HDTV Outdoor (Indoor) Antenna

[wxboy]

I have had a Zenith silver sensor with an RS amp w/ preamp since I have had HDTV. It is the best true indoor antenna that I have had, and I have tried pretty much all of them. So, based on experience, I think it is time to go for an outdoor antenna. Unfortunately due to building codes, I can't use it outdoors, and we don't have an accessable attic. So, can anyone recomend an outdoor CEA blue (large directional) or better that can be used in my house?

[Harold]

Look at this one.

http://www.antennasdirect.com/DB2_Indoor_antenna.html

It's designed for UHF only (2 bowties), but might pick up a high VHF station, if your clsoe enough.

[wxboy]

have tried it before. once again, I need a true outdoor antenna that is at least CEA blue which can be used indoors. Of indoor antennas the SS is the best

[Rich A]

If you go to a larger antenna with added gain you will also be narrowing it's beamwidth. The Silver Sensor is very small and can receive signals that you are not "exactly" pointed at. If all the digital stations you want are in the same antenna farm, then you will be okay. But keep in mind, an antenna gets it's gain by adding additional elements (generally) and when you add more elements the antenna become more directional. Ie it's beamwidth is narrower. So the pointing of this new (larger) antenna is going to be critical. And if one station is just a few degrees from another, you may not be able to get both, unless you rotate the antenna.

If your stations are in various different directions and you don't have any large buildings or mountains or trees in your area (causing multipath) you may find one of the omni-directional powered antennas will work fine. In fact, I would go out on a limb here and say if you can get the stations with your silver sensor the omni directional antenna may work very well. These are 2 to 3 foot saucer shaped antennas with very good gain (from a preamp) and they work well for both UHF and VHF. (many digital stations are in the VHF frequency range) Read about one manufacturer's version of this antenna here: http://www.winegard.com/offair/urban.htm#2000
That antenna has a range of VHF-45 miles and UHF-30 miles. If you can get your stations with the silver sensor, then this antenna should work well for you.

Other antenna manufacturers also make similar types, ie. Channelmaster etc.

[wxboy]

antennaweb tells me I need a large directional. my problem is I have multipath and live 20 miles away AND it must be indoors. The silver sensor is ok, but like I said breaks up every so often from a perfect signal on CBS and FOX. ABC, NBC and others are hit or miss all the time, and if I knock the silver sensor, it takes forever to repoint it!

I will say it again! I know WHAT kind of antenna I need. I need a CEA Blue (dark) or better OUTDOOR antenna that can be used INDOORS! All my stations are UHF!

[jkirk]

I will say it again! I know WHAT kind of antenna I need. I need a CEA Blue (dark) or better OUTDOOR antenna that can be used INDOORS! All my stations are UHF!

how are you going to turn the antenna? an antenna that strong will be pretty big.
btw:te others are trying to help with alternatives since some of us have ever seen such an animal.

[wxboy]

"ever seen such an animal"?

[wxboy]

and I understand you are trying to help, but I already know such things won't work. I have tried every conventional indoor antenna you can think of

[jkirk]

Originally Posted by wxboy

"ever seen such an animal"?

slang for didn't know anything like that existed.

oh it should have been never seen such an animal

[wxboy]

thats what I was afraid of. living northwest of DC on the plateu can be very frustrating. I'm still trying to figure how accurate CEA is. going to experiment some this afternoon. I think part of my problem is I have absolutely NO CLUE how to properly place the antenna. I thought line of sight was the best, but I was told by a friend who works in TV that this is NOT always the case.

[jkirk]

in my experience most of the rating given to an antenna comes from the mounting height. this is why they are mounted on a pole and the higher the better as the far signals are not that close to the ground.

[wxboy]

my Silver sensor is on top of a plastic tower in the middle of my hallway on the second story!

[Harold]

Antennas are tricky animals, since location, elevation, terrian, distance to station and other structures affect the link margin. The 2 bay UHF one I suggested is rated pretty high with regards to gain. They make a 4 and 8 bay model that yields higher gain, but they are rather large for inside use. The 2 bay one is still small enough that some folks will use it inside.

If you just wanted one station, you could make a dipole for that frequency out of small gage wire and it might work mounted on the ceiling. Most antennas are directional and should be pointed towards the station. Polarization is set so that the antenna elements should be horizontal.

Google some more and/or go back to AVS forum (try OTA for your metro area). Maybe you can get a signal report from someone in that part of town.

[wxboy]

I have posted over on AVS forum. It looks like the RS 15-2160 will be the best bet from what I read so far, but I will wait for a final response.

[Rich A]

Are you planning to rotate that antenna?

If so you will need a space of just under 7 feet. The antenna mounts at the back of it's 40 inch boom not the middle. It will be a very directional antenna by it's design. Stations 2 or 3 degrees apart might require re-aiming the antenna. Also it is a UHF only. Make sure to check that some of the stations you want are not VHF.

I opted for two of those 8-bay reflector antennas and mounted them near the top of my Ham Radio tower. One is facing an antenna farm to the north (stations all within a 6 degree spread. The other is facing generally south. These are high gain broad receiving pattern antennas. I'm in central Connecticut and with the north facing antenna I can receive an ABC station out of Springfield MA, 100 percent. This antenna has gain about the same as the RS antenna you are looking at. The difference is that the RS antenna is more directive with a narrower receiving angle. I tried that antenna at my place but could not receive ALL the northern stations because six degrees was too wide a spread for that antenna. I tried sticking the antenna directly between the stations which ended up making them all not as good.

It's very important to know if you intend to rotate the antenna. I may have missed it, if you mentioned this. Keep in mind it will be impossible to have BTV record from all the stations if you need to move it for any particular one. That's why I have two antennas each facing a group of digital stations on my tower. The coax is run down the tower for each antenna and combined at the distribution panel in the house, so I can watch / record any station at any time.

If a pair of stations were say 10 degrees apart and were only 10 miles away even a narrow beam width antenna would get them both if you aimed between the two. However if those antennas were 10 degrees apart and 30 miles away it would be much different.

The RS antenna you selected DID work very well in my own tests. I only nixed it because it was too directional and did not pick up the one VHF station I needed as well as my 8 bay array. Both antennas were UHF only, but the 8-bay by design could pick up a VHF station if it were close and strong enough.