Zimmerman, MN: Is this a good antenna?

Go to TV Fool, punch in your info and post it, or a link, in this topic.

Just post the link TVfool gives you and we can help you figure things out.

Yes. Post a link to the TVFool report for your exact address, which you should be able to do, now that you will have 5 posts. Your address will not show on the linked page.

If you would have just scrolled down the TVFool results page, you would see the color codes description.

That's based on zip code we need your exact location. Signal strength can vary within a neighborhood let alone an entire zip code.

Mileage is not what you go by; signal strength is.

Your nearby stations are strong and the HBU33 should work fine without a preamp. Aim the antenna compass direction of ~137°. IF and only if, you find signal strength is so low that some weaker channels are dropping out, add a high input preamp, like the HDP269. You don't want to over-amplify, as that can distort the signal be as bad as a too-weak signal.

After installation, please post back with your reception results.

I would go with the Winegard 8700 if a preamp is truly needed. As mentioned by Arxaw, you shouldn't need one unless you are powering more than 2-3 sets or have extraordinarily long cable runs.

Unfortunately the HDP-269 is sensitive to failure from static buildup & nearby lightning strikes.

All preamps are sensitive to lightning & static damage.
One reason to properly ground/bond an antenna mast & coax.

Have you had mulitiple failures of the 269 or just one? I haven't had any of them fail.

Yes, I did have one fail personally & have read of more than one on the Digital Home website. Seems to be more sensitive than others out there.

In total agreement about proper grounding.

Interesting. That's news to me.

Yeah using your address made a huge difference in the results. Persoanlly I think the HBU33 would work just fine and I wouldn't even bother with a pre-amp. It could overload some of the stronger stations. Depends on how many TVs you plan on hooking this into. ION is off by 80 degrees from the others but it's by far your strongest station so it may still come in with no problem.

With most of my experience from the analog days, I always wonder how far off axis will work even with strong signals as is being discussed in this Minneapolis scenario? With analog reception that ION station would have had a very pronounced ghost if the antenna had been aimed at the remainder of the transmitters. Does anyone have a "rule of thumb" on how far off axis will still give a good digital signal nowadays, or does that just take some experimentation on each individual situation?

Well digital doesn't have ghosting. My "best" station is I the mid 20's in the NM(dB) compared to his 65 for his ION station and I can be off by 45 degrees and still get it in with a modest antenna outdoors. But I also guess it depends on the antenna. All one can do is try it and see.

Yes, in analog days we called them ghosts and you could calculate the time delay by measuring the distance on the screen between the main image and the ghost.

Today we call them multipath reflections (some engineers still use the term ghosts or echos). How much you can get away with depends upon the time difference between the the primary signal and the reflection, how strong the reflection is, and how well your tuner is able to handle multipath.

The relative amplitude of the reflections becomes more critical as they increase in time difference from the primary signal.

See the echo table in attachment #1 which comes from page 22 of
ATSC Recommended Practice:
Receiver Performance Guidelines
Document A/74:2010, 7 April 2010
atsc.org/cms/standards/a_74-2010.pdf

Converter boxes were also required to meet equalizer specifications for multipath to be eligible for the coupon program.
NTIA
DTV Converter Box Cupon Program
Information Sheet for Manufacturers
March 2007
The second attachment shows the specs.


Correct

If you want to spend a few hundred $$$ on a signal tester go for it. If you have a smartphone you could always download a compass app.

Does your tv have a signal strength meter? My SONY KDL22L5000 has one in the Diagnostics Screen to help aim the antenna.




Start with a compass, then use the signal strength meter if your tv has one.

I wouldn't use more than one if it is not guyed.

I previously suggested you aim it at a compass direction of 137°. If you have a compass, that should be all you need to do, besides running a scan for digital antenna channels. If your TV has a Cable/Antenna scan mode, make sure you choose Antenna.

If you don't have a compass, get one at any discount or sporting goods store. They're cheap and you don't need a fancy one, as long as it has degree markings on it.