Antenna Stacking

[cowboyup4christ]

IF I were to stack my Antenna Craft U8000 over a VHF/UHF antenna how far apart should they be would 3 ft be enough?

 

[Jason Fritz]

Hey there!
Found this site which gives a few technical details about stacking, but it's for "like" antennas.

If you don't have much information, check the vertical stacking distance that the manufacturer recommends for two of the same antennas. This distance is the height of the capture area!

The minimum clearance distance (for antennas on lower bands, same polarization) is one-half of the stacking distance for two of the same antennas.

Example: The manufacturer recommends that you stack two identical 144MHz yagis 10 feet apart. That means that you shouldn't mount one of these yagis any closer than (10 / 2) = 5 feet above a lower-band antenna such as a 50MHz yagi or HF tribander.
If you don't even have that much information, for long yagis you can look at the performance table by VE7BQH. That gives recommended stacking distances for a comprehensive range of 144MHz long yagis. If you can't find your exact yagi design, you should be able to find something comparable as a guide.

Will check around a bit later this evening and see what I can dig up.

 

[bugz71]

I have never heard of antenna stacking. what is the benefit of doing this? You have peaked my curiosity and now I want to know more about this. So if you can direct me in the right place that would be good. I will check out the link above as well.

 

[cowboyup4christ]

Antenna stacking can be done for several reasons,
1. stacking two like antennas like two uhf or two vhf antennas pointed in the same direction to increase their gain
2. stacking two antennas like or not in pointed in two different directions to receive stations in opposite directions without a rotator.
3 stacking two different antennas UHF and one vhf to receive both types of broadcast signals. antennas are connected to a signal combiner or a pre amp with dual inputs to combine the signal to one coax. if using a combiner it must be placed before the pre amp.
useful links
http://www.anarc.org/wtfda/stagger.pdf
Combining or Stacking Two TV Antennas - Stallions Satellite and Antenna
VHF/UHF Long Yagi Workshop
Antenna Stacking Test

 

[concerned]

What about using two antennas in the house on one tv??? would that even work???

 

[cowboyup4christ]

What about using two antennas in the house on one tv??? would that even work???

most of the time there is no advantage to stacking indoor antennas however there is a post in dtv reception on making a antenna that can be use indoors that has higher gain than most indoor antennas all it takes is coat hangers and screws and a board. http://www.dtvusaforum.com/dtv-reception/703-member-dtv-hd-antenna-reviews.html