# DB8 UHF antenna



## akron05 (Dec 14, 2005)

Antennasdirect.com carries what it CLAIMS to be a multidirectional UHF antenna good for HDTV and up to 70 miles. Has anyone used this? Is it truly multidirectional, and would it pull in 20-mile-away stations from 340 degrees along with 45-mile-away stations at 80 degrees? Without rotating I mean?


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## akron05 (Dec 14, 2005)

Anyone?


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## midwest_dxer (Dec 12, 2004)

akron05 said:


> Antennasdirect.com carries what it CLAIMS to be a multidirectional UHF antenna good for HDTV and up to 70 miles. Has anyone used this? Is it truly multidirectional, and would it pull in 20-mile-away stations from 340 degrees along with 45-mile-away stations at 80 degrees? Without rotating I mean?


It might,but there's no way to know without trying it.A 4-bay might work better,using a preamp and a rotor.


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## akron05 (Dec 14, 2005)

midwest_dxer said:


> It might,but there's no way to know without trying it.A 4-bay might work better,using a preamp and a rotor.


Rotors confuse my girlfriend. Which is one reason I was trying to avoid one...LOL


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## midwest_dxer (Dec 12, 2004)

akron05 said:


> Rotors confuse my girlfriend. Which is one reason I was trying to avoid one...LOL


Well,there might be one position you could point and just leave it there.Or,use two antennas and an A/B switch.


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## akron05 (Dec 14, 2005)

midwest_dxer said:


> Well,there might be one position you could point and just leave it there.Or,use two antennas and an A/B switch.


Does someone sell a remote a/b switch??


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## midwest_dxer (Dec 12, 2004)

akron05 said:


> Does someone sell a remote a/b switch??


Rat Shak ~40 bucks


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

Multi-directional does NOT mean omni-directional.

A directional antenna has a narrow pickup arc, usually less than 10 degrees.

A multi-directional is anything over 10-15 degrees.

If your stations are more than 20-30 degrees apart, you probably will not have very much luck getting both without a rotator if they are very far away.

I have stations that vary in arc about 90 degrees, but since they are all within 5 miles of me, I can use a highly directional yagi-reflector and still get all of them. I just point the antenna at the weakest signal and the rest are strong enough to pick up even off the side of my antenna.


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## Tlaz (Dec 23, 2004)

I have the DB8. It is fairly directional with excellent gain. I also have a Channel Master antenna of the same type of design with about the same performance. Both are excellent antennas.


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## Tower Guy (Jul 27, 2005)

akron05 said:


> Antennasdirect.com carries what it CLAIMS to be a multidirectional UHF antenna good for HDTV and up to 70 miles. Has anyone used this? Is it truly multidirectional, and would it pull in 20-mile-away stations from 340 degrees along with 45-mile-away stations at 80 degrees? Without rotating I mean?


A long range multidirectional antenna is an oxymoron. In your case, try two antennas; one aimed at each station, and add them together with a jointenna. With only two stations, either channel can be specified for the jointenna.

http://www.warrenelectronics.com/Antennas/joiners.htm

You can use a smaller antenna for the 20 mile station and a larger antenna for the 45 mile station.


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## Jeff McClellan (Apr 22, 2002)

The DB4 might, but you will need a pre-amp.


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## Jeff McClellan (Apr 22, 2002)

akron05 said:


> Rotors confuse my girlfriend. Which is one reason I was trying to avoid one...LOL


Look at the Channel Master 9521a. It has a remote that allows you to pre-program your individual channels for specific locations. My wife wants to watch channel 3 on tv, then presses 3 on the rotor remote. It works great and is simple.


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## kckucera (Aug 1, 2005)

I am using a DB8 in my attic for OTA HDTV. I am 3000 ft above Denver 18 miles from the stations. I found it pretty directional, and pretty good at picking up low power stations (1000w PBS, NBC, CBS downtown) channels 45 degrees off axis like FOX even though at higher power it is on a tower below me and facing Denver so I am located in a theoretical no receive zone and it did not come in well. By adding an antenna pre-amp I was able to boost signal for 45 degrees and now get Fox but no joy at 60 degrees off axis in the other direction for UPN. My next step to two antennas with a joiner but and holding fire to see what quality DISH Local HDs will bring, I might bag the OTA thing entirely if the signal quality is close to OTA (fat chance given DISH penchant for high compression rates but am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt).


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## BornToFish (Jan 28, 2006)

The 'CM' 4228 is actually a little better in performance than the DB8. It has decent reception qualities at VHF High 7-13, and the DB8 doesn't. Also these antennas can be made to be bi-directional, by removing the grounding screen, or screens.


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## Jeff McClellan (Apr 22, 2002)

You remove the screen and you will lose allot of your forward gain. I have a friend who works for Andrew Corporation in Smithfield and this is a know fact. The issue with the DB8 is the spacing in the back screen, it has more gap than the 4228 or the 4221. This is why they both excel in VHF 7-13.


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