Question: ID this antenna for me please
I do not know the manufacturer, but it is a UHF only antenna, you can tell by the short length of the elements.
If the elements tip to tip are about 6 inches - you've got UHF, 14 inches and up you've got VHF.
All the little elements to the right in the picture are directors to the single element with the blue plastic is the drive element, all the ones on the bars above and below are reflectors.
If the elements tip to tip are about 6 inches - you've got UHF, 14 inches and up you've got VHF.
All the little elements to the right in the picture are directors to the single element with the blue plastic is the drive element, all the ones on the bars above and below are reflectors.
:welcome: rrokit,
My guess is ...
AntennaCraft by RadioShack MXU47 Deep Fringe UHF HD Yagi TV Antenna (MXU47) from Solid Signal
Jim
My guess is ...
AntennaCraft by RadioShack MXU47 Deep Fringe UHF HD Yagi TV Antenna (MXU47) from Solid Signal
Jim
Thank you one and all for this info. I got it off CL for $20 and am experimenting with it for reception at my camp in the mountains of upstate NY. I ran it up on a 20 foot tall pole, direct coax to the tv set, hand held it and rotated it while my buddy tried scanning in what UHF stations TV Fool told us were around. We got nothing, but I am not going to give up.
Those antenna websites give me conflicting information about what is available and where to point and tune. Is there one site to be trusted more so than another? Some of the information I am finding shows what I think are UHF repeaters (is this correct terminology?) for more distant stations.
Now for a real dumb, noobie question:
If I were to point this antenna to a compass heading for a UHF signal (a real channel, not a virtual one) that is supposed to be about 20 miles away and tune my digital set to that channel, in theory would I be on target to receive that station? Of course I am discounting terrain and I realize I am in the mountains and forest so there are extenuating circumstances, but I don't know how else to do this.
Any and all advice will be totally appreciated (once you stop laughing at my post!)
Thanks,
bob
Edit: On rereading above I'm really not sure at all about 'real' and 'virtual' channels when in comes to scanning them into a tv. I guess I need a little education here also. Tnx.
Those antenna websites give me conflicting information about what is available and where to point and tune. Is there one site to be trusted more so than another? Some of the information I am finding shows what I think are UHF repeaters (is this correct terminology?) for more distant stations.
Now for a real dumb, noobie question:
If I were to point this antenna to a compass heading for a UHF signal (a real channel, not a virtual one) that is supposed to be about 20 miles away and tune my digital set to that channel, in theory would I be on target to receive that station? Of course I am discounting terrain and I realize I am in the mountains and forest so there are extenuating circumstances, but I don't know how else to do this.
Any and all advice will be totally appreciated (once you stop laughing at my post!)
Thanks,
bob
Edit: On rereading above I'm really not sure at all about 'real' and 'virtual' channels when in comes to scanning them into a tv. I guess I need a little education here also. Tnx.
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TV fool is buy far the most accurate signal prediction site available, and it is not without error. Real channel numbers are the ones that matter when selecting an antenna. Some televisions, but not all will do direct channel entry of real channel numbers. That can be a real time saver when searching for signals. Example on one of my televisions if I enter 28 the TV will search for signal on real channel 28. If the signal is found the display on the TV will show the virtual channel number 13.1. Low power television translators have call signs that contain the real channel number. The call sign for the example I just used is K28HL-D. You can look up the call sign to find out what they might be transmitting. I have worked with other televisions and converter boxes that have no way of doing direct channel entry without doing a full scan. I've worked with others that will do a partial or add channel scan. One of them I work with regularly has to be put into the add channel menu then direct real channel entry can be done. There is no standard used by all manufactures.
They are not dumb questions it takes awhile to figure it all out. It's a confusing system.
You can use the map feature on TV Fool to get to exact location, and from there you can click on make radar plot to get a report that can be posted on this forum for advice.
Steve
They are not dumb questions it takes awhile to figure it all out. It's a confusing system.
You can use the map feature on TV Fool to get to exact location, and from there you can click on make radar plot to get a report that can be posted on this forum for advice.
Steve
You rotated while buddy did the scans? There's your problem. You need to hold your hand perfectly steady when your bud does a scan.
Ya, TVFool should take the mountains and even the forest into account, but not with pinpoint accuracy. Something like 100 feet, give or take, and the maps are a few years old. TVFool is your best bet though.
Rick
Ya, TVFool should take the mountains and even the forest into account, but not with pinpoint accuracy. Something like 100 feet, give or take, and the maps are a few years old. TVFool is your best bet though.
Rick
U-100r has more reflector elements, this antenna has 10. And U-75r has 8 reflector elements.
52440
Here's a useful chart from 2001, but sadly it doesn't list the number of reflector elements.
http://support.radioshack.com/support_video/doc44/44032.htm
52440
Here's a useful chart from 2001, but sadly it doesn't list the number of reflector elements.
http://support.radioshack.com/support_video/doc44/44032.htm
First off let me say how impressed I am with all the responses to my question. Thank you all for the help!
I did a tv fool report and resolved it down to my exact location, which is off-highway and up the side of a mountain (my camp in the woods). I currently have an old fashioned 12 foot long VHF-hi and am receiving channel 7 at about 25 feet AGL, although it does have a tendency to pixilate and cut off completely at certain times, only to return again.
Inputting for this report TV fool had me put the antenna at about 40 feet before allowing channel 7, so I guess I lucked out.
Would that UHF antenna I posted above have half a chance of pulling in channels 50 and 16 at all if I were to go higher?
...and of course I have more questions.
1) I am off-grid, obviously, but we do have a solar panel/battery/power inverter setup. I am thinking of trying a signal amplifier. It doesn't use too much power and it would only be running when the tv is running so I'm comfortable with that. There should be absolutely no interference since there is no electrical around other than my power inverter.
2) AntennaPoint shows this:
and here is why I am confused. These don't even show up on TV fool. Are these translators? Would I be better served in aiming towards them since they are closer?
So many questions.
Thank you,
Bob
I did a tv fool report and resolved it down to my exact location, which is off-highway and up the side of a mountain (my camp in the woods). I currently have an old fashioned 12 foot long VHF-hi and am receiving channel 7 at about 25 feet AGL, although it does have a tendency to pixilate and cut off completely at certain times, only to return again.
Inputting for this report TV fool had me put the antenna at about 40 feet before allowing channel 7, so I guess I lucked out.
Would that UHF antenna I posted above have half a chance of pulling in channels 50 and 16 at all if I were to go higher?
...and of course I have more questions.
1) I am off-grid, obviously, but we do have a solar panel/battery/power inverter setup. I am thinking of trying a signal amplifier. It doesn't use too much power and it would only be running when the tv is running so I'm comfortable with that. There should be absolutely no interference since there is no electrical around other than my power inverter.
2) AntennaPoint shows this:
and here is why I am confused. These don't even show up on TV fool. Are these translators? Would I be better served in aiming towards them since they are closer?
So many questions.
Thank you,
Bob
Attachments
Something is definitely wrong with that antenna point report. The TV fool report is likely to be correct. The best information I can find puts WCWF in Wisconsin, and on real channel 21. WNPI is a full power retransmitter of WPBS not the same as a low power translator.
WPBS-DT - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In my area TV fool does show low power translators. Antenna point does not
Your posted TV fool attachment is about impossible to read, but all signals in the grey area is not a real promising sign. Having seen a channel 7 signal at that location would give me reason for bit of optimism.
WPBS-DT - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In my area TV fool does show low power translators. Antenna point does not
Your posted TV fool attachment is about impossible to read, but all signals in the grey area is not a real promising sign. Having seen a channel 7 signal at that location would give me reason for bit of optimism.
When posting your TVfool, pictures get shrunk to unreadable size. Please post a link back to the page rather than an image.
Far Northern NY and the Adirondacks is difficult for TV... Not a lot of stations and a lot of trees and mountains. I am familiar with the area - I was born near Watertown and spent summers camping in those mountains at Cranberry Lake - Saranac Lake - Lake Placid.
WWNY Channel 7 is out of Watertown, NY. They chose to stay on VHF and thus their signal travels better than UHF stations much closer to you. First I would check out that existing antenna and the cabling to ensure that all connections and the Coax cable are good. It should be RG6 coax, not RG59. Ensure that there are NO splitters or splices in the cable - you should use a single length of coax from the antenna to the TV. There is also a slim chance you may get CKWS-DT on channel 11 out of Canada, but I wouldn't count on it. This is a case where I think a GOOD low noise pre-amp may just make enough of a difference to stop most of the breakups on channel 7 as a last resort.
Antenna point doesn't take into account the terrain, while TVfool does. I suspect that the 2 UHF stations don't show on TV fool because mountains block the signal. Try moving around your location on TVfool within the confines of your property, and adjusting the height, and see if anything pops up on your chart. Sometimes you get lucky and find a "hot spot" where you can receive a refracted (edge) signal. Since you already have that antenna, it wouldn't hurt to attach it to a portable TV (if you have one) and walk it around your property trying at differing heights and locations.
Far Northern NY and the Adirondacks is difficult for TV... Not a lot of stations and a lot of trees and mountains. I am familiar with the area - I was born near Watertown and spent summers camping in those mountains at Cranberry Lake - Saranac Lake - Lake Placid.
WWNY Channel 7 is out of Watertown, NY. They chose to stay on VHF and thus their signal travels better than UHF stations much closer to you. First I would check out that existing antenna and the cabling to ensure that all connections and the Coax cable are good. It should be RG6 coax, not RG59. Ensure that there are NO splitters or splices in the cable - you should use a single length of coax from the antenna to the TV. There is also a slim chance you may get CKWS-DT on channel 11 out of Canada, but I wouldn't count on it. This is a case where I think a GOOD low noise pre-amp may just make enough of a difference to stop most of the breakups on channel 7 as a last resort.
Antenna point doesn't take into account the terrain, while TVfool does. I suspect that the 2 UHF stations don't show on TV fool because mountains block the signal. Try moving around your location on TVfool within the confines of your property, and adjusting the height, and see if anything pops up on your chart. Sometimes you get lucky and find a "hot spot" where you can receive a refracted (edge) signal. Since you already have that antenna, it wouldn't hurt to attach it to a portable TV (if you have one) and walk it around your property trying at differing heights and locations.
You may also have better luck with the other channels out of Watertown, WWTI 21 (ABC) and WPBS 41 (ABC). Try putting your UHF antenna on the same mast as the current VHF antenna and point in the same direction. Noise margins are similar for 7, 21, and 41, and the locations for the transmitters are close to channel 7's.
Note that the Watertown Fox affiliate broadcasts from the same exact location http://www.rabbitears.info/locationmap.php?request=location&location=Champion+(NY) - but it is the same as the 7.2 FOX subchannel.
Interesting to note that WWNY 7 was so isolated in the 50's through the 70's that it was the ONLY US station that most people in that part of the state could receive. Until WWTI signed-on in 1987, WWNY was Watertown's only commercial station. As such, it was permitted to carry affiliations with all three networks. Over the years it was an affiliate of these networks:
[TABLE="class: infobox"]
[/TABLE]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWNY-TV
Note that the Watertown Fox affiliate broadcasts from the same exact location http://www.rabbitears.info/locationmap.php?request=location&location=Champion+(NY) - but it is the same as the 7.2 FOX subchannel.
Interesting to note that WWNY 7 was so isolated in the 50's through the 70's that it was the ONLY US station that most people in that part of the state could receive. Until WWTI signed-on in 1987, WWNY was Watertown's only commercial station. As such, it was permitted to carry affiliations with all three networks. Over the years it was an affiliate of these networks:
[TABLE="class: infobox"]
[TH="align: left"][/TH]
DuMont (1954-1955)
ABC (1954-1987)
NBC (1954-1995)
NET/PBS (1958-1971)
Fox (1987-1998)
[/TABLE]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWNY-TV
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I scoured the net looking for a reference to a U-90r, I never found one. I actually had 2 antennas similar to this, both having the same # of reflectors, but a differing attachment for the mast.
Here's where we had this discussion before: http://www.dtvusaforum.com/dtv-hdtv-reception-antenna-discussion/39132-what-antenna.html#.U628qkBCCT4
Here's where we had this discussion before: http://www.dtvusaforum.com/dtv-hdtv-reception-antenna-discussion/39132-what-antenna.html#.U628qkBCCT4
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Here is a link TV Fool
I hope this works better.
This report was generated from inputting zip code only and is centered about 3-5 miles SE of my actual location. I thought I'd throw this in to give the general flavor of the reception area.
Here is a new report link generated as close as I can get to my actual location. I had to put in a 40 foot height in order to get these results.
TV Fool
I used to, on occasion, receive both channel 11 from Kingston and channel 6 (from Oshawa I think???), but haven't gotten these in a couple of years now.
MrPogi: small world! Being that you're from the area you know what I'm up against for reception.
I put the VHF-hi antenna up about 5 years ago on a whim because I am familiar with Watertown TV and the antenna was free. I re-used the same coax that had previously been in place for a satellite dish that was not activated. I got rid of that dish. I don't know what type of cable it is but I will make it a point to find out, redo the connections, etc.
Ideally I was hoping that the UHF antenna could be mounted higher above the VHF and pointed in the direction of Watertown for those other channels.
RF Steve: that WCWF thing really threw me for a loop as well.
Thanks, all.
I hope this works better.
This report was generated from inputting zip code only and is centered about 3-5 miles SE of my actual location. I thought I'd throw this in to give the general flavor of the reception area.
Here is a new report link generated as close as I can get to my actual location. I had to put in a 40 foot height in order to get these results.
TV Fool
I used to, on occasion, receive both channel 11 from Kingston and channel 6 (from Oshawa I think???), but haven't gotten these in a couple of years now.
MrPogi: small world! Being that you're from the area you know what I'm up against for reception.
I put the VHF-hi antenna up about 5 years ago on a whim because I am familiar with Watertown TV and the antenna was free. I re-used the same coax that had previously been in place for a satellite dish that was not activated. I got rid of that dish. I don't know what type of cable it is but I will make it a point to find out, redo the connections, etc.
Ideally I was hoping that the UHF antenna could be mounted higher above the VHF and pointed in the direction of Watertown for those other channels.
RF Steve: that WCWF thing really threw me for a loop as well.
Thanks, all.
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In my area, the only station Antenna point shows is a defunct Daystar channel. http://www.antennapoint.com/antennas/show?id=84321&commit=Search It doesn't show anything else - but on TV fool, it's a very different story:
TV Fool
TV Fool
It is, I believe, one of many variations of the U-100 produced by Radio Shack. Check this page Channel Master 4251 Tribute Page - you will have to scroll down to the Other Classic Antennas! headline near the bottom of the page. It appears that the 2 antennas that were given to me were older U-100 antennas of varying vintages, judging from the 2 photos on this page.
The "r" at the end I believe means "revised" or re-design. The larger U-120xl I has 14 reflector elements. And looking at the U-100 drawing again, it appears Radio Shack used the same drawing in both the U100 and U120 manuals.
The "r" at the end I believe means "revised" or re-design. The larger U-120xl I has 14 reflector elements. And looking at the U-100 drawing again, it appears Radio Shack used the same drawing in both the U100 and U120 manuals.
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