Jim*B

I'm basically looking for the 'bow-tie' style antenna. I need one that works well. I realize I could get better reception with a large antenna mounted outside on a pole, but I just don't want to go through the hassle (running the wires, mounting it, etc) and expense of that right now. Is there a small set-top antenna that works well? I need to pick up channels 3, 9, 38 and 54 on the analog dial.

thanks!
Jim

Don_Berg

Bowtie antennas are UHF antennas for reception of channels 14-69. Low VHF channels 2-6 require much larger elements.

Jim*B

Don, when I said "bow-tie style", I meant just that. Most antennas of that shape actually have two elements: 1 VHF and 1 UHF. I could have just as easily said "rabbit-ear style". I think most people would understand. Either way can you recommend a good, cheap, small antenna for indoor reception?

Erik*R

ived tried a half dozen or so cheap indoor ones from Rat Shack/walmart/kmart just to try to get a signal.. No dice even though there is a tv station broadcasting less than 5 miles away i couldnt get a decent signal with any one i tried.

Frank_S

I'm using a RS Double Bow-tie antenna in my upstairs bedroom, have been using it for over 3 years to get all local HDTV broadcast channels here in the SF Bay area. I am located 45 miles south of the transmitter. I have a huge redwood tree in the way and I am still able to receive signal. I'm not sure if Radioshack still sells this antenna, I paid $15 for it 3 or so years ago.

Tim Markley

I have the same Radio Shack double bow tie antenna and it works great. I use it to pick up HDTV signals from Sacramento which is over 50 miles away. Radio Shack still sells it but they changed the name to UHF Dual HDTV Indoor Antenna.

Jim*B

Okay fella's, thanks for the suggestion, but will I get channels 3 and 9 with it? As stated previously, I need to get 3, 9, 38 and 54. I went out last night and bought a $9 Philips antenna at Sears. It has a fixed loop and the dual extendible staight mast antennas. It is so cheaply built! I was actually wanting to get an antenna that had a single coax VHF/UHF output to go to the single coax VHF/UHF input on my TV, but I wound up getting this thing that had two separate 300 ohm, twin lead cables (1 for UHF and 1 for VHF). I had to switch the litle 300-to-75 ohm transformer that came with it back and forth a couple of times while testing the system. The screw on the trasnformer wound up stripping out. JUNK! Anyway, with just the dual mast antennas extended out about 36", I good a GOOD clean signal on 3 and 9! 54 still actually came in good. 38 was fuzzy though. If I buy something similar to this, but with a built in amplifier, can I get away with not pulling the antennas out so far?

thanks
Jim

Don_Berg

Yes the long rabbit ears are needed for low VHF reception channels 2-6. The UHF loop is the weakest for UHF channels, a double bow-tie or Silver Sensor is 10x better for UHF channels. You need both types to cover both VHF and UHF. Avoid the amplifier models, they are just trying to compensate for their poor antenna design.

Jim*B

Well, I bought and tested out a $40 Jensen and a $50 Terk amplified low-pofile set-top antenna's. I then installed a $35 RCA 58" wide conventional outdoor antenna, in my attic. It BLEW AWAY the wore expensive Jensen and Terk units!!!!

thanks
Jim

Don_Berg

Of course, an outdoor antenna will always blow away the indoor models! If you had posted initially you would go for outdoor, the suggestions would have been totally different. I too started with indoor antennas and eventually upgraded to an outdoor model. It wasn't any more expensive the indoor units and works 10x better.

Jim*B

If I couldn't have mounted the exterior antenna in the attic, I probably wouldn't have used it. I CAN'T STAND THE LOOK OF THOSE THINGS!

Geoff::L