"Passive" Panel antenna any good? - Page 2 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

ota_canuck · 2011-08-12, 04:15 PM

This is a typical tvfool reception report near the 403 erin mills area:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...3e47c7e2f3e1cf

Any half way decent antenna facing southeast should pretty well cover the bulk of the possible channels that are receivable to that area.

stampeder · 2011-08-13, 03:34 AM

Thank you ota_canuck, that is exactly what readers need to know about that location. It is one thing to experiment with such an antenna in a difficult or tricky area, but completely unrealistic to test it by the Mississauga lakefront!

IDRick · 2011-08-13, 01:01 PM

Why is it unrealistic? It certainly is possible to compare the new antenna with another established antenna at the same mounting location. A higher gain antenna should show higher signal strength on the tv than a lower gain antenna. One can also get a relative sense of beamwidth differences by comparing the loss in signal strength with off axis aiming. In my case, margin above dropout is highly correlated (r=0.98) with signal strength on my Apex 502 converter box. When I compare antennas, I compare margin above dropout rather than signal strength so I can tell you differences in dB's rather than percentages. My signal strengths are higher than Mississauga but I always find an ~3db increase with an M4 over a M2 on channels with NM's in the mid 50's.

Add in: this new antenna is amplified and may overload in very strong signal areas. Overload is a potential reason why this antenna should not be tested in markets with nearby stations since it may appear to not work when in fact it is overloading....

AmowAgou · 2011-08-13, 02:47 PM

This antenna is not amplified, at least not with external power supply. I tried using a pre-amp with it, it did help picking up ION to some extent but it wasn’t stable enough so I just gave it up.

I am now using it without any pre-amp or distribution amp and feeding the signal to two TVs.

IDRick · 2011-08-13, 03:17 PM

I found the specs below for the 53-6165-3. Based on the gain info, a NF for the antenna, and the existence of a power supply, I assumed the antenna was amplified...

Item 53-6165-3
HDTV Indoor/Outdoor
Active Antenna
Frequency Range VHF: 174-230 MHZ, UHF: 470-862 MHZ
Antenna Gain VHF: 30 dB, UHF: 40 dB
Impedance 75 Ohms
Noise Figure = 3.5 dB
Power Supply DC 12V 50mA

AmowAgou · 2011-08-13, 03:26 PM

The spec was incorrect. There is no external power supply come with the antenna.

IDRick · 2011-08-13, 04:43 PM

Sorry, I'm not questioning your integrity. The spec is either incorrect or there is a mix up in part numbers on one or more webpages...

AmowAgou · 2011-08-13, 11:05 PM

No need to appologize, i never got that impression, just wanted to clarify the fact.

AmowAgou · 2011-08-14, 03:10 PM

Here is a photo of my antenna installation, clean and simple.

lubmar · 2011-08-19, 09:39 AM

i got this antenna, i took it to try it out (you can return it in 7days)
... well i dont know if its

good or bad

but it works for me and i keeping it

AmowAgou · 2011-08-19, 03:29 PM

lubmar, where are you located? Can you receive CHCH?

I lost that channel after it switched to VHF

lubmar · 2011-08-19, 04:21 PM

no 11.1 for me
dundas/hurontario aeria - but my location is tricky: tries, buildings and wrong side of the building for cnn tower

hkaye · 2011-08-19, 06:40 PM

can someone private message me where you bought this antenna. I'd like to do a $40 autopsy and see what's inside this unit.

300ohm · 2011-08-19, 07:26 PM

It looks like its 8 bricks high, about 32 inches. Is that correct or what are the dimensions ?

ota_canuck · 2011-08-19, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkaye

can someone private message me where you bought this antenna. I'd like to do a $40 autopsy and see what's inside this unit.

hkaye, aka Quincy Jones,

I would guess it's a simple 28" dipole rectangle like the hentenna and a 7" hoop covered by a fancy sleek ABS cover..

2011-08-12, 04:15 PM	#16
ota_canuck Veteran Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dunnville, Ontario on the Grand River, North shore Lake Erie Posts: 2,405	This is a typical tvfool reception report near the 403 erin mills area: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...3e47c7e2f3e1cf Any half way decent antenna facing southeast should pretty well cover the bulk of the possible channels that are receivable to that area. __________________ 3D SSH III with ZZ4 refl. http://imageshack.us/user/jmsdigital

2011-08-13, 01:01 PM	#18
IDRick Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: eastern Idaho Posts: 126	Why is it unrealistic? It certainly is possible to compare the new antenna with another established antenna at the same mounting location. A higher gain antenna should show higher signal strength on the tv than a lower gain antenna. One can also get a relative sense of beamwidth differences by comparing the loss in signal strength with off axis aiming. In my case, margin above dropout is highly correlated (r=0.98) with signal strength on my Apex 502 converter box. When I compare antennas, I compare margin above dropout rather than signal strength so I can tell you differences in dB's rather than percentages. My signal strengths are higher than Mississauga but I always find an ~3db increase with an M4 over a M2 on channels with NM's in the mid 50's. Add in: this new antenna is amplified and may overload in very strong signal areas. Overload is a potential reason why this antenna should not be tested in markets with nearby stations since it may appear to not work when in fact it is overloading.... Last edited by IDRick; 2011-08-13 at 01:11 PM. Reason: added overload comment

2011-08-19, 06:40 PM	#28
hkaye Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Kitchener, Ontario Posts: 597	can someone private message me where you bought this antenna. I'd like to do a $40 autopsy and see what's inside this unit. __________________ Best DYI TV antenna plans - I use the Bi-Quad Indoor TV Antenna

2011-08-19, 07:26 PM	#29
300ohm Veteran Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Somewhere in Delaware on the flat side Posts: 7,002	It looks like its 8 bricks high, about 32 inches. Is that correct or what are the dimensions ? __________________ My builds/plans (not the latest models) are located here.

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2011-08-13, 03:34 AM	#17
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	Thank you ota_canuck, that is exactly what readers need to know about that location. It is one thing to experiment with such an antenna in a difficult or tricky area, but completely unrealistic to test it by the Mississauga lakefront!

2011-08-13, 02:47 PM	#19
AmowAgou Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 403/Erin Mills Posts: 175	This antenna is not amplified, at least not with external power supply. I tried using a pre-amp with it, it did help picking up ION to some extent but it wasn’t stable enough so I just gave it up. I am now using it without any pre-amp or distribution amp and feeding the signal to two TVs.

2011-08-13, 03:17 PM	#20
IDRick Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: eastern Idaho Posts: 126	I found the specs below for the 53-6165-3. Based on the gain info, a NF for the antenna, and the existence of a power supply, I assumed the antenna was amplified... Item 53-6165-3 HDTV Indoor/Outdoor Active Antenna Frequency Range VHF: 174-230 MHZ, UHF: 470-862 MHZ Antenna Gain VHF: 30 dB, UHF: 40 dB Impedance 75 Ohms Noise Figure = 3.5 dB Power Supply DC 12V 50mA

2011-08-13, 03:26 PM	#21
AmowAgou Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 403/Erin Mills Posts: 175	The spec was incorrect. There is no external power supply come with the antenna.

2011-08-13, 04:43 PM	#22
IDRick Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: eastern Idaho Posts: 126	Sorry, I'm not questioning your integrity. The spec is either incorrect or there is a mix up in part numbers on one or more webpages...

2011-08-13, 11:05 PM	#23
AmowAgou Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 403/Erin Mills Posts: 175	No need to appologize, i never got that impression, just wanted to clarify the fact.

2011-08-14, 03:10 PM	#24
AmowAgou Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 403/Erin Mills Posts: 175	Here is a photo of my antenna installation, clean and simple.

2011-08-19, 09:39 AM	#25
lubmar Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 162	i got this antenna, i took it to try it out (you can return it in 7days) ... well i dont know if its good or bad but it works for me and i keeping it

2011-08-19, 03:29 PM	#26
AmowAgou Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 403/Erin Mills Posts: 175	lubmar, where are you located? Can you receive CHCH? I lost that channel after it switched to VHF

2011-08-19, 04:21 PM	#27
lubmar Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 162	no 11.1 for me dundas/hurontario aeria - but my location is tricky: tries, buildings and wrong side of the building for cnn tower