I have a question about indoor HDTV antennas. Is there a website that will give estimates on their range? I haven't bought a digital TV yet, but when I do I want to at least get some OTA signals. I'm in range of being able to get good signals from Jackson, TN from 3 stations, but I live about 50 to 60 miles (straight line) from the East side of Memphis where most TV towers are. Is there an indoor antenna that will be powerful enough to pick up digital signals from that distance? Thanks!
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Indoor HDTV antenna question
- Thread starter anotherguyTN
- Start date
I haven't seen one that will work. As I read in Consumer Reports recently, EVERY brand of tv on the market today has crap for a tuner. It is as much an afterthought as a sensitive wideband AM section is in a Stereo Receiver or a car radio.
Todays' sets are made for Cable, Fios, but may work if you live nearby the stations, but not 50 miles without a really good outdoor yagi UHF antenna.
Todays' sets are made for Cable, Fios, but may work if you live nearby the stations, but not 50 miles without a really good outdoor yagi UHF antenna.
In the real world here, a piece of wire hanging out of the F connector picks up a couple of HD stations at 12 miles, but the Indianapolis stations at 35 miles are not there. An indoor antenna (unless it's an outdoor antenna mounted indoors in an attic) may be slightly better than a piece of wire, but if my experience is any guide, you'll see no trace of 50-60 mile stuff. With a large outdoor UHF antenna, I regularly see 70 mile HD signals in one direction (Louisville), but no trace of HD signals 80 miles in two other directions (Cincinnati & Terre Haute). Another heads up on the indoor antenna, expect signals that you do get to break up when you walk across the room near the antenna. HD likes robust outdoor antennas. Yet another mention...HD stations on VHF, especially channels 2-6 are vulnerable to Lightning static. Don't expect to be able to watch them during a thunderstorm unless you are within a few miles.
The best indoor UHF HDTV antenna is no longer made after fifty years, the dual bowtie set top antenna. You might find one on eBay but Rat Shack stop selling them a few year back. I have one and receive the HD signals of my "locals" that are 30 miles away with signal strengths of 60 plus at a low point in elevation with lots of trees.
Runner up is the Zenith log periodic indoor UHF antenna, also no longer made and available occasionally on eBay. It has slightly less sensitivity as the dual bowtie but does a decent job.
Runner up is the Zenith log periodic indoor UHF antenna, also no longer made and available occasionally on eBay. It has slightly less sensitivity as the dual bowtie but does a decent job.
Fully agree w/ last post of rrob. I remember having a double bow tie from "the shack" back in the 1970's and got VG reception of the UHF's from a real "crappy" low lying location w/ hills between us and the Xmitters, about 1/2 the range as a rooftop UHF 4 bay. It's amazing that a product that actually "worked" is not made anymore. 25-30 mi is a good estimate of range for the antenna.
Where DID they all go? Come to think of it I haven't even seen any at thrift stores in the last 10 yrs or so.
Where DID they all go? Come to think of it I haven't even seen any at thrift stores in the last 10 yrs or so.
Yep---I remember the RS double bow-tie from back in the early 70s. It was the ONLY antenna that worked in the dorms (concrete and steel buildings, surrounded by high rises) at University of SC in mostly UHF Columbia SC---everyone had one for their B&W portables! I continued to use my bow-tie in several different cities (with good results) until the mid 90s when it finally fell completely apart. Have often wished I had another one. Looks like with the demand for HDTV they would offer it again.
You can still get multi-bowtie antennas. Check out Antennas Direct at http://www.antennasdirect.com/DB2_Indoor_antenna.html.
I can't speak for 50-60 mile indoor reception, but I get reliable DTV reception indoors from 40 miles on a Silver Sensor. Only one station is tough to get. It is WBBM-DT Chicago on Channel 3, for which I have to use a cut-to-length dipole. They're the only VHF DTV station. They will be moving from 3 to 11 in a couple years, and no Chicago stations will remain on VHF-Low (2 - 6).
I can't speak for 50-60 mile indoor reception, but I get reliable DTV reception indoors from 40 miles on a Silver Sensor. Only one station is tough to get. It is WBBM-DT Chicago on Channel 3, for which I have to use a cut-to-length dipole. They're the only VHF DTV station. They will be moving from 3 to 11 in a couple years, and no Chicago stations will remain on VHF-Low (2 - 6).
Philip J. Smith said:
Viewers need to keep this in mind as they consider antennas for DTV. Around here (Nashville) some of the big-box stores seem to believe all DTV is UHF. We had a viewer call the other day saying he'd bought a brand new HDTV & could get every station but us. The antenna they'd told him he needed said "HDTV UHF Antenna". *UHF*. We're on channel 10. Had a hard time convincing the guy his old antenna that was delivering good analog pictures would work just fine with his HDTV. His was the second call I've taken. (luckily the first guy was suspicious & refused to buy the UHF-only antenna before talking with us)
Note also that in 18 months, many UHF DTV stations will be moving back to VHF. In Chicago, WLS will be returning to channel 7. In NYC, WPIX and WABC are returning to their current VHF channels. In LA, all four high-band stations (KABC, KCAL, KTTV, and KCOP) will be returning to their current channels. If you have a UHF-only DTV antenna you're not going to be seeing much DTV.
Good point. I've read articles the just flat out stated that "DTV is UHF" which is obviously incorrect.
Fortunately, the Silver Sensor catches enough High-Band VHF that 7 shouldn't be a problem for me. I already get analog 7 with no snow. CBS on 11 will be a different story, though. It's a few MHz higher than 7, but the power level for WBBM-DT will be very low to protect WLFI-DT in Lafayette, Indiana. I suspect that similar situations may apply to other metro areas, too. And, there are a few stations east of the Mississippi that actually requested to go back to their VHF-Low assignments, which is kind of nuts, considering the tropo/e-skip/QRM on those channels, plus the fact that you typically need an albatross-style antenna.
Fortunately, the Silver Sensor catches enough High-Band VHF that 7 shouldn't be a problem for me. I already get analog 7 with no snow. CBS on 11 will be a different story, though. It's a few MHz higher than 7, but the power level for WBBM-DT will be very low to protect WLFI-DT in Lafayette, Indiana. I suspect that similar situations may apply to other metro areas, too. And, there are a few stations east of the Mississippi that actually requested to go back to their VHF-Low assignments, which is kind of nuts, considering the tropo/e-skip/QRM on those channels, plus the fact that you typically need an albatross-style antenna.
Thanks for all the comments. Another question: Is there a website where I can find out what channels the stations in my area will be on once the conversion is final?
The VHF issue is an important one. Memphis, your intended market, is no exception.
WHBQ will be moving back to 13, once the transition is over. While WKNO will officially remain on 29, a sister station will replace it as technically a new station on 10. Further, WMC will become one of the few low-band VHF HDTVs, as they will return to channel 5. Note that low-band is not considered desirable real estate for DTV. In fact, it's the Projects.
As an aside, I have a TV antenna in my attic in Memphis (OK, Germantown, really). While I can receive Jackson, TN often on DTV, it's not an everyday thing. 50-60 miles may be tough.
DE
WHBQ will be moving back to 13, once the transition is over. While WKNO will officially remain on 29, a sister station will replace it as technically a new station on 10. Further, WMC will become one of the few low-band VHF HDTVs, as they will return to channel 5. Note that low-band is not considered desirable real estate for DTV. In fact, it's the Projects.
As an aside, I have a TV antenna in my attic in Memphis (OK, Germantown, really). While I can receive Jackson, TN often on DTV, it's not an everyday thing. 50-60 miles may be tough.
DE
Dead Elvis and w9wi,
Thanks! The markets I would mainly be interested in would be Memphis and Jackson, TN. I'd also like to know about Nashville and the Paducah, KY area if possible. Thanks again!
Thanks! The markets I would mainly be interested in would be Memphis and Jackson, TN. I'd also like to know about Nashville and the Paducah, KY area if possible. Thanks again!
anotherguy said:
Here are the permanent DTV assignments for these markets. Many of the low-power stations haven't filed for digital operations yet. (I'm beginning to wonder if they just plan to give up & go dark) Remember that many of these stations are currently operating on different, interim digital channels. I forget who's behind channel 14 in Memphis -- it's a non-commercial reserved channel, and it's not WKNO's so it's almost certainly religious. I want to say it's Daystar's, same thing as channel 59/DTV 11. Stations' digital facilities need not necessarily be in the same place as their analog, and I believe the Ion station on channel 13 in the Paducah market plans a permanent digital operation in St. Louis.
Code:
Memphis:
Station Analog Digital
WREG 3 28
WMC 5 5
WKNO 10 29
WHBQ 13 13
WMAV 18 36
WPTY 24 25
W26CX 26 17 (HSN; low-power)
WLMT 30 31
WBUY 40 41
W42BY 42 45 (3Abn; low-power)
WPXX 50 51
WDNM 59 11 (Daystar; low-power)
new 10 (WKNO)
new 14 (relig.)
new 46 (low-power)
Jackson:
WBBJ 7 43
WLJT 11 47
WJKT 16 39
WJTD 19 27 (Fn; low-power)
Paducah:
WSIL 3 34
WPSD 6 32
WSIU 8 8
KFVS 12 12
WPXS 13 21 (transmitter may be in St. Louis)
KPOB 15 15
WUSI 16 19
WKMU 21 36
KBSI 23 22
WKPD 29 41
WTCT 27 17
WDKA 49 49
Nashville:
WKRN 2 27
WSMV 4 10
WTVF 5 5
WNPT 8 8
WZTV 17 15
WJDE 24 31 (HSC; low-power)
WUXP 30 21
WHTN 39 38
WLLC 42 41 (Telefutura; low-power)
WPGD 50 51
WNAB 58 23
WJFB 66 44w9wi,
Thanks again for the information! I'm not sure what channel 14 in Memphis is either, since it's probably too weak to pick up in Alamo, where I actually live.
I do know that WPXS Channel 13 in the Paducah Market (Mount Vernon, IL to be exact) is actually RTN now and is retransmitted on KUMO-LP channel 40 in St. Louis. So it won't surprise me for them to move the digital channel there. I know more about it because of having relatives in the Marion-Carbondale area and I watch RTN any time I'm there.
Thanks again for the information! I'm not sure what channel 14 in Memphis is either, since it's probably too weak to pick up in Alamo, where I actually live.
I do know that WPXS Channel 13 in the Paducah Market (Mount Vernon, IL to be exact) is actually RTN now and is retransmitted on KUMO-LP channel 40 in St. Louis. So it won't surprise me for them to move the digital channel there. I know more about it because of having relatives in the Marion-Carbondale area and I watch RTN any time I'm there.
Channel 14, a full-power, ain't up yet. But, I think we all assume that it will come on with religion (even more religion -- by my count we have 7 streams of religion on full-power DTVs right now).
I was getting a little Nashville DTV this morning, as a matter of fact. WTVF was in for a bit. The Jackson stations were in all morning; it does take just a little enhancement to bring them in.
DE
I was getting a little Nashville DTV this morning, as a matter of fact. WTVF was in for a bit. The Jackson stations were in all morning; it does take just a little enhancement to bring them in.
DE
L
louisNatl
Guest
The indoor antenna that I use is a Radio Shack 15-1880 which is split between my Samsung HDTV and my Boston Acoustics Recepter HD Radio (located below the TV). This antenna provides flawless reception of all stations in my local area (Atlanta, GA). The best part is that you don't have to tune or adjust it much. I am only about 25 miles from the towers but I am sandwiched in a valley between several hills. The only bad news is that the antenna is discontinued but you may find one on E-Bay.
Here is the manual: http://www.radioshack.com/graphics/uc/rsk/Support/ProductManuals/1501880_PM_EN.pdf
And, here is a review along with other indoor antennas: http://www.hdtvexpert.com/pages/squareshot.htm
Here is the manual: http://www.radioshack.com/graphics/uc/rsk/Support/ProductManuals/1501880_PM_EN.pdf
And, here is a review along with other indoor antennas: http://www.hdtvexpert.com/pages/squareshot.htm
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