First off..Thanks for any help you can give.

I have been digging through antenna's for a week or two now and I'm probably worse off now. I'm in north Macon GA 31210 and trying to get a setup for Macon (20 miles due south) and Atlanta (65 miles due north)

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x272/mcdave1971/channelswanted-1.jpg

I've marked out the channels I'm not worried about so I'm left with only two or three high vhf channels one south and a couple north ( one is coming after the switchover) and the uhf's.

I know I can just go with something like a Winegard 7698 on a rotator but I would prefer a fixed setup so I wont have to rotate back and forth. Being the channels are in only two places, but almost opposite of each other, I was thinking two antenna's and a combiner? I don't really know what kind of trouble I will run into with this..
I know to be safe I need to go with the biggest I can find to pick up Atlanta's at -115dbm but I'm also worried it might be too strong to pick up my close channels at 20 miles.
Any ideas?
Thanks, Dave

I would go back to TV fool and click post-transition. There is not much point in designing an antenna system at this point based on channels which are going to change next February. Most importantly in your case the local CBS station will switch from channel 4 to 13. That is good since the low band VHF has not worked out well for digital. I would not give up on any of the Macon channels as they will be the most reliable. Possibly one of the new Winegard 7-69 antennas (much discussed on this forum) would be good for the Macon stations. For Atlanta, possibly try for just the UHF channels at first with one of the largest UHF antennas available ( also much discussed). If that worked out then you could always try for VHF high from Atlanta later.
You would need a RF switch to choose between the two antennas, one can not just tie them together with a coupler. I also would try to avoid any antenna amplifier. With strong local channels they can over power the signal and cause interference.

Thanks for the info. I looked over post transition specs and the only local channel is the 4 to 13 switch I mentioned. The Atlanta market has a channel 10 I would like to get. I'm not worried about the rest.
So if there's no easy way to make two antenna's work together pointing diff directions, I guess I stuck with a rotator then?

You may be able to receive the Macon channels on the back-side of your antenna(s) (if you point it to Atlanta). If not, you will need a rotator or a switch.

I don't think using a bi-directional antenna, such as a CM4228 with the reflector removed, is going to give you enough forward gain for Atlanta. With predicted signals below -110dBm, there isn't much margin for error.

I would prefer a fixed setup so I wont have to rotate back and forth. I was thinking two antenna's and a combiner?


You're on the right track. I'd use a Channel Master 4221 for all the Macon stations and a Antennacraft Y10-7-13 or Winegard YA-1713 for the two Atlanta stations. Add them together with a Pico UVSJ.

If you find that you need a preamp for Atlanta, the Macon stations are strong enough without an amp. The Winegard AP-3700 has gain on VHF and bypasses UHF.

and a Antennacraft Y10-7-13 or Winegard YA-1713 for the two Atlanta stations. Add them together with a Pico UVSJ.


I'd like the uhf out of atlanta too. I mentioned the high vhf because there's no low vhf I'm worried about.

I'd like the UHF out of Atlanta too. I mentioned the high vhf because there's no low vhf I'm worried about.

That will be iffy. The signal levels are marginal. Even if you could receive them, adding more than one UHF station to the Macon group is complicated. I suggest that you use an A/B switch or select one (and only one) Atlanta UHF station for use with a Jointenna.

You will want something like a XG-91 to pick up a UHF station from Atlanta.

I decided for right now I'm just going to put up a Winegard 7694 just for the Macon locals until I can do some serious research into the long distance reach to Atlanta. Better some than none..

I decided for right now I'm just going to put up a Winegard 7694 just for the Macon locals until I can do some serious research into the long distance reach to Atlanta. Better some than none..

I would be curious to see how the 7694 performs. If you have time, let us know how it works out for you.

While you are installing the Winegard 7694 for Macon turn it around and see what if anything you can pick up from Atlanta. That will give you a real world idea if it is even possible. If you get a signal but the quality meter reads too low possibly a better antenna will bring it up to adequate performance. If you get practically nothing from Atlanta, I doubt that any antenna is going to take you from nothing to adequate signal levels.

turn it around and see what if anything you can pick up from Atlanta.

I plan on trying that. I have a 40' mast to put this on. I'm going to start at 20' and if I need more, go higher. It's just pretty scary to climb that thing at 40'..