OTA: Channel 6 issues.

[plong]

Hello HD Columbus! I am a new OTA convert (saving $85 a month on not having cable rocks)((at least until hockey season))

I am having difficulty tuning channel 6. All the others in the area seem to be going pretty well, but Channel 6 never gets above about 25% for me, and I've been moving my (indoor) antenna all around and bending things and turning knobs like mad. I can't get it to actually resolve into a moving picture :(

Any advice?

I live right off 71 at 161 on Columbus' Northside.

[Robbiee19]

What kind of idoor antenna do you have?

[bspvette86]

Channel 6 is a VHF channel rather than a UHF channel. Make sure your antenna is designed for both UHF and VHF.

[plong]

It is an RCA dual-band antenna that I got from Target. It was only $13, but it's working pretty good for everything else.

product link from target (http://www.target.com/Philips-Indoor-HDTV-Antenna-SDV2210/dp/B001JE9G3I/sr=1-12/qid=1247245504/ref=sr_1_12/192-7431042-8641142?ie=UTF8&search-alias=tgt-index&frombrowse=0&index=target&field-browse=1038576&rh=k%3Aantenna&page=1)

I guess after reading some of these reviews that other people are having some problems with it too.

Is anyone getting good reception on an >$50 indoor antenna in Columbus? It seems like most of the towers are within 20 miles of my house...

Being a guy my first inclination is to go buy the biggest antenna I can find and put it on the roof, but my wife is here reminding me why we cut cable in the first place LOL. Is an antenna really the answer in Columbus? I would guess that there's got to be something indoor and cheap that people are going to get good reception on.

Mods, feel free to move this thread to the Antennas board, as that is where this seems to be heading ;)

edit add: OK, so after some more digging, it appears that Channel 6 is on the wrong side of the fence. They are the only VHF station in the area? So Even if I were to buy some nice Clear Stream $100 antenna, it wouldn't get good reception on channel 6?

[DGMan]

Try this link,

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-EWQhlmJTMzw/coat_hanger_hdtv_antenna/

here you will find instructions on how to build an antenna for about $8. it takes about 1 hour. I placed it in my basement near a window. I can get all the local stations except for 8 and 42), which have barely any broadcast power (even channel 17, which is 14 miles away and broadcasts at 1.05 kw digital). Before the conversion, I could get Dayton analog stations with this about 2 days per week, so it works pretty good for the price. As far as channel 6, it comes in at 95% strength and I live 15 miles from the tower.

If you really want to get into homemade cheap antennas, search the internet for mclapp antennas. This gentlemen modified the design seen above somewhat. I use 8.5 inch elements on 8 inch spacing and copper wire. I mention this because this modification will help you to better receive channel 6 (which is actually broadcast on channel 13 so its at the top of the vhf band). FYI WSYX has an application to switch the frequency to channel 48, but this is about a year old now.

[Robbiee19]

Go to Best Buy or HH Greg and get a good indoor antenna for around $30 - $50. Also a place call Sadoun Satillite Sales in Hilliard has good antennas too. Go to this web site TV Fool for help http://www.tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

[DGMan]

The winegard antennas are definitely very nice looking. I've never had one, but I did have a zenith silver sensor.

Using this link I saw that my homemade version (which is terribly unattractive) is pretty much the equivalent of a channel master 4221 (actually I used the specs on the sheet that is hot linked on this site when building my latest version).

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

So the comparison on the chart for net gain is line B (my ugly home made version) versus line Q (the winegard ss3000) versus line I which is the zenith silver sensor.

I agree with the previous post that the winegard would be a much better choice if it works for you. If it does not though, try the homemade version. It works very well.

[plong]

Thanks for the info, guys. I will look into making my own, maybe I'll try that first and if it works then I save $5o. Good call.

I also found that Winegard ss3000 on Amazon for $50. Robbie, do you like yours? In your sig it says Jensen indoor, is that a signal booster?

[zelig2]

I have the Winegard SS3000 that I bought off of ebay for $25 (+$13 s/h) in 2006. We've had very good results with it. We have it located in the master bedroom which then feeds the cable all the way down into our basement. I'd have liked it more if the base was heavier as it can move fairly easily from a bump or a tug on the cable.

[Robbiee19]

I get great results with the Winegard Sharpshooter Model SS-3000. Can't go wrong with it. The Jensen is an old antenna I use in the basement.

[willcail]

I have one Philips "HDTV" antenna with amplifier, one Jensen UHF/VHF rabbit ears antenna, and one C.Crane FM Reflective Shielded passive antenna. I have all three of these antennas connected to an signal splitter the other end is where the amplifier is connected. Then the coaxial cable is connected to that amplifier and leads to the living/main room Samsung HDTV.


I have an RCA flat "HDTV" UHF/VHF antenna connected to the bedroom VIZIO HDTV.

The only station I can't pick up is VHF 8.

I'm glad that the video quality for WDEM have greatly improved. Now that they need to improved 17.2 since the on screen guide of the VIZIO displays 512i SD.

[KCJ]

I don't think ch 8 is on the air. I sent an email about a week ago and heard nothing. Kirk