Tabl10s
Each spot for erecting an antenna is different. As is most installations
such as in your case, dumping the signal into 4 sets with very good to excellent reception at each set being the desired result.
NOTE: Deed restricted communities usually do not allow external antennas. Check to make sure.
My bet is that yours is going to need a signal amp following the antenna as close as possible to it
perhaps in the attic or where ever the coax first enters the house and power can be fouhnd.
First off with antennas the rule of thumb is big and tall. The taller and the larger the ant, the better the chance of gaining greater reception. Circumstances and good sense makes most of the choices for us in these regards.
This website will be of immense benefit for location, direction, and possible height of your installation.
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx
it supplies many good tips too as to positioning and so forth.
A few phone calls to the locally aired stations will find out for you, the towers site for each of them. If most or all of them are in the same general compass direction away from you, thats a good thing. One element with many vanes on it will likely be very suitable.
The Height of the element (arrow like pointy thing) is determined by adjacent structures and distance of the tower sites away from your own residence. A little overkill here is a good thing
not a lot of overkill mind you, but surely some.
Piggy back, (two element) antennas are for pointing towards two general compass directions which do not line up
ex. NE & SE.
If the towers in your area are scattered about and in no specific general area away from your home, a remote controlled, self-powered, rotating single element will be more applicable. This sort I alluded to earlier. It will point directly to the compass direction of the distant tower and allow more focus, and reduce ghosting. The configuration of the elements vanes also will inhibit collateral vague images from being introduced onto the display.
A little overkill here in selecting the element isnt a bad thought, given the effort in erecting your antenna
as skimping will only mean having to redo it all over again.
and antenna elements, by and large, arent costly. Id like to recommend one or two but some research on your part in respect to the newer technology here will further improve your situation.
Tip: Call a couple aerial installation contractors and ask what they routinely use or recommend for your particular effort.
Fortify the support for the aerial if strong winds are common in your area too as it takes less to wiggle or move an antenna well up into the air, than one set lower..
Signal amps vary too. Static amps, powered amps, differing amounts of gain, etc. Most get rated in db. Every split, and/or connection in the signal cable line introduces loss. From 1 4db
depending upon how well done the splice or splitter being used is done or constructed. Couplings, splitters and connectors all induce loss, and why youll want to overcome this overall loss up front by putting the amplifier in front of all these subsequent connections, thereby amplifying as pure a signal immediately as possible.
We all know the advantages of using good amps. Some are gbetter than others and in this case those powered ones are far better. Many have filters in them as well and fine tuning abilities. Some Googling is in order here.
The Length of the overall amount of cable plays into this as well, though not as significantly. Plan out the coax circuit and just figure on -3db for every coupling, connector, or splitter, and you should be in good shape.
Be mindful too of weather proofing exterior connections, and electrical grounding. Another thought here is to consider the use of a grounding transformer placed inline with the coax to inhibit or eliminate a possible ground loop situation. Run the coax well away from any exposed romex in the attic
if there.
It may sound like a lot and quite involved, but it really isnt. Do your resident research area specific info, buy accordingly, and in one morning or afternoon, youll wind up pretty happy when you see the on screen results.
Good luck.,
