Does anyone have a good source or product they like for an Indoor antenna that would be used by several different devices?
I have the usual T antenna that comes with the receivers but find it lacking. In my last house there was an antenna in the attic and a booster in the basement then a distribution panel to hook up to it worked great but if there is an equal but smaller (simpler) one I would like to try that.
Thanks for any help, Rich
When we bought our new house, it came with a built-in intercom system that also had a built-in radio. The antenna is actually just a standard
300-ohm dipole stapled in a "T" formation to the rafters in the attic, and it works great. Of course, we're only about 20 miles from Tampa so we would probably get the major FM stations even *without* an antenna.-- Vinnie
A dipole has to be 1/2 wavelength for maximum efficiency. You can get more "gain" by adding additional elements, but that increases the space required and may mean that you will need a rotator. Amplifiers might work but you have to know that they introduce noise (hiss).
i used to use my cable as fm source. i'm not sure if it's included free anymore or everywhere. ...thehick
I recently installed a large FM antenna from Radio Shack in my attic. Best $25 I ever spent. I had two little amplified antennas, went through the hang a wire on the wall phase. The antenna in the attic makes my radio sound like a cd. I did not hook up any kind of amplifier or rotator, yet I can easily pull in around 15 FM stations, maybe more.
Before installing the antenna, I did some reading. One person wrote that people hook up cable and instantly get great reception. Then when it comes to pulling in FM radio signals, they hang a wire on the wall and expect miracles (like I did).
Go with the large FM antenna if you are in a weak signal area. The antenna I bought was around $25. Of course, wiring and mounting add to the price. I am very pleased with the results.
Stephen R.
I'm 30 miles from the antenna farm and the only way to get a decent fm and tv signal is with an antenna in the attic. From there, I distribute with coax thru an amplifier to every room in the house.
My next project is to move the antenna to the roof so I can pick up flawless HDTV off the air. That involves calling the home owners association and tell them I'm fixing to violate the deed restrictions and then site the federal regulation that takes priority over the deed restrictions and home owner association rules.
Pj
Or XM.
Pay for radio? I'm hooked.
Barry
If you have cable tv, you might try connecting a branch to your FM reciever. Most cable companies carry many popular fm stations, with strong signal strength.
Because it's all about YOU, of course!
I'm rooting for your neighbors. I hope they sue your ass off, brick your windows and poison your pets. Damned self-centered jerk. If you want to live in a trailer park, why did you buy in a nice neighborhood?
I don't listen to the radio anymore, MP3 pirate, but when I did, I found a VHF TV antenna was great for FM. The band is right between channel 7 and 8 (6/7?) so old antennas that were peaked for 2-13 do great. Find one in a garage sale. The bigger the better. Put it in the attic and hide it from the HOA pricks. Rock on dude ... and look at alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.1960s ;-)
The feds have stated that HOA restrictions can't stop you from installing TV antennas or satellite dishes. Hook to the TV and the FM radio, and you're legal.
Many antenna restrictions are in place due to underhanded negotiations by CATV providers. There have been cases where CATV providers refused to wire a new development unless the restrictions were in place.
Tall masts and large arrays may require permits from local governments, but that's another story.
Enjoy your antenna.
Barry
Being legal is fine, but sometimes it just ain't worth it, if you have to put up with whining from pissy neighbors the entire time you live there. Personally, if I had the attic space to spare, and if the antenna would work well from there, I'd be inclined to do it that way just to keep it out of the weather. Standing up antennas on a roof mast is a chore for young people, and tilting them back down to do repairs after everything has rotted a few years is even less fun.
Having said that, if altitude was the only thing that would get me the reception I want, yes, I would pay somebody to put up something as tall as I needed. Of course, I'd never buy in a neighborhood with silly-ass covenants like that anyway. It'd be a dealbreaker for me.
aeem sends....
"ameijers" wrote in news:jC4Rc.403383$ snipped-for-privacy@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:
All this reminds me of an ordeal I went through some years ago when I installed a weathervane on our chimney. HOA bylaws and covenants did not address this issue, but I received several threatening letters from the board about removing it. Funny thing about it was that I was on the board! I resigned. Received several more letters. The HOA documents also did not address the use of weathervanes or flagpoles, but it did address the use of television antennas, even though our neighborhood was completely cabled. Television antennas were allowed as long as they stood no higher than 15 feet above the roof, and were no larger than 7 x
7 feet. Because of cable, no one had an antenna. I wrote one letter back in response to all of their threats... I offered to remove the weathervane and replace it with a television antenna of maximum size and mounting height allowed by the HOA documents. I quickly received a response that the weathervane could stay!
It's the law, jerk. You don't like the law then complain to your congressman.
That's funny, really. Here I am wrapping myself in a fed regulation and my real attitude is that if someone comes on my property and says the word 'code', I blow their head off with my 45. You see, I live in Texas and you don't trespass on personal property.
Isn't it ironic?
Pj
Not really. I see an evidence of our human nature that shows how we judge ourselves by our own moral inconsistencies. It demonstrates our need for God's forgiveness. --Phil
Don't you sound like the Teakettle calling the Pot black?
--Mike
Not really. When you but a home in a plan that has protective covenants as part of the sales agreement, you are making a statement that you want to have that protection, you want any new owners to have it, and you want it to last in perpetuity.
To go back on your valid legal agreement that you signed of your own free will because some ridiculous new law overturns it, that's a total lack of character being shown.
Original poster is using an excuse to back out on his word, all for HIS benefit, and screw the other people who are part of his legal pact. He's raising the "Trash" level of his community, lowering everybody's property values. That's a selfish pig in my book.
Ok the thread is dead. I started this as a simple discussion of if anyone had a good recommendation for an indoor antenna. Simple as that now its got people into a snit over nothing..
TID.............Thread Is Dead....
Stand down,
Covenants are not part of a SALES AGREEMENT, if they were they could have been negotiated at the time of purchase!
They are in fact part of the DEED and move with the land.
The Federal Government through the communications act preempted both local government restrictions and private covenant restrictions related to antennas, the law is not "ridiculous" it is the law and the rules the FCC implemented to promulgated it!
The method I used to buy the best indoor antennae is go to a store with an easy money-back return policy. Buy a half dozen antennas, pick the one that does the job best and return the rest. Personally, I was surprised that a $12 antenna worked a lot better than an $82 one.
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