# The Radio Shack U-75R OTA Antenna



## Radio Enginerd

So I've monkeyed around with many OTA antennas. Indoor, outdoor, amplified and now the U-75R. At $24.99 why not?

I put this bad boy up yesterday afternoon and practically crapped my pants when I got back inside and looked at my signal strength.

It replaced a low profile Radio Shack ($50) amplified antenna I installed last weekend. I'm 40+ miles from the "tower farm" in the Sacramento, CA DMA and I've got this thing mounted about 4ft. off my roof line directly pointed at my neighbors 2 story monster home. I've got over 95% on ALL of my local OTA channels.

It's MUCH more directional then what I was using before but it's definitely my golden ticket to HD OTA and I'd highly recommend it to anyone.


----------



## DonCorleone

Other than my wife neighbors wanting to kill me if I put it on my roof, I'm not crazy about that idea. So I did try a bunch in the attic and none of them really made a difference (I'm about 42 miles away).

Good to know this 1 does work, though, if I ever decide to try it on the roof.


----------



## Radio Enginerd

DonCorleone said:


> Other than my wife neighbors wanting to kill me if I put it on my roof, I'm not crazy about that idea. So I did try a bunch in the attic and none of them really made a difference (I'm about 42 miles away).
> 
> Good to know this 1 does work, though, if I ever decide to try it on the roof.


Well I too live in "one of those" neighborhoods (CCNR's and all the good stuff). I've got this on the backside of my home and like I mentioned, have it pointed into the 2-story house next door and I'm blown away. And... You can't see it from the street.

I sympathize with you in the wife department though. 

I will say this... It looks larger and heavier then it really is. The boom length is 3.3 feet and it only weighs a few pounds.


----------



## jarredduq

Radio Enginerd said:


> Well I too live in "one of those" neighborhoods (CCNR's and all the good stuff). I've got this on the backside of my home and like I mentioned, have it pointed into the 2-story house next door and I'm blown away. And... You can't see it from the street.
> 
> I sympathize with you in the wife department though.
> 
> I will say this... It looks larger and heavier then it really is. The boom length is 3.3 feet and it only weighs a few pounds.


If you are looking for something that is nicer looking, I have the Channel Master Stealth Antenna, and get an average of 95-100% signal strength (about 40mi from the towers). The other benefit for this antenna is it is a combo VHF/UHF antenna, so when some of the stations move back to VHF, it will still work.

The WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) is very high with this antenna, as it is very non-intrusive.

It cost ~$50 from Valley Reception.


----------



## Nick

What's that???

Since when does a real man ask his wife's permission to do anything, much less
some rinky-dink little deal like installing an outside antenna. Where I come from,
the man is in charge of the house, including the electronics and he lets the little
woman be in charge of the 'electrics' (toaster, blender, coffee pot, can opener,
dishwasher, washer, dryer, weed whacker, vibrator, etc. :lol:

What a bunch of wussies!!! :nono2:


----------



## midwest_dxer

Nick said:


> What's that???
> 
> Since when does a real man ask his wife's permission to do anything, much less
> some rinky-dink little deal like installing an outside antenna. Where I come from,
> the man is in charge of the house, including the electronics and he lets the little
> woman be in charge of the 'electrics' (toaster, blender, coffee pot, can opener,
> dishwasher, washer, dryer, weed whacker, vibrator, etc. :lol:
> 
> What a bunch of wussies!!! :nono2:


Nice post.Must've been a real struggle around here 45 yrs ago when every house in this town put up a 40ft tower or mast to watch 4 channels on their TV's.Times have changed I guess.I can't believe some of the stuff I read.

No"WAF Factor" here,and did I mention I rent too?

Only one Boss here.....Me!

http://community-2.webtv.net/GregBarker/NewTowerAntennas/


----------



## TheRatPatrol

Radio Enginerd said:


> So I've monkeyed around with many OTA antennas. Indoor, outdoor, amplified and now the U-75R. At $24.99 why not?
> 
> I put this bad boy up yesterday afternoon and practically crapped my pants when I got back inside and looked at my signal strength.
> 
> It replaced a low profile Radio Shack ($50) amplified antenna I installed last weekend. I'm 40+ miles from the "tower farm" in the Sacramento, CA DMA and I've got this thing mounted about 4ft. off my roof line directly pointed at my neighbors 2 story monster home. I've got over 95% on ALL of my local OTA channels.
> 
> It's MUCH more directional then what I was using before but it's definitely my golden ticket to HD OTA and I'd highly recommend it to anyone.


I installed that same antenna 3 years ago when I first got my HDTV, its worked great ever since, its a great deal for $25.00 (I paid the same price 3 years ago).


----------



## Radio Enginerd

theratpatrol said:


> I installed that same antenna 3 years ago when I first got my HDTV, its worked great ever since, its a great deal for $25.00 (I paid the same price 3 years ago).


For $25 I almost want to go back to RS and buy another one to have on the shelf in case Radio Shack tries to discontinue them.


----------



## TheRatPatrol

Radio Enginerd said:


> For $25 I almost want to go back to RS and buy another one to have on the shelf in case Radio Shack tries to discontinue them.


As far as your OTA antenna goes, looks like you have the same set up I do, except mine is pointed in the opposite direction.


----------



## Digital Madman

I've got the Radio Shack U75-R also and compared it to the CM 4221. The 4221 is a little bit stronger performer for me, but not by much. Both antennas pick up an 80Kw FOX channel on 30 mounted at 2000' 60 miles to my southwest with no pixelation. There is also an ABC at 1 megawatt on 46 at the same height on the same tower that isn't much stronger in strenth on my signal meter. 
Both antennas are good choices for UHF, but the CM picks up better off the side.


----------



## Nick

Digital Madman said:


> ...Both antennas are good choices for UHF, but the CM picks up better off the side.


I haven't seen the reception pattern, but based on the design, it looks like the U-75R
is a highly directional antenna capable of receiving signals at greater range and thus
not necessarily intended to pick up signals off the side.


----------



## jimmyt

The u-75r has terrible vhf reception, but the uhf side of things is excellent however. Kinda why they call it a uhf only antenna.. lol - I used one for a while until I got the CM 4221, which has two advantges (for me at least) 1) the cm4221 does not require an amp to be split and 2) it has excellent high (channel 7-11) vhf reception.


----------



## Nick

jimmyt said:


> The u-75r has terrible vhf reception...


That could be because it's designed specifically for UHF reception.


----------



## TheRatPatrol

jimmyt said:


> The u-75r has terrible vhf reception, but the uhf side of things is excellent however. Kinda why they call it a uhf only antenna.. lol - I used one for a while until I got the CM 4221, which has two advantges (for me at least) 1) the cm4221 does not require an amp to be split and 2) it has excellent high (channel 7-11) vhf reception.





Nick said:


> That could be because it's designed specifically for UHF reception.


Its funny though, I split the feed coming from my U75R and hooked it up to my A/V receiver and get all of my local radio stations better now.


----------



## Radio Enginerd

jimmyt said:


> The u-75r has terrible vhf reception, but the uhf side of things is excellent however. Kinda why they call it a uhf only antenna.. lol - I used one for a while until I got the CM 4221, which has two advantges (for me at least) 1) the cm4221 does not require an amp to be split and 2) it has excellent high (channel 7-11) vhf reception.


The U-75R doesn't require an amp either but I can see the advantage of having good high band VHF coverage as 2 of my stations will be moving back to VHF (6 & 10) once the analog signals are turned off.

As others have commented, the U-75R is VERY directional which isn't a problem in my area since all of our DTV signals originate from the same compass bearing +/- 1 degree.


----------



## kbuente

You have luck being 40 miles from TV broadcasters---how about someone 55 miles away? the antenna web website says I'd only get 1 digital OTA from where I live.

just for fun I experimented and if I had a 300 foot tower, I'd get about a dozen digital channels.


----------



## Nick

I'm 60 "feet" away from two cities, JAX and SAV, and I get NOTHING! I would
have to mount an antenna 40-50 _'inches'_ high to receive usable signals.

:sure:

Fun Scales: 
1 foot = 1 mile
1 inch = 1 foot


----------

