Multiple Flats Using One Master Antenna

[Markxxx]

I was talking to my landlord and trying to get him to put up a master antenna. As most of you know through my griping since digital TV came in, I lost all the ability to get any TV stations. I've tried various silver sensor antennas and nothing.

Anyway I was talking to him and asking him to put up an antenna on the roof. The building is 5 stories tall and it is already wired inside for a master antenna and cable.

I never thought about it but he said a simple antenna wouldn't work. He said the more people that connect to it, the worse the reception is. I guess he's thinking along the lines of a cable Internet connections. The more computers on your Internet the less each computer gets.

My question is, is this so? Does it really matter how many people are connected onto a TV antenna? There are about 50 units in the building. Apparently the people on the fifth floor can get TV with inside antennas so it's probably the trees, which are all around and very tall, that are killiing the rest of the building.

 

[pab]

It's actually a matter of how often you split a signal, not how many people are using it at a given time. If you have a signal strength of (just to use a number pulled out of thin air) 50db and split it into two outputs, then you have two signals of 25db (actually, less than that since there is signal loss within the splitter). Keep splitting it, and it gets halved each time. That's always been the case, even with analog. Of course, analog was a lot more forgiving of signal loss than digital is.

If your master antenna ("MATV") setup was properly designed, it will actually use a distribution amplifier instead splitters. A good DA will boost the signal before and after the split, so that there is less signal loss to the individual sets. Depending upon your distance from the transmitters, it should probably have a signal amp before the DA, too.

Ask your landlord to let you take a look at the setup. See if it has a distribution amp or if it's just a series of unpowered splitters.

 

[Tom Wells]

I have some new old stock amplifiers for a MATV system I've been waiting for a good home to show up for and you're only
3 or 4 miles away, Mark. Send a PM if you can use them. They were free to me.
I'll dig 'em out tomorrow.

 

[Markxxx]

Thanks for your kind offer, but I doubt this guy will do anything. He doesn't live onsite and I sure can't store them.

I was just wondering more for curiosity. This building used to have one back in the early 90s. When it was wired for cable then, the then owner, took down the master cable. So right next to the cable outlet is an outlet or a master antenna. There currently is no master antenna.

Just as a matter of fun, what do you think it would cost to put up a master antenna? The building is 3 miles NW of Willis (Sears) Tower in Chicago and is has five floors. There are roughly fifty flats in the building.

What would it cost to put up the cheapest possible antenna? In Chicago all TV but WBBM-TV are on UHF. WBBM is on Channel 12. I think there is a low power on channel 4 for digital and still runs on channel 13 analog.

I mean a rough estimate. Since this is never gonna happen, but it'd be fun to tell him if he visits again

Thanks

 

[kenglish]

You'd need to do some sleuthing on what is already there, in the system.

The current layout, showing what kind of old cabling is installed, what model of splitters or taps are installed, approximate cable lengths, etc.
A "TV Fool.com" survey of the available stations would be nice to have.

The amount of signal available is not dependent on the antenna output, but on the amount of amplification and equalization being done in the system. The antenna(s) gather the available off-air signal. The processors (if used) amplify the signals and balance them out. The amplifier(s) increase the levels so that they can be split. The cables carry the signals, with a minimum/predictable loss, and keep the outside signals and interference out.
The splitters or taps divide the available power of the signal, and send the appropriate amount to each tap.

It's all a science.
I worked (via e-mail) with a guy in Wisconsin, whose building had a similar need. With some local Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) assistance, we re-configured what was there at no cost, and they got all their stations.

 

[FreddyE1977]

I have lived in apartment buildings that had master antennas. For the most part unused since
I lived in them after cable had come in. One building did leave you hooked to it until you were able
to get the cable guy out. Reception was okay but not great. I am guessing it had not been
properly maintained for a number of years.

 

[dave73]

What would it cost to put up the cheapest possible antenna? In Chicago all TV but WBBM-TV are on UHF. WBBM is on Channel 12. I think there is a low power on channel 4 for digital and still runs on channel 13 analog.

If you count WLS-TV's channel 7 (RF 7), then there still is 2 full power stations on the VHF (WLS-TV on RF 7 still travels about as far as they did when they switched their digital to 7). I still watch WLS-TV on channel 7 and not 44. Now I don't know how much longer WLS-TV plans to keep their station on RF 7. As long as WLS-TV keeps 7 running, I see no reason to rescan as I have deleted PSIP 44 in order to enter RF 44, which reverted to 7.1, and I find the signal weaker on 44 than on 7.

I don't know how many people get WOCK-CD on RF 4 (I'm not one of them). I live well away from Chicago and have an antenna optimized for channel 2-69 (bought it in 2002). I'm well aware the signal is aimed mostly toward the SW, but I read on AVSforum.com that someone from South Bend has had no trouble getting that station nearly 90 miles away from Chicago. I wish I could get WWME-LD on RF 39 since they're supposed to have coverage over my area. If WBBM-TV ever gets their translator running, I wonder if I'll get that.

 

[tripinva]

WOCK-LD used to be on a directional antenna, but now is on an antenna that's almost omni, and it is at 0.405 kW rather than the FCC limit of 0.3 kW.

- Trip