man_rob
03-27-07, 12:55 PM
Hi,
Where I live in Baltimore, in a small 2 story brick townhouse, I get most of the local HD channels via a small $4 bow tie antenna from Radio Shack. I even get a PBS station that is about 20 miles away. I placed the antenna in the upstairs hall at the end of about 30' of coax, with no amp. I made my own version of that picture frame antenna, by hiding the nearly flat bow tie behind a picture that was already hanging in the hall.
For the most part the signal is good. I live near a hospital, and it seems the med-evac helicopters cause multi path interference. After the aircraft moves away, everything is fine again, save an occasional random drop out.
(This is were you might want to get out paper and pencil, and plot out the complicated details of my reception scenario.)
The bulk of the local channels are just about due north of me, except for the PBS channel which is about 15-20 degrees west of due south. The bow tie is orientated with the ends approx. in an east west direction. (W) >-< (E)
I don't currently get DC channels, but they are about 30-35 miles away, at about 45 degrees west of due south. All in all, the broadcast towers, both Baltimore & DC, are within an approx. radius of about 160 degrees.
Hopefully that gets all the necessary back ground info out there. I am looking to get a roof top antenna that might pick up the DC channels, but hopefully with the ability to receive from the entire 160 degree radius. I was looking at Digital-Terrestrial's "multi-directional DB" http://www.terrestrial-digital.com/multi-directional.html line, Hoping that the DB2 might do the trick, but maybe the larger DB4. Does anyone know about these antennas, and what what radius range will they pick up?
Thanks.
Where I live in Baltimore, in a small 2 story brick townhouse, I get most of the local HD channels via a small $4 bow tie antenna from Radio Shack. I even get a PBS station that is about 20 miles away. I placed the antenna in the upstairs hall at the end of about 30' of coax, with no amp. I made my own version of that picture frame antenna, by hiding the nearly flat bow tie behind a picture that was already hanging in the hall.
For the most part the signal is good. I live near a hospital, and it seems the med-evac helicopters cause multi path interference. After the aircraft moves away, everything is fine again, save an occasional random drop out.
(This is were you might want to get out paper and pencil, and plot out the complicated details of my reception scenario.)
The bulk of the local channels are just about due north of me, except for the PBS channel which is about 15-20 degrees west of due south. The bow tie is orientated with the ends approx. in an east west direction. (W) >-< (E)
I don't currently get DC channels, but they are about 30-35 miles away, at about 45 degrees west of due south. All in all, the broadcast towers, both Baltimore & DC, are within an approx. radius of about 160 degrees.
Hopefully that gets all the necessary back ground info out there. I am looking to get a roof top antenna that might pick up the DC channels, but hopefully with the ability to receive from the entire 160 degree radius. I was looking at Digital-Terrestrial's "multi-directional DB" http://www.terrestrial-digital.com/multi-directional.html line, Hoping that the DB2 might do the trick, but maybe the larger DB4. Does anyone know about these antennas, and what what radius range will they pick up?
Thanks.