Howdy,
I'm brand new to OTA, about to cut the cord. Any recommendations for best antenna?
I live in Manhattan, Upper West Side, on 30th floor of an apartment building facing northwest. Have no idea what I need, just want whatever is likeliest to work with no fuss.
Thanks!
Antenna recommendations?
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kyl416
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Re: Antenna recommendations?
Facing Northwest might be a problem north of Midtown. All of the signals originate to the south of you at Empire, 4 Times Square and the new 1WTC, and depending how your building is constructed it might block any OTA reception within your apartment. Another factor is what's surrounding your building, if there's a bunch of taller buildings in your vicinity it can cause multipath interference, on analog that was ghosting, but with digital it just cancels out the signal.
If you're in an older building, they might still have a master antenna on the roof that your landlord can connect to the line going to your apartment instead of Spectrum, RCN or FiOS.
In NYC you will need an antenna that's a combo VHF/UHF since MeTV and a bunch of other diginets are on VHF-lo, while ABC, NJTV, CW and PBS Thirteen are on VHF-Hi, there's also a bunch of other LPTV stations in VHF that some people in Manhattan can get. So if you want to test reception in your apartment, avoid those "mudflap" antennas that are UHF only, and stick to the classic VHF rabbit ears/UHF loop combo to see what you can pickup.
If you're in an older building, they might still have a master antenna on the roof that your landlord can connect to the line going to your apartment instead of Spectrum, RCN or FiOS.
In NYC you will need an antenna that's a combo VHF/UHF since MeTV and a bunch of other diginets are on VHF-lo, while ABC, NJTV, CW and PBS Thirteen are on VHF-Hi, there's also a bunch of other LPTV stations in VHF that some people in Manhattan can get. So if you want to test reception in your apartment, avoid those "mudflap" antennas that are UHF only, and stick to the classic VHF rabbit ears/UHF loop combo to see what you can pickup.
Last edited by kyl416 on Tue Feb 16, 2021 8:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Antenna recommendations?
A signal map may be useful to see which channels are available, signal strength, direction and in which bands (VHF-lo 2-6; VHF-hi 7-13; UHF-modern 14-36; UHF-legacy 38-51).
https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php
OTA with no fuss. Sounds like an oxymoron.
But as kyl416 said. Start with a pair of rabbit ears and UHF loop.
https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php
OTA with no fuss. Sounds like an oxymoron.
But as kyl416 said. Start with a pair of rabbit ears and UHF loop.
Re: Antenna recommendations?
Thanks, both of you.
Here's what I got from the signal map, though I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.p ... _id=219898
Any recommendations for make & model of a UHF/VHF antenna? I can picture the ones on my 1986 Magnavox, but I haven't seen it in 15 years.
Yeah, the building will likely be blocking my signal. And there are a few around that are roughly the same height, so will likely get some reflections. I doubt there's an antenna on the roof (was built some time this century) but I'll ask. Would it typically be wired into the coax jack or something else?
Here's what I got from the signal map, though I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.p ... _id=219898
Any recommendations for make & model of a UHF/VHF antenna? I can picture the ones on my 1986 Magnavox, but I haven't seen it in 15 years.
Yeah, the building will likely be blocking my signal. And there are a few around that are roughly the same height, so will likely get some reflections. I doubt there's an antenna on the roof (was built some time this century) but I'll ask. Would it typically be wired into the coax jack or something else?
Re: Antenna recommendations?
Get a $12 RCA ANT111 from Target or whatever and see if that works. If not, then see if you can get Fios in your building because you're probably not going to be able to use an antenna.