Finally, 100% HD OTA Success 32 Miles Outside Chicago

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Well, after spending about $800 in total over the last 9 months, I finally have 100% OTA success.

32 miles outside from the Sears Tower and John Hancock (far western edge of zip 60103), I now receive the following digital stations at the specified HR10-250 signal reading:

- WBBM (CBS), 3: 85
- WGN (WB), 17: 95
- WYCC (PBS), 21: 90
- WCIU, 27: 80
- WMAQ (NBC), 29: 90
- WFLD (FOX), 31: 95
- WTTW (PBS), 47: 80
- WPWR (UPN), 51: 90
- WLS (ABC), 52: 85

I also get WYIN (PBS) on channel 17 out of Merrillville, IN at a somewhat fluctuating 60-65. I may get other stations too (WGBO, PAX, Univision, etc.) but the ones above are the ones I care about.

All-in-all I spent:

- $220 for first antenna (Winegard PR7015) and first install (April, 2005)
- $10 for FM trap (Radio Shack) (April, 2005)
- $190 for second antenna (Winegard HD7200P) and install (May, 2005)
- $80 for preamp (Channel Master 0064) and install (June, 2005)
- $20 for line amplfier (GC / Waldom) (July 2005)
- $25 for variable gain line amplifier w/FM trap (Leviton) (August 2005)
- $15 for amplified 4 way splitter (GC / Waldom) (August 2005)
- $30 for new diplexers (Channel Master) (September 2005)
- $80 for install of dedicated OTA runs to two of three receivers (Septmber 2005)
- $10 for attenuator (Radio Shack) (December 2005)
- $150 for antenna rotator (Channel Master) and install (February 2006)

$830 total

Final setup:

Winegard HD7200P antenna (no preamp) aimed at 125 degrees (antennaweb.org says 104 or 106 depending on the station). Antenna feeds into the basement, passes through grounding blocks, surger suppressor, and then into the FM trap. From the FM trap the line feeds into the amplified 4 way splitter which has just enough gain to overcome the signal loss associated with splittin the signal 4 ways. 2 of these lines are direct feeds to HR10-250s. One run is about 15' and the other is about 60'. 1 of the remaining two lines feeds a diplexer that goes to an HR10-250 about 10' away. The final line feeds into a 5x8 MS that feeds the rest of the house.

Between when I started with my first antenna last April and this final setup there have been dozens of different configurations and combinations tried. Around September it got to the point that OTA was about 90-95% reliable. I was satisfied. Then in December problems again arose even though nothing in my setup had changed. I lost one channel (47) entirely. I could reconfigure things a bit so that 47 would come back, but then I would lose 31. And there were random outages with other stations including powerhouses like WGN.

Most of my problems come from the fact that I had massive multipath issues relating to high tension towers 300' to my northeast and southeast.

Adding the antenna rotator was my last attempt. I knew it would allow me to slowly move the antenna through the sky a few degrees at a time, stopping at each location, checking each station's strength on the HR10-250, and adjusting gain, turning the FM trap on / off and other tinkering until I got the best reception.

I spent three hours last night sweeping the antenna through the sky on my new rotator and playing with all the variables down on my panel. I even brought one of my HR10-250s down into the basement with me and connected it to a small TV to make the configuration easier. It sure beats me by the TV with a walkie-talkie talking to the installer on the roof telling him to "move it to 2 o'clock, oh, okay, wait, nope, hold on, okay, move it back to 2:30, oh, can you swing it further towards 3 o'clock but not all the way to 3."

So, this is by far the best reception I have had and all the numbers are rock solid, no fluctuation and both tuners reading almost exactly the same reading.

We will see how long it lasts, but for now I have 100% OTA reception and I couldn't be happier. Who needs MPEG4?

 

Would have been a lot less money had I wanted to get up on my roof, but 30' to the peak where the antenna is on a pretty steep roof is not my cup of tea. Plus I couldn't take the first antenna back as the place it was purchased has a no return policy on antennas which I can understand.

I suppose I could sell some of the stuff on eBay to get back some of my money, but that seems like a pain.

 

Some pics of the beast on my roof and the offending high tension wires in the background. This frame is facing due east (90 degrees). The antenna is facing about 125 degrees. The massive multipath inducing high tension towers are out of frame to the north-east (left of frame) and south-east (right of frame) of me about 300' in either direction.

--pics no longer available. sorry. --

 

Hey, I need all the dB I can get. I can't afford to give half of my signal strength to my neighbor. Don't give him any ideas.

And don't start with the cancer stuff. My mom is a breast cancer suvivor and all she ever does is blah blah blah about the power lines.

 

BASTARD!