My Equipment for 2022

[Mike-CT]

The first picture is that of my APS-13 at 20 feet above ground level. The mast is guyed. It sits on a five foot tripod that can be lowered so I can check the antenna or lower it before a bad storm or a very windy day. This was on my roof until a year and a half ago when we got a new roof installed and I wasn't about to drill too many holes in it. It's only ten feet lower than it used to be. There's a little less IBOC with it a little lower; otherwise not much difference than when it was at 30 feet agl. The town is mostly flat but this area is around 200ft asl so that helps too.



The next photo is that of my FM phase antenna, a Channel Master Stereo Proge 9. This has been sitting in my basement for some years and I decided that this is the time to take it outside and use it. It's only around 15 feet agl but combined with the APS13 and the Bolin Phase Box, it works really well

Off to the left are my TV antennas, which at this point are mostly for TV viewing (especially WHCT-LD ch35 and its MeTV programming). The UHF antenna is a genuine XG-91 and the VHF antenna is a Winegard antenna, one of the last ones manufactured and is VHF only.



If you are interested in my other stuff, check out my blog at https://mikesdx.com, Go HERE.
Thanks for looking.

[Saul]

Ten feet and you notice less IBOC.That's nice. I hope it's a meaningful degree. Since you can raise and lower it easily, maybe you can try it even lower down during Es season and see if you find a sweet spot. I have blockage to the east (a cliff) so there's been considerable trial and error (and relative success). I'm curious about this trend of pointing upwards for Ms (and presumably Es)... (I've not been at my site until now for several months so am just getting set up again).

[antennanut]

Nice setup, Mike. Does your phase Probe 9 antenna with the Bolin box reduce I-BLOCK any?

Where I live currently, I am using attic antennas only, but hopefully in the next 5-8 years I'll be somewhere without an HOA, or one that doesn't care about antennas. I don't want a tower - I just wants some outside antennas.

[Mike-CT]

Yes, between the two antennas and the Bolin Phase Box I can phase out just about all of the IBOC down into the noise, or close to it. By the way, the same goes with the RSP Duo and its phasing method. Phasing works best with both antennas pointed in approx the same direction, but you can still phase if the phase antenna is fixed in one direction and you rotate your main antenna.

[Danny]

This is a very interesting discussion.

Mike, those are impressive antennas.

[K4LY]

Thanks for the write-up and photos Mike. I don't do much hands-on DXing except sometimes when there's Es or good tropo, and like you, the repack TV situation makes DXing almost impossible here. My FM scanning has worked well, and maybe I can get my DTV scanning working again, although I don't have a lot of motivation anymore. I'm going to try some low antennas for FM and TV Es Dxing this season in order to reduce the co-channel interference from being several hundred feet above average terrain with so many stations LOS or close to it.
Question. I think SDR Sharp software has ability to reduce IBOC and maybe some pseudo phase control. I forget what it's called. Have you tried it? How does it compare to the Bolin Phase Box?

[Mike-CT]

Question. I think SDR Sharp software has ability to reduce IBOC and maybe some pseudo phase control. I forget what it's called. Have you tried it? How does it compare to the Bolin Phase Box?

i think you mean the RSP Duo when used with SDRUno software. With the Duo you have two inputs for two antennas and you used this method called diversity mode to phase out stations. Diversity mode and the Bolin box do the same thing. It's antenna phasing. With the Bolin you turn two dials to phase out a station. With Diversity mode you point your mouse at a certain spot on your display and the stations nulls out. The learning curve to use Diversity mode is short.

Now, having said that, SDR# has this thing called an FM Canceler which will null (phase) out stations using just ONE antenna. It does not work that well with IBOC sidebands or stronger stations, unlike the RSP Duo or the Bolin box. You need to use it with an Airspy SDR (Discovery HF+ is what I have). I don't know if it works with all Airspy models. I have had success with it but I prefer the other ways.

Hope this helps.

[K4LY]

Thanks Mike. I was thinking of the FM Canceler in SDR# which I read about in the documentaion, but haven't tried. The RSP Duo with SDRUno software sounds like the real thing! I have three SDR radios, so probably won't be buying another this season, unless maybe someone would like to buy my Elad S2. The Bolin box hasn't been sold for a long time, has it? Some years ago after doing an FM bandscan I decided to forego FM DXing as it was way too crowded to hear much DX, but now after the TV repack, my TV channels are even more crowded than FM!

[Mike-CT]

Bioy, isn't that the truth! TV is a mess. I am completely full here with locals from channel 20 through 35. Only 25 is open, and I can probably see Providence on 25 if I aim at it. So that leaves me with basically lowband VHF and UHF 14-19. And for months now I have a new local ch2 (!) that blocks that channel. So anything half open is on 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 12, Not worth DXing TV anymore.

Andy Bolin made the phaser. He's is still around. Years ago he said he was having trouble getting the parts for it so I'm doubtful he still makes them. If you have one, hang on to it. It's golden.
Funny, I have an S2 also. I use it for MW DXing. My favorite SDR is the Airspy Discovery+ because it doesn't overload and the noise floor doesn't go up when I aim west right into WAQY. The FM band is no great prize anymore either unless you like to just log new local translators.

[antennanut]

Unfortunately in many areas, mine included, the translators, LPFMs, and LPTVs clog almost everything. There have been quite a few LPTVs pop up around here that are killing me. The FCC has turned into more of a revenue generator than a regulator by allowing so many low powered stations.