Rooftop antenna

Since moving into the new house I've been pondering what to do with the old antenna tower in the backyard. Originally thought of tearing it down. Then a friend told me that the HD signals over the air are actually better quality than the compressed cable and sat signals. Not to mention you get local stuff. So I am looking up to it now and thinking it may be worth keeping. Alas neither of us knows anything about them. There are 2 multi-beam antennas up there. The top one looks like it has a rotor on it. No cables running from them.

Can anyone tell me what I need to hook them up? How do I get the one with the rotor to turn? Being a young lad of 29 I never had to deal with matters such as this. I can climb up and get pictures if necessary. I know I need some sort of control box for it to turn... thats about it Or is it just as good to buy one of those "disk" shaped antennas that sit on your roof peak? (I imagine the multiple beam antenna would have better reception but what do I know)

Re: Rooftop antenna

Antenna arrays are usually designed for a fairly narrow spectrum of frequencies. HD broadcasts are in a spectrum that is close to, and overlaps, the current UHFTV broadcast, So a UHF antenna should be adequate, but a HDTV-specific antenna would be even better.

So, your first step it to determine what bands (spectra) the antennae up there are "tuned" to and what directions they need to point to collect the HD channels you are interested in. If you are like me, all my HD transmitters are close together and far away, so I use a very high gain HDTV-specific antenna that doesn't need to be rotated once aimed.

That is the first step. How tall is the tower?

Oh, and I agree that HD pictures from antennae are superior to those run through cable or satellite. I can get my local broadcast HD from antenna or satellite and the difference is very clear.

Re: Rooftop antenna

We've used a rooftop antenna for years, though obviously not for digital TV.

Go to antennaweb.org. They can help you select antennas as well as what stations you can get, what direction their signal is from you, and how far.

You're in Ontario -- is Canada requiring the switch to digital or will your local stations continue as analog? If so, you'll need an antenna that can do both.

To rotate an antenna, you need the rotor at the actual antenna plus a control in the house. Even if there's a rotor on the tower, without a controller it won't do any good. You can get a rotor at most big-box stores for $50 - $60. Can't remember what I paid for ours 5 or 6 years ago, but I think it was low-$40s at Menards. If most of your stations are close to the same direction from you, you may not need a rotor.

Years ago, we consciously decided TV was not that critical to us, so we've never opted for cable or dish. We enjoy too many other things to spend our time glued to the tube. Before you do this, make sure you'll be happy with just broadcast channels. If you find yourself watching non-broadcast channels, then really think about this.

If you're comfortable running cables (coax and 3- or 4-wire for the rotor), installation is pretty easy, particularly if you follow the directions they come with.

Re: Rooftop antenna

Don't tear it down!!

When it comes to antennas and signal reception, there is no such thing as one that is "too high".

Since you already have some decent antennas and a rotor, getting things going even if that means replacing the rotor, should not be that big of a deal.

HDTV broadcasts are great, if you can get a decent signal.

The best things in life are free, even if it is just tv...........

Re: Rooftop antenna

Wow.

Ok. Well.. first off... the tower is 50ft. The lower antenna is fixed and the upper antenna is on a rotor. there is a 300ohm cable running down into the house from it (Found it inside the tower frame...). Thats all I got. Are the rotors easy to hook up?

I plan on receiving channels from North of me and south of me (As well as west...) So I'll need the rotor. I'm sure it is not an HD specific antenna. It's older. Do I need one specifically FOR HD? Or will it just be more difficult to get HD with it?

I'm venturing up the tower toay for a closer inspection to make sure there is nothing hanging off of broken up there. Here's to sure footedness.

Re: Rooftop antenna

It's my understanding that the "old" antennas will receive HD signals, but you'll need a converter box to hook up a television. I believe this box converts the HD signal to an analog signal that a regular (old) TV can use. It's the analog signal that is going away, being replaced by the HD signal.

I'm inferring this from a travel trailer forum. "We" still have regular antennae on our travel trailers and will need to get a converter to continue to receive a usable signal from a transmitter. Cable or satellite negates all this, as they are already digital or converted.

I am interested in the question regarding Canada - are you/they converting also?

Re: Rooftop antenna

scrobo said:

Wow.

Ok. Well.. first off... the tower is 50ft. The lower antenna is fixed and the upper antenna is on a rotor. there is a 300ohm cable running down into the house from it (Found it inside the tower frame...). Thats all I got. Are the rotors easy to hook up?

Click to expand...

Well, how'd it go? I'd suspect there should be a cable to each antenna.

As for installing a rotor, well, if I could do it... It's really simple. Thing to remember is that after it's connected, have someone move the controls so it's all the way one way. When it stops, run it all the way the other. When it stops, run it to the middle (usually due south). Then clamp your antenna in so that it's physically pointed the same way.

Finally, with a 50' tower, you need to be sure to have lightning arrestors / grounds on everything. At that height, I'm assuming it's well above most everything around it, so it would also act as a lightening rod. There are connectors to take the electrical power from a strike and route it to ground instead of burning your home.

Re: Rooftop antenna

There is NO actual HD antenna,Its just a hyped up way to sell UHF antennas at a high price.
I would keep the tower and junk the old antennas.Buy a good UHF and mount it up there with RG-6 cable going to the tv's.
This is the one i have and i pick up about 30 digital channels.
Shop around and you may find it cheaper..
The off air HD signal does look better than cable or sat HD.
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=AD-DB8

Re: Rooftop antenna

Take a picture. My suspicion is that what you have is an antenna from a HAM radio operator that was there before you, not a TV antenna.

Of course the tower and rotor are the valuable portion of the setup. With that height you should have a great signal unless you are really out there in the boondocks

Re: Rooftop antenna

HD is boroadcast on the same frequncies as existing UHF. The same antenna works for both. Anything listed as HD antenna is just advertising hype for a UHF antenna.
Canada just anounced the switch to digital. It is happening Aug 31, 2011.