. Not the edge.

Is there coax going there from the cable that was there before? If not you have to plan that.

To put the antenna pole on the house you will need a drill and then bolt it there with a wrench. Plus you need a wrench to put the antenna on the pole.

__________________
The more I understand, the less I know.

staticMHZ

you'll also need to ground this according to local code

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RaRaLew

I know that the cable only comes into the bedroom on the east side. No other room in the house has a cable or wires indicating a TV. I doubt there's a splitter but I'll check

Not good with construction, so it will be a side-mount.

Duh, thanks.

When I had cable TV discontinued I think they left the old cable there. The cable is still coming into my east bedroom, and when I attach the end to my current TV the reception is much better. I'll take a look at that too. I'm not sure if the cable drop is still connected at the pole as I know they shut off cable TV from the office. Not sure if it's legal if I remove it myself, but I think I could (worked as an outside-plant engineer for what is now Verizon). I'm afraid if I call ComCast TV they'll remove the coax drop and take it with them. If I have to buy new coax I will.

Thanks. I do have a drill and several wrenches. I'm not too sure of the know-how but I've taught myself allot as a new homeowner. Who Knows?


Stephanie

Piggie

Did the boys at AVS agree with me? There are some sharp cookies over there. Falcon, IDRick, Towerguy often jump in those thread to help people. I quote Falcon here a lot for his work with Trip on RabbitEars.info

You could upgrade to the Winegard 7694P as someone over there suggested, and that would not be over kill. It's a very very nice antenna. It's built a little more sturdy than the AntennaCraft HBU22, part of why it's $20 more. But it the best antenna in it's class. A 7694P would mount on anything the HBU22 and about 5 inches shorter.

One thing nice about the 7694P is you can plug coax directly into it. So you don't need a balun.

====

I don't know the law there, but here in Florida, any cable that is on the homeowners side of the grounding block belongs to the home owner once installed. You can check locally on that. But I bet the cable entering the house is yours.

Is there anywhere to drive a ground rod under where you plan to install the antenna?

__________________
The more I understand, the less I know.

staticMHZ

2002 NEC Grounding Communications Systems

Remember that nothing will protect the antenna from a direct hit but grounding lowers the chance of it happening. Good to be on the safe side.

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DTV USA Forum is not affiliated with the converter box coupon program in any way, visit http://DTV2009.gov for more info.

Piggie

This is a little less technical, and has pictures

Antenna Basics

If she had cable coming in the house, most likely the separate their part of the cable and your part of the cable with the ground block.

She may just be able to remove the cable wire from the pole, put the antenna into the ground block and have it all solved.

__________________
The more I understand, the less I know.

RaRaLew

AVS did agree with you, Piggie. In fact I saw the user name Piggie w/o the pig picture and thought it might be you?

I can ground the antenna beneath it, but over to the left a bit. That's where the driveway and front yard meet. I'm going to check the cable on the pole though, and will use it if that's easier.

You've all been a great help, and I've only got a few hours left, so I'm going to buy the Winegard 7694P today. I'll tell you how it goes.

Thanks again, everyone. I was totally lost when I started this thread, but feel much more informed and confident now.

Stephanie

RaRaLew

Thanks, staticMHZ. I agree, I'd rather be on the safe side too.

Stephanie