ST-2 as television antenna also?

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Cruiseomatic

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Could it be? Trying to reduce windload on this already bad of an idea mast. If I can get the use of two different antennas into one, then all the better. Asked in a couple of other places and have'nt really got any solid answers. Just that "you could".

Thanks.
 

n5ims

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Should work OK since the TV signals are from around 50 to around 800 MHz and scanners cover from around 30 to around 900 MHz. One issue is that the ST-2 is generally mounted vertically and TV antennas are mounted horizontally so there'll be some loss on the TV signals (although the TV stations are much higher power than the transmitters picked up by scanners).

The big thing isn't so much how it works for somebody else, but how well it works for you. Try it and see. If it works great for you, who cares just how poorly it may work for Sam in Peoria.
 

Baskt_Case

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Its an antenna. An omni-directional one at that. Yes, you can use it for TV. It will have far less gain than an application specific TV antenna, but you may find that you are close enough to the transmitter to get what you want. The 300 to 75 ohm transformer that comes with it is already used in TV applications. It will already be impedance matched to your television. Put a splitter on it and go. You may find that you need a preamp before the splitter though, since you'll be sharing the signal. If you do put an amp on it, put it at the antenna end of the coax. Putting an amp at the receiver end of the coax only serves to amplify all the noise that it picked up on its way into the house.
 

Cruiseomatic

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I'm about to get one from summit. Anyone have any experience with them? I'm getting the ST-2 and a 100 pack of zip ties for around $30. Still wondering about guy wire hardware that I need. My wire has a work load of 840 lbs. They have alot hardware listed. Some is duplicate. Mostly all Channel master and Eagle brand. I don't want weak anchor hardware with heavy duty wire. Here is what I was looking at as far as hardware goes: (nothing is final yet.)

Channel Master 9015 Guy Wire Clamp 3-Way Adjustable Triple Ring Antenna Wire Clamp Ring CM9015 Mount Fastener Mast Support HDTV Antenna Mount, Part # CM-9015: Oak Entertainment Centers and Home Office Furniture, TV Antennas, Audio/Video, Satellite, C

And three of these:
Eagle Guy Wire Turnbuckle Antenna Mast 7/32" x 6 1/2" Open Eye to Eye 1 Pack Cast Steel Zinc Plate Twist Center Block Guy Wire Mast Turn Buckle Support HDTV Antenna Mount: Oak Entertainment Centers and Home Office Furniture, TV Antennas, Audio/Video,

As far as cable clamps and thimbles, I "think" I'll get those locally unless someone can tell me what 3/16" is twice and a good place to get them.
What do you all think?

As far as an amp goes, I have a Electroline EDA 2100 that was given to me by on of the cable guys few years ago. Still works. Amplifies from 54-1000 mhz and has a ground block built in.


If anyone has any recommendations, feel free to contribute.
 
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prcguy

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Sounds like your buying a bunch of stuff for a TV reception project that you don't even know will work.

The Electroline amp is a cable TV line amp designed to be used with a specific spectrum of signals within a specific range of levels. Its not designed as an antenna preamp.

If you use turnbuckles with stranded guy wire make sure you run a length of guy wire through both eye bolts and through the middle of the turnbuckle when your done to keep it from unscrewing itself when the guy wires stretch.
prcguy
 

gmclam

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ST-2 as television antenna also?
Yes. But as mentioned, the scanner antenna is omni-directional whereas TV antennas are generally directional. You will not get as much gain from the antenna, but you won't need it if in a metro area close to the TV transmission site.

A bigger concern however is interference. One thing a TV antenna gives you (which is sometimes a curse too) is rejection from signals coming from other directions. In the analog days those were just ghosts. But in the digital days it can keep you from getting a usable signal and it won't be clear why.

What I'd do is go to a site like antennaweb.org and enter your address. Look at all the TV signals and the directions they are coming from. It will give you a general idea as to their predicted strength at your antenna. From that you can see what you should receive and any potential issues.
 

Cruiseomatic

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Sounds like your buying a bunch of stuff for a TV reception project that you don't even know will work.

The Electroline amp is a cable TV line amp designed to be used with a specific spectrum of signals within a specific range of levels. Its not designed as an antenna preamp.

If you use turnbuckles with stranded guy wire make sure you run a length of guy wire through both eye bolts and through the middle of the turnbuckle when your done to keep it from unscrewing itself when the guy wires stretch.
prcguy

Not getting it for just a television antenna.

And on the amp, I've already tried it on a set of old rabbit ears and it doubled the signal strength with an already weak signal So I know it will work.

On the turnbuckles, I don't quite understand. Can you explain a little more please?
 

prcguy

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The Electroline amp will certainly amplify but if your in an area with transmitters nearby and its connected to a good outside antenna, it can easily overload and cause problems downstream.

On the turnbuckle thing, many guy wires are twisted and stranded. When they stretch some tend to unwind a bit and can unscrew turnbuckles and there goes your guy wires. This is a real bad problem with stranded aluminum guy wire and less of a problem with steel

The fix is to keep the turnbuckles from turning after the install by running a wire or the end of a guy wire through one eyebolt, then through the center of the turnbuckle then out the other eyebolt.You could probably use Ty-Raps or something else but you will have guy wire on hand from the install.
prcguy


Not getting it for just a television antenna.

And on the amp, I've already tried it on a set of old rabbit ears and it doubled the signal strength with an already weak signal So I know it will work.

On the turnbuckles, I don't quite understand. Can you explain a little more please?
 

Cruiseomatic

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Yes. But as mentioned, the scanner antenna is omni-directional whereas TV antennas are generally directional. You will not get as much gain from the antenna, but you won't need it if in a metro area close to the TV transmission site.

A bigger concern however is interference. One thing a TV antenna gives you (which is sometimes a curse too) is rejection from signals coming from other directions. In the analog days those were just ghosts. But in the digital days it can keep you from getting a usable signal and it won't be clear why.

What I'd do is go to a site like antennaweb.org and enter your address. Look at all the TV signals and the directions they are coming from. It will give you a general idea as to their predicted strength at your antenna. From that you can see what you should receive and any potential issues.

Did that, All the signals except one which I don't want are coming from one direction. So it should be easy to "tune".
 

Cruiseomatic

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The Electroline amp will certainly amplify but if your in an area with transmitters nearby and its connected to a good outside antenna, it can easily overload and cause problems downstream.

On the turnbuckle thing, many guy wires are twisted and stranded. When they stretch some tend to unwind a bit and can unscrew turnbuckles and there goes your guy wires. This is a real bad problem with stranded aluminum guy wire and less of a problem with steel

The fix is to keep the turnbuckles from turning after the install by running a wire or the end of a guy wire through one eyebolt, then through the center of the turnbuckle then out the other eyebolt.You could probably use Ty-Raps or something else but you will have guy wire on hand from the install.
prcguy

Transmitters are 25 miles minimum away. For the turnbuckles, I see what you're saying now. The wire I have is 7X19 galvanized steel. And when you say "ty-raps" are you talking about cable ties aka zip ties? If so, I have plenty of those which are rated for heavy loads. Same ones used on tractor-trailers. Anouther thing I'm looking at is grounding all this.
So many different ways and products. People keep saying "Motorola R56 is the best", I've tried finding a "recent" copy online. Nothing. Everyone says go by it but no one can bring one. If anyone has a "proven" (and i use that term semi-loosely) method and products, please tell me. Using house ground is out of the question. Thanks for the help so far.
 

oft

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I had tried using my DB4 (YouTube coathanger antenna) as a scanner antenna both as installed normally for HDTV and also installed vertically for polarity change similar to what n5ims mentioned in an earlier post and with the DB4, did not get much improvement for use as a scanner antenna.
 

Cruiseomatic

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Got it at 1 today, Put it together and connected it to one of my televisions with no amp. Aimed at the transmitter site standing on the ground inside I got up 70% signal on all channels. No difference with amp. Cant wait to get all this airborne this weekend.
 
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