Outdoor TV antenna advice

[k0ua]

check with the local Ham Radio club. They quite often have members that are willing to help with something like this.

Good idea, that tower looks like an old Rohn 6 or one of the older Nello towers. they were not all that strong to begin with. but if in good shape and not rusted out at the bottom or split from freezing water, it is climbable. if you could find someone to climb it with a proper belt, and rope and hopefully a gin-pole. If it has old worn out 300 ohm twin-lead, a new run of rg6 coax and balun at the top might be a good idea. if the run would not be too long. As long as the antenna is in good shape it would probably work fine. As old and fat as I am I would probably climb it if it was safe, but I have climbed a lot of them thru the years. but my tower is a Rohn 25, with much safer criss-cross bracing, and it tilts over now. But as others have said, you need the proper safety equipment, and no fear, as well as the sense to check out the tower for strength. Get Ham help if you can or professional 2 way radio installer. Sometimes you can find a contact for the local Ham club in the phone book. Or if you want to search for a local contact go to QRZ.com (Ham database) and search in your city, and start crossing the names with the phone book and start calling for help, if you are persistant you can find them. If you fall from 30 feet, you are most likely either dead or badly injured.

James K0UA

 

[boggen]

it depends on digital channels in your area. if vhf / uhf antenna is needed. it greatly differs from place to place.

the problem you will most likely have if any. is the need to reposition the antenna. but once you get it set in correct direction. you can pretty much forget about it. other words you will most likely have to reclimb the tower a couple times to set it. this is a pain, having someone up there, and someone down below in house double checking single strength of all the channels. along with (rescanning) for channels as needed.

check below website. type in zip code. and then click on the "call signs" of tv stations. and they will show up on the map.

The Digital TV Transition: Reception Maps

from K0ua ""a new run of rg6 coax and balun"" might be suggested from me as well.

radio shack should have connectors "balun"

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as other said just hook up old antenna first and see what happens.

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on a side note. i have made a DIY metal coat hanger antenna for a couple bucks. and pick up channels like never before. vs all them store bought antennas. i still need to take a couple old satellites dishes and unmount the dish and install the 2x4 coat hanger antenna on the roof. to get better singles all the time.

if ya do a search for "DIY HDTV antenna" there are hundreds of builds, from picture tutorials to video. with step by step instructions. many times getting into info of how to point them and what is needed.

 

[Alan L.]

No way I would climb a 30 foot tower. I have a 50 footer that I had a guy install. The tower, antenna, rotor, amplifier, and installation together was about $1800. He says he would charge $75 to climb the antenna to change it out or otherwise make repairs if necessary. Well worth that to me. I highly recommend the rotor. I have to tweak the direction every few weeks, not sure why. But that wouldn't be possible without the rotor.

I am pulling in the same channel 8 WFAA that jinman is getting. But I am due north with Dallas between me and the broadcast towers. I get lots of HD and digital channels and the HD quality is better than what I get on Dish.

The tower is handy - it also has my Dish dish and the dish that brings in my broadband landbased internet signal from about 7 miles away.

 

[Deere Dude]

Hire a professional to do it. It's foolish to risk your life for a few hundred bucks.

I climbed a few towers and carrying a big antennae and balancing it and connecting it without breaking it is difficult. What an antennae guy can do in 5 minutes up there it would take me 45 minutes and that's a long time standing on those skinny bars. It also looks a lot higher from up there than it does from the ground. 30 ' is quite high. You don't want the last sound you hear to be "splat." :laughing:
I think they manufacture multidirectional antennaes so you won't need a rotor. But for minor adjusting later on, a rotor is nice. That would be something to check out.
I have a directional antennae and if I turn it I would have to rescan all the channels on the TV and that would be a pain. I have a rotor on mine just to get it back to the original position if the wind turns it.
With new technology, antennas change for the better. Old antennas work, sort of, but are not consistent in rain and snow and other weather anomalies like the new styles.
Just get the best antennae for the area and have an antennae guy put it up for the $75 or so. Just my 2 cents. You only want to go through this once.

 

[tommu56]

An HD antenna isn't necessary. With a digitial signal you either receive it or you don't. HD antennaes are a good marketing idea from the antenna manufacturers.

What he said

HD signals are almost all UHF and most antennas will receive them!

It is hype about HD antennas.
Hook up the one you got and see what you get I think you will be impressed!

tom