My Spring Antenna Project

[Mike-CT]

Totally re-done for 2007. Took down my APS-13 and put my CM Probe-9 back up where my TV antennas were. Put my TV antennas over the garage, where my APS-13 was. Took down my 5 foot dish (needs to be refurbed) and first replaced it with an old RS U-100, and then, on Thursday evening, put up a Winegard PR-9032. Replaced all broken and cracked RG-6, and baluns. And most important, replaced a dead CM rotor with an Alliance HD-73 (NIB) bought from Rich Wertman. I'm using that for TV. My CM rotor for FM is still good.

Some observations: The 9032 is more cheaply built than the RS yagi. The dish had better nulls than the 9032, but when the analogs go off, it won't matter much anyway. I love the HD73. It was worth the bucks.

I might put the dish back up if I can get the time this summer to work on it.

[DXer-McVey]

Here's my spring antenna work, so far. My attic is huge, but there are trusses everywhere so it's a challenge. i managed to get a PR-9032 pointed at Washington/Baltimore so we can watch the locals on HDTV. i'd like to get a 5 or 7' dish and screen that bad boy and put it on a rotor--i measured and figured out there's enough room!

Also got my APS-13 installed. (see photo) It's a bit unconventional, but very effective. It is parallel with the roof, so it's at a 45 degree angle. It points just a bit east of south, and at the perfect angle to attenuate the DC locals. The broadside up faces west so any ES should come in just fine, but the beam faces away from DC so there's lots of open band. Yesterday morning the usual spring coastal enhancement had the Norfolk area FM's cooking the front end of my tuner. As these burned off i heard 102.7 Wilmington and 101.9 New Bern NC. Not stellar DX, but 250-300 miles is better than what i had.

Next phase is to build a 3-element FM quad and point that northeast so i can grab anything that comes from that direction. i have tons of room for that kind of antenna. i don't know yet what i will do about VHF lo-band.

[Fredn]

Hi Mike... why did you take down the APS 13? And how do you like the CM probe 9 in comparison?

I'm moving into a new house in a few months, and I'm starting to look at antenna options for the outdoors, so I'm curious.

Fred