Digital vs analogue antenna for FM radio

We live in the bush, and digital broadcasting is new. For years we have had satisfactory VHF and UHF TV reception from a two-piece antenna ( a wide one and a skinny one connected via a junction box.). The FM receiver is also connected to this antenna and is satisfactory as well, even though the VHF part of the antenna is looking a bit droopy. When we connected a STB to one TV and bought a TV with its own digital tuner, they both worked spectacularly well connected to the existing antenna. Now that we don't have any analogue TVs, we are thinking of replacing the drooping antenna with what we are told is all we need for digital reception, a very small thing that looks like a grill . If we have to do this, is its construction such that it will give us FM as good as we are getting now? I wish we could take the installer's word for it, but I don't really think he knows much more than I do.

Reply to
L.A.T.
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If the present one works I would seriously consider refurbishing it. Antennas have a "catchment" area. And generally, smaller antennas have a smaller "catchment". A standard beam antenna with correct element size is probably the way to go. I'm a bit doubtful about the FM receiver getting good reception off a UHF antenna, since FM radio is in the VHF band.

Dorfus

Reply to
Dorfus Dippintush

"L.A.T."

** Beware - all claims made by some turd trying to sell you something.
** No way - not at all - no chance.

** Why ?

You in love with the turd?

** Get him to put the " grill" thing up - at his trouble and expense.

If it ain't 100% satisfactory

- DO NOT PAY ONE DIME.

Tell him THAT is the deal !!!!!!!!!

See the little shit slink off .............

....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

Fact is that "grill" will not on it's own provide similar performance , if you have good reception clean the old unit up and keep using it . where are you located ? If you want a change for changes sake there may be something specific to your area as per recommendation

Reply to
a t e c 7 7

Thanks for you replies. One of the reasons for the change is that we are about to instal rain-water tanks. The birds perch on the antenna and crap on the roof. We will move it to a different part of the roof where birdcrap won't fall onto the catchment, and I thought that we might replace the antenna at the same time. Between you all, you have pretty well convinced me to stick with the existing antenna. There was a story in Radio and Hobbies when TV first appeared (1956?) about the rumours and fears about TV. The waves went through you and fried your brains. The waves confused the cows and made them give less milk. The waves disoriented the ducks and they lost their way. And so on. Then there was the chap that insisted that the TV "made the water taste funny." And yes, he had installed the antenna above his water tank, and the birds congregated on the antenna and crapped directly into the tank

Reply to
L.A.T.

"L.A.T."

** ROTFLMAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love it.

Best antenna story on this NG in yonks !!!

...... Phil

( who grew up in Shepparton were the family had a 70 foot high, stacked Yagi antenna facing south - to pick up the Melbourne Olympics in

956 )
Reply to
Phil Allison

Let me get this straight - it's working spectacularly well, and you're going to change it? Whatever for? What could you possibly be hoping to achieve?

Peter

Reply to
Pete

My new digital TV antenna gives awful FM reception, practically non- existent, compared to my previous analog one.

If your system is working spectacularly well, why change it?

Dave.

Reply to
David L. Jones

Why do they call it a digital antenna anyway? Radio signals haven't changed since Marconi and they're still analogue by nature. Maybe the bandwidth is different but it's still not digital.

Anyone?

Dorfus

Reply to
Dorfus Dippintush

"David L. Jones" "L.A.T."

** DLJ lives in Sydney where DTV in mostly on VHF, unlike rural areas.

Capital city DTV antennas are sized to suit VHF channels 6 through 12 (ie

174 to 230 MHz ) plus UHF - hence, they lack response to the 88 to 108 MHz FM broadcast band on VHF channels 3, 4 and 5.

Rural area DVT antennas are UHF only - some are " ...a very small thing that looks like a grille " - these only cover from 520 MHz upwards.

So no FM band response whatsoever.....

But you can get " Dig " and " Dig Jazz " stereo music from the ABC's digital TV signal.

....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

"Dorfus Dippintush"

** Means built to suit just the digital TV broadcast frequencies - plus generally they are of lower gain, as DTV works OK with far lower received RF levels than analogue TV.
** The MPEG compressed video and audio data is modulated onto multiple ( many hundreds) of close spaced RF carriers such that the result has the characteristics of random noise. Bit like when you hear the data stream coming from a 56 kb/s dial up modem.

This makes the pic it immune to ghosting, most interference sources, adjacent channel interference problems and noise ( aka "snow" when the signal strength gets a bit weak.

The biggest plus is the dramatic increase in the number of available channels at any one location. Each 7 MHz wide analogue channel space now accommodates 3 digital pictures and there is no need for channels to be left vacant on either side of an occupied one.

....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

It's called a "digital" antenna because it's designed only for the frequency range used by the digital TV stations in your particular area, as Phil said.

You can find out more info about the channels used here:

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Also, my "digital" antenna is a log-periodic type, like this one:

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Dave.

Reply to
David L. Jones

IIRC the Vikings won most of the gold medals that time around.

Jim

Reply to
JimW52

Same as when colour tv was introduced and the manufacturers sold colour antennas. By then the old aluminium was probably 20 years old and fed with worn out old 300 ohm ribbon.

Now, since Digital tv does not operate on Band I or II or 5A, a 'digital' antenna needs only cover from Ch6 upwards, and also have a flatter frequency response from ch6 to ch11A and also therefore has poor FM coverage. And once again, it's probably time you replaced the old corroded lump that's waving about up on the roof.

But of course you already knew this and you were being pedantic about semantics. Does "digital tv antenna" mean digital "tv antenna" or "digital tv" antenna?

Brad.

Reply to
Brad

Oh, and YES, they have changed since Marconi, especially since he was transmitting his first signals using spark. Nothing analog about that!

Brad.

Reply to
Brad

"JimW52"

** Well, they certainly cleaned up all the rowing events.

...... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

"Brad"

** Plus Marconi used Morse code for his radio messages.

Clearly an early form of digital data.

...... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

LOL!!

Dave

Reply to
Dave Goldfinch

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