I've got a decent sized, quality antenna in my attic, aimed properly, etc.
but still can't get all the VHF channels as clearly as I would like. I live
in southern California, and have a clear look at Mt Wilson, our local
transmitter source which is about 25 miles away. I do not want cable or any
of the equivalents, and cannot put a full antenna on the roof.

What methods and/or equipment is there for improving my reception? Gain
boosters, high tech antennas, etc?

- Magnusfarce

On Mon, 16 May 2005 06:00:36 -0700, "Magnusfarce"
wrote:

I've got a decent sized, quality antenna in my attic, aimed properly, etc.
but still can't get all the VHF channels as clearly as I would like. I live
in southern California, and have a clear look at Mt Wilson, our local
transmitter source which is about 25 miles away. I do not want cable or any
of the equivalents, and cannot put a full antenna on the roof.

What methods and/or equipment is there for improving my reception? Gain
boosters, high tech antennas, etc?

- Magnusfarce


You can add an amplifier to the line. Get the type that puts the amp
at the antenna, not at the TV. You also might want to try rotating
the antenna while someone watches the TV. When you put an antenna in
the attic, pointing directly at the tower may not be the optimum
direction. Also try moving the antenna to another part of the attic.
A pair of FRS radios helps greatly to talk between the person moving
the antenna and the person watching the TV.

On Mon, 16 May 2005 06:00:36 -0700, "Magnusfarce"
wrote:

I've got a decent sized, quality antenna in my attic, aimed properly, etc.
but still can't get all the VHF channels as clearly as I would like. I live
in southern California, and have a clear look at Mt Wilson, our local
transmitter source which is about 25 miles away. I do not want cable or any
of the equivalents, and cannot put a full antenna on the roof.

What methods and/or equipment is there for improving my reception? Gain
boosters, high tech antennas, etc?

- Magnusfarce


Are you saying that you "can't" put an antenna on the roof because of
wiring and/or personal preference reasons? Or because of homeowner
association rules? If it is the latter, I believe the FCC has a rule
that prevents an HOA from restricting this.

On Mon, 16 May 2005 10:42:39 -0500, Keith wrote:

On Mon, 16 May 2005 06:00:36 -0700, "Magnusfarce"
wrote:

I've got a decent sized, quality antenna in my attic, aimed properly, etc.
but still can't get all the VHF channels as clearly as I would like. I live
in southern California, and have a clear look at Mt Wilson, our local
transmitter source which is about 25 miles away. I do not want cable or any
of the equivalents, and cannot put a full antenna on the roof.

What methods and/or equipment is there for improving my reception? Gain
boosters, high tech antennas, etc?

- Magnusfarce


Are you saying that you "can't" put an antenna on the roof because of
wiring and/or personal preference reasons? Or because of homeowner
association rules? If it is the latter, I believe the FCC has a rule
that prevents an HOA from restricting this.

And here are the rules. http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

On 05/16/05 12:01 pm Dick tossed the following ingredients into the
ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

I've got a decent sized, quality antenna in my attic, aimed properly, etc.
but still can't get all the VHF channels as clearly as I would like. I live
in southern California, and have a clear look at Mt Wilson, our local
transmitter source which is about 25 miles away. I do not want cable or any
of the equivalents, and cannot put a full antenna on the roof.

What methods and/or equipment is there for improving my reception? Gain
boosters, high tech antennas, etc?

Are you saying that you "can't" put an antenna on the roof because of
wiring and/or personal preference reasons? Or because of homeowner
association rules? If it is the latter, I believe the FCC has a rule
that prevents an HOA from restricting this.

And here are the rules. http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

And note that the rule applies only to areas of which the occupant has
exclusive use. It does not permit the occupant to mount an antenna on
common areas, such as the roof. Don't know about attics.

Perce

Two ideas:

1. Optimize the aiming of your antenna. Check out http://www.antennaweb.org
as they have a tool that will provide compass bearing info from your
specific location to the transmitter antennas. As the other poster
mentioned a pair of radios and a friend viewing the TV will help. A few
degrees of pointing error can make a big difference in reception if you
have a 'beam' type antenna -- especially if the length of the boom is
large (more elements, narrower beam pattern).

2. Add a low noise amplifier as close to the antenna as possible. Make
sure it is a low noise figure amplifier, and not simply a 'distribution'
amplifier. Of course if the antenna itself is not putting out a good
quality signal, an amplifier wont help.

For what it is worth I installed a VHF / UHF antenna in my attic in
Placentia, CA with mixed results. The aim is optimized and I am using a
low noise amplifier located at the antenna output. The reception works
OK for digital signals but I get terrible reception on analog
broadcasts. I get great reception for everything if I mount the antenna
outside. My take on this is that the home walls (stucco with an internal
'chicken wire' layer) is attenuating the signal before it gets to the
antenna. I am legally allowed to put the antenna on the roof, but am
trying to avoid doing so (at least until others in my neighborhood put
some up).

Steve




Magnusfarce wrote:

I've got a decent sized, quality antenna in my attic, aimed properly, etc.
but still can't get all the VHF channels as clearly as I would like. I live
in southern California, and have a clear look at Mt Wilson, our local
transmitter source which is about 25 miles away. I do not want cable or any
of the equivalents, and cannot put a full antenna on the roof.

What methods and/or equipment is there for improving my reception? Gain
boosters, high tech antennas, etc?

- Magnusfarce

In article ,
Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
On 05/16/05 12:01 pm Dick tossed the following ingredients into the
ever-growing pot of cybersoup:


And here are the rules. http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

And note that the rule applies only to areas of which the occupant has
exclusive use. It does not permit the occupant to mount an antenna on
common areas, such as the roof. Don't know about attics.

Perce

If we're talking about a single family house, as opposed to a multi-family
condo/townhouse/apartment, then the roof would be considered exclusive use.


--
-- Welcome My Son, Welcome To The Machine --
Bob Vaughan | techie @ tantivy.net |
| P.O. Box 19792, Stanford, Ca 94309 |
-- I am Me, I am only Me, And no one else is Me, What could be simpler? --

On 05/24/05 12:54 am Bob Vaughan tossed the following ingredients into
the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

And here are the rules. http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

And note that the rule applies only to areas of which the occupant has
exclusive use. It does not permit the occupant to mount an antenna on
common areas, such as the roof. Don't know about attics.

If we're talking about a single family house, as opposed to a multi-family
condo/townhouse/apartment, then the roof would be considered exclusive use.

Yes, of course. But I was responding to the previous post relating to a
Home Owners' Association trying to restrict or prohibit the installation
of antennas. That's what the link to the FCC rules is about.

Perce

On Tue, 24 May 2005 09:42:40 -0400, someone wrote:


Yes, of course. But I was responding to the previous post relating to a
Home Owners' Association trying to restrict or prohibit the installation
of antennas. That's what the link to the FCC rules is about.

The FCC rules allow up to a certain size receiver, its not a blanket
override to allow huge rigs of any kind.



Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

On Tue, 24 May 2005 17:23:42 GMT, (v) wrote:

On Tue, 24 May 2005 09:42:40 -0400, someone wrote:


Yes, of course. But I was responding to the previous post relating to a
Home Owners' Association trying to restrict or prohibit the installation
of antennas. That's what the link to the FCC rules is about.

The FCC rules allow up to a certain size receiver, its not a blanket
override to allow huge rigs of any kind.

The FCC rules state that satellite dishes cannot be larger than
1-meter unless in Alaska where there is no limitation. The subject
antenna is an off-the-air television antenna. There is no restriction
in size for off-the-air television antennas.