# Any OTA Antenna Experts Here? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 23, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ota-antenna-experts-here/651197 "2013-02-23T20:28:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ota-antenna-experts-here/651197/21 "2013-02-23T23:43:06Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > It might not be the antenna itself that is the problem. Look at the Wikipedia page on [Antenna Patterns](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_pattern#Typical_patterns). Your antenna is relatively small, and designed for 0 to 30 miles. I’d expect its main lobe to be fairly fat, and able to cover a 30 degree angle. If you bought a “better” antenna, its main lobe would be narrower, and _more_ likely to have this problem. > > This makes me think it’s a problem due to other things in the attic scattering the field from the stations, making it have a more complicated structure. Kind of like how in a car at a light, sometimes moving forward a few feet can make a station come in better or worse. Have you tried moving it to a different location in the attic? Have you tried rotating the antenna to point to less than 168 degrees, or to more than 199? I’d try both of those. > > I’d also try lengthening the reflectors, just because it’s easy to do and I like playing around with antennas. Those are the three straight horizontal wires. Tape a wire along each one that sticks out however far from the end of the existing wires as far as the wire can support. But try just moving the antenna to a different location first. Interesting! I’ll try moving it to see what I can get. I’ll also try the wire thing. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ota-antenna-experts-here/651197/22 "2013-02-23T23:44:16Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > I have always found this site to be helpful [http://antennaweb.org/](http://antennaweb.org/) > > It will also point out which channels are VHF and UHF (14 and higher) - it looks like your antenna may be UHF. > > RadioShack is a better source than BB but you might have to order it. I have found that site helpful in the past. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ota-antenna-experts-here/651197/23 "2013-02-23T23:45:17Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Forgot to ask if you had tried a set top antenna. If that would work you could use an A/B switch with it. The issue is time shifting. If I want to record when I’m not there, no one will be around to hit the A/B switch. ---
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ota-antenna-experts-here/651197/24 "2013-02-24T01:28:28Z")
I’ve tried four different antennas: I used two indoors: I was able to get channels with that amount of separation with a homemade db8 antenna similar to this one: > **[Amazon.com: Antennas Direct 8-Element High Gain Bowtie TV Antenna, 60 Mile...](https://www.amazon.com/Antennas-Direct-Multi-directional-All-weather-Adjustable/dp/B000EHWCDW)** > > Amazon.com: Antennas Direct 8-Element High Gain Bowtie TV Antenna, 60 Mile Range, Multi-directional, Indoor, Attic, Outdoor, All-weather Mounting Hardware, Adjustable Mast Clamp, 4K Ready, Silver - 8DXB : Coolies: Electronics I tried building a gray-hovermann antenna and it did work for me, but it seemed to be more directional (needed better pointing) for no signal gain over the db8. In theory I think the gray-hovermann can be more powerful than the db8 but the construction of it is much more fiddly: > **[Hoverman HDTV UHF antenna](http://www.jedsoft.org/fun/antennas/dtv/gh.html)** > > Hoverman HDTV UHF antenna I moved to an outdoor antenna because the indoor ones just couldn’t get Fox for me consistently: I was using this yagi antenna and it seemed to be even less directional than the DB8 but was definitely less powerful overall: > **[Amazon.com: RCA Compact Outdoor or Attic Yagi TV Antenna – HD Antenna with Super...](https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-Satellite-Broadcast-Epicenter-Reception/dp/B0024R4B5C)** > > Buy RCA Compact Outdoor or Attic Yagi TV Antenna – HD Antenna with Super Long 75 Mile Range – Long Range Digital OTA Antenna for Clear VHF & UHF Reception, NexGenTV ™ Compatible, Supports 4K/8K 1080p TVs: TV Antennas - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY... I am currently using a log periodic and it is more directional than the yagi was, and doesn’t get channels very far off axis: > **[Amazon.com: Antennas Direct Yagi Uni-Directional UHF Outdoor HDTV Antenna, 70+...](https://www.amazon.com/Antennas-Direct-Directional-All-Weather-Adjustable/dp/B000LZ9EXI)** > > Amazon.com: Antennas Direct Yagi Uni-Directional UHF Outdoor HDTV Antenna, 70+ Mile Range, UHD 4K, NEXTGEN TV – w/ All-Weather Adjustable Mounting Hardware : Electronics Definitely more powerful though, when pointed correctly I am getting fox much better than with any of my other antennas. I guess the takeaway is that were I you, I would give a DB8 a try with it pointed somewhere in between the stations. I’ve got a preamp hooked up too, but if you are running the cable straight to one TV with zero splits and a short cable run it might not help any: [http://www.amazon.com/RCA-TVPRAMP1R-Outdoor-Antenna-Preamplifier/dp/B003P92D9Y/ref=sr\_1\_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1361669248&sr=1-1&keywords=antenna+preamplifier+hdtv](http://www.amazon.com/RCA-TVPRAMP1R-Outdoor-Antenna-Preamplifier/dp/B003P92D9Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1361669248&sr=1-1&keywords=antenna+preamplifier+hdtv) ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ota-antenna-experts-here/651197/25 "2013-02-24T02:15:36Z")
building an antenna takes some skill. it takes very exact measuring and technique (millimeters count). you also need a good design. having an antenna indoors can be like an outdoor antenna 20 miles farther away, so you need to get an antenna for the greater distance. it also depends on things like house material and elevation. i’ve made the db8 and a double bay gray-hovermann (6 ft. tall). the gray-hovermann is more directional, much better than store bought antenna for its gain (ability to collect signal). [http://www.tvfool.com/](http://www.tvfool.com/) gives you good info on how much antenna you need. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-ota-antenna-experts-here/651197.md?page=1)