[ale] [OT] DTV reception

[James Sumners]

On Thu, Apr 2, 2009 at 9:44 AM, Thompson Freeman
<tfreeman at intel.digichem.net> wrote:
>>    Distance to transmitter.
>
> Supposedly all within 25 miles.

Maybe they are all within 25 miles of you, but what is the degree
spread? That is something you will want to take into account. You can
get a pretty good idea of how far apart they would be using Google
Earth. I posted Google Earth files for every DTV transmitter in the
Atlanta area to the ATLDTV group[1]. I don't know if you can access
them without subscribing to the group or not. If not, I could put them
elsewhere.

Where I am, my Channel Master CM4228 antenna picks up everything
except WXIA and WGTV. For those stations I had to put up a second
antenna (and since WGTV went all digital I haven't been able to get
that at all). Both antenna are connected to a Channel Master CM7777
pre-amplifier. I live in a very wooded area (my driveway is a quarter
mile long) in south Fulton. Without the pre-amp I would get nothing,
and the closest transmitter to my location is about 25 miles.

Being around 25 miles from the transmitters, I'm going to say you
won't have much luck mounting the antenna in your attic. The trees are
already going to cause severe multi-pathing problems[2]. So I'm going
to recommend getting the antenna roof mounted and connected to a
pre-amp. If you can't get everything with a stationary antenna, you
will also need a rotator.

I wouldn't worry too much about signal degradation within the house.
As long as you use RG6 cable (or better) you shouldn't have any
problems. I have some really long runs within my house, and the signal
is split at least three times with no ill effects.

Read through link [2]. It has very good information. It helped me a
great deal when I was researching what I would need for my OTA setup.
Also, the ATLDTV mailing list is a good resource.

[1] -- http://tinyurl.com/dkj535
[2] -- http://tinyurl.com/6n2q9e



-- 
James Sumners
http://james.roomfullofmirrors.com/

"All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts
pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it
is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become
drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."

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