# OTA antenna recommendation?



## completelymobile (Jan 10, 2004)

I just replaced my 721 with a 921 and wanted to know what external antenna would be reccomended for my neck of the woods? I live in Seattle, WA and I put a set of rabbit ears on to test reception and was able to find roughly 12 analog and 3 digital stations. Is Radio Shack a good bet or are they to uninformed to give me direction/sell the right antenna for my 921? 
Any suggestions will be very much appriciated!

Mike


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## JM Anthony (Nov 16, 2003)

Antennaweb.org is a pretty good source of antenna info. I live in the Wedgwood area and am running a Blonder Tongue 4875. I've got a 921 and get great DT reception. 

A bunch of guys on the AVS Forum (Seattle thread) are running CM 4228's with good results. Leave a post with your address and ask "quarque" to assess your reception chances

PM me if you need help.


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## jtallon (Nov 7, 2004)

I don't have a ton of experience in this area, but at the recommendation of these forums, I got a 'DB4' antenna from www.antennasdirect.com. Total was about $80 or so shipped, including a post to mount the antenna. It works flawlessly here - I'm 25 miles as the crow flies from Milwaukee and can pick up every major station, plus one or two from Chicago.

I could actually pick up a majority of the channels with the antenna just propped up in a first floor window - did that before the installer came to mount the antenna.

So, check out www.antennasdirect.com


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## boylehome (Jul 16, 2004)

for pinpointing the right antenna, go to TitanTV.Com antenna selector. http://www.titantv.com/ttv/AntennaSelector/start.aspx?broadcastType=digital


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## TonyB (Jul 5, 2004)

I can get all the Boston analog stations as well as their digital ones, but often I get droputs on the digital stations. I read somewhere that the transmit ower of the digital sub channels is less than their main anaolog ones. Is that true? More to the point, perhaps is does it need to be as high power, and how can I find out what the planned future transmit power is for various stations.

By the way, I live west of Boston, so WBZ, WCVB and WHDH are the main network local affiliates.

Thanks,


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## Mike500 (May 10, 2002)

The least antenna I'd recommend is the Winegard GS-1000 Sensar mounted outside.

A UHF only antenna might well serve you for the next 3 years or so on HD, but not all stations are currently UHF and more will be VHF in the future.


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## Jason Kragt (Dec 20, 2002)

TonyB said:


> I can get all the Boston analog stations as well as their digital ones, but often I get droputs on the digital stations. I read somewhere that the transmit ower of the digital sub channels is less than their main anaolog ones. Is that true? More to the point, perhaps is does it need to be as high power, and how can I find out what the planned future transmit power is for various stations.
> 
> By the way, I live west of Boston, so WBZ, WCVB and WHDH are the main network local affiliates.
> 
> Thanks,


TonyB, yes, the digital stations do broadcast at less power than their analog counterparts at the same frequency. The digital stations do not need as much power in order to cover the same area as analog. I've been going to http://www.fccinfo.com for this type of data.


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## gbez (Jan 30, 2004)

I get all chicago stations using a cheap ($40) Terk antenna from best buy snapped on to the top curvature of my superdish


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## oljim (Aug 6, 2002)

If you got a terk to work so would a coat hanger


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## ClaudeR (Dec 7, 2003)

Mike500 said:


> The least antenna I'd recommend is the Winegard GS-1000 Sensar mounted outside.
> 
> A UHF only antenna might well serve you for the next 3 years or so on HD, but not all stations are currently UHF and more will be VHF in the future.


It would sure SUCK if they started using VHF for HD. Right now the Buffalo digitals are all UHF, so that's what I put up - a $25 RatShack directional UHF - Works great, and it's only about a meter long.


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