OTA HD in the boondocks

[fredpb]

The 622 can do OTA?

What is a good powered antenna for HD? What are my options.
I don't want an outside antenna.
Can I use a good higain amp with the antenna?????

Also, where can I get these items????

Any help would be appreciated.

[boba]

The 622 can do OTA?

What is a good powered antenna for HD? What are my options.
I don't want an outside antenna.
Can I use a good higain amp with the antenna?????

Also, where can I get these items????

Any help would be appreciated.Start with www.antennaweb.org

Find out what you need then ask your questions someone will give you there guess.

[salemtubes]

The 622 can do OTA?

What is a good powered antenna for HD? What are my options.
I don't want an outside antenna.
Can I use a good higain amp with the antenna?????

Also, where can I get these items????

Any help would be appreciated.

Yes, the 622 will receive OTA digital broadcasts. You need to provide your zip code before anyone can make recommendations for a proper antenna setup for your location.

[Jim5506]

Be aware that an amplifier can only amplify the signal that the antenna picks up. If you use a low gain antenna and amplify it you not only amplify what little signal the antenna found, but you also amplify all the static and noise the antenna finds, too.

Best practice is to use the best antenna you can and only amplify it if it is absolutely necessary.

[wje]

Additionally, if you do use an inline amp, put it as close to the antenna as you can. The amplifier itself adds noise, so you want the highest possible input signal before amplification so the noise component is minimized.

I'm out in the boonies myself. I have 2 high-gain antennas, one for Boston and one for (distant) locals, as well as 20 db of amplification. It actually works well.

[fredpb]

I live in Greenwood, SC, south of Greenville.

[fredpb]

29649. Greenwood, SC. South of Greenville.

[arxaw]

Enter your complete address & zip code at:
http://www.antennaweb.org

Post back here with the color codes shown for each digital station it says you might be able to get.

[boba]

At 9.9 miles and only a PBS digital station a set of Rabbit Ears is probably all you need.

[Michael P]

The other factor for distant digital OTA reception is the the station's transmitters. I can get one digital station OTA 24/7 from 56 miles without an amplifier. The other two stations from the same city do not come in continuously. The coverage area map of this station shows that I'm inside the coverage area, while I'm on the outside for the other two.

Type in the call letters to the stations you are trying to receive here to see if you are inside or outside the coverage area:
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/video/tvq.html

NOTE: This site shows predicted coverage area based on the tower height and strength of the transmitter. It does not take terrain into account. Also this has nothing to do with DMA's. It's possible to be outside the coverage area of a station but still be in it's DMA, or be inside the coverage area and be outside it's DMA. Dish can only provide you with stations within your DMA.

[jgurley]

If you're a technical type, here's a link I found informative regarding specific antenna brand performance.

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

I've tried several tested on this sight and for me the best is a CM Stealtenna 3010 amplified. It doesn't rank high on their chart but works better for me anyway (also has VHS so when some networks start moving to channels 3-13 I should still be in business.)

If I'm not mistaken, you live in an area with some hills/low mountains which may play interesting games with your reception.


I live in the mountains of Virginia, and my best signals come from stations 25 miles to the east, while the ones 7 miles west of me are weakest, and one (FOX) I can't receive at all even though that transmitting tower is within 100 yards of the others.

Go figure.

[arxaw]

... one (FOX) I can't receive at all even though that transmitting tower is within 100 yards of the others.Perhaps the Fox station is transmitting at lower power than the station near it. Another possibility is the channel is on a certain frequency that your particular antenna can't receive well.

[jgurley]

No, I'm being "overshot". The truth is, being in the mountains the stations I get from those transmitters 7 miles away are most likely reflecting off other mountains. Its just that I can't find the spot where FOX's signal hits my house.

To demonstrate just how hit and miss OTA in the mountains can be, my daughter's family lives on the other side of the FOX transmitter from me, way up another mountain, then down in the valley next to the river 30 miles away and they get FOX with an indoor bow-tie sitting on top of their TV.

Sometimes you just have to experiment and hope for the best.

[scooper]

Sometimes you just have to experiment and hope for the best.

That statement says it all.....