Hi,

I recently posted in the Wichita, KS local thread, but no one was able to help me it seems. I'm getting an HDTV and DirecTV doesn't have my locals in HD, so that means OTA for me.

I went to antennaweb to see what kind of antenna I would need to properly receive all my locals. DirecTV said they would install an "outdoor antenna", but gave me no information on what type of antenna it may be. I picked up a USB HDTV tuner and some antennas for my laptop to see what I can get. I was concerned about what kind of antenna I will need because antennaweb had all but one of my stations as "yellow", and that other one was "purple" which meant an antenna on the other end of the "spectrum".

So with my HDTV tuner and the simple antenna that came with it:

http://techgage.com/reviews/hauppauge/wintv-hvr950/hauppauge_hvr950_04_thumb.jpg

I got all my HD local channels with it sitting on my dining table near a window. My question is, what should I do? I assume the reception will be much harder to get when the weather is worse. What kind of antenna would you guys recommend I get to be sure I'll be okay when it rains/snows. If it's really simple and not too large, I wouldn't mind leaving it on the TV Stand (a few feet from a smaller window) and also would not have a problem with having one outside.

Should I just let DirecTV install their antenna for $50? Any help is appreciated.

<sigh> If you want help with antenna selection, please post your zip code.

<sigh> If you want help with antenna selection, please post your zip code.

My Zip Code is 67114 (Newton, KS).

I'm sorry. I thought it wasn't important. What antennaweb says and what I actually get don't quite match up.

My Zip Code is 67114 (Newton, KS).

I'm sorry. I thought it wasn't important. What antennaweb says and what I actually get don't quite match up.
The reason we ask for the zip code so we can see approximately how far you are from the broadcast stations, what channels they are on, look up whether any of the local digital stations will be moving from UHF to VHF in 2009, and get some sense of what your terrain is like: hilly, flat, dense woods, etc.

Not surprising that antennaweb doesn't exactly match what digital stations you get. Antennaweb is very conservative on digital reception unless you add some antenna height under options. In my case, I have to insert 150' to get a reasonable match of the stations I actually get with a Channel Master 4221 4 Bay bowtie and a pre-amp in my attic.

Plugging in 300' for your zip code (in part to make up for a random location in the middle of the zip), the results are:

* yellow - uhf KAKE-DT 10.1 ABC WICHITA KS 205° 21.6 21
* yellow - uhf KSAS-DT 24.1 FOX WICHITA KS 203° 21.6 26
* yellow - uhf KSCW-DT 33.1 CW WICHITA KS 207° 20.7 31
* yellow - uhf KPTS-DT 8.1 PBS HUTCHINSON KS 265° 24.8 29
* yellow - uhf KWCH-DT 12.1 CBS HUTCHINSON KS 266° 24.1 19
* violet - uhf KMTW-DT 36.1 MNT HUTCHINSON KS 228° 13.0 35
* violet - uhf KSNW-DT 3.1 NBC WICHITA KS 204° 22.0 45

So you getting the locals from 20 miles with that antenna? Impressive how much flat country can help. You might be ok with a better indoor antenna such as a basic tabletop rabbit ear and UHF loop type for < $20. All of your digital stations are currently on UHF (broadcast channel is last number on each line). Looking it up, three of your locals are moving their digital signal to their upper VHF analog channel in 2009: KPTS-DT PBS 8, KAKE-DT ABC 10, KWCH-DT CBS 12.

I don't know what OTA antenna the DirecTV installer would put in. If they put in an inadequate antenna, you can always reuse the RG-6 cables and diplexer and put up your own antenna. One options is the CM 4220 2 bay bowtie which should be able to get the upper VHF stations ok in 2009 at your ranges and signal strength (http://www.pctinternational.com/channelmaster/0612/antennas_outdoor.html)

I see, if it helps any, this is a more accurate location: AntennaWeb - Newton, KS (http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Location.aspx?__EVENTTARGET=&__EVENTARGUMENT=&__VIEWSTATE=dDwxMDQ2MTc5NDYzO3Q8cDxsPG1hcF9taWxlczt2aXNpdG9y O3N0YXRlO2xhdGl0dWRlO2xvbmdpdHVkZTs%2BO2w8U3lzdGVtLkRvdWJsZS wgbXNjb3JsaWIsIFZlcnNpb249MS4wLjUwMDAuMCwgQ3VsdHVyZT1uZXV0cm FsLCBQdWJsaWNLZXlUb2tlbj1iNzdhNWM1NjE5MzRlMDg5PDQ%2BO1w8Vmlz aXRvclw%2BXDxBZGRyZXNzIGZpcHNDb2RlPSIyMDA3OSJcPlw8U3RyZWV0QW RkcmVzcyAvXD5cPENpdHlcPk5FV1RPTlw8L0NpdHlcPlw8U3RhdGVcPktTXD wvU3RhdGVcPlw8WmlwQ29kZVw%2BNjcxMTRcPC9aaXBDb2RlXD5cPEVtYWls IC9cPlw8U2VuZE1hcmtldGluZ1w%2BVHJ1ZVw8L1NlbmRNYXJrZXRpbmdcPl w8U2VuZFN1cnZleXNcPlRydWVcPC9TZW5kU3VydmV5c1w%2BXDxQaG9uZSAv XD5cPC9BZGRyZXNzXD5cPExvY2F0aW9uIHByZWNpc2lvbj0iWklQIENvZGUi IGxhdGl0dWRlPSIzOC4wNTI4IiBsb25naXR1ZGU9Ii05Ny4zMjA4IiAvXD5c PEhvdXNlQ2hhcmFjdGVyaXN0aWNzIHR5cGU9IlMiIGluY2x1ZGVPYnN0cnVj dGlvbj0ibiIgaGVpZ2h0PSI5LjEiIC9cPlw8L1Zpc2l0b3JcPjtLUzs1MDwz OC4wMjAyMDE1MDE5MDg1NzQ%2BOzUwPC05Ny4zNDg3NDk1Njk5MTU3ODI%2B Oz4%2BO2w8aTwxPjs%2BO2w8dDw7bDxpPDM%2BOz47bDx0PDtsPGk8ND47aT wxMD47aTwxMT47aTwxMj47aTwxMz47aTwxND47PjtsPHQ8cDxsPGhlaWdodD t3aWR0aDtzcmM7PjtsPDM1MDszNTA7aHR0cDovL25ld2FyY2ltc21hcHMuZG VjaXNpb25tYXJrLmNvbS9vdXRwdXQvY29tYmluZWQzX05FV0FSQ0lNUzM2MT YxOTkyNzE4MzAyLnBuZzs%2BPjs7Pjt0PHA8bDxzcmM7PjtsPGltYWdlcy96 b29tbm90Y2guZ2lmOz4%2BOzs%2BO3Q8cDxsPHNyYzs%2BO2w8aW1hZ2VzL3 pvb21ub3RjaF9vbi5naWY7Pj47Oz47dDxwPGw8c3JjOz47bDxpbWFnZXMvem 9vbW5vdGNoLmdpZjs%2BPjs7Pjt0PHA8bDxzcmM7PjtsPGltYWdlcy96b29t bm90Y2guZ2lmOz4%2BOzs%2BO3Q8cDxsPHNyYzs%2BO2w8aW1hZ2VzL3pvb2 1ub3RjaC5naWY7Pj47Oz47Pj47Pj47Pj47bDxwYW5Ob3J0aHdlc3Q7cGFuTm 9ydGg7cGFuTm9ydGhlYXN0O3Bhbldlc3Q7aW1nTWFwO3BhbkVhc3Q7cGFuU2 91dGh3ZXN0O3BhblNvdXRoO3BhblNvdXRoZWFzdDtpbWdab29tT3V0O25vdG NoNDtub3RjaDM7bm90Y2gyO25vdGNoMTtub3RjaDA7aW1nWm9vbUluOz4%2B 1qnOKyGbJcF1fJTWOWmO3CUHmCM%3D&btnContinue=Continue).

I was able to tune all the digital channels without a problem. Didn't have to move the antenna or anything. The analog ones varied considerably though.

Directly south of me (for now, it was just sold, and I assume more single story houses will be going up) is a farm which I'd say is about a half mile "deep". Directly west is another house. All the houses are single story. My Dish is pretty much mounted at ground level.

Thank you for the link to the antenna. I will see if I can agree to the install and then see if I like the antenna before it is installed, otherwise just cancel that part of the order. Someone said it was the Winegard 2200 (http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?prod=ANWGS2200).