KFXK Fox 51 and NBC (Forgot affiliation letters) 56 cutting out/in.

[Name141]

Hello, I live in Camp County (pittsburg) and KLTV Channel 7 comes in 90-100 and hardly ever cuts out, however NBC will cut in and out with a 55-65ish signal. Usually in the higher 50s is where it's at.

KFKX will do the same, but usually is "stable" in the middle to higher 60's, but sometimes it cuts in and out too.

Is there anything I could do other than buy a higher more gain over the air antenna ? Such as a regular yagi instead of the mini yagi I bought ? Maybe put the mini yagi on a pole that will get it over the trees ? Maybe an amp ?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-Suburban-Mini-Yagi-Digital-Outdoor-Antenna-with-Mast/10828410 is the antenna I bought.

DISHNetwork hasn't added our locals in HD in 4 years since we went back to them.

Also I can't seem to pickup CBS19 or any other affiliation of CBS in the area. (Even tried pointing it towards north east instead of south west, and only picked up an Arklatex NBC, KLTV, and some other Arklatex ABC affiliation).

 

[Chuck]

If you are near Pittsburg, you are a very long way from any of those transmitter sites. Raising your antenna may help, as would a higher gain antenna. TV signals are line of sight, so you are probably noticing the effects of the curvature of the earth. That is usually about the point of diminishing returns where there isn't enough signal strength, even if you could "see" the transmitting tower. There is a web site that can show you where the transmitters are located. http://www.tvfool.com/

Channel 7's transmitter is near Hawkins, and quite a bit closer to you.

 

[Name141]

If you are near Pittsburg, you are a very long way from any of those transmitter sites. Raising your antenna may help, as would a higher gain antenna. TV signals are line of sight, so you are probably noticing the effects of the curvature of the earth. That is usually about the point of diminishing returns where there isn't enough signal strength, even if you could "see" the transmitting tower. There is a web site that can show you where the transmitters are located. http://www.tvfool.com/

Channel 7's transmitter is near Hawkins, and quite a bit closer to you.

Something like http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-10dB-Video-Signal-Amplifier/11600128 wouldn't help with stabilizing the signals of KFXK or the NBC station from the pole it's on ? I'm using 100 foot to get to the mini yagi (all though 50 foot of cable would have worked from where it's at..) .

edit: KETK is the 56/NBC affiliation .

 

[easttxtv]

How tall is your mast/pole now? Whatever it is, it's likely not tall enough. Remember, East Texas is somewhat hilly and you're not going to get a good signal from a pole that's too short. I looked up your antenna online. That might do if you were in or south of Tyler but otherwise, no. According to Antennaweb, you are around 33 miles from KLTV/7. It wouldn't even list the other locals from Pittsburg. TVFool says you're 48 miles from KFXK/51 and KCEB/54, 65 miles from KETK/56, and 72 miles from KYTX/19. I'm afraid you'll need something much bigger.

I looked at Channel Master's website and found this
https://www.channelmasterstore.com/Digital_HDTV_Outdoor_TV_Antenna_p/cm-3020.htm

It might be sticker-shock compared to the Walmart model you bought, but that little Walmart stuff is for places much closer to towers than you are. Unfortunately, you are in a somewhat twilight-zone-ish place when it comes to TV stations. Too bad Dish isn't being cooperative with you about your locals. If no one in Pittsburg carries Channel Master products, you can order direct from them online.

Sorry about the limited options, let us know what happens, and good luck!

 

[fredcantu]

The satellite providers are forbidden from providing local stations to subscribers outside the station's normal coverage area. I believe it's done by zip codes. If you're 60 to 70 miles from the tower, you are not in the normal coverage area. But since you don't have local stations you may qualify to get generic network stations. Ask Dish if that is an option.

 

[jd]

TVFool says you're 48 miles from KFXK/51 and KCEB/54, 65 miles from KETK/56, and 72 miles from KYTX/19.

It also shows that the Shreveport affiliates for CBS and NBC are noticeably closer than the ones from Tyler-Longview. Would it be better to look into a rotating antenna, or to target Shreveport stations entirely? Sure, the ABC, Fox and CW stations would be further but the PBS station might be doable and that's something East Texas doesn't have.

 

[Name141]

How tall is your mast/pole now? Whatever it is, it's likely not tall enough. Remember, East Texas is somewhat hilly and you're not going to get a good signal from a pole that's too short. I looked up your antenna online. That might do if you were in or south of Tyler but otherwise, no. According to Antennaweb, you are around 33 miles from KLTV/7. It wouldn't even list the other locals from Pittsburg. TVFool says you're 48 miles from KFXK/51 and KCEB/54, 65 miles from KETK/56, and 72 miles from KYTX/19. I'm afraid you'll need something much bigger.

I looked at Channel Master's website and found this
https://www.channelmasterstore.com/Digital_HDTV_Outdoor_TV_Antenna_p/cm-3020.htm

It might be sticker-shock compared to the Walmart model you bought, but that little Walmart stuff is for places much closer to towers than you are. Unfortunately, you are in a somewhat twilight-zone-ish place when it comes to TV stations. Too bad Dish isn't being cooperative with you about your locals. If no one in Pittsburg carries Channel Master products, you can order direct from them online.

Sorry about the limited options, let us know what happens, and good luck!

I think the pole is like 30 feet. We have a 50 or 60 one we used for CB antennas we haven't used, but is still up. Might try it there.

Anyway, we have the locals but they are in SD. DirecTV has been broadcasting them in HD for atleast 5 years now. Might me time to switch back.. since I'm not paying $100+ on an over the air antenna.

edit: BTW: I'm trying to watch Dallas and Seahawks on Fox51 right now, and the over the air antenna wont keep a good enough signal (due to rain? I guess?) so I've had to revert back to DISHNetwork's SD feed . Defeating the whole purpose I bought the antenna..

 

[Gridlock Joe]

I remember when I lived in Mount Pleasant (during the analog era) KLTV was the only station I could get with an antenna at all, and that was from a second-story window looking south.

 

[gbranch]

Unfortunately, that little Walmart RCA antenna is only going to be good within about 30 miles of the transmitters. Get you a good Channel Master antenna and pre-amp, like a 4228HD antenna and 7777 pre-amp. I also agree with jd in that the Shreveport stations may be your best bet. From Shreveport, you should get the big 4, plus 3 channels of PBS, CW, Me-TV, Bounce, This-TV, weather and news channels, and maybe My Network on 45. The other nice thing about the Shreveport market is that all the stations are UHF, so you don't have to try to get a VHF with a UHF antenna. The Shreveport FOX affiliate (KMSS-33) also shows Saints games (unless pre-empted by the Cowboys) that you won't normally see on KFXK. The CBS affiliate, KSLA-12, typically shows the same games that are on KYTX-19.

If you go the Directv route you will get the big 4 in HD, but not much else.

 

[Name141]

Unfortunately, that little Walmart RCA antenna is only going to be good within about 30 miles of the transmitters. Get you a good Channel Master antenna and pre-amp, like a 4228HD antenna and 7777 pre-amp. I also agree with jd in that the Shreveport stations may be your best bet. From Shreveport, you should get the big 4, plus 3 channels of PBS, CW, Me-TV, Bounce, This-TV, weather and news channels, and maybe My Network on 45. The other nice thing about the Shreveport market is that all the stations are UHF, so you don't have to try to get a VHF with a UHF antenna. The Shreveport FOX affiliate (KMSS-33) also shows Saints games (unless pre-empted by the Cowboys) that you won't normally see on KFXK. The CBS affiliate, KSLA-12, typically shows the same games that are on KYTX-19.

If you go the Directv route you will get the big 4 in HD, but not much else.

The DirecTV route is out.  They don't have some of the Sat channels we are watching in HD , yet DISHNetwork does..

Yet, I don't know if I want to drop 95-110 on an antenna and not know it's going to bring in all the channels I want 100% sure ?

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...ase&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=google_base

edit: "
    Receives Channels 14-69
" what?? So it couldn't do 1-14 ?

edit2: you are also talking about a near $60 "pre-amp".

 

[JHBrandt]

According to Antennaweb, you are around 33 miles from KLTV/7....  TVFool says you're 48 miles from KFXK/51 and KCEB/54, 65 miles from KETK/56, and 72 miles from KYTX/19.

Ouch! I agree with the above: you need a much bigger antenna. Also, get the antenna above the trees if possible.

Based on my experience the CM-4228 you mentioned would probably pick up KLTV, KFXK, and KCEB OK. The 14-69 is a mistake; it's best for channels 7-51. (Also, keep in mind we're talking RF channels here: KFXK is really on channel 31, KCEB is really on 51, KETK is really on 22, and KYTX is really on 18. Only KLTV/7 is really on the channel it IDs by.)

I doubt it'd pick up KETK or KYTX very well, though; and it's a pretty heavy antenna, so you'll need a sturdy mount to keep it up in wind and ice storms, so you may prefer another antenna. Rather than a CM-3020, consider a CM-2020, a Winegard 7698 or Antennacraft HBU-55. Still pricey but smaller and easier to keep up.

But I'd still expect KETK/56 (NBC) and especially KYTX/19 to be a bit spotty. UHF signals tend to fade in/out over such long distances. If you want NBC, an antenna rotator to pick up the Shreveport stations may be your best bet.

Amplifiers: If you're going to split the signal for multiple TVs, or if there's going to be over 50' of cable between the antenna and the TV, you'll probably need an amp. But if neither of these is true, an amp is unlikely to help, so don't waste your money.

If you do need an amp, I think most of us would recommend a CM-7777 preamp. It's a bit pricey but it's one of the best, and you mount it on the mast, close to the antenna, since that's where an amp will do the most good. The cable from the amp runs to the power supply, which can be at the TV, in the attic, or wherever is convenient. The power supply sends power up the cable to the amp.

The Antennacraft antennas are available at Radio Shack. The others are available at Fry's. I don't know if there's a Fry's in Tyler though.

 

[easttxtv]

The Antennacraft antennas are available at Radio Shack. The others are available at Fry's. I don't know if there's a Fry's in Tyler though.

They don't have any Fry's locations in Tyler; his closest would be Plano or Dallas.

 

[Name141]

According to Antennaweb, you are around 33 miles from KLTV/7.... TVFool says you're 48 miles from KFXK/51 and KCEB/54, 65 miles from KETK/56, and 72 miles from KYTX/19.

Ouch! I agree with the above: you need a much bigger antenna. Also, get the antenna above the trees if possible.

Based on my experience the CM-4228 you mentioned would probably pick up KLTV, KFXK, and KCEB OK. The 14-69 is a mistake; it's best for channels 7-51. (Also, keep in mind we're talking RF channels here: KFXK is really on channel 31, KCEB is really on 51, KETK is really on 22, and KYTX is really on 18. Only KLTV/7 is really on the channel it IDs by.)

I doubt it'd pick up KETK or KYTX very well, though; and it's a pretty heavy antenna, so you'll need a sturdy mount to keep it up in wind and ice storms, so you may prefer another antenna. Rather than a CM-3020, consider a CM-2020, a Winegard 7698 or Antennacraft HBU-55. Still pricey but smaller and easier to keep up.

But I'd still expect KETK/56 (NBC) and especially KYTX/19 to be a bit spotty. UHF signals tend to fade in/out over such long distances. If you want NBC, an antenna rotator to pick up the Shreveport stations may be your best bet.

Amplifiers: If you're going to split the signal for multiple TVs, or if there's going to be over 50' of cable between the antenna and the TV, you'll probably need an amp. But if neither of these is true, an amp is unlikely to help, so don't waste your money.

If you do need an amp, I think most of us would recommend a CM-7777 preamp. It's a bit pricey but it's one of the best, and you mount it on the mast, close to the antenna, since that's where an amp will do the most good. The cable from the amp runs to the power supply, which can be at the TV, in the attic, or wherever is convenient. The power supply sends power up the cable to the amp.

The Antennacraft antennas are available at Radio Shack. The others are available at Fry's. I don't know if there's a Fry's in Tyler though.

The CM2020 looks decent, but according to http://www.channelmasterstore.com/Digital_HDTV_Outdoor_TV_Antenna_p/cm-2020.htm "Antenna Mounts and Masts sold separately".

What the ? I guess I'm supposed to duct tape it? .

Anyway, what would I really need to mount it ?

 

[gbranch]

Outdoor antennas don't typically come with a mast. You have to supply that yourself. There are telescoping masts available, or to save some money go to Lowe's or Home Depot and buy some sections of metal conduit and the appropriate fittings.

Sorry, but living out in a TV fringe area means that you will have to spend some money to get a usable over the air antenna setup. Either that or accept what Dish or Directv give you.

 

[JHBrandt]

The CM2020 looks decent, but according to http://www.channelmasterstore.com/Digital_HDTV_Outdoor_TV_Antenna_p/cm-2020.htm "Antenna Mounts and Masts sold separately".

What the ? I guess I'm supposed to duct tape it? .

Anyway, what would I really need to mount it ?

The antenna does come with the hardware needed to secure it to a mast. But you'll have to supply your own mast, as well as whatever you need to keep it vertical (the mount).

A mast is simply a metal pole. CM sells 5' and 10' sections, with one end tapered so you can fit one pole into another for more height. Or you can use rigid conduit as the previous poster suggested. Either way, the mast won't cost much. As for the mount, I've seen a couple of techniques used:

1. Bury a 10' mast about 5-6' in the ground; add another 10' mast on top. Secure it to your roof so it won't sway. (They sell roof mounts for this.) Obviously you'll have to do some digging but this gives you 14-15' of height, and the added bonus of grounding your antenna; extremely important if you don't want your house to burn down from a lightning strike. Atmospheric electrical charges need a path from the antenna to the ground that doesn't go through your house.

2. Mount the mast atop your roof. Both chimney and tripod mounts are available for this. A 10' mast mounted at the apex of your roof is probably the easiest way to get 25-26' of height. But you'll need a long, thick copper wire for grounding. (I used about 25' of #4 gauge uninsulated wire.) One end must be secured to your mast or mount; the other must be secured to a well-grounded conductor such as a partially-buried water pipe. If a good ground isn't available, grounding rods are available at Radio Shack. Just hammer one into the ground, then attach the grounding wire. Try to avoid sharp bends in the grounding wire.

Be careful working on your roof, and be EXTREMELY careful if there are overhead power lines anywhere nearby. Stay well away from them!

3. If your locality permits it, you can put your antenna & mast atop a tower. This is one way to get 40-50' of height, but it's also the most expensive.

Either way, you'll also need a grounding block (another small, inexpensive, but critical part, available at Radio Shack) for the coaxial cable. Needless to say, the grounding block needs to be grounded (hence the name). There's a hole with a set-screw to pass a grounding wire through, or you can bolt it directly to your grounded mast or mount. Then you run a short cable from the antenna to the grounding block, and a long cable from the grounding block into your home.

As you can see, this can end up being a lot of work. But done right, it's a one-time investment that'll pay off for years to come.

 

[Name141]

The CM2020 looks decent, but according to http://www.channelmasterstore.com/Digital_HDTV_Outdoor_TV_Antenna_p/cm-2020.htm "Antenna Mounts and Masts sold separately".

What the ? I guess I'm supposed to duct tape it? .

Anyway, what would I really need to mount it ?

The antenna does come with the hardware needed to secure it to a mast. But you'll have to supply your own mast, as well as whatever you need to keep it vertical (the mount).

A mast is simply a metal pole. CM sells 5' and 10' sections, with one end tapered so you can fit one pole into another for more height. Or you can use rigid conduit as the previous poster suggested. Either way, the mast won't cost much. As for the mount, I've seen a couple of techniques used:

1. Bury a 10' mast about 5-6' in the ground; add another 10' mast on top. Secure it to your roof so it won't sway. (They sell roof mounts for this.) Obviously you'll have to do some digging but this gives you 14-15' of height, and the added bonus of grounding your antenna; extremely important if you don't want your house to burn down from a lightning strike. Atmospheric electrical charges need a path from the antenna to the ground that doesn't go through your house.

2. Mount the mast atop your roof. Both chimney and tripod mounts are available for this. A 10' mast mounted at the apex of your roof is probably the easiest way to get 25-26' of height. But you'll need a long, thick copper wire for grounding. (I used about 25' of #4 gauge uninsulated wire.) One end must be secured to your mast or mount; the other must be secured to a well-grounded conductor such as a partially-buried water pipe. If a good ground isn't available, grounding rods are available at Radio Shack. Just hammer one into the ground, then attach the grounding wire. Try to avoid sharp bends in the grounding wire.

Be careful working on your roof, and be EXTREMELY careful if there are overhead power lines anywhere nearby. Stay well away from them!

3. If your locality permits it, you can put your antenna & mast atop a tower. This is one way to get 40-50' of height, but it's also the most expensive.

Either way, you'll also need a grounding block (another small, inexpensive, but critical part, available at Radio Shack) for the coaxial cable. Needless to say, the grounding block needs to be grounded (hence the name). There's a hole with a set-screw to pass a grounding wire through, or you can bolt it directly to your grounded mast or mount. Then you run a short cable from the antenna to the grounding block, and a long cable from the grounding block into your home.

As you can see, this can end up being a lot of work. But done right, it's a one-time investment that'll pay off for years to come.

I guess I'd be OK then. I have a 30 foot and something like a 50 or 60 foot pole I can put it on if it all ready has the equipment needed to clamp on to a pole. Why would I need a ground for it ?

 

[easttxtv]

I guess I'd be OK then. I have a 30 foot and something like a 50 or 60 foot pole I can put it on if it all ready has the equipment needed to clamp on to a pole. Why would I need a ground for it ?

If you have a TV antenna of any height, it's usually one of the tallest things on your property (other than taller trees or things like flagpoles). Because of that, and since antennas and poles are almost completely made of metal, they are very attractive to lightning during storms. If you don't want your antenna, lead-in, and even your TV to not be fried or otherwise damaged, you really want to ground your antenna. If you don't want your house to catch fire after a lightning strike, you really want to ground your antenna. I would hope the 2 poles you already have would have some kind of grounding; if they don't, you have been very fortunate.

 

[Name141]

I guess I'd be OK then. I have a 30 foot and something like a 50 or 60 foot pole I can put it on if it all ready has the equipment needed to clamp on to a pole. Why would I need a ground for it ?

If you have a TV antenna of any height, it's usually one of the tallest things on your property (other than taller trees or things like flagpoles). Because of that, and since antennas and poles are almost completely made of metal, they are very attractive to lightning during storms. If you don't want your antenna, lead-in, and even your TV to not be fried or otherwise damaged, you really want to ground your antenna. If you don't want your house to catch fire after a lightning strike, you really want to ground your antenna. I would hope the 2 poles you already have would have some kind of grounding; if they don't, you have been very fortunate.

I believe the 50' is grounded with the CB equipment. Also, the poles go right in to the ground themselves.

 

[Chuck]

You need to drive some ground stakes into the soil around the pole. Just having the mast sticking in the ground isn't adequate. Copper clad ground stakes are available at places like Home Depot, or any electical supply store.
You should also use a ground block and another stake at the point the coax enters the house. Since I don't want you to blame me if you get hit by lightning, I'll suggest you get a copy of the ARRL Antenna Handbook. Although it is designed for Ham Radio operators it has some very good tips on grounding antennas. It's available at http://www.arrl.org/ or you might find a copy at your local library.

 

[JHBrandt]

I guess I'd be OK then. I have a 30 foot and something like a 50 or 60 foot pole I can put it on if it all ready has the equipment needed to clamp on to a pole. Why would I need a ground for it ?

If you have a TV antenna of any height, it's usually one of the tallest things on your property (other than taller trees or things like flagpoles). Because of that, and since antennas and poles are almost completely made of metal, they are very attractive to lightning during storms. If you don't want your antenna, lead-in, and even your TV to not be fried or otherwise damaged, you really want to ground your antenna. If you don't want your house to catch fire after a lightning strike, you really want to ground your antenna. I would hope the 2 poles you already have would have some kind of grounding; if they don't, you have been very fortunate.

I believe the 50' is grounded with the CB equipment. Also, the poles go right in to the ground themselves.

That sounds like a perfect spot for a TV antenna. 50' should really help your TV reception, although if you have a CB antenna up there already, for best results you should mount the TV antenna a few feet below it. Five feet should be plenty of separation.

If the buried part of the pole isn't painted or otherwise insulated, and it's buried deep enough to reach moist soil year-round (5-6 feet or more), it should be grounded OK. If it's painted or not deep enough, you can buy a copper ground stake at Radio Shack and hammer it into the ground, then clamp a grounding wire between it and the pole.

While you're at Radio Shack don't forget to pick up that little grounding block for your TV cable too. Although nothing can eliminate the risk entirely, a well-grounded setup will be pretty safe from lightning.

One last thing. Make a little loop in the cable going into your home next to the grounding block. This gives a little extra safety in the unlikely event of a direct lightning strike. High-current flows like lightning don't like to go around in circles (it induces a strong magnetic field that impedes the current), so most of the current will follow a straight grounding wire instead of the looped cable into your home. A direct hit would probably still fry your equipment, but it least this way it wouldn't set your house on fire!