Antenna Quandry

[mc75478051]

I have a Dish Network model 811 HD receiver. I have installed a TERK TV55 about 4 feet above the highest point on my roof and with this set up I can lock in (to my 811) channel 43 WUAB, channel 5 ABC and FOX channel 8. I cannot, however lock in channel 3 NBC or channel 19 CBS. I live in North Canton, OH ( zip 44720) and according to antennaWeb.org all of the stations I want to view are within 34 to 37 miles of my house and are all violet. The Akron/Canton regional airport is about 3 miles from my house in the general direction of the compass headings ( 345 to 348 degrees) for the aforementioned stations. I realize at this point the the TERK is not going to cut it for all of the stations.
My question is this; my local Radio Shack stocks two antenna's, an 80" 32 element and a 120" 37 element, are these of sufficient quality to rectify my dilemma and if so which one should I choose? I have also read quite a bit about the DB4 and would this be recommended over the others. FYI I am using 2 diplexers, one on the roof and one at the receiver.
Any help with this problem would be greatly appreciated. My tv is a Sony XBR KV-34XBR910.

[LeeS]

Using just your zipcode I get this:

* yellow - uhf WVPX-DT 59 PAX Akron OH Awaiting FCC Permit 332° 14.8 59
* yellow - uhf WDLI-DT 39.1 TBN CANTON OH 329° 14.6 39
* red - uhf WOAC-DT 47 SAH CANTON OH TBD 23° 15.7 47
* red - uhf WEAO-DT 50 PBS Akron OH 327° 17.4 50

When you use your full address you get the most accurate info. Could you cut and paste the results you get with your address?

If all the stations are UHF there is no need for a UHF/VHF antenna. To start with they are much larger.

If all the stations are in fact in the 'violet' zone, that calls for a large directional antenna with an amplifier. The DB4 is a medium directional UHF antenna.

Note: Most of the UHF antennas at www.AntennasDirect.com will work for VHF stations down to channel 9.

Need some more input :) Single or two story house, obstructions?
Lee

[mc75478051]

Lee, thank you for taking the time to reply to my question.
Here are the results of my full address:

blue - uhf WOIO 19 CBS SHAKER HEIGHTS OH 348° 37.2 19
violet - uhf WUAB 43 UPN LORAIN OH 345° 37.2 43
violet - uhf WQHS 61 UNI CLEVELAND OH 347° 37.2 61
violet - vhf WJW 8 FOX CLEVELAND OH 345° 36.1 8
violet - uhf WCWB 22 WB PITTSBURGH PA 116° 95.6 22
violet - uhf WAOH-LP 29 A1 AKRON OH 25° 16.4 29
violet - uhf W51BI 51 TBN KIRTLAND OH 19° 41.1 51
violet - uhf W35AX 35 A1 CLEVELAND OH 347° 37.0 35
violet - vhf KDKA 2 CBS PITTSBURGH PA 117° 79.5 2
* violet - uhf WKBN-DT 41 CBS YOUNGSTOWN OH Awaiting FCC Permit 81° 43.7 41
violet - uhf WMFD 68 IND MANSFIELD OH 270° 61.6 68
violet - uhf WGGN 52 TBN SANDUSKY OH 305° 78.4 52
violet - vhf WKYC 3 NBC CLEVELAND OH 348° 37.0 3
violet - vhf WEWS 5 ABC CLEVELAND OH 345° 36.8 5

The stations that I am really interested in are 3 NBC, 5 ABC, 43 UAB, 8 FOX and 19 CBS. As I stated, I can get FOX, ABC and UAB with the TERK TV55, NBC is not especially clear and CBS cannot be viewed. I live in a two story house and have about a 4 ft mast holding the antenna above the highest point of the roof. Since this is a heavly residential area there are a lot of trees the tops of which are just above the top of my home. Also, there is a regional airport with heavy air traffic about 3 miles from my home in the general compass heading of the stations I am interested in. I was not sure if the Radio Shack antenna's model # 15-2154 120" boom length 37 element or the 80" boom length 32 element model # 15-2152 would work since the stores stock this item and there are many around the area.
Also, on the www.nab.org web site, they not only specify the station frequency ie channel 43, they also provide the broadcast frequency which is the number I need to input into my 811 receiver. For example NBC 3 is broadcast channel 2. If I want to put PAX into my system I know it is channel 59 but I am not sure of its broadcast channel. I did a scan instead of a manual entry into the 811 but did not receive any other stations except those I already had. Using the antennaweb.org site I don't understand how to figure out the broadcast channels.
If you can offer any assistance I would be greatly appreciative. Again, thank you for your valuable time.

[LeeS]

Looking at the list that you pasted, is WKBN-DT (CBS) the only station with the "*" out to the left of it? That indicates that it is a digital station and capable of broadcasting in HD.

All the others are analog and are not capable of broadcasting in HD. :(

Please double check your results for me.

Thanks,
Lee

[mc75478051]

The list is as posted on the site but I am confused since I know for a fact that WKYC and WOIO broadcast in HD since I had them on my digital cable along with FOX and ABC (Time Warner). I watched the NFL on HD on these stations and they advertise that they are digital broadcasters. Could this list not be up to date? I have dumped my cable and can therefore no longer get their HD broadcasts. Assuming they do a digital broadcast could you help with the antenna issue. I assume that my 811 receiver will act as a stb for any HD off air channels.
Thank you for your e-mail and your help.

PS. I just went to the WKYC (NBC) website and they do indeed broadcast in HD (most programming) as does WOIO (CBS) in Cleveland. By the way, I had to work today also but only an 11 hr shift so as a famous man once said, I feel your pain.

[LeeS]

This is what I get from NAB:

Cleveland-Akron (Canton), OH
WUAB UPN 43.n 28
WKYC-TV NBC 3.n 2
WMFD-TV IND 68.n 12
WDLI IND 17.n 39
WJW FOX 8.n 31
WEWS ABC 5.n 15
WOIO CBS 19.n 10
WQHS-TV Univision 61.n 34

Because they are listed does NOT mean you will receive them.

You are correct about NBC, its digital transmitter is on channel 2 (low VHF), CBS is on channel 10 (high VHF).

The numbers on the right are the ones you want to enter when tuning them manually.

As to the antenna, I'm really concerned that www.antennaweb.org didn't list those stations. I would go with the 120" antenna. It will be UHF/VHF. Make sure your local RadioShack will take the antenna back if it doesn't work.

Any station listed in the violet area requires a large directional antenna with an amplifier. Try without the amp first and if you can, temporarily run the cable directly to the STB. If all works out try the diplexors. You will lose some signal through the diplexors.

You shouldn't need a rotor for the 345-348 degree stations.

Good Luck, please let us know how it worked out.

Lee

[mc75478051]

Thanks, Lee. As vacation looms at the end of the week I will not get to assemble the antenna until I get back. When I do I will let you know the outcome. I am hoping that an amp will not be necessary as I have no power on the roof and don't feel like getting any there. Color me lazy :D.
Thanks again for your input; this is a great site, my son has just installed Direct TV with HD and I sent him this link so he can become HDcated.

[LeeS]

I am hoping that an amp will not be necessary as I have no power on the roof and don't feel like getting any there.
Not to worry, if you have to use an amp, there are power inserters and you run the power right up the coax to the amp. There are do's and don'ts for the inserters but we can discuss that later if necessary.

Lee