Charlotte, NC - OTA - Page 29

You would be much better off if your receiver had two inputs (like the MyHD tuner board, for instance). Another option, besides a rotor, would be two downleads and a switch (but that doesn't work well for timed recordings). Maybe the best option would be to get an antenna that isn't so directional (square shooter). The jointenna only works for adding one station to your 'main' antenna. If you go the joining route, you will need to amplify, because no matter what you do, you'll be loosing signal. Try to find an amp that doesn't introduce too much noise. You may also google-up the True-Spec MX-4U, which plucks 4 UHF channels out of the spectrum. But if you go that route, you've got to run everything through some kind of bandpass filter or when you join them you'll run into trouble. I've got an overly complicated head-end at my house that handles analog and digitals from both directions, plus 44/58, which is the oddball and has it's own receiver input. Although it all works, I would always recommend against it unless, like me, it would spoil your whole week if it worked perfectly after installation without tweaking.

--Dale--

I'm all-for simplicity, and can't argue with what works. But the simple combination of antennas can not be counted upon; people tend to think 1+1=2 with antennas, and that's just not the typical case because the signal hitting the back of one antenna and the front of the other can cancel each other out. Your chance of getting away with the splitter approach is greatly increased if you have highly directional antennas that are aimed around 90 degrees from each other. But if your towers are "only" 90 degrees apart, a non-directional antenna aimed half way between the two targets might do just as well, especially in a UHF hot spot like the University area.

--Dale--

Guys, I can't argue with success! The reverse splitter method would be what I would try first (after a single amplified antenna didn't do it). But the closer you get to pointing in opposite directions, the less likely your signal will improve. Or how about this one... two antennas in the exact SAME direction that are joined by a reverse splitter that cause a signal to be worse! Maybe much worse! That's a puzzle I'll leave for you guys to answer how that could possibly be.

--Dale--

You win the virutal cup of java! It doesn't take a rocket scientist (or even a retired TV exec) to figure out that if the two signals are out of phase, you can get less than you put in. But better than my going-on about it, try it here!! Set the wavelength and amplitude to 40 for wave 1 and wave 2. Then change the phase closer to 180 (to do that in real-life, you'd lengthen or shorten a cable from one of the antennas).

--Dale--