Forum Index > Full Moon Saloon > Best indoor TV antenna for Seattle reception?
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cartman
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PostTue Mar 01, 2016 6:24 pm 
Cut the cable I rarely use--finally--but still would like to get decent TV reception now and then. What experience do you have with indoor antennas that give good reliable reception? This will not be able to be placed outside in any way. I have an HDTV and live just south of Woodland Park, but on the west side of a hill facing west--so facing away from the TV towers (but can see the towers on Queen Anne from my balcony), so that could be an issue. Essentially, looking for recommendations on an indoor antenna that gives strong reliable signal over multiple over the air stations including in inclement weather. Brand and model.

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Damian
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PostTue Mar 01, 2016 7:10 pm 
There are some excellent sites which will tell you exactly what channels you will receive based on your address along with info to choose an antenna. You will not regret dumping cable and will get dozens of channels in Seattle. I was amazed at the quantity and quality of stations available when we made the cut. We didn't even have HD cable but you get free HD with an antenna now. Add a Roku, or similar product and you'll have more video than you could ever need. Good luck. https://transition.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/dtvmaps/

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Randito
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PostTue Mar 01, 2016 8:34 pm 
With the main towers on Queen Anne and your place in Woodland Park all you really need is a coat hanger. If you want to pickup Tacoma or Vancouver,BC stations, you might want an amplified antenna mounted on a directional base so you can precisely aim the antenna and the desired transmitter.

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cartman
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PostTue Mar 01, 2016 8:39 pm 
RandyHiker wrote:
With the main towers on Queen Anne and your place in Woodland Park all you really need is a coat hanger.
I suspect this isn't true for me. Being on Phinney Ridge but on the downhill west side the hill I'm on could be a bit of an issue. My FM radio reception has always had static interference on almost all stations; and my apt is below ground level on the east side, so there's ground blocking from that direction. Damian, I've looked at those sites and have some ideas, but am looking for real-time experience from people here in Seattle due to our hills, weather etc.

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contour5
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PostWed Mar 02, 2016 12:00 am 
Here's a Reddit thread with a few relevant suggestions...

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meandering Wa
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PostWed Mar 02, 2016 5:57 am 
i would be interested in knowing if there is a particular type of TV that is more amenable to the use of an antennae or booster

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Hulksmash
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PostWed Mar 02, 2016 10:12 am 
huh.gif If there are folks in Seattle where the transmission towers are located having trouble receiving broadcast signal......maybe thats why i can't receive any broadcast signal with an outdoor antenna when i'm not in the same county.

"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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SlingShot
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PostWed Mar 02, 2016 5:06 pm 
cartman wrote:
Being on Phinney Ridge but on the downhill west side the hill I'm on could be a bit of an issue. My FM radio reception has always had static interference on almost all stations; and my apt is below ground level on the east side, so there's ground blocking from that direction.
Just based on this alone, You will have trouble with any reception within your apt. A booster or amplified antenna may only add to your issue, unless your running long cable lengths and or spitting the signal. The building itself and the location your in are you main issues. Anyway you could mount a antenna on the roof? Maybe talk with some other tenants and apt. management. One antenna could be shared. If the news get out that your apt is a "RF" free zone, your rent may go up. dizzy.gif

Take only photo's. Leave only foot prints. Waste only time. John Muir http://www.flickr.com/photos/dogntallgrass/ https://www.facebook.com/marc.mallang
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captain jack
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PostThu Mar 03, 2016 10:16 am 
I hope you like FOX hockeygrin.gif KCPQs transmitter is on Gold Mountain, west of Bremerton, and you. The "coat hanger" will grab their signal easily. I would just grab a small, amplified, omnidirectional antenna, like this Terk,
you can get them at Frys, or something similar from Radio Shack, or Best Buy. Point the flat sides to the east and west, you will get FOX, and if your lucky, maybe something from the Cap. Hill transmitters.

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SlingShot
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PostSat Mar 05, 2016 12:01 pm 
After dealing with a similar issue yesterday, I have a couple things to add. A customer of mine got rid of his sat and went to an antenna. He got a very nice one, mounted it high on his roof and only has one TV. He was unable to receive any channels. This is why he called for me to come out and see if I could help. After a few minutes of investigating his antenna and wire I was certain the TV would get at least a few channels, Even east of lake Roesiger I started the channel auto tune. My customer said he never did this, he just inter the channel he wanted directly. After 20 minutes of auto tuning, the TV was now getting 20+ channels. It seemed auto tuning was the fix to his problem. My customer then took me out to his shop to auto tune another TV. This shop was all cinder block built into a hillside, Several hundred feet from his home. After auto tuning his TV, we got 3 channels. My customer then disconnected his desktop antenna. Connected some coax to the TV and then striped off the other end to bare copper. He then wrapped the bare copper around a face plate screw on a wall outlet. After auto tuning again he got 7 channels. My background: 25 years of Low Voltage installation. Home automation, Networking, Distributed Audio & Video, CCTV, Security & Monitoring. Antennas are something I only have to deal with once every few years, and are not my specialty. Hope this helps anyone troubleshooting...

Take only photo's. Leave only foot prints. Waste only time. John Muir http://www.flickr.com/photos/dogntallgrass/ https://www.facebook.com/marc.mallang
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Washakie
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PostSat Apr 16, 2016 4:28 pm 
....have spent alot of time dog sitting for one of my sons in Greenwood. They only have an external antenna. Hope you like local news, Gunsmoke reruns, and Bait Car.

"What is the color when black is burned?" - Neil Young "We're all normal when we want our freedom" - Arthur Lee "The internet can make almost anyone seem intelligent" - Washakie
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Brucester
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PostWed Apr 20, 2016 4:46 pm 
Thanks for posting this. up.gif Been thinking of buying another TV to watch the games. 15 years without one..... Probably ok reception on First Hill?

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captain jack
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captain jack
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PostWed Apr 20, 2016 4:52 pm 
meandering Wa wrote:
i would be interested in knowing if there is a particular type of TV that is more amenable to the use of an antennae or booster
No, a digital tuner is a digital tuner. The antenna you use will be the big decider.

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