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Topic:
US HD Channel Reception
This thread has 6 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Monday April 30, 2012 at 00:01
supergino
Lurking Member
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April 2012
3
Hey guys, I am a newbie and I just installed my HD antenna. I kinda followed a few friends who had some luck with a brand they bought but I purchased one now and I am not so lucky.

Masically I purchased a MAX Digital outdoor antenna. It is approx 9 feet up on the side of my bungalow and cant get much higher right now. I can get almost all HD canadian channels except SUN but I cant get ANY US channels at all!!

Here are some specifics about my setup:

Antenna height: 9 Feet
Cable Length: 60 feet ( I know its long but I have a booster as well)
TV: Panasonic G20 and a Sharp Aquos
Anntenna mounted on J-Mount
Cable used: high quality RG6

I only get 11 channels and I am wondering if its just the height that is causing me to lose the US channels. maybe it is also the brand antenna I have used as well?

Any feedback is appreciated and if I missed anything please let me know.

Thanks
OP | Post 2 made on Monday April 30, 2012 at 00:16
supergino
Lurking Member
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April 2012
3
LOL I should also add my location huh.

I am near bathurst and 401 area...I figure with people getting US stations from Markham that I would have no issues getting it from where I am.

Anyway thanks for looking.
Post 3 made on Monday April 30, 2012 at 10:50
Nueatit
Long Time Member
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Posts:
August 2008
149
Most if not all of us are using a mast mounted pre-amp with at least 20 dB of gain, otherwise, no USA channels.

Also, if getting a pre-amp, make sure it can handle VHF frequencies also, otherwise no chennal 9, chn 9 does come in on UHF antenna only up here in Richmond Hill.

Other issue, are you blocked due south by high rises (Line of sight)?
OP | Post 4 made on Monday April 30, 2012 at 16:38
supergino
Lurking Member
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April 2012
3
Ah...ok well looks like that is my issue. The Antenna I have says 14db gain.

I dont have any blockages as about 80% of my southern view is clear but theres a massive tree to the left of it.

When you mention pre-amp...do you mean the amplified splitter where I plug the cable in?

Sorry for the dumb question.
Post 5 made on Tuesday May 1, 2012 at 10:03
Nueatit
Long Time Member
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August 2008
149
From your list of items making up the system, antenna, co-ax and 2 TV's, you did not mention a splitter.

If this is a passive splitter, leave it in place (a 2-way splitter has min. 4 dB loss), if it is active amplified splitter, the gain of these is not enough normally.

An antenna pre-amp has 20 to 26 dB of gain, is mounted within 3 feet of antenna and has power supply indoors. If you use it with a passive splitter, the power inserter HAS to be after the splitter on the antenna side of the co-ax feed, NOT between splitter and TV's.

Google for amps, Wintronic has some and so do others, make sure it has both VHF & UHF rf gain, otherwise you will loss chn 9.

Basic system layouts from outside to inside.

Good high gain antenna, short co-ax (max 3 ft) to mast mounted pre-amp, good co-ax run to indoors (not more than 60 ft), add power inserter for pre-amp, add short co-ax to passive 2-way splitter, then short co-ax run to the 2 TV's.

Try to avoid amplified splitters for anything less than 3 tv's. More than that a very good cable amp/splitter with overall 0 dB loss should be used.

Good luck

Last edited by Nueatit on May 1, 2012 18:20.
Post 6 made on Thursday May 3, 2012 at 01:30
Daniel Tonks
Wrangler of Remotes
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Posts:
October 1998
28,779
What exactly is this "MAX Digital outdoor antenna"? I can't seem to find it online. UHF antennas range from a coat hanger to an 8-foot parabolic dish (always wanted one of those), and as always... the bigger the better!
Post 7 made on Friday June 1, 2012 at 11:53
Nueatit
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
August 2008
149
Supergino

So what did you finally do, amp etc.?

How is the HD reception?


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