Which antenna will work?

Hi -

Newbies here, looking to drop our dish network service and switch to antenna reception + netflix/hulu/etc. Our problem is figuring out possible options for antenna. We know we need an outdoor, roof-mounted antenna, but not sure if we need more than that.

Our TVfool report is here:
TV Fool

We currently have no antenna, though we tried an indoor LeafPlus just to see if we could get anything on an indoor antenna, and got 4 channels, regardless of placement. (#'s 36, 49, 50 and 51).



We are thinking both UHF and VHF, but are most interested in receiving ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS - which seem to come mostly from the NE. We do have a couple of mature trees facing that direction.

We would love to read any recommendations for an outdoor antenna which will do well with the distance from our house to the towers. I know we will have to work with placement of an antenna regardless of which one we get, but suggestions for a certain type or brand would be most appreciative.

clemotaclan,

If those are the only channels you want to receive, I think you are a good candidate for a high-band VHF Yagi such as a Y5-7-13, but I think you would be giving up on a dozen or more channels that could also be received. It might have to be mounted higher or lower, but a little testing would prove it.

AntennaCraft Y5-7-13 Highband-Broadband VHF HD Yagi TV Antenna for Channels 7-13 (Y5-7-13) from Solid Signal

Another option would be to try a screen-type antenna like a Channel Master 4228 with the reflector screen removed or a Channel Master 4228HD with the reflector rods removed. The 'cross-brace' on both antennas is pretty good for VHF reception and you might be able to capture both antenna farms to your NE and SW at the same time including LOTS of UHF channels. Again, testing at a variety of heights will be necessary.

Jim

Thank you, Jim!

We would like to try to get as many channels as possible, but the various directions the signals were coming in from was throwing us off. As long as we could get the minimum, I think we'd be happy. Add in extra channels and we'd be delirious.

It looks like one of the screen types you mentioned might be worth a try for us. Thanks for offering the suggestions - we really appreciate it. For a newbie, antenna selection and information is overwhelming!

If you can get all the networks from one direction (I havent checked your TVFool report), it would be better to keep the screen/reflectors on, that way you would get them more reliably. Any stations received from the back of the aerial would be a bit less reliable, but if they arent that important, and at least a few would still be reliable, it likely doesnt matter.

Originally Posted by nbound-au

If you can get all the networks from one direction (I havent checked your TVFool report), it would be better to keep the screen/reflectors on, that way you would get them more reliably. Any stations received from the back of the aerial would be a bit less reliable, but if they arent that important, and at least a few would still be reliable, it likely doesnt matter.

It appears he can receive all the Main Networks from the NE using a VHF Yagi, but he gives up a dozen potential UHF channels and their subchannels, many of which are 'behind' him to the SW.

It takes very little received signal (strength) for a digital data stream to be reassembled into a TV show, but that stream has to be clean to work. Another option would be to use a VHF Yagi as I suggested above and combine it with a UHF screen sans reflector using a UVSJ combiner ($6.00 at Radio Shack). That might "guarantee" the main networks and add many other channels to view. For the record, there is NO guarantee!

Jim