OT: What's the best HDTV antenna setup?

[eculbert]

IF the signal is strong enough to go through the cable, it doesn't care where the source is probably. The only caveat is the further the run from the source, the more loss in the cable. Worst case is you might have to spend some money and get an amplifier for one of the rooms depending on how far and how weak the signal is if the antenna doesn't send enough down one line. So IF a good signal is received elsewhere that can be the 'entry' point for the rf signal to the tv's. After all, it is electrically just one wire even tho it goes to several points.

The only other problem might be if you have a splitter to a vcr or such now. But if the signal goes to the wall plug directly then the wire(s) in the wall all get that signal. 

I assume it works okay the way it is to send the antenna's signal to all rooms now, so it should. IF the chosen room doesn't get a good over the air signal into the antenna, then you might have a problem. 

Like my bedroom tv. The 'powered antenna' in the living room sends the signal here okay. But more that same antenna in here directly plugged into the tv and NO signal or too weak a signal on most stations!! So position does matter, you will have to play and find where the wall/outside trees/nearby buildings/etc let a good signal in at. The 'chosen' room may not receive.  Our two bedrooms are on the south end next to each other. There is a tree right against the building between them. I have to get the signal from some where else. In the other bedroom, nearer to south mountain, a simple loop of wire works okay w/o an amplifier at all!! In the living room, I get most channels. IF on top of the tv, even prescott channel 7 digital!! But other local break up!! In the window, no prescott channel 7 but all the local solid including the cable from the window to a splitter and 40 feet and two splices to this tv!! Go figure that one out!!

So yes, it Should work from another room depending on air signal strength in that room.

I have a 2meter hand held. I litterly, in the living room when listening to 147.340 mhz can move a few inches and loose the signal. But outside, fine anywhere I have tried. The 5/8 wave stuck through a small hole drilled in the kitchen ceiling and mag mounted to the top of the refrig for ground plane works great!! Cannot hit a single south mountain repeater directly tho. No line of sight!! Like I said, I get good signals solid 99.9 percent of the time...two afternoons a month or so ago one channel broke up... And obivously not line of sight. I CAN hit the repeaters on Mt Ord half way to Payson, The Usery one, and Pinal repeater tho. Scottsdale's 147.180...never anywhere and I am not the only ham here that cannot.

The above is just to show that 

POSITION

POSITION 

POSITION 


is important almost as much as design is for antennas. IF the signal isn't there, it isn't there!! Oh, the Tempe buttes..never heard them except when In or Near Tempe!! It is litterly easier for me to talk with a ham in Flagstaff via the Mt Ord repeater than someone in Phx unless I get over 'the hump'!!

And that is with 144-148 mhz, which bends slightly more that the uhf signals do!! Just fyi.  Basically any signal faster than about 30 mhz doesn't bend back enough but just goes line of sight..mostly..

Right now, worst or bottom of the sunspot cycle and comms are 'iffy' at best. 



Ed/ke7feg

Did I mention, 2/23/07 the FCC dropped all cw (AKA Morse code) testing for any class of license as a ham? Just pass the written exams.


--- On Fri, 7/4/08, Josef Lowder <joe at actionline.com> wrote:

> From: Josef Lowder <joe at actionline.com>
> Subject: Re: OT: What's the best HDTV antenna setup?
> To: eculbert at yahoo.com, "Main PLUG discussion list" <plug-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
> Date: Friday, July 4, 2008, 1:50 PM
> Thanks, plugger friends, for your responses.
> 
> So, may I ask one more related question:
> 
> Since there are cable jacks in three rooms in our house,
> could I just relocate in the unsightly "set-top"
> UHF antenna
> that I now have sitting on top of the TV in the living room
> and
> perhaps use a double-male coupler (is there such a thing)
> to plug that simple antenna into the cabling that runs
> through
> the house and thereby obtain a signal for the other two
> rooms?
> 
> 
> On 7/4/08, eculbert <eculbert at yahoo.com> wrote:
> ANY good uhf antenna IS a hdtv antenna. As long as it will
> receive
> in the 800mhz band, don't waste your money on
> 'special hdtv antennas'.
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