Loudonville Reception help

[seaverd]

I could use some help/advice on improving and distributing my OTA HD signal.

My antenna for most of my channels (pointed to the tower in the Helderbergs is the monoprice indoor/outdoor VHF/UHF antenna. See link: www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10901&cs_id=1090102&p_id=4730&seq=1&format=2

I also have a homemade 4 bay bow tie type antenna pointed towards Amsterdam to pick up channel 50 (the Ion network). Here is a link for the homemade antenna uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/

I am using a Channel 50 Jointenna to combine these two antennas and I receive Channel 50 with no issues. Both antennas are located in my attic.

Here is my problem I need to split my signal to 6 devices (2 TVs and 4 HDhomerun TV tuners). I am currently using a two way splitter and a 4 way splitter (these are in series) so I know I am killing my signal strength. I don't know if I should be using a distribution amplifier like a channel master 3418 or a preamplifier like the Channel Master 7778 or should I get a better antenna??? WRGB signal does drop for me - I am going to play with my antenna orientation to see if I can improve it. Attached is a tvfool plot for my house. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[ebo]

The ad says the antenna has a built-in preamp so another one won't help. At your distance, with the proper antenna, you probably don't need the one you have, even with the number of splits you're doing. You should have plenty of signal.

The problem is the size of the antenna. At 4 3/16" wide x 7 9/16" high it's just too small to work well on channel 6. In fact you're lucky it works for the high VHF channels 7, 12 and 13. I know what the ad says, but it's just not a VHF antenna.

I'm about 9 miles from the transmitters. Before WRGB moved their digital to channel 6 I used just a Channel Master 4-bay bowtie in the attic for all of the Helderberg stations. Despite being intended just for UHF, it worked well enough for the VHF stations (7 and 12 at the time). No amplifier at all, and I'm splitting the signal more than you are. With WRGB on 6 I added a twin lead folded dipole cut for 6 from plans at www.wfu.edu/~matthews/misc/dipole.html, joining the two with a UHF/VHF coupler. The dipole now supplies the high VHF channels as well. It's 66" long but I was able to mount it on a wall facing the transmitters so it takes up hardly any space.

Another thing to consider is what the signal has to go through to get to your antenna. Foil-faced insulation can knock it down and pipes or wiring near the antenna can affect it as well.