tv antenna

[jrsavoie]

Weather and terrain has a lot to do with it. I知 running dual 4228 antennas stacked on a 50foot tower and pull 80 miles regularly but you need to consider your antenna height and elevation , the desired transmitter elevation and power, and obstacles in between. On good days I can pull stations 120 miles away. After the digital conversion some transmitters went to directional antennas that are now pointing the wrong way for me to get reliably.

If you keep your runs short and set it up right ganging antennas makes a huge improvement on signal strength.

I'd like to know more about ganging antennas. Previously I had the biggest antenna Winegard made. The last time it blew away Winegard and a couple others talked me into a smaller antenna. It didn't get as many channels as the big Winegard got with half the aerials blown off.

I haven't had a chance to go through this thread. Is there a high quality rotor to be bought anymore?

ganging antennas - Google Search

 

[PILOON]

With service going out at 20*, I'd say you have water in something that's freezing and expanding, causing either a short or open circuit.

Most likely in the coax cable.

Cold solder joint!

Back when we maintained avionics the freezer was our best friend. (we froze the unit and when bringing heat close to the cold solder joint the circuit would re activate)

 

[MossRoad]

Cold solder joint!

Back when we maintained avionics the freezer was our best friend. (we froze the unit and when bringing heat close to the cold solder joint the circuit would re activate)

Yep, that's a very good possibility.

 

[vvanders]

I think in his case it's not that they are weak.... they are non-existent due to the terrain.

It depends, sometimes you can get knife-edge propagation(Knife-edge effect - Wikipedia). I've known ham radio repeaters you could pick up 200mi away behind a mountain range with that effect.

 

[k0ua]

Yes, any of the bell shaped rotors are excellent. In the used market, they were CDE or CDR branded. Now they come under the Hygain name.

View attachment 574379

You will need to go to the Amateur radio related sites to find them though.

Unfortunately Hy-Gain is run by MFJ now.
Hy-Gain


Several of the Yaesu rotors aren't bad also.
This G450 will handle up to 10 sq ft. of wind load.

GigaParts.com

At a typical hamfest a used Ham III or Ham IV would run you about $250 to $300 bucks. If you could find an AR40 or one of the smaller ones, they would likely be quite a bit less. The thing is the price of rotors has gone up a bunch in the last few years. The used ones many years old sell for about what they cost new back then. Of course all of the CDE rotors are rebuild-able. These rotors were originally designed to turn medium to large ham arrays, and have braking mechanisms and ball bearing races in them. But if you are talking about stacking large TV arrays, the wind load can add up to quite a bit, and you should consider these rotors. All of the smaller "tv" rotors have no brakes, and some even have nylon gearing. They ain't gonna last long.



Norms rotor service rebuilds rotors, but also has rotors for sale. (refurbs)
An old Ham II or Ham III would be fine for the largest of TV stacked arrays. Even an old HAM-M

Norm's Rotor Service - Sales, Service and parts for Ham Radio antenna rotators; antenna rotor service; parts for antenna rotors

NRS - new and rebuilt rotors and control boxes for sale


If you need a lower mast bracket support I have a new one never used with my old Ham III
It has always been in a tower and never had need for the lower mast support bracket/clamp, hence it is new unused.
I would have to dig it out of a box up in the barn, but I would let you have it for less than Norm wants for one.
Give us a shout if you need more info.

 

[shooterdon]

I have almost given up on TV aerials. The claims are so outrageous and the results seem so pathetic.

IF, and it is a big IF, a 50 ft mast would bring in 3 main stream stations AND provide a good enough signal to get 4G cell service (that would allow the unlimited use of Netflix etc.) I would be all over it. I hate paying my satellite bill. And my internet capacity is so limited I cannot watch much.

 

[k0ua]

There is no substitute for height.

Rohn 25G 10 foot sections often go around here for $25 $30 per section. Or they can be obtained from business's that will let you have them if you will take them down. Sure you have to have someone to climb them. Or build tilt over mechanism.

This is all bigtime ham radio techniques, but large TV arrays at low heights may still not be enough. There is no substitute for cubic inches or height.

 

[buickanddeere]

Using a channel 7-51 antenna has two advantages . Much less wind loading without the long elements for channels 2-6. And less overloading the antenna input with noise/intermode from adjacent broadcast FM radio signal.
Lowering the noise floor is just as important as increasing signal strength.

 

[MossRoad]

There is no substitute for height.

Rohn 25G 10 foot sections often go around here for $25 $30 per section. Or they can be obtained from business's that will let you have them if you will take them down. Sure you have to have someone to climb them. Or build tilt over mechanism.

This is all bigtime ham radio techniques, but large TV arrays at low heights may still not be enough. There is no substitute for cubic inches or height.

I've got 5 of those sections and 1 top section sitting in my back yard.

 

[California]

There is no substitute for height.
Rohn 25G 10 foot sections often go around here for $25 $30 per section.
This is all bigtime ham radio techniques, but large TV arrays at low heights may still not be enough.

I put Rohn into Searchtempest. The only one in a 500 mile radius is a heavier model that was used for a wind generator. $2,600 for three 20 ft sections with the first two over 500 lbs each. Transporting that 400 miles and erecting it would cost far more than I want to pay! Then it would a gamble whether it would see anything, since the ridge I can't see over, shows zero reception on the ridgetop. Oh well.

Craigslist: Tower /ROHN Steel Heavy Duty free standing 50 feet-tall - electronics - by owner - sale

 

[MossRoad]

Brand new 50' on Amazon for $825 + $249.95 shipping....
Rohn 25G Series 5' Basic Tower Kit: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[jrsavoie]

You will need to go to the Amateur radio related sites to find them though.

Unfortunately Hy-Gain is run by MFJ now.
Hy-Gain


Several of the Yaesu rotors aren't bad also.
This G450 will handle up to 10 sq ft. of wind load.

GigaParts.com

At a typical hamfest a used Ham III or Ham IV would run you about $250 to $300 bucks. If you could find an AR40 or one of the smaller ones, they would likely be quite a bit less. The thing is the price of rotors has gone up a bunch in the last few years. The used ones many years old sell for about what they cost new back then. Of course all of the CDE rotors are rebuild-able. These rotors were originally designed to turn medium to large ham arrays, and have braking mechanisms and ball bearing races in them. But if you are talking about stacking large TV arrays, the wind load can add up to quite a bit, and you should consider these rotors. All of the smaller "tv" rotors have no brakes, and some even have nylon gearing. They ain't gonna last long.



Norms rotor service rebuilds rotors, but also has rotors for sale. (refurbs)
An old Ham II or Ham III would be fine for the largest of TV stacked arrays. Even an old HAM-M

Norm's Rotor Service - Sales, Service and parts for Ham Radio antenna rotators; antenna rotor service; parts for antenna rotors

NRS - new and rebuilt rotors and control boxes for sale


If you need a lower mast bracket support I have a new one never used with my old Ham III
It has always been in a tower and never had need for the lower mast support bracket/clamp, hence it is new unused.
I would have to dig it out of a box up in the barn, but I would let you have it for less than Norm wants for one.
Give us a shout if you need more info.

Thank you much. It will be a while before we get to that project again. - Unless the antenna goes out and we have to let the tower down.

Our tower hinges at the base and we tip the whole 40' tower down with the loader.

I feel I need to go about 10' Higher to get better reception. Our house is a Lot lower than some houses not far away

 

[California]

Brand new 50' on Amazon for $825 + $249.95 shipping....
Rohn 25G Series 5' Basic Tower Kit: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

That's a lot more reasonable!

 

[jrsavoie]

That's a lot more reasonable!

Looks to me like the 25G tower would need guy cables to go very high. The other tower is self supporting and more easily serviced. But still looks over priced

 

[MossRoad]

That's a lot more reasonable!

The first tower you were looking at was way overkill for a TV antenna.

 

[MossRoad]

Looks to me like the 25G tower would need guy cables to go very high. The other tower is self supporting and more easily serviced. But still looks over priced

That tower is self supporting. No guy cables needed.

 

[Dave Pee]

I just picked up a new amplified TV antenna at Amazon. With it only 8 feet off the ground, I get all my normal stations in GA. 70 miles away. Amazing performance. $40

Amazon.com: 1byone 15 Miles Digital Amplified Outdoor/Roof HDTV Antenna with Power Supply Box, Extremely High Performance for UHF Band: Electronics

 

[Xfaxman]

You are lucky they all are transmitting on UHF.

That antenna doesn't work on VHF Hi Band:

 

[locknut]

Thank you! That pretty map conveys a lot more information than the numeric data I found after the digital conversion.

You're right, the map shows I'm simply hoping for the impossible. Most everything for miles around is white (no signal) with a few hill peaks pale red, 'maybe'. The ridge blocking my line of sight is all white, no signal there. Bah.

Thanks guys for the encouragement, and the realistic information.

I'd still like to see your TV fool report using exact coordinates in decimal form to see how weak the signals are. Also,is there any homes around you that have TV antennas?

 

[locknut]

I'd like to know more about ganging antennas. Previously I had the biggest antenna Winegard made. The last time it blew away Winegard and a couple others talked me into a smaller antenna. It didn't get as many channels as the big Winegard got with half the aerials blown off.

I haven't had a chance to go through this thread. Is there a high quality rotor to be bought anymore?

ganging antennas - Google Search

Anything in particular you want to know? I know all about antenna arrays