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View Full Version : Antenna - Strange Behavior

kpurcell
08-13-2006, 01:53 PM
I have one of these antenna's

http://store.snapstream.com/phdtv1.html

As you can see it is meant to work with the "fins" horizontal. I was having trouble with my HR10-250 reception so on a whim I removed the antenna fins and put them in so they are now vertical and the signal strength went from wildly bouncing from the low 20s to the high 80s with it horizontal to a solid and consisten 95-96 with it vertical. Anyone seen this? If you haven't, try it. Great signal and only 25 bucks.

BTW I am in no way associated with snapstream. I just bought their HD receiver for my laptop but seldom use it anymore now that I have the HR10-250.
Bierboy
08-13-2006, 02:51 PM
Ha....this is one of the Silver Sensors (under the Zenith nameplate). I've heard lotsa people sing their praises, but, when I tried one in my area (towers only 13 miles away), it didn't work worth a hoot.
chris_h
08-14-2006, 01:01 AM
I tried on of these from Sears a few years back when visiting relatives in San Diego, CA. The towers were in multiple different directions, and I do recall some stations came in better (no signal strength meter on that old receiver) with the fins vertical. Not sure why.
TyroneShoes
08-14-2006, 05:15 AM
Take a peek at this site, and the mystery is solved:

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/silver.html

Among the wealth of info on this terrific site (not affiliated), this page shows the polar pattern in both elevated and overhead mode. As you can see, the antenna in much more directional in the horizontal plane than it is in the vertical.

That means that if you are in a situation where multipath interference is stronger coming from above and below, rather than from the right and left, the antenna will perform better if you turn it (yaw) 90 degrees. It's just that simple. Altering the direction of the fins likely has a similar effect.
kpurcell
08-14-2006, 01:18 PM
Thanks TyroneShoes. Good info.

Another question since you seem to be in the know. If I got a second one of these and connected them via a 2 to 1 adapter could I point one in the direction of some of my channels and the other in the other direction and get good signal so I don't have to move it.

When I'm recording, I can't always be here to change. Sometimes I am recording on two channels in two different directions. Right now I have all my content that HD is not that big a plus on the DirecTV feeds. But I'd like to do all HDTV recording, especially this fall for football season when I am watching/recording both NFL games and/or NASCAR.

Thanks