I bought a big channelmaster outdoor antenna a couple of years ago when I bought my TV. The reception is great, or there is no reception at all. I guess the antenna has got to be dead-on or it wont pick up, and I live in a wooded area too, that doesnt help. I'm thinking of adding another antenna to the channelmaster to help it out. I see there are some flat like this one http://www.antennasdirect.com/DB8_HD_Antenna.html

Do these work well without having to be pointed dead-on?

I'm not sure exactly what's going on here, so these questions should help me pin it down.

1. Adding an antenna the way you describe's probably going to make the situation worse (long story why).

2. When stations don't come in at all, are they gone for under five seconds, or usually longer?

3. What model of ChannelMaster antenna did you buy back when you bought your TV?

I bought a big channelmaster outdoor antenna a couple of years ago when I bought my TV. The reception is great, or there is no reception at all. I guess the antenna has got to be dead-on or it wont pick up, and I live in a wooded area too, that doesnt help. I'm thinking of adding another antenna to the channelmaster to help it out. I see there are some flat like this one http://www.antennasdirect.com/DB8_HD_Antenna.html

Do these work well without having to be pointed dead-on?
The UHF bowties do tend to be less directional than a UHF yagi design, but the 8 bay bowties are still fairly directional. If you provide your zip code, we can look up your stations and the distance & direction to them and help sort out your antenna options.

zip is 23885

There are times when some of the channels will come in and others wont, then times when none will come in , perhaps all day long, or they might go out for a few minutes, or seconds.

The channelmaster....not sure of the model. It was the biggest Lowes sold 3 years ago. Its not a small antenna !!

I'm just thinking that the antenna has to be dead-on or it wont pick up. I'm looking for an antenna that doesnt have to be so dead-on !!

OK, for 23 miles, that's odd. A big antenna, yet often no picture, continuously. Could you have too much signal?

Here's what I want you to do: See if you can pick up analog channels 8, 12, 23, 35, and 57. Report back here on what you see for each channel. If you get a strong picture for each, it's probably multipath going on. You have woods -- that might explain it.

OK, so you definitely need a VERY directional VHF/UHF combo antenna that won't be too strong to pick up tons of multipath, but not too weak so that you won't pick up the main signals. In 2009, WWBT-DT will be moving to VHF 12, so the antenna will have to be ready for it. I'll have to think about this...

zip is 23885

There are times when some of the channels will come in and others wont, then times when none will come in , perhaps all day long, or they might go out for a few minutes, or seconds.
With dropouts for all the channels, I would check the cable and connections to the antenna. Dropouts for 1 or 2 channels would suggest possible multi-path, but not all. Check for a loose or corroded connection in the cable run. What are you using for the cable - RG-6 (preferred) or RG-59?

How have you aimed the antenna? Compass or map? Antennaweb directions are with respect to magnetic north, so you want to use a compass for the antennaweb azimuths.

The antennaweb.org results for your zip code places you ~21 miles from most of the stations, all in the same direction, except for the CW station at 41 miles. The edited list of results (using 250' for antenna height under options to get a more complete list):

* yellow - uhf WRIC-DT 8.1 ABC PETERSBURG VA 4° 21.8 22
* yellow - uhf WTVR-DT 6.1 CBS RICHMOND VA 4° 21.8 25
* yellow - uhf WWBT-DT 12.1 NBC RICHMOND VA 19° 21.6 54
* yellow - uhf WUPV-DT 65.1 CW ASHLAND VA 34° 41.3 47
* yellow - uhf WCVE-DT 23.1 PBS RICHMOND VA 4° 21.7 42
* yellow - uhf WCVW-DT 23.1 PBS RICHMOND VA 4° 21.8 44
* green - uhf WRLH-DT 35.1 FOX RICHMOND VA 4° 21.8 26

After the analog shutdown in 2009, WWBT-DT ABC 12 will be switching from UHF 54 to VHF 12. The rest stay on UHF. The DB-8 is a poor antenna for upper VHF reception because it has separated screens if you are looking to use it as the only antenna. Even the Channel Master 4221 outperforms the DB-8 on upper VHF. See the charts at http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html.

First check the cable run and connectors. If you can access the connector, open it, clean it, and seal it up again. Moisture can get into less than perfectly sealed connector and clobber the signal. But it you are still looking to put up a UHF antenna and use the big Channel Master for VHF, I suggest you get the CM 4221 4 Bay bowtie. You may also want to consider adding a CM 7777 pre-amp if you get drop-outs. You might get some of the Norfolk stations as well.

its 8:30 pm Saturday night and this is what I have:

6 --poor
6.1,.2,.3 --nothing

8 --poor
8.1- in and out
8.2 -nothing

12 -- poor
12.1,.2,.3 -- nothing

23 --good picture
23.1,.2 --nothing

35 -- poor
35.1,.2 --perfect picture

57--nothing
57.1 --nothing

65-- nothing
65.1,.2 -- nothing


I'm going to rule out a bad connection, I guess the antenna just needs to be turned some, perhaps the wind moves it from time to time.

I'm going to rule out a bad connection, I guess the antenna just needs to be turned some, perhaps the wind moves it from time to time.
A bad or poor connection is still a possibility with those results. But, yes, experiment with the antenna aim. Not only in azimuth, but check that the antenna is tilted slightly upward, not downward. If you have a ridge line between you and the broadcast towers, aim the antenna just above the ridge line.

For all I know, you might have the antenna pointed 180 degrees in the wrong direction. It shouldn't hurt to experiment with that.

I am trying to choose an antenna for N. of Spokane, WA. Antennaweb shows the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
DTV Antenna
Type Call Sign Channel Network City, State Live
Date Compass
Heading Miles
From Frequency
Assignment
* yellow
vhf KXLY-DT 4.1 ABC SPOKANE, WA 118° 13.8 13
yellow
vhf KXLY 4 ABC SPOKANE, WA 118° 13.8 4
red
vhf KHQ 6 NBC SPOKANE, WA 161° 33.3 6
red
uhf KGPX 34 ION SPOKANE, WA 162° 31.9 34
* red
uhf KHQ-DT 6.1 NBC SPOKANE, WA 161° 33.3 15
* red
vhf KHQ-DT 7.1 NBC SPOKANE, WA Feb 17, 2009 (post-transition) 161° 33.3 7
red
uhf KAYU 28 FOX SPOKANE, WA 161° 33.4 28
red
vhf KREM 2 CBS SPOKANE, WA 162° 32.3 2
* red
uhf KREM-DT 2.1 CBS SPOKANE, WA 162° 32.3 20
red
vhf KSPS 7 PBS SPOKANE, WA 162° 33.6 7
* red
vhf KSPS-DT 7.1 PBS SPOKANE, WA 162° 33.6 8
red
uhf KSKN 22 CW SPOKANE, WA 162° 32.3 22
* blue
uhf KAYU-DT 28.1 FOX SPOKANE, WA 161° 33.4 30
* blue
uhf KAYU-DT 28.1 FOX SPOKANE, WA Feb 17, 2009 (post-transition) 161° 33.4 28
* violet
uhf KSKN-DT 22.1 CW SPOKANE, WA 162° 32.3 36
violet
uhf KHBA-LP 52 REL SPOKANE, WA 164° 31.9 52
* violet
uhf KGPX-DT 34 ION SPOKANE, WA TBD 162° 31.9 34
violet
vhf KXMN-LP 11 MNT SPOKANE, WA 162° 33.6 11
Note:
The above listing is a conservative prediction of stations received. Depending on the specifics of your installation, you may be able to receive stations that do not appear in this list.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to have a multi-directional antenna because of one staion at 118° and the others at 162-164°. I like the DB8, but some of these RF channels are VHF 7-13. Will the DB8 receive them reliably at 35 miles? What about using a pre-amp with the DB8?
I also am considering the V21 VHF/UHF long-range with a pre-amp to reach the Blue-range Fox stations, and two violet stations. If this path was selected would I need a rotator to look between 118° and 164°?
Finally, if going to multiple sets should I go into an amplified splitter after the preamp power inserter?

Thanks for your thoughts. :confused:

Others will reply, but check the 'stuck' topics at the top of the forum. Lots of info on selecting an antenna.

In general:
Outdoors is better than indoors.
Bigger is better than smaller.
Directional is better than omnidirectional.
Mounting higher is better than mounting lower.

I'm going to rule out a bad connection, I guess the antenna just needs to be turned some, perhaps the wind moves it from time to time.

I agree with afiggatt's connection concerns. Have you checked the balun for damage? Are you using a pre-amp? I had a balun go bad on me and the slightest twist would change the results from good to awful, but it affected some channels more than others.

It may help if you can run a TV Fool plot for your exact location and post the results here. Do you have any hills or ridges to the North in addition to the trees?

http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29

What are the results like when they are good? What TV/tuner are you using? Do you have problems when it is windy? How were the results in the winter?