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Digital Antenna Help
Posted on 8/29/22 at 3:53 pm
Posted on 8/29/22 at 3:53 pm
I recently installed a digital antenna in my attic in Dutchtown,( Antenna). Im having hell picking up CBS (most important) and ABC -(WBRZ and WAFB). I used the antenna point app to aim the antenna, and am only picking up PBS and Fox in Baton Rouge, which are further than the other two towers. Any pointers? Do I need to put it on the roof?
Im going to turn it toward New Orleans tonight and just see what happens, those channels are all rite inside the "70-Mile" range.
Im going to turn it toward New Orleans tonight and just see what happens, those channels are all rite inside the "70-Mile" range.
4
Posted on 8/29/22 at 4:04 pm to Lord_Ford
70 mile range is going to require line-of-sight. Due to curvature of the planet, you may need to mount the antenna higher than your attic to be LoS with the TV source antenna.
I think there used to be a site to help people figure out how high they needed to mount an antenna to get signal to their local TV antennas.
I think there used to be a site to help people figure out how high they needed to mount an antenna to get signal to their local TV antennas.
Posted on 8/29/22 at 4:07 pm to notsince98
Posted on 8/29/22 at 4:14 pm to Lord_Ford
I installed one in my attic in the middle of Baton Rouge, and can't get CBS and ABC consistently.
Posted on 8/29/22 at 6:11 pm to Lord_Ford
70 miles is a hell of a distance to be trying to receive over-the-air signals…
Posted on 8/29/22 at 7:04 pm to Spankum
Dam rite it is. Likely not possible for me since I can’t figure out how to pick up the stations 20 miles away
Posted on 8/29/22 at 7:10 pm to Lord_Ford
I moved the antenna about 1 foot higher, as much as I could this evening without moving its mount, and actually picked up the abc tower, signal is too weak to watch anything but it’s babysteps
So maybe only other option is the roof or a better antenna if Omni-directional would make a difference
So maybe only other option is the roof or a better antenna if Omni-directional would make a difference
Posted on 8/29/22 at 7:27 pm to Lord_Ford
WAFB is on a VHF channel which in my experience are harder to tune in than UHF channels (with certain antennas), but more importantly WAFB transmits at very, very low power (if I'm reading the FCC data correctly). WBRZ is also VHF, higher power than WAFB but still awfully low transmit power.
FOX (WGMB) and NBC (WVLA) and even PBS absolutely blast their signals compared to CBS and ABC.
I don't know if this will make you feel better or worse, but I'm only 5 miles from the CBS tower (though across the river) and I still have trouble tuning it in with my attic-mounted antenna. I'm only 2 miles from the ABC tower and even that one gets blocky on occasion.
WWL is really strong, it's possible you might have better luck tuning it than WAFB, assuming your antenna is high enough.
FOX (WGMB) and NBC (WVLA) and even PBS absolutely blast their signals compared to CBS and ABC.
I don't know if this will make you feel better or worse, but I'm only 5 miles from the CBS tower (though across the river) and I still have trouble tuning it in with my attic-mounted antenna. I'm only 2 miles from the ABC tower and even that one gets blocky on occasion.
WWL is really strong, it's possible you might have better luck tuning it than WAFB, assuming your antenna is high enough.
Posted on 8/29/22 at 7:37 pm to Korkstand
quote:
Korkstand
Great info, it does make me feel better. Thank you. I just wanna watch dam college football games without paying for cable again lol
Posted on 8/29/22 at 7:44 pm to Lord_Ford
quote:I hear ya! My neighbor has a 30 foot tower with a big-arse antenna, I'm thinking about doing the same. Or maybe he'll let me trench a cable over to his tower.
I just wanna watch dam college football games without paying for cable again lol
Posted on 8/29/22 at 7:59 pm to Korkstand
First - make sure your antenna picks up UHF AND VHF. Although digital, AFB and BRZ are still VHF (Channels 9 and 13 respectively) Point in the right direction. 9s transmitter is on the east side of the river across from Addis, and 2 is across the river from Plaquemine. Get as high in the attic as possible, and amp the signal - amp it heavily if you're going to split it between several sets. Unlike analog, digital is either there or its not. Its a finesse thing sometimes.
An outdoor antenna - that's truly outside - would likely solve your issue. VLA and GMB are UHF, and coming from antenna on the westside of the river at Bayou Choctaw, so they'll slip in anyway. Same for LPB, which across the Miss from Addis, next door to the WAFB tower.
An outdoor antenna - that's truly outside - would likely solve your issue. VLA and GMB are UHF, and coming from antenna on the westside of the river at Bayou Choctaw, so they'll slip in anyway. Same for LPB, which across the Miss from Addis, next door to the WAFB tower.
This post was edited on 8/29/22 at 8:03 pm
Posted on 8/29/22 at 8:09 pm to robchand58
And if you're using one of those digital in a box antennas with a built in amp, good luck there. A good-old fashioned fishbone antenna (called a Yagi) is called for here. Here are links to the ones I am using in Watson, and have no issues with any BTR stations. Due to HOA, these are installed under my roof.
And with the direction you'll be facing in Prairieville, you MIGHT pick up the New Orleans stations off the back of that antenna!
For VHF: VHF Antenna
For UHF: UHF Antenna
And with the direction you'll be facing in Prairieville, you MIGHT pick up the New Orleans stations off the back of that antenna!
For VHF: VHF Antenna
For UHF: UHF Antenna
This post was edited on 8/29/22 at 8:10 pm
Posted on 8/29/22 at 8:11 pm to robchand58
You folks ought to start reading up on "NextGenTV." Also known as ATSC 3. It's going to change all this around - for the better.
Posted on 8/29/22 at 8:13 pm to robchand58
One more thing, and I'll go to bed. You can combine multiple antennas (using a splitter turned around) and just use one downlead coming down from your attic. In analog, this would cause ghosting, but with digital it just lumps the ones and zeros into an orderly little stream.
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