Re: TV picture quality problems



gcotterl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Hi Jim,

The Terk antenna was originally on a 3-foot-tall mast on a tripod,
making the main boom about 5 feet above the flat roof. To
partially-comply with the condo-board's order, the antenna is now
laying on the roof (one end is supported so the main boom is
horizontal). I've run new coax from the antenna to the amplifier to
the TV set and all of the connections are good.

I have rotated the antenna thru all 360 degrees! I even used a compass
to point the antenna at Mt. Wilson. In both cases, the picture quality
didn't improve.


Any ideas?

Hi Gary...

Couple of thoughts from a real old retired guy (who put up antennas
way way way before cable was even thought of) if I may?

If you're truly rotating the durned thing 360 degrees with little
or no effect, then there's something really wrong :)

Check your wiring/cabling. You have used a balun between the
antenna terminals and the coax, right?

Being a flat roof, does it have a little wall around the edge?
Perhaps with metal flashing? If so, you need to raise your
antenna at least higher than that wall.

You mentioned that you have it propped to horizontal. You don't
want it "bubble level" horizontal, but rather horizontal to either
the horizon or to the top of the mountain, whichever comes first.

Once you work that out, you might want to experiment with height.
Often a change in elevation of mere inches makes a collosal
difference. Worth a try.

One more thing while I have you. If you've been forbidden to
put it there, and you do anyway, but do it improperly or
incompletely (no adequate ground, for instance) you may well
be opening yourself up to a whole boatload of trouble should
something go wrong. For instance a lightning strike causing fire,
or heaven forbid injuring people. Just something to consider.

I'm Canadian, and don't know American laws, much less California
laws, but maybe you have something similar. We used to have
(still have in real real isolated areas where cable doesn't
exist) community antenna systems. A whole apartment building,
or row of town houses, or whatever would have one antenna,
a distribution system, and each unit would share in the cost
of setting it up, insuring it, and maintaining it. Perhaps
you have something similar available to you.

Take care.

Ken



.

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