Could someone please help me pick out an antenna, so that I can pickup the free HD channels available to me in Modesto, CA. I am getting Dish Network setup next week, and I was thinking of asking the installer to put up the antenna while he's there.
Help, choosing antenna for Local HD channels in Modesto,CA
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Do a little reading in this section. I did and it helped me alot. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=381623
But start with antennaweb.org.
Solidsignal.com also has an antenna help section on there web site. Good luck.
Do a little reading in this section. I did and it helped me alot. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=381623
But start with antennaweb.org.
Solidsignal.com also has an antenna help section on there web site. Good luck.
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It looks like the channels are coming at you from many different directions (see attached plot). This means that an omnidirectional antenna like the Channel Master 3000A SMARTenna or the Winegard MetroStar-2000 would be your most likely candidates. Either of these antennas should be able to pick up channels in the "green" zone on the plot. Keep in mind that these "frisbee" shaped antennas should be mounted above the roofline so that they have a clear view of the horizon in all directions.
If you want to get channels further down the list (yellow and red zones), you'll need a more sensitive antenna. However, those types of antennas are directional, meaning that you can't get channels from different directions at the same time. It's a bit more work to set up antenna rotators or other configurations to accomodate this. I don't know how much assistance you can expect from a dish installer to make sure you get good OTA reception.
Also, if the dish installer offers any "clip on" OTA antennas that fit on the dish, I'd recommend against it. Those antennas are small folded dipoles, which are semi- directional and have low gain. They have about the same amount of gain as the omni antennas listed above, but how well they work depends on which way it's aimed (and you don't get a choice if it's clipped onto the dish).
Best regards,
Andy
It looks like the channels are coming at you from many different directions (see attached plot). This means that an omnidirectional antenna like the Channel Master 3000A SMARTenna or the Winegard MetroStar-2000 would be your most likely candidates. Either of these antennas should be able to pick up channels in the "green" zone on the plot. Keep in mind that these "frisbee" shaped antennas should be mounted above the roofline so that they have a clear view of the horizon in all directions.
If you want to get channels further down the list (yellow and red zones), you'll need a more sensitive antenna. However, those types of antennas are directional, meaning that you can't get channels from different directions at the same time. It's a bit more work to set up antenna rotators or other configurations to accomodate this. I don't know how much assistance you can expect from a dish installer to make sure you get good OTA reception.
Also, if the dish installer offers any "clip on" OTA antennas that fit on the dish, I'd recommend against it. Those antennas are small folded dipoles, which are semi- directional and have low gain. They have about the same amount of gain as the omni antennas listed above, but how well they work depends on which way it's aimed (and you don't get a choice if it's clipped onto the dish).
Best regards,
Andy
Andy.S.Lee already posted a chart, but if you provide your zip code, it is easier to look up the stations on antennaweb.org for a breakdown of the major broadcast channels with network and broadcast channels. Modesto has multiple zip codes, so your zip would allow us to be more accurate. You appear to be around 30 to 50 miles from the Sacramento & Stockton stations, so you should be looking at a medium to long range antenna which can get UHF and upper VHF (and maybe low VHF 6 for 2009). Post your zip and we can provide more accurate advice.
Andy.S.Lee already posted a chart, but if you provide your zip code, it is easier to look up the stations on antennaweb.org for a breakdown of the major broadcast channels with network and broadcast channels. Modesto has multiple zip codes, so your zip would allow us to be more accurate. You appear to be around 30 to 50 miles from the Sacramento & Stockton stations, so you should be looking at a medium to long range antenna which can get UHF and upper VHF (and maybe low VHF 6 for 2009). Post your zip and we can provide more accurate advice.
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I looked at the antennaweb result for your zip and it is kind of strange. For some reason it is not showing the Sacramento ABC, CW, NBC, or CBS digital stations that broadcast from the same general area that the Sacramento stations that do show up broadcast from. If you get yourself a good directional antenna and point it at 308 degrees you should be able to get ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ION, PBS, CW, and whatever KQCA broadcasts now. All are presently UHF but PBS and ABC plan to move back to channels 9 and 10 respectively in 2009. So a UHF antenna will work for now but you will probably want an all channel antenna in 2009 so it would probably be wise just to get it now.
Your zip code places you a fair distance from the broadcast towers for the Stockton and Sacramento stations. For your zip code and adding an antenna height of 200' to get a more complete list of digital stations, antennaweb.org shows:
* yellow - uhf KTXL-DT 40.1 FOX SACRAMENTO CA 308° 58.2 55
* yellow - uhf KSPX-DT 29.1 ION SACRAMENTO CA 308° 58.2 48
* yellow - uhf KVIE-DT 6.1 PBS SACRAMENTO CA 308° 58.2 53
* yellow - uhf KUVS-DT 19.1 UNI MODESTO CA 357° 36.8 18
* red - uhf KQCA-DT 58.1 MNT STOCKTON CA 310° 56.8 46
* blue - vhf KAIL-DT 7.1 MNT FRESNO CA 100° 86.6 7
* blue - uhf KTNC-DT 42.1 AZA CONCORD CA 275° 60.1 63
* blue - uhf KFTV-DT 21.1 UNI HANFORD CA 100° 86.6 20
* violet - vhf KFSN-DT 30.1 ABC FRESNO CA 99° 86.4 9
* violet - vhf KNTV-DT 11.1 NBC SAN JOSE CA 260° 86.2 12
I see analog NBC, CBS, CW stations for Sacramento, but the digital station are not showing. You need to check with the Sacramento local thread to find out if these stations are at full power yet on the digital signal. Odds are that most of these stations are at full power, but antennaweb database is not up to date.
You are around 58 miles from the major network stations in Sacramento & Stockton. All of the digital stations are currently on UHF, but KXTV-DT will be switching to VHF 10 and the KVIE-DT PBS 6 station is currently scheduled to switch to VHF 6 in 2009. Are you considering an attic or rooftop mount? In either case, you should be looking at a directional VHF & UHF antenna. The Channel Master 4228 8 Bay would work for now, but not for KVIE-DT PBS if it switches to low VHF 6 in 2009. For full coverage, something like the Winegard HD7082p or similar medium to long range VHF/UHF antenna is what you should be looking at.
Your zip code places you a fair distance from the broadcast towers for the Stockton and Sacramento stations. For your zip code and adding an antenna height of 200' to get a more complete list of digital stations, antennaweb.org shows:
* yellow - uhf KTXL-DT 40.1 FOX SACRAMENTO CA 308° 58.2 55
* yellow - uhf KSPX-DT 29.1 ION SACRAMENTO CA 308° 58.2 48
* yellow - uhf KVIE-DT 6.1 PBS SACRAMENTO CA 308° 58.2 53
* yellow - uhf KUVS-DT 19.1 UNI MODESTO CA 357° 36.8 18
* red - uhf KQCA-DT 58.1 MNT STOCKTON CA 310° 56.8 46
* blue - vhf KAIL-DT 7.1 MNT FRESNO CA 100° 86.6 7
* blue - uhf KTNC-DT 42.1 AZA CONCORD CA 275° 60.1 63
* blue - uhf KFTV-DT 21.1 UNI HANFORD CA 100° 86.6 20
* violet - vhf KFSN-DT 30.1 ABC FRESNO CA 99° 86.4 9
* violet - vhf KNTV-DT 11.1 NBC SAN JOSE CA 260° 86.2 12
I see analog NBC, CBS, CW stations for Sacramento, but the digital station are not showing. You need to check with the Sacramento local thread to find out if these stations are at full power yet on the digital signal. Odds are that most of these stations are at full power, but antennaweb database is not up to date.
You are around 58 miles from the major network stations in Sacramento & Stockton. All of the digital stations are currently on UHF, but KXTV-DT will be switching to VHF 10 and the KVIE-DT PBS 6 station is currently scheduled to switch to VHF 6 in 2009. Are you considering an attic or rooftop mount? In either case, you should be looking at a directional VHF & UHF antenna. The Channel Master 4228 8 Bay would work for now, but not for KVIE-DT PBS if it switches to low VHF 6 in 2009. For full coverage, something like the Winegard HD7082p or similar medium to long range VHF/UHF antenna is what you should be looking at.
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The Sacramento ABC station has a radiated power of 1 megawatt from the top of a 2000 foot tower. The CBS station has a bit lower power and broadcasts from the same 2000 foot tower. Both of these stations have been full power for years. I am not sure what is happening with the NBC station. Their DTV was on a 1500 foot tower, that they are part owner of, but their analog is on another 2000 foot tower. I assume the DTV will move to the 2000 foot tower or maybe already has done so.
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448 Posts
The TV Fool analysis tool has been updated to include network affiliation now, so let's give this a shot... The attached plot is for zip code 95326. This analysis already accounts for transmitter radiation pattern, terrain, and curvature of the Earth. It does not account for buildings, trees, or multipath.
Based on this, it looks like all the major networks should be receivable without going to high gain antennas. There's still the same problem mentioned before of the transmitters being located in a lot of different directions. Omni antennas are normally not recommended for large distances, but in this case, the terrain is wide open, the transmitters are very tall (and line-of-sight), and the transmitted powers are high. I'd still expect the omni antennas to work, given these signal strengths (down to roughly -75 dBm on the chart under "Rx(dBm)").
There is another set of transmitters about 86 miles away serving Fresno. Those are probably out of reach of the omni antennas (because their signals fall below -80dBm and the omni antennas have poor resistance to multipath/fading/co-channel interference), but they are easily within reach of higher gain antennas like the 4228 (UHF only). Since the major networks are already accessible via closer transmitters, I'm not sure there's much value in trying to get the Fresno channels as well.
As a footnote, keep in mind that omni antennas are still partially directional. If you go with an omni antenna, it's still a good idea to try rotating it in various directions to optimize reception since the gain is not truly uniform in all directions.
Best regards,
Andy
Based on this, it looks like all the major networks should be receivable without going to high gain antennas. There's still the same problem mentioned before of the transmitters being located in a lot of different directions. Omni antennas are normally not recommended for large distances, but in this case, the terrain is wide open, the transmitters are very tall (and line-of-sight), and the transmitted powers are high. I'd still expect the omni antennas to work, given these signal strengths (down to roughly -75 dBm on the chart under "Rx(dBm)").
There is another set of transmitters about 86 miles away serving Fresno. Those are probably out of reach of the omni antennas (because their signals fall below -80dBm and the omni antennas have poor resistance to multipath/fading/co-channel interference), but they are easily within reach of higher gain antennas like the 4228 (UHF only). Since the major networks are already accessible via closer transmitters, I'm not sure there's much value in trying to get the Fresno channels as well.
As a footnote, keep in mind that omni antennas are still partially directional. If you go with an omni antenna, it's still a good idea to try rotating it in various directions to optimize reception since the gain is not truly uniform in all directions.
Best regards,
Andy
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Hi, I'd like to ask the same question as the original poster...but maybe there's been some updates since this question was asked in May 2007. I'd like help in choosing a outdoor rooftop antenna to receive any channels, HD, local or not from my home in Oakdale, California. Zip Code is 95361. Not sure if I should have started this question as a new thread?
Thanks in Advance!
Chris
Thanks in Advance!
Chris
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21,579 Posts
Go to TVFool and put in your address. That will show you what you can receive at your location. Post the results in the HDTV Local forum that is closest to you and the folks there will tell you which antenna will work best for you.
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Great! Will do, thank you for your help!
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