[mythtv-users] OT Question About OTA Antennas

[Ryan Steffes]

On 9/20/07, James Oltman <cnlibmyth at gmail.com> wrote:
> I just purchased an HDHR.  Very cool device BTW.  I currently live in the
> country of Central Illinois.  There's an antenna on the top of a mast
> attached to the house.  It's probably above the tree line.  The antenna is
> on a rotor however, the rotor is broken.  This is what the antenna looks
> like.
>
>
> Top View:
>
> | | | | | | | |
> | | | | | | | |  || || || || ||
> --------------------------->
> | | | | | | | |  || || || || ||
> | | | | | | | |
>
> That's kinda how it looks.  Anyways.  The pointy, narrow tip is currently
> facing North.  I need to turn it South West.  However, I don't know if the
> smaller end faces that direction or the larger (wider) end.  Which way
> should it face?  The way that I'm judging the signal strength is by hooking
> up the antenna feed (which runs through an amplifier, can't remember model
> or make) into the VCR and tuning to the analog channel and if that starts to
> come in better, then I'm assuming the digital will come in better as well
> (since they come from the same transmitter).  This is all assumptions and
> hopes and dreams at this point.  AntennaWeb says I should only receive my
> local FOX station (which I do just fine), but it didn't say anything about
> the religious channels which I also get.  Any help with the antenna anyone
> could provide would be helpful.  Thanks!
>
> Jim
>

Generally speaking, the smaller end is the UHF end and should point in
the direction of the signals you'd like to receive.  If you live far
enough out in the boondocks, you might consider getting a better
antenna specifically designed around UHF (assuming that's what most of
your digital/HD channels are using).  I was surprised how inexpensive
they are.

Find your region here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45 and I bet you can
get some good support for what you might want to try.

Ry