I live in Maine, zip code 04468 and have always recvd analog NBC, ABC, CBS and PBS without an outdoor antenna, but CBS was fuzzy. I put up a yagi antenna, roughly 5 feet in length, which made things alot better. Now that all have switched to digital, I got the converter box and now getting 2 sets of NBC, CBS and ABC but no PBS. I used antennaweb.org to get the location distance and direction for the stations and aimed the antenna as best I could in the SW direction. The converter boxs built in signal meter peaked at 50%. Thinking I could do better with a different antenna, I read some great reviews on the Channel Master 4228HD which arrived today. I took down the yagi and put up the new one but best I could get was 30% signal. Now Im back to the yagi.
I am using new cable, new 75ohm connector, antenna is grounded. I know bigger and higher is typically better but is there anything I can do to improve what I have, maybe add some aluminum poles or new design?

I live in Maine, zip code 04468 and have always recvd analog NBC, ABC, CBS and PBS without an outdoor antenna, but CBS was fuzzy. I put up a yagi antenna, roughly 5 feet in length, which made things alot better. Now that all have switched to digital, I got the converter box and now getting 2 sets of NBC, CBS and ABC but no PBS. I used antennaweb.org to get the location distance and direction for the stations and aimed the antenna as best I could in the SW direction. The converter boxs built in signal meter peaked at 50%. Thinking I could do better with a different antenna, I read some great reviews on the Channel Master 4228HD which arrived today. I took down the yagi and put up the new one but best I could get was 30% signal. Now Im back to the yagi.
I am using new cable, new 75ohm connector, antenna is grounded. I know bigger and higher is typically better but is there anything I can do to improve what I have, maybe add some aluminum poles or new design?

you have currently 2 hi VHF stations, after 6/12 you will also have a lo VHF station. the 4228HD will not be good for lo VHF.

your stations are 60 degrees apart. one antenna in one direction will not work well. you should use one antenna on a rotor or 2 antennas, 2 feed lines and an AB switch.

you have stations to SSE as well.

i would guess that you should be able to get PBS with the 4228HD but maybe your individual situation varies.

go to tvfool.com and you can see current and after 6/12 listings.

Hmm, I might try that. I gather one antenna would be more south and the other southwest. Anything beyond 40 miles is out of range. By looking at the distance for CBS and PBS, theyre both the same as well as the azimuth but one has -49.4 dbm (pbs) and the other -34.7 dbm (cbs).
So, if Im getting all channels in one direction, 2,5 and 7, why wont 12 come in even if in same direction?

are you trying to get stations from boston?

Umm no. Thats well over 250 miles away. I can get NBC (2) CBS (5) ABC (7) and PBS (12) which broadcast no further than Bangor which is about 30 miles from where I am.

Umm no. Thats well over 250 miles away. I can get NBC (2) CBS (5) ABC (7) and PBS (12) which broadcast no further than Bangor which is about 30 miles from where I am.

I used your zip code for a TVFool plot. This may not be accurate as you putting in your address and posting your plot here. (it won't show your address).

Note the plot I attached for you may not be good enough as it's centered on your zip code and TV fool takes into account big hills that this plot may not show.

You have 45 degress between 2 High Band VHF stations ABC and PBS. That is a stretch on one antenna. With PBS being the weaker as you have found out. I would guess and I am guessing, that the signal level from PBS would require a VHF antenna pointed right at it. Yet there may not be enough ABC signal on VHF to work pointed at PBS.

With PBS being on RF actual Ch9 pre and post transition, and not coming in on a 4228HD means it needs a real VHF antenna.

----------

Now do you know what antenna the yagi style you said you have? If you don't know the make or model, do you know how long and wide it is? That would give a close guess if it is useful or you need to punt and start over.

Also post your exact address TVFool.com plot here, at least post transition, and pre also if you will.

Also how high did you put up the outside antennas?

http://www.summitsource.com/images/products/AN0850.jpg

This is just like the one I have, it is no longer than me, about 6 feet and about 4 feet wide at the widest point. It is about 6 feet above the peak of the roof on my single story home. There are some trees in the distance that are higher and likely part of the problem.
I messed with it today and I was able to get all channels by pointing it SW and sacrificing some signal on abc to get pbs. Every now and than the picture and sound will freak out but not too bad so far. I guess its bearable.
Would it help by adding some wire or rods anywhere on the antenna?

Here is current http://www.tvfool.com/modeling/tmp/4df01b90d8/Radar-Digital.png



Here is post http://www.tvfool.com/modeling/tmp/4df01b90d8/Radar-Digital2.png

If this is your yagi
http://www.antennacraft.net/pdfs/HD850.pdf
Then it's a channel 2-69 model

You are already on my idea of pointing SW. On DTV a signal is either locked on not. So sacrificing some signal but still having enough to endure fading is enough signal.

I was going to suggest aiming SW toward PBS.

=======

Here is my suggestion to try. Only compare Real Channels 7 and 9, ABC and PBS, WVII and WMEB. Ignore the UHF channels. Find the spot where you can get the best signal for those and only those 2 channels.

If that is good enough not to break up, then check the UHFs. If the UHF's are not acceptable with the antenna in that position, there is still hope with the antennas you own.

So if the UHFs are not strong enough with Real CH 7 and 9 peaked, hang the 4228HD below your yagi. Give them at least 2 ft of separation, more is better, if you have to 1 foot will have to do, but that is cutting it close.
Then adjust the 4228HD for your UHF channels, ignoring 7 and 9 on this test/setup. Very important, do this test with the Yagi in place, but disconnected.

Then if that works nice on UHF, then buy a UVSJ. They are cheap and loose very little signal.
This is the model to buy http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=UVSJ and is about $9 shipped to your house.

Then knowing where the two antennas pick up their respective channels the best, put the Yagi into the VHF port of the UVSJ, and the 4228HD into the UHF side. Then the common port to your TV.

This should even be about the best you can do once WLBZ NBC moves back to Ch2 actual real channel. As splitting 7 and 9 with the yagi is going to be very close to pointing right at NBC. And once NBC is on 2 you are going to need all the gain you can get.

==

I hope that made sense. You may already have the yagi in that position with you moving it a little SW.

I live in Maine, zip code 04468 and have always recvd analog NBC, ABC, CBS and PBS without an outdoor antenna, but CBS was fuzzy. I put up a yagi antenna, roughly 5 feet in length, which made things alot better. Now that all have switched to digital, I got the converter box and now getting 2 sets of NBC, CBS and ABC but no PBS. I used antennaweb.org to get the location distance and direction for the stations and aimed the antenna as best I could in the SW direction. The converter boxs built in signal meter peaked at 50%. Thinking I could do better with a different antenna, I read some great reviews on the Channel Master 4228HD which arrived today. I took down the yagi and put up the new one but best I could get was 30% signal. Now Im back to the yagi.
I am using new cable, new 75ohm connector, antenna is grounded. I know bigger and higher is typically better but is there anything I can do to improve what I have, maybe add some aluminum poles or new design?

That antenna covers the channels down to ch2. I do not think that you will be receiving any channels below ch7. But you will need to confirm that.

My point is, you aksed "is there anything I can do to improve what I have, maybe add some aluminum poles" & my answer is yes there is.

Those long elements that cover the ch2 - ch 6 I I think could be cut to be used for the ch7 - ch 13 therefore increasing the gain of the ch7-ch13 by eleminating the coverage of low channels. I can tell you the length for each channel. You might could cut them for just eh highband 7-13 channels you are to get. I am not sure of the spacing between the elemnts thou. Some of these elements are used a reflecter to the active element ahead. The one ahead is used as a director for the active element behind it. So you might can just cut them to the lenght of the channels you want & that may do it. But if not then the may need he space between them to get more gain. If you are in the mood for being a craftsman the you might could try it.. If the space needs to be changed you could drill out the rivets, drill new holes in the boom & put screws in the element at the new space.

I live in Maine, zip code 04468 and have always recvd analog NBC, ABC, CBS and PBS without an outdoor antenna, but CBS was fuzzy. I put up a yagi antenna, roughly 5 feet in length, which made things alot better. Now that all have switched to digital, I got the converter box and now getting 2 sets of NBC, CBS and ABC but no PBS. I used antennaweb.org to get the location distance and direction for the stations and aimed the antenna as best I could in the SW direction. The converter boxs built in signal meter peaked at 50%. Thinking I could do better with a different antenna, I read some great reviews on the Channel Master 4228HD which arrived today. I took down the yagi and put up the new one but best I could get was 30% signal. Now Im back to the yagi.
I am using new cable, new 75ohm connector, antenna is grounded. I know bigger and higher is typically better but is there anything I can do to improve what I have, maybe add some aluminum poles or new design?

all this info on different antennas, etc is fine.....but i would approach it this way> if youre like many people u just want a dependable signal from your local channels...that 50% signal level is only meaningful if u know what the threshold is for that tuner....meaning, below what percentage does picture break-up/pixellation start? if its well below 50% then u have an excellent dependable signal now and u can leave it at that....unlike analog, digital signals will look no better at higher levels....