Recommend me a signal booster for DTV.

[blackhawkxx]

4 minutes ago, Zero Knievel said:

Gah!  Mom still isn't happy.  I'm telling her to just hire someone to come out and fix the issue.  Maybe we need a new antenna.  Maybe the tree growth has gotten to the point where the antenna needs to be even higher or relocated on the property.  I'm not doing it.

Great idea!   

[Zero Knievel]

1 minute ago, blackhawkxx said:

Great idea!   

 

I'd only consider it because of the AGE of the existing one...but from what I can tell, they haven't radically changed the design of outdoor aerials.  Still, I don't have the equipment to get up to it and change it out.  Last time we needed a wire tightened, my neighbor used his pickup and balanced a ladder in the bed.  No way I'm trying that.  I have enough issue keeping balance when I'm on solid ground.

[blackhawkxx]

Any roofing guy who wanted to pick up a few bucks on a weekend could handle the swap with ease.

[SwampNut]

It only took us two pages and a week to start from where every radio signal starts.  TBF though, I hijacked the thread because I assumed we were done, and this would stay unfixed for a couple years then we'd talk again.

 

Mike, there are a shitload of good but expensive antennas out there, and the right one for your location varies.  I didn't save links, but when I have helped neighbors figure it out, I just googled it and found third party unaffiliated resources.  One neighbor who insisted that the $40 antenna had to be as good as the $150 antenna ended up having to spend almost double that.  Because he bet me a bottle of whiskey that the antenna couldn't make a difference.

 

[Zero Knievel]

Thoughts on this one?  I’m hoping it would work if mounted in the attic, and since it’s not unidirectional, I’d not need to worry about constantly reaiming it.

 

https://www.channelmaster.com/collections/outdoor-tv-antennas/products/extremetenna-80-outdoor-tv-antenna-cm-4228hd

 

It’s also possible the issue is a worn coax cable, but the cable run from the antenna to the house is underground.  If I check it, I might as well replace it.

Edited July 4, 2023 by Zero Knievel

[SwampNut]

That is a great-looking antenna.  It has a front-to-back ratio of of 18dB which is significant.  It is directional, although, not extremely so.  It is multi-directional.  Meaning that the back is 18dB down (a lot) and the front is a huge cone, not a flashlight beam.  Make sense?  You need to know where the transmitters are in general, but not like a microwave where we get a couple degrees of cone at most.  In my case I know they are South to SW and would just generally point there and be fine.

 

I can type up more if that doesn't make sense, but, spending the day out.

[Zero Knievel]

Oh it makes sense.  Mom ordered two signal boosters to try.  If they don’t do the job, I’ll order that one.

 

I took a closer look at the mast aerial we have.  I’m thick sometimes.  It’s a square tube mounted in the ground with a round pipe inserted…which can rotate.  I drilled a hole in it to use a nail to prevent it from rotating from the wind.  Rather than climb up, dad likely assembled the antenna on the ground, mounted it to the pole, then raised it up and lowered it into the square tube.

 

I’m hoping I don’t need to replace the antenna wire.  The wire runs underground through PVC piping.  Where it comes up at the mast, dad didn’t use an L joint to connect the horizontal and vertical sections…so for 30 years who knows what has been getting into the horizontal section underground.  Unfortunately, I don’t think coax is flexible enough to manage tight 90 degree bends from a distance, so new wire would likely mean cutting the old conduit and laying new conduit with the new wire.  All I can do is if the antenna gets replaced, see how well it works with the existing coax and replace if needed.

[superhawk996]

I doubt the antenna could degrade and it used to work.  The old booster seemed to be working after fixing the connection.  I lean toward the problem being the coax, more now that I know it's under ground/under the house.

 

Or just connect all the boosters in series, worst case scen

[SwampNut]

22 hours ago, Zero Knievel said:

Unfortunately, I don’t think coax is flexible enough to manage tight 90 degree bends from a distance

 

A hard 90 in coax will significantly degrade the signal.

 

EDIT:  And also make jacket damage over time more likely, allowing water in.

[Zero Knievel]

Finally ordered the replacement antenna.  So far, every replacement booster works worse than the 30+ year old one we’re currently using.  I attribute this to crappy build quality compared to 30 years ago.

[SwampNut]

5 hours ago, Zero Knievel said:

I attribute this to crappy build quality compared to 30 years ago.

 

LOL!

 

[Zero Knievel]

3 minutes ago, SwampNut said:

LOL!

 

How else do you explain a 30-year-old booster doing a better job than the latest designs?

[Zero Knievel]

Antenna is here.  Setting it up in the house, it works well.  Considering mounting it in the attic.  Any suggestions for what kind of mount to use?

 

Edited July 17, 2023 by Zero Knievel

[SwampNut]

If nothing else, that is a nicely made antenna.  Use whatever mounts make sense to be able to aim it, based on your construction.  I will assume you have just plain 2x4 or 2x6 structure in the attic?  Should be easy to find a mount that just screws to them or around them, and has 120-160 degrees of motion for aiming.

 

[SwampNut]

Oh...polarization matters!  Mount it horizontally, not at an angle with the rafters and shit.  I've seen that, not good.

 

Well, basically, follow the instructions.

 

[Zero Knievel]

1 hour ago, SwampNut said:

Oh...polarization matters!  Mount it horizontally, not at an angle with the rafters and shit.  I've seen that, not good.

 

Well, basically, follow the instructions.

You mean vertically, right?  Horizontal would have it facing up or down.

[blackhawkxx]

I wonder about the difference between mounting indoors as apposed to outdoor as far as signal strength?

[SwampNut]

5 hours ago, Zero Knievel said:

You mean vertically, right?  Horizontal would have it facing up or down.

 

Well, I was thinking of the plane of the top/bottom parts.  But again, it will tell you the way to position it in the install guide.

 

[Zero Knievel]

13 hours ago, blackhawkxx said:

I wonder about the difference between mounting indoors as apposed to outdoor as far as signal strength?

Well, I mounted it outside, and it works like shit.  I put the amplifier back on (outside component I left off), and I get worse performance with it.  So, I’m looking at a combination of failed amplifier and/or bad/deteriorating wire.  The antenna didn’t work in the house without the booster attached, so one is needed, but there was like 3’ of cable between the antenna and booster at the time.  It will be simpler to mount it in the attic than to re-run wire out to the antenna pole.

 

FYI, the Radio Shack booster was a 2 part system.  Booster in the house, amplifier on the antenna mast.

 

That it got very good reception in the house indicates that obstacles are not an issue unless there is considerable mass involved.  In the attic, I can place it higher than it was outside and where there is less mass in external obstructions (trees) in the direction I must aim it.  The key is to find mounting options intended to bolt to roof framing.  I’ll likely have to go to the hardware store and ask around.  Searching online is useless because you need to know the name of what you want to find if they have it.

 

Anyone have a link on how to run cable through a wall that’s already closed in?  I know it’s done, but I’d rather learn up before drilling holes, and NO, I don’t want to put holes in ceilings and walls Willy-Nilly.

[superhawk996]

Since it worked inside sitting right next to the TV, how bout just putting it behind the cabinet the TV is on?  It'll be more blocked, but might still work.

[superhawk996]

5 hours ago, Zero Knievel said:

The key is to find mounting options intended to bolt to roof framing.

A generic wall hanging hook(s) should do.  Or just slam a nail or screw into the framing to hook it onto.  Or hey, here's a really crazy idea, allow gravity to do the 'mounting' work for you and just put it on the floor.

[superhawk996]

5 hours ago, Zero Knievel said:

Anyone have a link on how to run cable through a wall that’s already closed in?

Something you could try, connect to the current antenna cable wherever it goes into the house.  If the cable problem is out near the antenna then it'll work.

 

IIRC the cable comes in under the house; if the cable is totally fucked going into the house, it might be easier to go under and replace it and leave the antenna outside than to figure out a clean way to drop it from the attic.  If it's a one story house, it might be easy to drop a cable from the attic down between the studs to where the TV is.

[Zero Knievel]

1 hour ago, superhawk996 said:

A generic wall hanging hook(s) should do.  Or just slam a nail or screw into the framing to hook it onto.  Or hey, here's a really crazy idea, allow gravity to do the 'mounting' work for you and just put it on the floor.

 

52 minutes ago, superhawk996 said:

Something you could try, connect to the current antenna cable wherever it goes into the house.  If the cable problem is out near the antenna then it'll work.

 

IIRC the cable comes in under the house; if the cable is totally fucked going into the house, it might be easier to go under and replace it and leave the antenna outside than to figure out a clean way to drop it from the attic.  If it's a one story house, it might be easy to drop a cable from the attic down between the studs to where the TV is.

 

For that effort, I'd just sooner put it in the attic.  I'm looking for the best way to run it through the wall.  I do have the thought to simply buy two wall plates for coaxial cable and install one opposite the one behind the TV and in the ceiling of the closet.  The cable itself might be an eyesore, but at least the connections will look professional.

 

1 hour ago, superhawk996 said:

Since it worked inside sitting right next to the TV, how bout just putting it behind the cabinet the TV is on?  It'll be more blocked, but might still work.

 

It has to be aimed generally in the direction it picks up signals, and it's too damn large to sit indoors.

[SwampNut]

I've run a lot of cable.  Fish tape, a glow rod, and a long I mean LONG drill bit are your friend (in that order).  The long drill bit should come with a guide handle, which will allow you to drill studs and beams from afar.  Or just run it outside and straight in?  I don't know if you said the layout, but I can't really deal with verbal directions, I'm used to working from plans and images.

 

An obvious test is to put it where you want it, and run a 100' premade coax to it, or whatever it takes, to verify.  Also the booster should be very close to the antenna, that's why it only had a 3' pigtail.  So you don't do something stupid.

 

Higher may seem better, and it generally is, BUT NOT always.  You may actually be finding different obstructions or reflections.

 

 

[Zero Knievel]

Finally installed.  We get 30 channels now (5, 11, 19, 39 & 68).  Took two days in this heat.  Got the antenna set up and ran wire through the house to ensure it worked as placed.  Today, I ran the wire down the wall to the TV.  I was fortunate to get the hole placed correctly on the first try.