I know what you mean, but given that I have one pole with the two antennas (and the XG on the very top), I'd actually be looking at more than a couple of bucks to do that. Might be cheaper to get another pre-amp and just run two lines down from my 3rd floor into two HD tuners in my computer.... and the CBS was a fluke. I'm getting it clear now.

I also asked the SWMBO which she wanted more... Ellen or American Idol... at that question, she just told me to finish my beer and go back to the computer.

/rant
Thanks, CTV, for the amazing decision to put the Results show on A channel, none of which are local to Hamilton. Got me off my butt to get Fox from the US.
/Rant

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3dc77ab11b21e2f7

HI I am looking for advice. TV Fool report above. I would like to mount in the attic of the house, 2 storey. What would be the most optimal antenna for this application.

Thanks

Not to be a smart-alec (though I am the founding member of Smart-Alecs Anonymous), but I would recommend an outside antenna. Just about anything inside your attic might be able to get the three Hamilton stations. Anything else would be a miracle.

No Vuarra, you aren't being a smart-alec in this case, just being truthful. Unfortunately "iam", Vuarra is right. An attic mounted antenna in Dundas just won't work. You have the escarpment working against you on two fronts. Look at your CBLT-DT signal, which is by fare the most powerful signal from TO, and it is considered a 2-Edge signal at your location.

Look at other posts here from people in Dundas, and you can get a good sense in how difficult it is to get a signal.

Good luck.

Thanks,

I was already looking at some other posts and realize that my location is not the best for reception.

Looking at building a gray hovermann double bay, just have to now figure on how to mount it outside, chimney or roof?

ken

I tried doing the chimney mount, but the first windstorm took down the chimney and antenna. The house is about 110 years old.

I currently have a 5' tripod on my roof, with a 10' pole -- actual height above my roof is ~12 feet. I feel safer with that as it is a new roof, with new plywood and most (but not all) the bolts are in rafters.

Having seen some info at hdtvprimer.com, it looks like I will have to run a second cable down to my HTPC.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3dc77a7d38b2a442

Based on that read, will I need a pre-amp for getting just the Toronto stations? The antenna is a CM 4221, aimed around Toronto.

Or I could just LOOK at my mast... apparently, I did not set the bolts that connect the mast to the tripod, and the whole thing rotated enough to kill everything other than the 6 strongest channels.

So if you point the 4221 at the CN tower and this is tricky because to get global the direction has to be exact but you should be able to get all to the Toronto stations. You might need a pre-amp. I guess your going to have to experiment. I have a 4228 in my attic on the third floor with all kinds of tall trees around, I get all the Toronto channels but to make sure I always get a lock on Global I needed a pre-amp.

John

Global is a pitiful signal- come August, it should be easier to get- they will be pumping up the juice, and it will be on 41.1 (right now it's on 65.1).

No to the pre-amp unless you filter out channel 11.

I don't filter channel 11 an I use a pre-amp. Of course because I have a 4228 and it is so directional that may be why I don't have to filter channel 11. I have experimented with a USJV and it didn't make any difference.

John

I am new, Please advise, Do we actually get HD channel through antenna !!

Are they free ?

Guddy, Yes and Yes :D

thanks, How many channels u get in Ancaster Area ? Are they HD ?

Go to http://www.tvfool.com, type in your address and see what channels are available from your home.

Thanks, this is great news to me, Free hd channels through antenna, I will research for what channels are available in my area and what kind of antenna I need to buy ?

Guddy,

I know everyone setup is "personalized" but driving around Ancaster, this has been my observation. There is a house on Mohawk Road between McNiven and Wilson who has two CH-4221 (or equivalent 4-bay bowties) attached to his roof. Conversely, if you drive to the West end of Ancaster...well South West, on Hwy53 and Fiddlers Green, there are quite a few homes that have 8-bay bowties, like the CM-4228, on their rooftops. You will also see a few old Yagi's up as well. What they are all getting, is anyone guess, but it may give you an idea of the type of antenna required at your location. There's also a poster by the nic "ancaster" that has a pretty decent setup in the Meadowlands area. Look up his posts for more information.

I have a pic on the Pimp My Gear thread, and I've had some requests to update what this new set up has changed.

Before...
I had a D$%#@ 4 bay antenna pointed to the CN Tower near the top of the mast, and a Volfe (clone) 8 bay pointed to about the centre of Buffalo. They were joined with a reversed splitter, and I had a cheap pre-amp on the whole setup.

I was NOT getting RF14 (29.x) except under exceptional tropo circumstances. I was getting RF49 (49.x) slightly more than 10% of the time, and when I could get RF14, I always got RF23 (51.x)

Now...
On the top of the mast is now an Antennas Direct 91XG pointed to Grand Island. The cheap pre-amp is still attached to that one, but now it gets it's own 75 foot down-line to my TV tuner -- the most sensitive one in my house. I get RF14 ~ 95% of the time (with some jitters and drop outs, usually during American Idol). RF49 comes in about 60% of the time. RF23 is still tropo only, but I don't think it will be difficult to get in the summer, as I've gotten locks on it over the past week or so. The balance of the major networks is *clear*. Never had a dropout on RF32 (23.1 WNLO), RF43 (17.x WNED), RF38 (7.1 WKBW) or RF39 (4.1 WIVB), and I do get some pixellation on RF33 (2.x WGRZ), but not enough to break a lock. Also on this, I get RF20 (5.1 CBLT) 100% of the time, RF40 (9.1 CFTO) ~40% of the time and RF53 (57.1 CITY) ~20% of the time.

Below that is a CM4221 pointed in the direction of the CN tower. That is connected through a static block, down 100 feet of cable, and it goes directly to my HTPC tuner. I get all the Toronto channels through that.

I must admit some surprise that I am getting a few of the Canadian channels on a side lobe of the 91XG, but after reflecting for a few minutes, I realize that that is why I was having trouble with RF20 and RF40 last summer... since the two antennas were joined (with cables that were not even by about 3 inches), those channels had interference from the nature of the double antenna, and canceled each other out. That tells me it would be wiser to avoid joining antennas in just about every case, and to shell out the extra $$$ for individual feeds.

The other thing that surprised me was that the clone 8-bay was not that bad of a performer. While it did not get the one channel I wanted (RF14), given my numbers on the TV Fool (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3da362507ad57219) chart, I am impressed down to my skivvies that I got as many channels as I did.

As usual, any questions, let me know :D

Guddy, we are happy to help you but before any more questions here please read this: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=125161

and you will also find some replies to you in here: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=23984

vuarra, not sure if you tried, but maybe a uvsj splitter could help you in getting more stable reception. 2 UVSJs would really help cool down chch (11.0) and allow the weaker channels to come in.