OT. Anyone here a TV/ UHF Expert? Help!

[Jeff_G]

Need someone with extensive knowledge of uhf TV reception and overcoming problems with weak signals. Thanks

[2fast4mom]

What's the question, Jeff?

I'm a real expert (x being the unknown and spert being a drip under pressure) but I do have a degree in EE and an FCC 1st class RT license......but anyway I'll try to help.

[Jeff_G]

I live about 60 to 70 miles from the vhf/uhf transmission towers. With a distribution amplifier, 10 db I can get the vhf stations pretty good. No ghost some light snow banding, but not all the time.
The uhf is another story. Sometimes it is watchable if we really have to but other times, put it this way the game this weekend on FOX, the only way we know what was going on was the player that ran the most! Never saw the ball.
Since the amplifier only does VHF and there is only one coax RG-6 cable coming into the house is there any other way to amplify the signal?
I am using Radio Shack's best 150 mile range antenna, RG-6 all the way in.
Thanks

[stvhelm]

your telephone wall jack should have an extra 2 wires (blk-ylw) if youre not using a second line. those 2 extra wires sometimes will make an awesome antenna for your radio or tv. just make sure theyre connected in all the phone jacks around the house.

[2fast4mom]

The higher you go up in frequency, the more line-of-sight is crucial to reception, and the more sensitive a signal will be to "multipath" distortion (that's what produces "ghosts"--signals being reflected by objects and arriving at the antenna at different times.

For your particular problem, Jeff, there are several things that can be done. I don't know however if you live in flat country or if there are obstacles like trees, buildings, mountains etc. that are interfering with your UHF signal path.

The higher up in elevation you can get the antenna, the better, and do you already have a rotor on your antenna mast?

Also, you can get a dedicated UHF antenna and couple it to the same RG-6 you already have with a bandsplitter.

I would recommend you research the Channel Master line of products (if they are still in business, it's been years! LOL) I used to use them all the time and they made great stuff, antennas and dedicated amplifiers for UHF. You might find them on the web but the best bet is to go to a REAL electronics supply house in a larger city...Radio Shack just doesn't have the specialty items for your needs, in my opinion.

Hope some of this helps.