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Gordy 
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: SWMI
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 Topic: Any TV antenna experts?
Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 4:04pm |
Have TVs in kitchen and bedroom only use for local news, Broadcast stations 30 to 50 miles away so need to get a good antenna, I see so many different antennas priced from $20 to $200, Looking for help finding one that works.
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“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough”
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Bill_MN
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 4:33pm |
At that distance, you'll need a roof-mounted directional antenna. How many towers/directions are you pulling from? If you're getting channels from different directions you'll need an antenna pointed at each one, or a rotor mount. Check out this website http://www.antennaweb.org, you put your address in and it tells you the stations and types of antennas needed for each station and the direction to point.
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1951 WD #78283, 1918 Case 28x50 Thresher #76738, Case Centennial B 2x16 Plow
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TimNearFortWorth
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Joined: 12 Dec 2009
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 4:37pm |
Ditched the cable back in 2008 and cable co. fell all over themselves trying to keep me on the hook for just that danged "basic". I just wasn't home to watch it due to work travel. Stopped into a Radio Shack one night as company rig GPS needed updating, seen a number of antennas and asked the kid behind the counter about them really working. He lived in that metro area (Dallas/Fort Worth) and claimed 70+ channels. I bought the same unit and get over 50 channels and I am 30-40 miles outside that metro area. When Latino and religious stations blocked, still get 30+ channels crystal clear. AntennaeCraft, gray plastic oval includes mounts for outside but mine has always been in the corner of the living room, 95.00 back in 2009 or 2010. An internet search should bring up many these days. Worth noting, bought my elderly parents one of those stick antennas advertised on tv for use in upstate NY. Tested it here and only got 10-12 channels, sent it to them and they were able to pick up 6 or 7 pretty clearly.
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Crewchief
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Joined: 28 Oct 2012
Location: GraniteFalls,NC
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 4:47pm |
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5 years no cable. We live 60 = miles from the stations broadcasting out of Charlotte N.C.No issues,pure HD TV. We use a $40.oo ant. mounted on the deck post ,facing south east. Use a double booster from Radio shack.1 on the ant. the other in the house,and doubles as a splittter for 2 T.V.'s. We also use the internet for everyhting else.
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1952 B 1950 Ferguson TO-2O
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DMiller
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Hermann, Mo
Points: 33885
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 5:02pm |
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Tried antenna reception, nothing here even with a amp on it can only get static, was explained would have to go up at least 50' above the roof peak to get ANY station here.
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Dusty MI
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 5:08pm |
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I like my omni directional disc anti, they are short range, but it does not need turning.
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917 H, '48 G, '65 D-10 series III "Allis Express"
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DiyDave
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 5:40pm |
Usedta use the radio shack one, its a flat plastic panel, about 12" x12"x 5/8" thick, has some sort of power input, works pretty good, sometimes you have to move it around, a little. Since radio shack bit the dust, walmart has a similar one, $20-$30 range... 
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john(MI)
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: SE MI
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 6:40pm |
I'm a firm believer in one RS sells or at least used to. Round plastic saucer. It has an inline amplifier. You don't need to turn it, it picks up from all directions. A got one for work and one guy was so impressed he bought one and put it in his attic. He said he picks up Detroit, Flint, Lansing MI and Toledo OH channels. I guess this is the current model as was mentioned in a previous comment.
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D14, D17, 5020, 612H, CASE 446
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Walker
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 8:24pm |
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Ya ever hear anybody complain about having too good an antenna? I aint into steeplejack work so I never did skimp when I needed one.
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DMiller
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Location: Hermann, Mo
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 8:37pm |
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We are just over 50 miles Jefferson City, add on 15-20 to Columbia with all the hills between. STL is almost 80 as the crow flies and loads of interference sources between.
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shameless dude
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 8:59pm |
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bought that "as seen on TV" antenna at Staples. a small black flat thing. used to get 2-3 channels here with an outside antenna on a pole above house, now we get about 20 channels, most are clear as a bell and this antenna is hanging from the light valance in our living room. we bought 2 more, one for each of the TV's in the house! we have channels we've never had before!
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Hubert (Ga)engine7
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Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 9:20pm |
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Got a roof mount with amplifier (actually mounted above the chimney) for the house at the farm with transmitters about 50+ miles away, reception is great at times, non existent on most channels at times but I am not paying for crappy cable service. The antenna has a built in rotor but no way to tell which way it is pointed unless I stand outside and have the wife work the control.
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Just an old country boy saved by the grace of God.
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desertjoe
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Joined: 23 Sep 2013
Location: New mexico
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Posted: 13 Jul 2018 at 3:55am |
Them roof mount antennas remind me of an incident up in the Dakotas some years ago,,,, We was up visitin the In-Laws and first item on his " List of Things For Joe To Do" was to see why the TV rotator would not work all the time. So the Wife's little brother and I climb up on the roof and try to break the antenna free as it was stuck,,,,we were both jerkin on it when he SCREAMS,,,,,"HORNETS" ,,,,and,,,and,,,he breaks and runs and jumps plumb off the roof, never mind the ladder,,,!! I head for the ladder and I am positive somebody has just shot me in the back, fall to my knees and crawl to the edge and just jump off myself. One of them sons of female dogs had got me right in the back and I thought I was gonna die right there. They took me to ER as the sting started to fester and the meat had started to fluff off and left about a 1" hole 1/4" deep,,,!!! A couple of dark nights later, me and a quart can of gasoline went up there and permantly took care of them hornets,,,the rotator worked good after that,,,, 
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Gordy
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Posted: 13 Jul 2018 at 9:40am |
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Wow them was potent hornets what kind were they we have yellow jackets that get in the tube gates where the pipe is open at the bottom and come pouring out when you go to open the gate their sting leaves a nasty welt but not as bad as yours. I have an old antenna on a 25 foot pole that worked good before they changed to digital tv but it has lost most of its vanes in the wind can only get one channel sometimes.
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“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough”
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Ray54
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Joined: 22 Nov 2009
Location: Paso Robles, Ca
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Posted: 13 Jul 2018 at 10:39am |
Dang bunch of cheap skates,.......  what's the matter with you all paying the cable/satelite company. Oh I guess I am just upset my wonderfully is addicted to the idiot box. An like DMiller to many hills and I don't think there is any hope  of escaping  the big money satelite company.
An why do I need TV with a bunch of misfits like is on here  that are always telling of triumph  and defeats  . An some ..........................even kiss and  tell.
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shameless dude
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Posted: 13 Jul 2018 at 11:50am |
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dish don't work where I am, and the cable company wants to charge me and everyone of the neighbors $22,000. each to run cable to us plus the monthly charge!
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tadams(OH)
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Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 1:02pm |
Our cable company ran a cable down our road and gave us a discount and free hookup for 2 years
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Ray54
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Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 1:04pm |
 shameless dude wrote:
dish don't work where I am, and the cable company wants to charge me and everyone of the neighbors $22,000. each to run cable to us plus the monthly charge! |
cable/SATELLITE ....................ant no cables in my neighborhood ether...... meaning they all wallow around in the mud together the slimy little monsters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh an now it is sinking in you say no Dish..................how can that be your aluminum foil to keep BIG BROTHER out is working that good??????????????? Or just all the young folks that can climb a latter are to strung out on dope so no company to put up the satellite receiver on the roof?????????????????
Hard for me to keep up with the corporate shenanigans they try covering up. But I do know ATT has taken over Dish satellite TV. So less options on who you do business with if are addicted to the idiot box. An still no way for me to escape there FEES.
But I guess I could celebrate  that you all have gotten away from them.
Hay another idea just struck me (need a mogy of the light coming on  )you could sign all the stockholders up to pay the cable instal money. I think I hear them screaming already.
Edited by Ray54 - 14 Jul 2018 at 1:05pm
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chaskaduo
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Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 1:36pm |
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Tell them it's the big business way to keep on top of everything. LOL
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1938 B, 79 Dynamark 11/36 6spd, 95 Weed-Eater 16hp, 2010 Bolens 14hp
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TramwayGuy
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Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 2:07pm |
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“But I do know ATT has taken over Dish satellite TV. “
Dish Network is not owned by AT&T.
AT&T does own DirecTv, however.
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BrianC
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Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 3:27pm |
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How do you get high speed internet in the boondocks?
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Bill_MN
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Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 11:18pm |
BrianC wrote:
How do you get high speed internet in the boondocks?
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Up in MN we have MVTV wireless. Basically a network of transmitters that "broadcast" high speed internet over the air, they keep costs low by contracting with farmers to put transmitters on their grain legs, etc. instead of building towers. You pay monthly fee and have a small receiver antenna about the size of a cake pan mounted on your roof, in the grove on a tree, etc. that you point at the nearest transmitter similar to antenna TV. Works great.
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1951 WD #78283, 1918 Case 28x50 Thresher #76738, Case Centennial B 2x16 Plow
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JC-WI
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Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 1:00am |
Danbg Joe, your hornet ordeal Makes me think ye got hit pretty bad there. Ouch!!!
"How do you get high speed internet in the boondocks?"
Beat the hollow logs faster.....
"( need a mogy of the light coming on )"
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He who says there is no evil has already deceived himself
The truth is the truth, sugar coated or not. Trawler II says, "Remember that."
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desertjoe
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Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 8:41am |
Well,,I tell you,,JC,,,it's something I'll never forget that little incident,,!! I went up on roof the next morning, after lettin them eat some Hi-Test the nite before,, and they were really small little dudes,,kinda brownish tan colored,,FIL said they was "Hornets",,,that was good enough for me,,, Wife tells me I still have a small scar on my back where I got hit them many years ago,,,,mean sobs and very territorial,,,,!!!
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Clay
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Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 9:48am |
We have an antenna. Our telephone converted all the phone lines to fiber optic cables. My land line and computer are on fiber optic. There is an option to purchase TV, utilizing the same fiber optic. I chose not to go with the cable (fiber optic) option. The basic channels offered were not very interesting to me. My antenna picks up many good stations. Lots of westerns, weather, sci-fiction, old movies, the big 3 networks and many others. It made no sense to pay the phone company for TV channels I would not watch anyway. Besides, I am outside working most of the time or on the computer.
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TOM (NE)
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Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 11:52am |
Purchased a omnidirectional antenna (round disk), mounted it on a 30 foot tower. Receive all the local channels within 50 miles of our Platte river cabin. What's great is, just install it and plug cable in to the TV. I did purchase a inline booster to enhance the reception. Tom
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Les Royer
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Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 12:19pm |
We gots 3 tv's in the house but the nurse only watches one. She uses this firestick thingy. I don't get between her an the tv to find out whats a firestick iz, I stay clear!
The other 2 are wall decorations
The internet iz another story. Seems as tho the internet iz on the same line ma bell installed back in 47. They say its to darn expensive to run a new line under a state highway just fer one guy. To many permits, they say.
I started digging it myself but by the time I got out to the middle of the highway I had to scurry back to the edge. Just to many trucks comin. They didn't loike the pot hole neither.
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I still gots my A/C but it's clear out in the barn now.
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JC-WI
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Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 12:44pm |
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You could have just hired a gopher to tunnel under the highway...
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He who says there is no evil has already deceived himself
The truth is the truth, sugar coated or not. Trawler II says, "Remember that."
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Ray54
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Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 7:41pm |
TramwayGuy wrote:
“But I do know ATT has taken over Dish satellite TV. “
Dish Network is not owned by AT&T.
AT&T does own DirecTv, however. |
Sorry I got that mixed up,I guess if I would reach over and turn the TV on. Cause the kid that fixed the TV said he was working for ATT even though his van was still painted in Direct TV.
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Ted J
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Posted: 16 Jul 2018 at 11:28pm |
BOY this thread has some awful good stories in it!! Kinda opened a hornets nest,,,,,,,,,so to speak. (Sorry DJ)
 I don't know about anywhere's else, but around here in WI we have to pay a FEE of $1 to allow the cable companies to extend the cable to places where it's unavailable. Well,,,,,,MOST of the midwest is just that!! And we STILL can't get any internet.....really pizzes me off!! Anyways, back to Gordy's question. I had a REALLY BIG, EXPENSIVE antenna that was supposed to pull in channels up to 200 miles away. Well, it couldn't pull in any that were less than 60 miles away. So,,,,,,,,we did a little experimenting and came up with this one... https://www.amazon.com/ViewTV-VERSION-Outdoor-Amplified-Digital/dp/B017JEF126/ref=pd_day0_hl_23_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B017JEF126&pd_rd_r=e160e546-8976-11e8-9cc3-e978e9b0c892&pd_rd_w=MKmZR&pd_rd_wg=gRwTF&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=1675207170591242776&pf_rd_r=MCTZ7H34RB3X7FD3SB1Z&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=MCTZ7H34RB3X7FD3SB1ZBefore this, I only got 3 stations fairly well, and a 4th that hurt your eyes. Now, I've got 23 that I rarely watch. But they are GOOD ones!! A lot of ION, METV, Laff, Grit.Movies, H&I, Ant TV, ABC, CBS, NBC and a bunch of others. It's been a few years now, but I think I only paid around $28 for mine......inflation I guess.... PS This is BY FAR,,,the BEST antenna that I have ever bought!! After telling the neighbors up at the farm and letting them see my TV, there are now 10 of these things up around the area...
Edited by Ted J - 16 Jul 2018 at 11:30pm
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"Allis-Express"
19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17
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