WTSP (CBS) signal problems from Largo/Seminole

[katana]

Long time reader, first time poster. :P I'm a bit of a newbie, but I'm trying to square this away for my father. I'm 18 years old and was able to convince my dad to take the HD plunge (HD football is quite alluring :twisted: ) and I want to get these signal problems taken care of before Super Sunday (missing plays interminently is uber annoying...had to watch Sat. nights game in standard def :( !) Please bare with me. :lol:

I'm located inbetween Largo and Seminole (33774) and am trying to figure out why I'm having such a hard time keeping my WTSP (10.1) signal consistant. The severity of my breakups differ from day to day. Some days I'll recieve the channel with breakups rarely, to breakups every 10 minutes or so, breakups every few minutes, all the way to not being able to tune the channel in at all. There doesn't really seem to be any pattern to it (ie weather or wind don't seem to play a consistant role).

I'm using directv's supplied antenna along with an amplifier purchased at Chester's Electronics. Its one of Chester's nicer amps and really seems to help the signals of all the channels. When WTSP comes in, the picture is superb...no ghosting at all. How the signal can hover all the way from 93 --- 77----54---0 is beyond my understanding.
A few other channels I have minimal trouble with include PBSs (3.1 3.2 3.3) and UPN (44.1). These troubles are rare however.

Thank you very much!
---If I end up needing a larger antenna, I'd really like a recomendation of a competent installer. We've already had a few jokers over at the house who didn't know half of what you all know. He barely even knew what I know! lol
THANKS AGAIN!

[LonghornXP]

I have on of my places in Largo between East Bay and Ulmerton on Belcher which is in zip 33771 not far from you and I use a Jensen TV920 or 930 antenna which is an indoor antenna and I only have problems with FOX which I will be able to get soon on DirecTV. Well from DirecTV would only be the New York national feed but most of what I watch on FOX are primetime shows and the few HD football games in the future I can deal with the dropouts every few minutes or so which is about what I get.

Now with my indoor antenna CBS is my stongest station with ABC, UPN and PBS not far behind it. Also WMOR comes in great but they don't do HD so I don't bother with them. Also NBC comes in good without dropouts but the signal could be stronger but as long as it never drops out I could care less what the signal is. Also WB is on very very very low power right now but they will be going HD sometime first half of this new year and will I would think up their power a little more so people not within 10 feet of the tower can pick it up.

Now if you got on of those clip-on dish antennas installed by DirecTV than that is your problem because those are the worst antennas ever made and my indoor antenna would just kill those antennas. The problem with CBS on that antenna is that CBS is in the complete opposite direction as every other channel. Also I'm using a Zenith SAT520 and the Samsung and the new Hughes box (not the E86) and the Sony boxes do just as good a job with OTA reception. I would suggest getting a seperate OTA rooftop antenna which will get everything with ease but make sure you get an antenna that can get both UHF and VHF since NBC and FOX are on VHF. You might try and get an indoor antenna and without touching the loop you should have CBS locked in just great.

If you need more help you might be better off asking others here since I'm not going to be able to help with any rooftop questions because I don't have one and don't plan to have one as long as I can get what I get with my indoor antenna.

[bdraw]

Brian and Jaymer will install it for you.
Jaymer will climb on the roof, and Brian will hold the latter.

I have never seen them myself, but from what I hear you will want to have a video camera ready(perferibly an HD camera) because you will want to watch it again. ;)

Seriously, Installing an external antenna is easy. Get a long telescoping pole, and plenty of coax, the pole should come with some brackets, and it might be a good idea to concrete the bottom into the ground. A nice ladder and you should be able to get it all setup in a couple of hours. You might consider an 2 piece amplifier while you are at it, although you may not need it. Some people mount their dish on the same pole just to make both installs look clean. Also it is probably worth it to buy the two tools needed to make your own coax, that way you can make your runs the perfect legnth.

[katana]

I like the idea of the indoor antenna (I really don't have ANY skill when it comes to aligning satellites and the like. I couldn't even hook up plain 'ole regular directv. LOL). A couple of questions though:
1. How much should a Jensen TV930 cost?
2. Where would I be able to buy one (preferably a place NOT online and with a lenient return policy).
3. How intrusive is this antenna....trying the keep the lady of the house happy :roll:
4. Would it be possible to use a "combiner" and use the signal coming in from both antennas, thus maximizing signal on stations one antenna may receive well and the other antenna doesn't receive too well.
(IE - For instance, say that the indoor antenna has trouble with Fox in my location, but the outdoor antenna recieves it perfectly, would I be able to combine these signals?)

Thanks for everybody's help...I can finally see light at the end of my flickering CBS tunnel! :P

[LonghornXP]

Sorry for the late post but here goes. The Jensen TV930 is the one I currently have and you can buy at Best Buy and right now it is only available online but if you buy it and it doesn't work or you don't like it I think their return policy allows you to bring it back to any best buy store for a refund and even though they have a 15% restocking fee if I have everything in the box and have it packed neat I've never been charged that fee ever. This antenna can fit pretty well on top of any DVD player and such but you can't get too picky here because it will be should I say out of place if you know what I mean but if you want too look at it you can go too best buy and do a search for Jensen TV930 and that should allow you to look at some pictures of it to get an idea about it. Now there is a combiner solution that will work but I don't know what to really buy so you may have to ask this question but just so you know if you have DirecTV with a local channel package (ie total choice plus with locals) with or without the HD package you will be able to get the NY national feed of FOX ED and soon to be HD from the satellite via DirecTV. If you have read this at AVSForum you would know this by now but if you don't check it out. Since our local FOX is O&O (operated and owned) by FOX or News Corp we will be able to get the New York national feed included in the local channels package in the next few months and the NY feed will be one of the first to go HDTV by FOX so all primetime shows and national sports games we will be able to see in HDTV via satellite. The only thing you won't see is local news and local sports from this feed because it will have New Yorks local news and sports (sports may be blacked out unless national game or Sunday Ticket subscription). Hope this helps you out to some extent but for the combiner issue I'm pretty sure others here can answer this for you.

[jaymer]

ok, i can definitely say I aint gettin up on no roof - that ended about 100 lbs ago... heck, not even meeting room chairs are safe anymore! :wink:

jaymer...

[Bschneider]

LOL !!! I'll attest to that!