Dish Clip on antenna

[enforcer]

Hey fellas. I have a question about the clip on antennas that can be mounted on our dishes. Is the quality good?? Worth the money? Radio shack has one for 49.99. Also, how you hook these things up anyhow? The one I am looking at has a diplexer or something called that on the rear once its installed.

My current config on Dish:

Dish 500 with dual LNB coax line from both ports into double grounding block.

How would i hook the antenna up ? Any help would be appreciated.

[JBKing]

Hello from Kentucky! :hi:

It depends on how far you are from the stations you want to receive, and how the surrounding terrain is. In other words, the clip ons aren't all that good unless you are in a good spot. Better than rabbit ears, but not as good as a standard aerial. I have a stick type antenna which is fairly decent, much better than the clip on.


If I remember correctly, the antenna connects between the lnb and the receiver. The cable running to your receiver carries both the sat signal and the antenna signal. It is then split inside for a satellite input to the receiver and an input for the antenna.

YMMV, but it wasn't worth it to me.

[enforcer]

Hello from Kentucky! :hi:

It depends on how far you are from the stations you want to receive, and how the surrounding terrain is. In other words, the clip ons aren't all that good unless you are in a good spot. Better than rabbit ears, but not as good as a standard aerial. I have a stick type antenna which is fairly decent, much better than the clip on.


If I remember correctly, the antenna connects between the lnb and the receiver. The cable running to your receiver carries both the sat signal and the antenna signal. It is then split inside for a satellite input to the receiver and an input for the antenna.

YMMV, but it wasn't worth it to me.

Hey JBKing. I live in Richmond, about 20 minutes south of lexington. From what i understand, the local adelphia office has a large antenna behind their office. I am about 2 miles from their office. Land here is very flat, so mountains do not come into play here at my location.

[JBKing]

I live in Owensboro, but my Evansville stations are 40 miles away.

If you are that close to Lexington, the clip-on may work for you.

[enforcer]

I live in Owensboro, but my Evansville stations are 40 miles away.

If you are that close to Lexington, the clip-on may work for you.


Would the tower behind the adelphia office be an antenna for tv programming??? It's about 300 or 400 feet tall. Red and white. On a clear day I can see the tower from my townhouse. I pick up reception with rabbit ears right now and the reception is pretty good except for FOX. I think having a clip on antenna would give better reception. What do u think?

[Jacob S]

I would check on what the return policy is. Some stores are good at returning products. Also I have heard in the past that these will not work on dishpro lnbf's. I have seen them work really well in some places a good ways from the stations (up on the hill in some cases) while in other places it would not work at all.

[FTA Michael]

My experience: I tried a dish clip-on, and it was better than rabbit ears but just barely. If you're trying to improve a decent signal, go for it. If you're trying to pull in a signal you can't get now, I'm guessing it won't work well for you.

If I'd known the marginal quality improvement the clip-on would bring me, I'd have never paid $50 for it. But now it's paid for, so it's still there.

YMMV of course. Good luck!

[Wayne]

I also live in Richmond. I thought about getting a clip on antenna as well. I was using an RCA indoor antenna that got a boost from plugging it into an electrical outlet. It worked better than a standard indoor antenna but I couldn't get FOX(56) or NBC(18) very well and couldn't get the low powered UPN station at all.

Anyway, my solution was subscribing to the Lexington locals when Dish starting carry them in February (all but UPN). I subscribe to the superstation pak(2 UPNs and 3 WBs) and with the locals the costs is only $8.99 a month.

The best part is I can use my PVR to record network programming. It's nice to be able to leave the house anytime I want to and know I will never miss my favorite shows. Plus I can watch a hour program in about 40 to 45 minutes by fast forwarding all the commercials.

Oh, the PBS station (aka KET) is on a different satellite (big RED GREEN fan) so you will need another dish to receive it (installed free). Plus you get a few extra public access channels (FamilyNet is the best of them) as well as access to Sky Angel if you want to add it to your programming package.

Sorry about the rant, but I'm crazy about my Dish. (Will never go back to cable).

[Nick]

"Would the tower behind the adelphia office be an antenna for tv programming??? It's about 300 or 400 feet tall. Red and white. On a clear day I can see the tower from my townhouse. I pick up reception with rabbit ears right now and the reception is pretty good except for FOX. I think having a clip on antenna would give better reception. What do u think?"

The various antennae you see at cable facilities are for reception only. The 'tower' you see there is not a transmitting tower, but is there to elevate the various antennae mounted on it for optimum reception of local and distant OTA signals. Cablecos receive both OTA and satellite transmissions for distribution over their cable systems.

The alternating red and white color scheme of a tower is to make the tower more visible to aircraft flying in the vicinity. It is an FAA requirement.

To find the location of local TV transmission towers, call broadcasters in your area , or go to www.antennaweb.org

[Cyclone]

All recomendations I have seen say to stay away from the clip on anteannas. A UHF yagi from Radio Shack is just $22.

[BobMurdoch]

Once again, it depends on distance and interference. For some people a coat hanger might work, for most of us though, a Channel Master or Terk mounted to the roof is the only way to get a usuable signal.

[Jacob S]

antennaweb.org has good information on what locals are available in your area and what direction to put your antenna. Thanks for the link. I put the link on my website.