Hello everyone! I just discovered this site and it is awesome.

I live in St.Catharines, Ontario and have just decided to go with OTA. I have a Channel Master 4228HD antenna directed towards Buffalo. This is in the attic of the house just leaning against the rafters. Currently I am receiving 2 (plus subchannels), 4, 5, 7, 11, 17 (plus subchannels), 23, 25, and 29 (plus subchannels). These are all great qualiity with strong signal. I am also receivinng 26 (plus subchannels), 36, 44, and 64 but only intermittingly and with weak signal.

Is there anything I can do to pick up more channels and/or improve quality?

Moving the antenna outside would double its reception capability. You'd also need a rotor so you can aim it towards the weaker stations in Toronto.

Do you have a preamplifier on it? That may help with the weaker stations as well.

No preamplifier on it yet but I am definately going to get one. I don't like the idea of a rotor and was thinking of going with another antenna pointed towards Toronto. Is this a good idea? And what kinnd of preamplifier should I be lookinng for?

Be sure to search the forum for prior posts on antenna combining. Basically: it might work, but there's also a very high probability that it would make things much, much worse.

For preamplifiers, generally the Channel Master 7777 or 7778 are good choices.

thanks for the advice... it is much appreciated

To put it simply, using two antennas means that you mix a good signal together with a crummy signal, giving you a crummy signal, in most circumstances. The circumstance when this is not true is when you can aim both antennas exactly 90 degreees away from one set of stations.

Stacking (point to the same direction) will work for identical antennas but will need some trial/error/time/luck to get it to work properly. An A-B switch is another option. I had luck using this device CC-7780 as combiner and pointing my antennas to different directions.

kooguy,
I know that when you stack, the lead from each antenna has to be identical to the other before the signal is mixed. Did you experiment at all with the vertical separation between the antennas and see any differences in performance due to that?

I was told that cable length don't have to be the same for CC-7870.

Here is what I have done over the weekend using the CC-7870 which works well for my setup:

1. Vertical stack (both antennas facing the same direction) with reflector very close to each other.
- 2 x 3' of coax
- 2 x 10' of coax
- 3' and 10' of coax


2. One antenna facing CN tower, one facing Grand Island (abt 60 degree separation), reflector very close to each other.
- 2 x 3' of coax
- 2 x 10' of coax
- 3' and 10' of coax



I have also tried using 2 x 30' coax run but the reception is not greate for some channels.

I would recommend keeping the coax run no more than 10' from antenna to the CC-7780. When I have time, I'll using different antennas like a Yagi with bowtie together.

Remember to keep variables down to minimum - optimize (best signal strength) each antenna first before combining them. Use the same type of coax cable, good quality connectors etc.

Don't do testing when Dxing is around...

if they are not the same lenght how come they are going to get with the same phase at the joint point then? Remember they might get at the same phase for a particulat lambda (wavelength) or channel frecuency but in opossite phase for others and therefore cancel each others.

The theoretical gain is only double the power or if you prefer 3 db , so I rather get a better higher gain antenna or possibly a preamp.

I was just skeptical as well based on my past experience with regular 2-way spliter and stacking. For example, whenever I move one antenna to another direction, receptions just go down hill....However, this CC-7870 seems to work well for me.

Winegard themselves say: "It is recommended that you run equal lengths of coax cable from each antenna to the CC-7870 to eliminate multipath and out of phase signals."

It would get better reception if you were to just get a single more powerful antenna and/or a Pre-Amp - CM-7777.

Try a 4-bay instead of an 8-bay antenna. 8-bays are more directional. Especially when the stations are further apart like where you are.

Try aiming a 4-bay closer to TO, and the Buffalo stations might come in from the side as they're probably stronger at your location.

A 7777 or 7778 preamp might also be nice, outdoors, and as short of an RG6 coax as you can get from antenna -> TV.

Welcome aboard. :)