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Kris B.</div>
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<a href="mailto:krisbee@krisbee.com">krisbee@krisbee.com</a></div>
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On Friday, September 09, 2011 7:50 PM, "E. Westbrook" <mythtv-users@westbrook.com> wrote:</div>
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On Fri, Sep 9, 2011 at 19:03, Kris B. <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:krisbee@krisbee.com">krisbee@krisbee.com</a>></span> wrote:<br />
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If you are in an area where you don't have any VHF stations (I don't, and I am between two markets), then the big behmouth isn't necessary, just get a UHF antenna and focus on that.</div>
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Unfortunately, about half my important stations are UHF and the other half VHF (see my tvfool graph if you like: <a href="http://westbrook.com/tvfool.png">http://westbrook.com/tvfool.png</a>). There's only one station in the area I care about that's broadcasting from a different location and distance (PBS 31), but it's higher power too, and I receive it fine even with my indoor antenna pointed at the mountain.</div>
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You tempt me to go homebrew! That would be satisfying on multiple levels.</div>
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What would you suggest I read up on, if I wanted to go homebrew too, that would satisfy my need for both VHF and UHF?<br />
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Thanks again!<br />
Eric</div>
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Yup, you wouldn't get ABC, and that one independent without a VHF antenna... but you are so close, you could almost just attach a dipole (rabbit ears) and receive it. If I was going to homebrew out of cheapness, curiousity, pride, whatever, I would google the gray hoverman, and do the single bay, no reflectors. </div>
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I think it was Dan who said it was kind of a tough antenna, but if you watch on youtube, there are children making it :) The single wire reflectors are cumbersome, but you don't have to do that design; I ended up using a mesh screen for my reflector. I made my antenna out of PVC pipe, #6 copper ground wire, and mesh screen (and screws). It is six foot tall, and mounted on a ham tower I already had up. </div>
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You could get away with the 3ft single bay, no reflectors most likely, and do pretty well. Then if you don't get the ABC channel, I would buy a splitter and attach a pair of rabbit ears and see what happens (nothing, then return them!). Then, if the other stations aren't doing so good, I would get a proper vhf/uhf combiner. Also, if you didn't get all of the UHF stations (most of them in your setup), I would put a sheet of aluminum foil behind the antenna and see what happens. If it improves, then do something more permanent.</div>
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I'm a fan of PVC as antenna material, but if you wanted to do wood, that is fine. </div>
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And, if this seems like too much effort, then the original antenna you had will do fine... it is just big for my tastes :)</div>
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Reading material: avsforum has great posts about OTA, as does digtalhome.ca where they discuss the gray hoverman. You already know about tvfool.</div>
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Good luck, and keep us (or at least me) informed!</div>
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