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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,820
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,820 |
We live far enough out that our only option is satellite TV. For many years we did without then we decided to give it a try and now, a few years later, I look at the bill and figure what I pay for tv. It really is obsurd. We pay about $800 yr and that is not the high end package.
I am thinking about doing away with the satellite and going back to a standard antenna.
What are you guys using ? I have an electric pole that used to hold my wifi receiver that I plan on using for the antenna.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 59,198 Likes: 3
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 59,198 Likes: 3 |
Unless you're close to the broadcast, antennas may not do you much good.. Once they all switched to digital broadcasts, it limited the range by about 50-60% of what you could get with analog..
I'm 30 miles from the Shoreview Towers where most of the Twin Cities broadcasts from and I can get those.. But the one I really want to get (CH-13 Eau Claire) is impossible now. It's about 50 miles east..
Ex- USN (SS) '66-'69 Pro-Constitution. LET'S GO BRANDON!!!
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,417 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,417 Likes: 5 |
I'm interested in this also. We had cable, then satellite and recently got rid of all of it. We just have Netflix and an indoor antenna now (not sure on the make) - it works okay, but not great. We get a handful of channels but reception cuts in and out on some. I don't miss cable / satellite at all (except some of the ESPN stuff once in a while). There was a thread here not too long ago that discussed antennas - indoor vs. outdoor, etc. A search might bring that back up...
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,820 Likes: 3
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,820 Likes: 3 |
1) Do a scan for your address. 2) Use Titan TV for your "TV Guide"...(in the link) 3) Antenna info is in the link as well. https://www.antennaweb.org/
Last edited by Direct_Drive; 11/30/16.
B L M - Bureau of Land Management
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 33,971
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 33,971 |
Just did a search and results were up to 44 channels could be viewed using that setup. That's very tempting.
Thanks for posting that link.
Proud to be a true Sandlapper!!
Go Nats!!!!
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,729 Likes: 14
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,729 Likes: 14 |
4 Stations/13 channels here
FJB & FJT
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,417 Likes: 5
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2006
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,530
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,530 |
4 Stations/13 channels here I'm guessing you can't get Lynchburg either...
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,729 Likes: 14
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,729 Likes: 14 |
4 Stations/13 channels here I'm guessing you can't Lynchburg either... 7[your fav ] 10 13 15
FJB & FJT
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,530
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,530 |
I get 7 10 15 27 38
No way to get 13
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,729 Likes: 14
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26,729 Likes: 14 |
I get 7 10 15 27 38
No way to get 13 My bad, it was 27[not 13].
FJB & FJT
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 11,122 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 11,122 Likes: 3 |
Digital TV actually gets along with lower signal levels than the old analog TV. That's because the data stream uses an error correcting code, and because the bandwidth of the signal is narrower.
There is no such thing as an HDTV antenna. Antennas cannot tell the difference between an analog signal and a digital signal.
As a quick and dirty test, hook a short piece of TV cable to your antenna jack, and 2-3 ft piece of wire to the coax center conductor, with the free end of the wire attached to the cable outer conductor to form a loop antenna. On the TV menu, choose the antenna as your input, and have the TV do a scan to see what it detects. If you can detect a few channels, that's very promising.
A good general purpose antenna for HDTV is one with two "bow ties", one above the other, and a reflector screen behind them (~$50). If your channel detection test didn't detect anything, you may want to go to a four bow tie antenna.
You will almost surely want an amplifier at the antenna. They are cheap, and they get their power via the coax. They are important because coax is fairly lossy at UHF, and without an amplifier, only a fraction of the signal will make it down the pipe to your TV.
We ditched cable. We enjoyed it, but not $105 per month worth. We're happy with free broadcast TV and Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Be not weary in well doing.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1 |
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,095 Likes: 7
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2008
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,385 Likes: 39
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,385 Likes: 39 |
Look into translator (relay stations) in your area that rebroadcast TV from Wichita, KC, or Joplin.
We get the same stations as Anchorage, but via local translator stations.
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,633 Likes: 3
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,633 Likes: 3 |
My house is a little northeast of Martinsville, VA. I have one of these on the chimney aimed at the Winston-Salem/Greensboro area and get about 30 channels in the summer and a few more in the winter. https://www.amazon.com/ClearStream-Indoor-Outdoor-Antenna-Mount/dp/B007RH5GZII’m thinking about adding a pre-amplifier to see if it will pick up a few more channels.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 10,839 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 10,839 Likes: 3 |
Same set up we've got here.
Mathew 22: 37-39
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,414
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,414 |
Denton: I disagree with your analysis. At my remote cabin prior to the switch to digital I had access to numerous stations. Reception was at times poor but we always got audio even if the picture was snowy. Since the the switch to analog we only get 2 channels and both are PBS. Digital is all or nothing. Either a good picture or NO SIGNAL but nothing in between.
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,952 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,952 Likes: 3 |
The link is to the manufacturer of the antenna I use in upper northern Wisconsin. The model I have is DT-XFAMP20-1(0-80+ miles). It is mounted atop a 25' antenna tower. These antennas are pretty compact compared to the old massive analog antennas I've used. Though the claim is that 80+ miles, due to elevation and trees I can't get broadcast signals from those towers that are ~78 miles out. I do get the channels through closer repeater towers. Those towers are ~30-45 miles away. Link to some pretty good antennas. http://digitenna.com/
GOA
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