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I'm considering buying a directional TV antenna for local channels. antennaweb.org predicts that I need (Blue) medium directional w/pre amp. I live in a small canyon, so I don't think I'll have a direct view of the area of the broadcast signal. There's gonna be perhaps 10 feet of hillside and home obstruction. Home Depot has a $26.78 antenna. Seems worth a shot. Not sure if I also need to buy an indoor amplifier too.
You can try it, but given your description I don't think it will work very well, if at all. If you can put the antenna on a pole and stick it above the obstructions, then it might work somewhat reliably. What buying and trying might tell you is whether getting a better antenna and doing the job properly will be worth the time and money.
The way antenna amplifiers work is they sit right below the antenna, so that they amplify only the signal and not any interference that might get introduced in the cable between antenna and tv. There is a power inserter that plugs in near the TV and pushes DC power up to the amplifier over the same cable.
Yes I use mine every day and have tried several since HDTV started. FYI, every antenna is as a digital antenna. Identify the antenna location first. Usually the higher the better. If outside, then it has to be grounded properly. I opted to spend considerably more so that I would have enough gain with an attic installation. And then tweaking the direction of the antenna works best if your TV tuner shows a number for the signal strength.
You can try it, but given your description I don't think it will work very well, if at all. If you can put the antenna on a pole and stick it above the obstructions, then it might work somewhat reliably. What buying and trying might tell you is whether getting a better antenna and doing the job properly will be worth the time and money.
The way antenna amplifiers work is they sit right below the antenna, so that they amplify only the signal and not any interference that might get introduced in the cable between antenna and tv. There is a power inserter that plugs in near the TV and pushes DC power up to the amplifier over the same cable.
Another thing that I didn't mention is that I would likely have to position the antenna 30 yards up a hillside. If I need to run power for 30 yards in the elements, that could be a problem unless it's low voltage. I'll probably just get Sling TV blue for football season. I just hate paying $45 a month for all of the other channels that I don't watch (and hate supporting). I just want the local feeds for FOX, NBC and ABC.
Another thing that I didn't mention is that I would likely have to position the antenna 30 yards up a hillside. If I need to run power for 30 yards in the elements, that could be a problem unless it's low voltage. I'll probably just get Sling TV blue for football season. I just hate paying $45 a month for all of the other channels that I don't watch (and hate supporting). I just want the local feeds for FOX, NBC and ABC.
As Harry explained, there is no separate wiring for power. One coax run is used for both the signal coming down from the antenna and power running up to it. Here is an example: https://www.channelmaster.com/collec...tenna-preamp-1
+1. My first and only non-Yagi antenna...fits in the attic way better.
While the specs may not be accurate, I looked at the gain for many antennas, and specifically where the gain is best or worst through the range of frequencies. Beyond VHF vs UHF gain, for example, some antennas have more gain in the upper VHF range than others.
I see that a lot of stores advertise TV antennas as being digital, but there isn't such thing as a "digital" antenna. Nowadays you can find TV antennas that are more compact and still reach farther than some of the old antennas, but that is about it. Amplifiers do help reach farther out. I know this isn't going to solve the OP's question, but as som other have posted, he may have to raise the antenna a lot higher to be above obstructions nearby.
Digital antennas are simply TV antennas that pull in digital channels. However, the term is a bit of a misnomer. All antennas (whether they claim to be digital or not) can receive digital channels. It is simply a matter of what is being broadcast near your location.
With that said, there are several things that you need to know about antennas before you buy one. Here are some key points to keep in mind:
1. Know the three main types of antennas
They include a VHF antenna that picks up channels 2-13, an UHF antenna that brings in channels 14-51, and a combination VHF/UHF that has channels 1-51. (www.fcc.gov)
Another thing that I didn't mention is that I would likely have to position the antenna 30 yards up a hillside. If I need to run power for 30 yards in the elements, that could be a problem unless it's low voltage. I'll probably just get Sling TV blue for football season. I just hate paying $45 a month for all of the other channels that I don't watch (and hate supporting). I just want the local feeds for FOX, NBC and ABC.
A good outdoor antenna doesn’t use electricity. You will need a tall pole and a grounding cable. If you need to regularly turn the antenna to fine tune signal for individual stations then you will need a rotor which does run on electricity. It’s an electric motor that rotates the antenna via a remote control. How many stations you receive depends on your location and what’s available. I just did a channel search and got over 40 stations. This doesn’t mean I have over 40 networks. I used my TV’s menu to remove duplicate network stations as well as stations I know we won’t watch at all. We don’t have a big outdoor antenna. We have a small outdoor antenna mounted in the attic. We went with this option because we’re in south Louisiana and occasionally deal with tropical storms or hurricanes.
If you can put the antenna on a pole and stick it above the obstructions...
When I bought this house the three BIG oak trees in my yard and the other twenty nearby were a feature.
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