[Peter Acker]

Hi all,

I’ve been having fits with my antenna reception. I live in Southeastern VA, 20-22 miles from my tv stations, which are all within 4 degrees of one another. It’s flat here, and I have my antenna in the attic of my 2-story house. We’d been getting good reception for months with an antenna like the one pictured (channel master metrotenna), and an amplifier at the tv. Recently it started to consistently suffer, so I went and bought a yagi-type antenna, and that did great for a few months. Now, however, neither antenna will get all of the channels we used to get. This has been consistent over a few weeks, and not just a bad-weather thing. I’ve been messing around with them and about at my wits end. My next thought is to mount both of the antennas with a splitter/combiner. Any other suggestions? Preamplifier?

Any idea why the signal seems to degrade over time?

Thanks very much for any help,

Pete

 

[Ratman]

Leaves?


Also:
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/25-h...all-ota-threads-rabbitears-info-1st-post.html

 

[Peter Acker]

Thanks - it wouldn’t be leaves, as the latest interruptions have come midsummer. That’s something I hadn’t considered though.

Also, I’m working on editing the title to add location but can’t seem to do so on my phone. Will get on my computer and try. Sorry about that.

 

[Peter Acker]

Also, I ran my rabbit ears report: https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php?request=result&study_id=5993

The channels marked “good” are the ones I usually/used to get. Now I’m having trouble with 13, 15, and 43.

 

[johnny antenna]

Also, I ran my rabbit ears report: https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php?request=result&study_id=5993

The channels marked “good” are the ones I usually/used to get. Now I’m having trouble with 13, 15, and 43.

Your signals are strong there. I would try your metro antenna near the tv with a short coaxial cable without the amplifier to see what happens.

 

[Ratman]

. Now I’m having trouble with 13, 15, and 43.

"real channels" or the "virtual" channels?


What is the "trouble"? No reception or dropouts?


Could your issues be due to the "channel repack" taking place? Maybe the channel/frequency reallocations have affected your antenna's reception.

 

[DrDon]

. Now I’m having trouble with 13, 15, and 43.

Yes, please use CALL LETTERS. Much easier for us to figure out. I put your location as Norfolk as that's your closest market. Will probably move this thread there, eventually.

Doc

 

[gbynum]

We’d been getting good reception for months with an antenna like the one pictured (channel master metrotenna), and an amplifier at the tv.

I've read the posts to date, and with your signals, I'd guess either cabling or that "amplifier at the tv". You shouldn't need an amplifier. I'd guess it is either having problems, or that some other signal is overloading it.

Try a single coax from the antenna directly to the tv.

 

[7721118]

Thanks - it wouldn’t be leaves, as the latest interruptions have come midsummer. That’s something I hadn’t considered though.

Actually it still could be trees. They grow all summer and what you're looking through when they first leafed out is different from now. You said you've been "getting good reception for months." So you're saying this was a new installation in the Spring? Sure sounds like vegetation issues to me.

The Channel Master Metrotenna is a UHF antenna. Your channel 13 is on RF 13 so you need a VHF antenna. It doesn't matter that you were receiving it before, you still need a VHF antenna.

You said you bought a yagi type antenna. What did you buy? Another UHF antenna or a VHF/UHF combo antenna?

 

[Peter Acker]

The amplifier! I tried without and - preliminarily - all my channels are back. Will see if this continues or regresses again and update the thread.

Thank you all for your knowledge and patience for a beginner.

 

[Peter Acker]

By the way, my newer and current antenna is a GE Pro Outdoor.

 

[tylerSC]

The amplifier! I tried without and - preliminarily - all my channels are back. Will see if this continues or regresses again and update the thread.

Thank you all for your knowledge and patience for a beginner.

Probably a better amplifier with adjustable gain may be suggested. Could be overload issue, or noise from the amplifier. Antop amplifiers are good because they have adjustable gain so you can fine tune for weak signals and not overload strong signals. And I have found the Antop 400BV antenna and their new Antop 800SBS to perform very good for reliable reception, with wide beamwidth and adjustable gain amplifier. But sounds like your current antenna may be adequate, just perhaps the amplifier issue. You could also try a good distribution amp from Channel Master, although you may not need an amp at all. Sometimes an amp may cause problems when it may not be needed.

 

[7721118]

And I have found the Antop 400BV antenna and their new Antop 800SBS to perform very good for reliable reception,

It's hard for me to take seriously the manufacturer's claims of receiving stations at 70 miles and 85 miles respectively.

 

[tylerSC]

It's hard for me to take seriously the manufacturer's claims of receiving stations at 70 miles and 85 miles respectively.

Marketing hype aside, they are the best flat panel style antennas I have tried. And I received full power stations at 75 miles. But perhaps not ultimately as good as an 8bay or 91XG in a fringe application, and not necessarily strong for VHF long distance. But good antennas nevertheless, especially in suburban applications.