Today’s Task - New Antenna - Non Valkyrie Related

[carolinarider09]

Just to start things off, I have been a licensed Amateur Radio Operator since the early 1960’s. (Was WA4KPK, now KI4KZ).  Not that active these days, but….   

As part of this past, building and erecting antennas was a major part of the work needed to get on the air.  Especially with low power (100 wats ) equipment. 

So, today’s activity was to replace the small, all channel, TV antenna I had with a new Channel Master 2030 antenna.  Its fairly large, something like fifteen feet long and maybe six feet wide.  The hope was improved TV signal reception after the sun goes down. 

I have scaffolding I purchased when building the house (three five foot sections give me up to 15 feet of reach.).  Today, I used two sections to allow easy access to the mast where the antenna was going be mourned (replacing a much smaller antenna).   

There were no real issues, just age related items of climbing the scaffolding and kneeling at the top when getting off the “ladder” portion of the scaffold. 

Here is a picture of the end result. 

 

I did do a brief antenna check after installation and verified I still get most of the stations I had gotten previously.  Since this was done during daytime, I will have to wait until later tonight to check signal strength after it gets dark.


I don’t know if the stations lower there power input to their antennas at night or there is more interference at night.  And with digital signals I think its either there or its not there. 

And yes, it's not very high but there are reasons.  Mainly I did not want a tower and I did not want to put it on the roof of the house.  Metal roofs are very hard to climb (in my opinion).  And an antenna on the roof means holes for screens and stuff.  And the stations are relatively nearby (40 to 50 miles).

The major issue is with the upper band VHF and UHF.   I will see what happens tonight. 

Here is a picture of the older antenna (after removal).

[Jess from VA]

ET call home.  

I was on my roof today.  Blowing the dang pollen out of my ridge vents.  I have gutter covers, but they get clogged up too.  

Lugging this thing up and down the ladder on my back is fun.


Everyone needs a hobby (or 6 or 7). 

 

[f6john]

My Directtv subscription expired on Saturday night and so I had spent the previous two days installing a digital antenna in my attic. I had reservations about using the attic from a performance aspect, but it seems to have worked. The real work was re-routing and converting the existing R6 cabling to work with the antenna location. I’m still working on finishing up that process. I’m receiving about 49 channels off the antenna of which I will probably only ever use 20%, but was that way with Directtv too.

As a perk, I receive a free subscription to Max from AT&T internet service. I had never used it and I came to find out that my 2014 Samsung smart tv isn’t really that smart so I had to have something to receive the Max streaming signal. I settled on a Roku  stick and it is the slickest thing I have bought in a long time. It is allowing me to stream more content than I ever imagined and other than the initial $30.00 cost it’s free.

[carolinarider09]

My Directtv subscription expired on Saturday night and so I had spent the previous two days installing a digital antenna in my attic. I had reservations about using the attic from a performance aspect, but it seems to have worked. The real work was re-routing and converting the existing R6 cabling to work with the antenna location. I’m still working on finishing up that process. I’m receiving about 49 channels off the antenna of which I will probably only ever use 20%, but was that way with Directtv too.

As a perk, I receive a free subscription to Max from AT&T internet service. I had never used it and I came to find out that my 2014 Samsung smart tv isn’t really that smart so I had to have something to receive the Max streaming signal. I settled on a Roku  stick and it is the slickest thing I have bought in a long time. It is allowing me to stream more content than I ever imagined and other than the initial $30.00 cost it’s free.

Two things.

One, how far are your from the TV antennas (transmitting)

Two, we use ROKU devices at home daily (almost all the time).   Also take it on the road.  Far better than the trash they have on the TV Services at motels. 

[scooperhsd]

One of the best sites to use when aiming your TV antenna  - www.rabbitears.info . I haven't met the owner in person, but I have seen him for years on other forums where TV is discussed - I was watching him as he was getting this site up. He pulls data directly from the FCC's databases of stations' info.

Regarding SmartTvs and streaming - don't count on your years old SmartTV to be able to receive the latest and greatest streaming services for more than about 3-4 years after it was made. The seperate, replaceable sticks / devices are the way to go for new apps/sources available.

I'm somewhat surprised that hotel TVs have the HDMI ports enabled so you can use your personal streaming devices. As long as it works - go for it.

[f6john]

My Directtv subscription expired on Saturday night and so I had spent the previous two days installing a digital antenna in my attic. I had reservations about using the attic from a performance aspect, but it seems to have worked. The real work was re-routing and converting the existing R6 cabling to work with the antenna location. I’m still working on finishing up that process. I’m receiving about 49 channels off the antenna of which I will probably only ever use 20%, but was that way with Directtv too.

As a perk, I receive a free subscription to Max from AT&T internet service. I had never used it and I came to find out that my 2014 Samsung smart tv isn’t really that smart so I had to have something to receive the Max streaming signal. I settled on a Roku  stick and it is the slickest thing I have bought in a long time. It is allowing me to stream more content than I ever imagined and other than the initial $30.00 cost it’s free.

Two things.

One, how far are your from the TV antennas (transmitting)

Two, we use ROKU devices at home daily (almost all the time).   Also take it on the road.  Far better than the trash they have on the TV Services at motels. 

Not sure on the distance but not as far as yours, probably. I never considered that you could take your Roku with you on trips ect, that a cool feature I wasn’t aware of.

One of the best sites to use when aiming your TV antenna  - www.rabbitears.info . I haven't met the owner in person, but I have seen him for years on other forums where TV is discussed - I was watching him as he was getting this site up. He pulls data directly from the FCC's databases of stations' info.

Regarding SmartTvs and streaming - don't count on your years old SmartTV to be able to receive the latest and greatest streaming services for more than about 3-4 years after it was made. The seperate, replaceable sticks / devices are the way to go for new apps/sources available.

I'm somewhat surprised that hotel TVs have the HDMI ports enabled so you can use your personal streaming devices. As long as it works - go for it.

My antenna came with a link for antenna positioning directionally and gave me the direction I needed in degrees. Since my iPhone has a compass,  it was a snap to line up the antenna, and everything worked on the first try. Sometimes technology is a e great thing.

[Serk]

I also went with the "in the attic" route... We have a 2 story house, so the attic is basically at a third story level. We're 30 to 35 miles from the antennas and frankly, get way too much crap but it keeps the spousal unit happy, so...

I also have means of acquiring TV shows, movies etc that are stored on a local NAS device and streamed to the TV that way, avoiding streaming services and such...

[Oss]

We have 2 different fire sticks that we bring on vacation.
The old (not the 4K) one (has no volume buttons but who cares as
the hotel remote has one and the source button) is presently on the living room tv
She can watch her shows and I got to finish watching black sails on netflix
after she falls asleep

Let us know what differences you find after its all said and done

Also what kind of pre amps or signal boosters do you use

 

[f6john]

We have 2 different fire sticks that we bring on vacation.
The old (not the 4K) one (has no volume buttons but who cares as
the hotel remote has one and the source button) is presently on the living room tv
She can watch her shows and I got to finish watching black sails on netflix
after she falls asleep

Let us know what differences you find after its all said and done

Also what kind of pre amps or signal boosters do you use

 

My antenna came with a tiny amp and that’s all I use. It will take a while for me to completely explore all that the Roku has to offer. Main thing for me is I got t rid of a $117 monthly expense.

[old2soon]

      Had an antenna installed when the satelite was installed. Now I'm JUST on an antenna and FREE is good. Too many commercials but it are what it are. Figure 75 miles strasight line to Springfield Mo. where All my channels originate from. Bad storms in the area some channels drop off. And I can Not recall what brand the antenna is. And It's mounted to the roof. I put it up BEFORE I retired. And picture looks pretty good on the ol Samsung flat screen. RIDE SAFE.

[carolinarider09]

I never considered that you could take your Roku with you on trips ect, that a cool feature I wasn’t aware of.

I'm somewhat surprised that hotel TVs have the HDMI ports enabled so you can use your personal streaming devices. As long as it works - go for it.

The only issue with the Roku device is you have to log into the Roku device (it tells you how on the screen when it cannot connect to wifi) and then follow the hotel stuff.

Regarding HDMI ports, not all hotels have TVs with spare HDMI ports.  But, in the recent past most have been using HDMI ports.  Sometimes only one (special TV) with their system connected.  Just pull their connector off and then connect Roku.

If the TV has multiple HDMI ports, most hotels don't have the OEM remote control so, you have to carry along a cheap Universal remote.  Most of those devices are easy to program by just pushing some buttons until the system responds. 

I have done it both ways. 

Yes I know more stuff to carry but I like having control. 

[carolinarider09]

We have 2 different fire sticks that we bring on vacation.
The old (not the 4K) one (has no volume buttons but who cares as
the hotel remote has one and the source button) is presently on the living room tv
She can watch her shows and I got to finish watching black sails on netflix
after she falls asleep

Let us know what differences you find after its all said and done

Also what kind of pre amps or signal boosters do you use

 

I checked yesterday after installation and then last night around 9:30 PM and I was getting all the stations I wanted and a couple of extra UHF stations.   

I was using the TV and as most of you know, the modern TVs seem to do a "signal search" whenever they want.  And they find TV stations that are not reliable.   That is a bummer but..... My real task was just to get reliable TV for local statins and the PBS.

PBS is what spurred me to act.  We don't watch live TV, unless there is an emergency in the area. 

We have a TIVO unit and it records all the shows we like and allows us to bypass commercials.  TIVO was not able to record two segments of a PBS show which was one of those that had people bring in stuff for evaluation (how much its worth).   The first show was fine.  The next two were only partially recorded. 

That spurred me to act finally.