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Electronics Repair (sci.electronics.repair) Discussion of repairing electronic equipment. Topics include requests for assistance, where to obtain servicing information and parts, techniques for diagnosis and repair, and annecdotes about success, failures and problems. |
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#1
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TV picture quality problems
I live in Riverside, CA (about 50 miles east of Los Angeles).
I do NOT have a cable system nor a satellite ("dish") system. Except for small "dish"-type antennas, the condo-rules allow "yagi"-type antennas only in the attic of each house. But, knowing how much signal is lost by attic-installation, my Terk TV38 antenna is laying on a flat roof (so it's not too conspicuous to the condo-board). A coax cable runs across the roof for 15 feet, goes down 4 feet into the attic and is connected to a Radio Shack signal amplifier. A coax cable then goes from the amplifier, through the attic for about 30 feet to the TV set. Here are the channels I get: Note: KVCR 24's tower has a compass orientation of 51 degrees and is 9 miles from my house. The towers for all of the other channels have a compass orientation of 287 degrees and are 43 miles from my house. Call Sign Network Channel Picture Quality * KCBS CBS 2 F KNBC NBC 4 G KTLA WB 5 E KABC ABC 7 E KCAL IND 9 F KTTV FOX 11 P KCOP UPN 13 P KVCR PBS 24 P KCET PBS 28 F KOCE PBS 50 E KDOC IND 56 G KLCS PBS 58 E * Reception ratings: E = excellent (crystal clear) G = slight snow F = moderate snow P = can't see picture Any suggestions on what I can do to get better reception? |
#2
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TV picture quality problems
Subscribe to cable. There is only so much you can pull out from the air,
unless you can expand your antenna system. Using more amplification will only increase noise, if the signal is not good to begin with. -- JANA _____ wrote in message ups.com... I live in Riverside, CA (about 50 miles east of Los Angeles). I do NOT have a cable system nor a satellite ("dish") system. Except for small "dish"-type antennas, the condo-rules allow "yagi"-type antennas only in the attic of each house. But, knowing how much signal is lost by attic-installation, my Terk TV38 antenna is laying on a flat roof (so it's not too conspicuous to the condo-board). A coax cable runs across the roof for 15 feet, goes down 4 feet into the attic and is connected to a Radio Shack signal amplifier. A coax cable then goes from the amplifier, through the attic for about 30 feet to the TV set. Here are the channels I get: Note: KVCR 24's tower has a compass orientation of 51 degrees and is 9 miles from my house. The towers for all of the other channels have a compass orientation of 287 degrees and are 43 miles from my house. Call Sign Network Channel Picture Quality * KCBS CBS 2 F KNBC NBC 4 G KTLA WB 5 E KABC ABC 7 E KCAL IND 9 F KTTV FOX 11 P KCOP UPN 13 P KVCR PBS 24 P KCET PBS 28 F KOCE PBS 50 E KDOC IND 56 G KLCS PBS 58 E * Reception ratings: E = excellent (crystal clear) G = slight snow F = moderate snow P = can't see picture Any suggestions on what I can do to get better reception? |
#3
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TV picture quality problems
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#4
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TV picture quality problems
Hi Jim,
The Terk TV38 is a Large Uni-Directional HDTV Antenna measuring 149.75" L x 111" W x 31.5"H. Since my "attic" is really only a crawl-space -- about 4 feet between ceiling and roof -- how can I "keep all the antenna elements as far away as possible from everything (joists, roofing, pipes, chimneys, etc)"? Would the attic be significantly better than the flat-on-the-roof location? Would the picture quality for all of the channels improve by getting a different antenna? Any recommendations? Gary |
#6
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TV picture quality problems
Hi Jim,
The Terk antenna was originally on a 3-foot-tall mast on a tripod, making the main boom about 5 feet above the flat roof. To partially-comply with the condo-board's order, the antenna is now laying on the roof (one end is supported so the main boom is horizontal). I've run new coax from the antenna to the amplifier to the TV set and all of the connections are good. I have rotated the antenna thru all 360 degrees! I even used a compass to point the antenna at Mt. Wilson. In both cases, the picture quality didn't improve. Any ideas? Gary |
#7
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TV picture quality problems
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#8
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TV picture quality problems
Hi Ken,
The main boom of the antenna is "bubble-level" horizontal. My house is about 850 feet above sea level and the broadcast towers are 6,000 feet above sea level on Mt. Wilson which is about 45 miles away. How do I know how much to angle the antenna? Yes, I have the balun connects the antenna terrminals and the coax. (In fact, the balun that came with the antenna was bad so Terk sent me a new one). There is no "wall" (little or big; with or without metal flashing) around the roof-edge. However, there are a few PVC and metal air-vents (about 1 foot tall) within 10 feet of the antenna. The coax cable goes from the antenna, down one of the air vents, runs through the attic/crawl-space for about 40 feet then drops down to the TV set. ============ Right now, the top elements of the antenna are just barely visible above the perimeter of the roof. I really can't raise the antenna (even a few inches) because the condo-rules forbid any antennas from being on or mounted to common-area property (including roofs). Since I have no other location on my unit to put my antenna, I figure that, if the condo-board can't see the antenna, they won't know it's there. Gary |
#9
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TV picture quality problems
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#10
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TV picture quality problems
Ken Weitzel wrote in news:somjg.14181$IK3.9766
@pd7tw1no: In other words, bubble level at your location is very wrong, you have to raise the director (the shortest bars, pointed to the station) end of the antenna considerably. I leave it to you to find out how much, but a suggestion would be to either temporarily run an AC cord up there, or get a hold of a battery operated set, hook it up on the roof, and watch it while manipulating the antenna. I second Ken's suggestion of taking a small tv set up on the roof. And I agree that, from your location, the transmitting antennas on Mr. Wilson are *above* the horizon. In other words, you have line-of-sight contact between your antenna and the transmitters. (Unless you are tucked behind a hill or something.) At 45 miles, line-of-sight, you should have darn good tv reception. When the air is clear (and I know this is hypothetical, considering air quality between LA and Riverside) I bet you can *see* Mt. Wilson with binoculars. That's the direction you want to aim your antenna. |
#11
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TV picture quality problems
Hi Jim,
My options a 1) Use binoculars. (Maybe the air will be clean enough in December to see Mt Wilson from my house or 2) Use a portable TV or walkie-talkies. Hmmm. Gary |
#12
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TV picture quality problems
Hi Jim,
My options a 1) Use binoculars. (Maybe the air will be clean enough in December to see Mt Wilson from my house) or 2) Use a portable TV or walkie-talkies. Dont' rush me; I'm thinking! Thanks, Gary |
#13
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TV picture quality problems
You might try a mast mounted amp. The old adage "you don't pull the
signal, you push it" should hold true. Since it is unlikely the you can run power up there, you need a coax powered unit. Many of them are. As far as I know there are no real requirements for an ATSC amp, other than to amplify 50-900 Mhz. If Terk doesn't have one maybe try Channel Master. Even if you took your present amp and determined the internal DC requirement you could send the DC through the coax. You shouldn't even have to build anything, between power pass and power block coax filters you should have no problem setting it up. JURB |
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