Antenna recommendations - Fort Collins, CO

[PhilMills]

TV Fool report.
The only channels I particularly care about are all sitting around 188deg - the big networks out of Denver - the rest are stuff that I can't really see myself caring about. Two stations (actual 7 and 9) are in the Hi-VHF range and are also the lowest signal strength stations on my "care about" list.

A rooftop mount at 25' gives me a pretty clear line of sight South.

It's probably a 50' run to the inlet to the house, and that feeds 3 jacks (only one TV, though) from a 3-way splitter right after the grounding tie on the outside of the house (Comcast's cable is currently plugged in there, but that's my best hookup spot, so out it goes).


How much antenna do I need to pull in the Denver network stations? Another forum recommended the RCA ANT751 which has the advantages of small size and being available locally (read: if it doesn't work, returning it is easy). I'm skeptical of something that I can't find any gain figures on, but then I don't really know how much signal I really need to ensure decent reception.

Suggestions? Anybody else in the area have success stories?

 

[Rickideemus]

:welcome: PhilMills!

TV Fool report.
The only channels I particularly care about are all sitting around 188deg - the big networks out of Denver - the rest are stuff that I can't really see myself caring about.

I hear ya. The stations at 265 are only 6 miles from you, but I checked 'em out ... doesn't look like much you can't get at 180.

Two stations (actual 7 and 9) are in the Hi-VHF range and are also the lowest signal strength stations on my "care about" list... A rooftop mount at 25' gives me a pretty clear line of sight South.

Very cool.

It's probably a 50' run to the inlet to the house, and that feeds 3 jacks (only one TV, though) from a 3-way splitter right after the grounding tie on the outside of the house (Comcast's cable is currently plugged in there, but that's my best hookup spot, so out it goes).

You're going to want to get rid of the splitter, unless you plan to hook up more TVs (even then, it might be more convenient to put the splitter closer indoors). Splitting three ways will give you ~7 dB loss, which is more than you gain with the ANT751 over rabbit ears. If you can cut down the 50' of cable, that would be good too -- eliminating any need for preamplification, which is just one more thing to break.

How much antenna do I need to pull in the Denver network stations? Another forum recommended the RCA ANT751 which has the advantages of small size and being available locally (read: if it doesn't work, returning it is easy). I'm skeptical of something that I can't find any gain figures on, but then I don't really know how much signal I really need to ensure decent reception.

I like that recommendation, if you can get a good deal. Here's a thread right up your alley: http://www.dtvusaforum.com/dtv-hdtv-reception-antenna-discussion/3177-rca-ant751-how-vhf.html

So consensus is a little over 5 dBd gain on low VHF (which is not bad for channels 7 to 13) and more for UHF. You're still at 34.7 dB noise margin for channel 9 on that excellent TVFR, so with LOS, outdoors at 25' -- should be fine.

Rick