HELP: Off Air Antenna Installation.

Ricardo

Ok; I got the antenna (Winegard Squareshooter without preamp..); Planning to install it Saturday. I have some questions that need help with...

I learned that I can use a "diplexer" to use the same coax cable I have for the satellite.
-Any "hidden" things here? Will the signal quality be affected in anyway for the sat/HD by using diplexers?
-The sat cable ends in one of those amplifiers that distributes the signal to the different rooms; can I still use the diplexers here? I was thinking of putting the outdoor diplexer at the antennas, and the indoor diplexer at the TV that has the tuner. Will this work?
-Any recommendations on which diplexers to use?

Any other tip/watchout I should consider, such as grounding? I don't think the satellite dish is grounded...though I might be wrong.

Thanks!!

This is how I'm planning to make the installation on my current dish:

Skynut

What does this antenna do?
I would say that it needs to be grounded as well as your sat.
They make grounding blocks for these. The blocks are made so the coax plugs into it and then comes out the other side. A ground wire screws onto the block and goes to ground.
Having just grounded my whole system I am totally stoked about the difference in sq & pq.

So what is this antenna for?

Ricardo

It's for getting High Definition off the air. I got a TV with built-in tuner and can't wait to hook everything up!!

Skynut

That is what I thought, I was looking into them at one point but that is as far as I got.
I am wanting a better fm antenna right now.

DEFINITLY GROUND IT.
Thats my opnion.

thehaens@cox.net

I tried using a diplexer and found that that the signal was attenuated a bit. It didn't bring in some of the digital channels. So I ran a dedicated line.

Check http://www.antennaweb.org and type in your address, it is a pretty good site and will let you know of all the digital stations broadcasting in your area as well as compass orientation.

I found that I had to tilt my antenna about 5 degrees angled down to get my fox affiliate over the air. Although I am only 35 miles from San Diego. I found that I received a better signal from the Los Angeles market on the local stations, I also received a lot more of them as well.

I also used a pre-amp in my set up. Please post your results with the squarshooter. I am using a channel master UHF eye sore right now and would be interested in how the square shooter pulls in OTA signals..

Scott

Here is an example of antennaweb.org...notice there are 12 digital channels all in the same orientation. That is where I am pointing (NW) I also get channel 10 (San Diego) without a second antenna.

polkatese

Scott made several good points, above. A couple of years ago I installed mine for OTA HD. I found Channel Master regular yagi-type to work better. I know, it looks ugly with the elements, that's why I installed it in the attic. Over time, DirecTV carries HD local channels, so I ended up using it more for FM receptions, which is wonderfully strong.

Ricardo

Yes, I already got into antennaweb and got the reception in my area. Thanks for the tip on the diplexer; I'll run a dedicated line to the TV. Interesting to hear you are getting that channel 10....I'll post back with my results; have two options really, SW aiming to Cincinnati and NE aiming to Dayton, at about the same distance. For Cincinnati I can use the existing dish pole but will require like 70 feet of cable, while for Dayton I need to find the right spot in the roof, but will only require like 30 feet of cable; I will initially make a temporary install at both locations to see what turns out to be better.

Thanks!!

Skynut

My home depot has some real nice coax and ends.
The coax is blue and I don't remember what they called it but it is double shielded and looks real nice.
I bougt some and made all new cables for inside my house. If I thought I was going to live here long enough I would redo the whole house with this stuff.
It cost about $1.40 per foot and the ends are kinda pricey but I think it is real good stuff.

thehaens@cox.net

HTrookie wrote:

Interesting to hear you are getting that channel 10....I'll post back with my results;
Thanks!!

HT

Yep, actually I get two of the San Diego channels.....you may get some of them channels that are 180 degrees out from each other as well.

If your report back on the squareshooter is good, I may get one and use my existing 8 foot eye sore, as well as the square shooter to see if I can pull in both San Diego and Los Angeles affiliates...

Scott

Ricardo

Ok; installation is not final yet but I don't think I need to wait to provide a report.

I hooked up the antenna just to see what I catched; I just aimed it North, with absolutely no special consideration; I run the auto scan in the TV and I got ALL the channels from Dayton witha strength of 70-80 (whatever that means; it's a feature in the TV), and most of the channels from Cincinnati with strength around 40-50; I will play a little bit tomorrow and aim trying to get higher strengths.

Scott, I have the model ss1000, which is not amplified, and all stations are around 20-25 miles from where I live. Since you are 35 miles away If you are going to get the Winegard I suggest you get the amplified (around 10 bucks more).

Oh..and by the way, picture and SOUND are totally amazing. I am so glad I made the move to a TV with built in tuner. I get WB, PBS, FOX, ABC, NBC and CBS, ..so why would I want anything else??? Who knows...I might dump Directv; I seldom watch other channels. When I watch movies it's the DVD.

Skynut

Sweet, sounds like it is going to work out well for you.
I might have to try this one.

Ricardo

Yes..and, I am grounding the antenna

thehaens@cox.net

Well. I guess I am going to have to try it out, and see what I can get....

J/C are you getting a picture on the channels that are getting a signal of 40/50? I realize these numbers are subjective, but on my DirecTV receiver, I don't get a good solid pic unless I read 60.........

Scott

Ricardo

thehaens@cox.ne wrote:

Well. I guess I am going to have to try it out, and see what I can get....

J/C are you getting a picture on the channels that are getting a signal of 40/50? I realize these numbers are subjective, but on my DirecTV receiver, I don't get a good solid pic unless I read 60.........

Scott

Yes; I even have some channels that have only 33-35 and they look as good as the ones with 70.

Skynut

So are you still happy?
I am looking into these and if this one is good I might try it out.

Can the signal be split for multiple tv's?
Where did you buy it?
I am finding them on E-bay for around a hundred bucks plus shipping.

Ricardo

Skynut wrote:

So are you still happy?
I am looking into these and if this one is good I might try it out.

Can the signal be split for multiple tv's?
Where did you buy it?
I am finding them on E-bay for around a hundred bucks plus shipping.

I am still happy; image/sound is amazing.

Not 100% sure, but I think I got it here:
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=SS-2000

Not sure if you can split the image.

Good luck