where to get high/long range tv antenna

[goin4wheelin]

well guys/gals, i need to watch some tv and wanna know where i can get the high /long range outdoor tv antenna. the nearest big cities're 120 miles away.

i check on ebay but it's not a complete kit. i need pole, amplifier and everything i need to hook up my tv.

thanks

simon

 

[seanR]

I just got cable last year. I have tried everything and almost am expert on that subject. Now that I have tooted my own horn...

Go to Radio Shack, don't get a used one, they corrode and lose there efficiency, the model number of there antennas ralate to the number of miles it is rated for. Get the biggest one they have, I think it would be an xxx-120. Get an amplifier also, they are a two piece unit, half of it goes up on the antenna and the other part plugs into a 110 outlet behind the TV. If there are citys all around you you want to 'see', you should also get a rotor.

The height of the antenna is not critical. I had one seven feet off of the ground that worked just fine. Alot has to do with your average elevation. How hthe ground aroud you is. If you live in a deep vally you need height, if you live on a hill you won't.

The area I live in is rural. Rockford, the closest city (30 miles) has 5 t.v. channels. After I put together this setup, I would routinely receive channels from Chicago, Millwaukee, Quad citys, Madison, even Indianapolis on occasion.

Sorry for the long letter, I hope this helps.

 

[RichP]

Ratio shack is one and if the Radio shack is an independent one they may carry Channel Master, thats another that sells the antenna/rotor assembly that allows you to point the antenna remotely. My guess is that if you live that far out every place that sells TV's in your area sells channel master too....
Another alternative is Dish or Directv, both sats and both provide 'local' stations for around $3 a month extra.

 

[Matthew Currie]

I second Channel Master. I've had no trouble at all with mine in 16 years. It cost a bundle at the time, but I haven't had to touch it since, except to re-aim the antenna a few times after windstorms. Make sure you get the two-part amplifier (the kind that mounts right on the antenna), because it strengthens the signal at the antenna and thus reduces noise in the leadin. A single amp at the receiver end will amplify all the noise in the leadin, and turn the leadin into a second antenna, causing multipath (ghost) reception. The best amps will also use shielded coax cable for the leadin to reduce noise and stray signals. Channel Master makes these too.

If possible, get a little battery-powered TV, and take it up to where you plan to put the antenna. Although height isn't critical by itself, reception can vary a good bit from location to location. You can often get very different results just from one end of the roof to the other.