LacrosseA vs Lacrosse + CM 7777

2317 Views 4 Replies 2 Participants Last post by tuskentower, Mar 27, 2007

tuskentower

Discussion Starter · Oct 7, 2006

I have looked for reviews for the Lacrosse antenna available from Antennas Direct, but I have not seen many that are conclusive. I was wondering if anyone knew the difference between using the pre-amp from Lacrosse or getting the CM 7777 pre-amp.

For the curious, I live at 19406-1528 and below is the listing of channels from antennaweb. Based on reviews I might go with a CM 4221 4bay mounted in my loft (aka finished attic) facing out a window in the direction of Philadelphia. I have a HOA and I was told by my neighbor that getting a normal antenna mounted outside will be a problem.

I am using a silver sensor at the moment and I can only receive ABC (64), FOX (42), and CBS (26) without problems. I live near the bottom of a sloping landscape (meaning its pretty much uphill from where I live if you go in the direction of Philadelphia).

The really odd part is the MNT (54), yellow range, does not come in at all unless I do some odd re-orientation of the antenna. CW (32) and PBS (34) have no sound. If play around with the antenna I might get sound with CW, but I screw up the signal for the other channels. NBC (67), red range, comes in pretty well, but signal drops off intermittently.

From what I have read I believe that I have a fading problem. If I am way off-base in picking the Lacrosse, please do tell me so. Based on a PDF rating from Terrestrial Digital, the Lacrosse seems to be equivalent to the Winegard Square Shooter.

Code:

Code:

yellow - uhf    WPVI-DT 6.1     ABC     PHILADELPHIA    PA              130°    9.2     64 
yellow - uhf    WPHL-DT 17.1    MNT     PHILADELPHIA    PA              130°    9.5     54 
yellow - uhf    WYBE-DT 34.1    PBS     PHILADELPHIA    PA              130°    9.5     34 
yellow - uhf    WTXF-DT 29.1    FOX     PHILADELPHIA    PA              123°    8.9     42 
yellow - uhf    KYW-DT  3.1     CBS     PHILADELPHIA    PA              130°    9.2     26 
red - uhf       WPSG-DT 57.1    CW      PHILADELPHIA    PA              130°    9.5     32 
red - uhf       WHYY-DT 12.1    PBS     WILMINGTON      DE              130°    9.4     55 
red - uhf       WCAU-DT 10.1    NBC     PHILADELPHIA    PA              129°    9.5     67

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texasbrit

· #2 · Oct 8, 2006

Your HOA can't stop you putting up an outside antenna, if the HOA regulations say you can't have an outside antenna they are not enforceable. See the FCC fact sheet: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

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tuskentower

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 8, 2006

texasbrit thanks for the info. I'll spring that if I need to.

Some more information about tower output and height from 2150. I compared this info with the FCC database and it looks the same (reminder to those who compare, the FCC specs are in meters not feet). The ABC station does not have a "Relative Field polar plot" which is why, I'm guessing, that its not on the 2150 website. The plus and minus markers in the list show stations whose polar field my home falls under. The information seems to correspond directly with the stations that I receive, except for PBS. What I obviously don't understand is how the polar plot, antenna output and height affect my reception.

Code:

Code:

yellow - uhf    WPVI-DT 6.1     ABC     PHL     +?      130°    9.2     64      74Kw    1089ft 
yellow - uhf    WPHL-DT 17.1    MNT     PHL     -       131°    9.5     54      500Kw   1161ft 
yellow - uhf    WYBE-DT 34.1    PBS     PHL     +       131°    9.5     34      500Kw   1125ft 
yellow - uhf    WTXF-DT 29.1    FOX     PHL     +       124°    8.9     42      305Kw   528ft 
yellow - uhf    KYW-DT  3.1     CBS     PHL     +       131°    9.2     26      770Kw   1230ft 
red - uhf       WPSG-DT 57.1    CW      PHL     -       131°    9.5     32      250Kw   1312ft 
red - uhf       WHYY-DT 12.1    PBS     WIL     -       131°    9.4     55      87Kw    850ft 
red - uhf       WCAU-DT 10.1    NBC     PHL     +       131°    9.5     67      560Kw   1237ft

I have half a mind to cross post this information in the PhildelpPhiladelphia but I'll wait.

In any case I'm going to take the chance and buy the LacrosseA. If it works, it goes up on the roof, if it doesn't, it sucks to be me and I'll try the CM 4221 4bay.

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tuskentower

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 28, 2006

update:

I bought the LacrosseA and without the amp I can pull in all the singals I want. To the point that noise is cause more dropouts than loss of signal. I can even split the unamplified signal. The antenna is not omnidirectional (which antennas direct indicates). Aiming it in the right direction improves my signal greatly. The antenna is lighter than it looks and larger than you think it will be. The included amp and jmount make up for some of the extra cost of this antenna. Granted this amp is no CM 7777, but it does its job.

The odd part, I am still have problems pulling in the audio for CW (32) and WYBE (34). I talked with a guy at work who runs his own with amature radio broadcasts out of his van. He felt that if the sending towers are in the the exact same direction (130 degrees) and at similar heights, the lowest FOX @ 800ft and highest CW @1300ft, that obstructions were not my concern. His guess was a local disruption in signal on the same frequency. Does anyone have any ideas?

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tuskentower

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 27, 2007

Update:

FYI, there was no noise in the reception. My Linux HTPC setup is having issues with playback. I should have posted this a while ago, but forgot to do so.

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