Does this antenna need to be "grounded?"

[coachgrd]

Do you guys think an attic TV antenna (indoor/outdoor variety) would need grounding? The owners manual requires grounding for outdoor usuage but not indoor. The roof is typical 1/2" OSB or plywood, tar paper & shingles.

On a related note, would think it would work any better up there as opposed to just mounting it in the room?

Thanks in advance everyone,
Gary

 

[MossRoad]

If it is an indoor antenna, it will probably be just as good in the attic or your living room. May even work just a tad better because it is up higher. If, however, it is an outdoor antenna, it will most likely not work as well indoors. As for grounding, follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Sounds like a weasly answer, I know. Probably won't hurt to ground it indoors. May be a hassle to find a ground in the attic, too. But if lightning should penetrate your roof and hit the antenna, it will most likely blast your roof and attic first, then sizzle the wire down to ground.

 

[Tig]

My attic is indoors, so no ground required.

 

[WBWI]

Dumb question... is the antenna going to work with the new digital conversion that happens next month?

 

[Thumper & Buttercup]

If you are in range of a TV station you are good to go if you have a TV with a digital tuner. In fact CBS, NBC , ABC and Fox have been putting out the Digital signal for a while.

If you have cable TV like Dish or Direct TV any old TV will work but you will not get anything over the antenna. Hope this helps.

 

[ray66v]

Dumb question... is the antenna going to work with the new digital conversion that happens next month?

Analog antennas work fine with digital signals. The downside is that the reception distance is reduced. Channels that you receive on the fringe will no longer be available, unless you get a higher gain antenna.

 

[SnowRidge]

Dumb question... is the antenna going to work with the new digital conversion that happens next month?

There is no such thing as an analog or digital antenna.

Antennas don't know digital from analog. The so called digital or digital ready antenna is a complete sales rip off. Antennas are designed to work at a particular radio frequency or band of frequencies. The type of modulation is not relevant. As long as the station is transmitting on the same frequency or in the same band, no antenna change will be required.

 

[LBrown59]

My attic is indoors

I wouldn't have gessed that .

 

[schmism]

Dumb question... is the antenna going to work with the new digital conversion that happens next month?

all new digtial tv stations broadcast on what is currently UHF frequencies. In other words if you currently receive UHF channels (19-30+) then your "old" antenna will still work with the new digital channels.

Rabbet ears (the 2 metal sticks in a V) is VHF frequency tuned, you need the little loopy thing for UHF. IF you have a large areal (weather indoor or out) that will work fine. (when looking at the areal the big >>> V sticks on one end are VHF the little -|-|-|-| cross bars at the other end is the UHF portion)

IF your interested in getting a new UHF anteana to boost your DTV reception consider building a grey-hoverman Design of The Gray-Hoverman Antenna - Digital Home Canada

 

[DANOCHEESE]

Actually you want a non cut antenae. The digital 8VSB signals are a tad bit wider in bandwidth. What does this mean? A usualy more exspensive cut to channels antenae will shave off the start and stop points of the signal. For home owners just use what you have been. And height is not always a good thing, TV transmitters transmit at a 2-3 degree down tilt. This so the signal follows the contour of the earth. IF the desired station is distant soemtimes a lower antennas will work better. Also many of the station are not at full power or at the assigned frequnecy until the conversion date.

Also don;t ground your antennas bond them. All grounds need to be tied together. I would'nt worry about it if in your attic. Mother nature will do waht she wants.

 

[DieselPower]

Nope, no ground needed in the attic. I recently installed a new antenna designed for UHF digital broadcast. I live on the fringe of receiving range from many of the stations I wanted to receive and unlike analog when you had a weak signal you just had a fuzzy picture. With digital you either have a picture or you don't, there is no fuzzy in the middle. I got a long range Uni-Directional HDTV UHF antenna. I'm getting digital signals from stations I couldn't even get analog VHF signals from before. I got the antenna from a electronics supplier I have been buying from for years. Audio and Video, Computer Parts, Batteries, Cable and Wiring at MCM Electronics I got Part #30-2072 which is a high gain 91 element long range antenna designed to receive from stations 50-70+ miles away.

 

[radioman]

AntennaWeb has excellant resources and info. When setting up your antenna to get the uhf channels, you can help to aim it in right direction by going here - Address .

coachgrd - you shouldn't need to ground your antenna that is in the attic since its NOT the highest part of your house.

 

[coachgrd]

Well, I hooked the antenna up last night and simply laid it on the dresser where the TV sits. I was able to pick up all the locals and 1 or 2 stations I'd never heard of. When I chance I'm going to Google them and see where they hail from. I think I will try to mount the antenna in the attic tomorrow and see if I can pull any others in. It may not prove to make a difference but we'll see. I must say though that the locals in digital are strikingly better.

 

[schmism]

AntennaWeb has excellant resources and info. When setting up your antenna to get the uhf channels, you can help to aim it in right direction by going here - Address .

you shouldnt have to worry about figureing out ahead of time were to aim the antenna.

The DTV receivers have a built in signal meter that is real time. so you can go up into the attic rotate the antenna and watch the signal meter rise and drop as you rotate it. You can either pick your favorite channel and "tune" for it... or pick a middle of the pack channel and tune for it. (note youll need to find out what the REAL channel numbers for the DTV cannels so you can pick a middle of the road channel. (for instance the TV says its channel 4, but its really broadcast on channel 24 frequency)

 

[MrWoodChips]

If, however, it is an outdoor antenna, it will most likely not work as well indoors.

Not true. An outdoor antenna will work quite splendidly in an attic. (I've got one up there. Actually, I have two of them, pointing in different directions.) In fact, an outdoor antenna tends to work better in an attic than outside, at least if you ever see enough wind to cause damage to the antenna. Our last antenna lost a piece or two with every storm we had. Before long, there was nothing left. The current antenna has been up there for years now, still working splendidly, picking up HD signals quite nicely even from over 40 miles away.

John

 

[SnowRidge]

Not true. An outdoor antenna will work quite splendidly in an attic. (I've got one up there. Actually, I have two of them, pointing in different directions.) In fact, an outdoor antenna tends to work better in an attic than outside, at least if you ever see enough wind to cause damage to the antenna.

Not under a metal roof unless you are lucky enough to be getting the signals through a gable end. Antennas can also be affected by nearby wiring, metal strapping or pipes, duct work, and foil backed insulation.

An antenna should work best high and clear of any obstacles, which usually means above the roof. Attic antennas sometimes work fine, but not always.

 

[MossRoad]

Not true. An outdoor antenna will work quite splendidly in an attic. (I've got one up there. Actually, I have two of them, pointing in different directions.) In fact, an outdoor antenna tends to work better in an attic than outside, at least if you ever see enough wind to cause damage to the antenna. Our last antenna lost a piece or two with every storm we had. Before long, there was nothing left. The current antenna has been up there for years now, still working splendidly, picking up HD signals quite nicely even from over 40 miles away.

John

My house has aluminum siding. So does my garage. Are you telling me that my antenna will actually work better inside a metal box than outside a metal box?

I agree that an antenna will last longer inside an attic than outside, but that has nothing to do with it working better, just lasting longer.

 

[ray66v]

My house has aluminum siding. So does my garage. Are you telling me that my antenna will actually work better inside a metal box than outside a metal box?

I agree that an antenna will last longer inside an attic than outside, but that has nothing to do with it working better, just lasting longer.

I agree, if you try the same antenna inside the attic, and then move it outside, it will do a better job outside. I have done this experiment several times for people. Same results every time. Especially if there is any metal blocking the signal.

Even leaves on trees, will reduce signals to an extent.

With the digital conversion, I, and my neighbor, are not able to receive one local PBS UHF station at all, (had a good signal in analog). And I have some intermittent audio issues with one VHF station on the TV's that get less of the signal because of a splitter, (even though its amplified). ARG!

I have Directv, and far to many TV's, (8), to hook them all up to it.

Hopefully these problems will go away on their own, (Feb 20). If not, I may have to get a bigger antenna. I really don't want to go back up there. My 28' ladder needs to go in the raised FEL bucket to, reach it.

 

[IXLR8]

You don't "need" to ground the antenna if it is in the attic. But a friend of mine was having lots of issues getting good reception on his FM radio using a roof mounted antenna. The antenna was not grounded, he found that when he grounded the antenna... There was a huge improvement in the quality of his reception. No idea why... but it worked much better.