Finally going to have a place to "do it all" on

[drvnbysound]

My one experience with putting electronics in an attic was when I was 2 homes ago when I was renting and was not allowed to mount a roof-top antenna.

It's too late to do anything about it now, but I believe you may have done some unnecessary work, as you have the legal right to erect an antenna on property you either own or control....

"The rule (47 C.F.R. Section 1.4000) has been in effect since October 1996, and it prohibits restrictions that impair the installation, maintenance or use of antennas used to receive video programming."

Note that this includes rental properties. For more information regarding the regulations of mounting antennas: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

 

[jrfuda]

My one experience with putting electronics in an attic was when I was 2 homes ago when I was renting and was not allowed to mount a roof-top antenna.

It's too late to do anything about it now, but I believe you may have done some unnecessary work, as you have the legal right to erect an antenna on property you either own or control....

Thanks, I was familiar with that rule. I think there's a zillion-page thread dedicated to it over on AVS... They would have allowed me to erect an antenna as long as it was not attached to the house, so I could have put one up in the yard (nothing like dodging guy lines!!!). I'm sure I could have fought it using the "unreasonable increase of costs" provisions in the rules to get them to allow me to mount the antenna on the house (the owner already had Dish Network, so I was able to use the preexisting dish to get satellite TV without having to deal with the property management company, but I like to get OTA HDTV as well). Basically, it was one of those situations where I had a pretty much had a few hours available where I could do the work, and didn't want to dedicate any more time (I bet I would have had to remind the HOA of the law as well as someone would have complined). I was close enough to the broadcast tower farms (thought they were in different directions) that my solution was able to get what I needed. Basically, it was easier for me to not push the issue than it was for me to get the optimal mounting location.

In the new house I'm going to have to be creative with my reception plan as well. There are 3 antenna farms, which will give me at least 2 copies of each major network plus a half a dozen independants - lot's of stations! 2 of the farms are 180 degrees from eachother, so it will be easy to get signals from both of those farms by pointing a DB8 or HD8800 antenna at the further of the 2 farms (the "backside" should bring in the stations coming from the opposite direction). If I want to get to the third antenna farm, I'll have to add in a directional UHF antenna (I already have), point it at the 3rd farm and use some jointenna bandpass filters to get just the signals I need from that antenna.

 

[pete_c]

I have a number of antenna's outside. I decided to mount my OTA (probably a good 8 feet long) is mounted in one uninvasive section of the attic. I get a decent signal (with amp) of all of the major metro area broadcasters except for one. Outside put a small footprint DTV wide multiple LNB oval dish - had (5 years ago) direct TV tech install it with a 4 room package deal. He hit that sweet spot in about 5 minutes. In addition have a weather station, GPS antenna, etc.

Here in our subdivision about a couple of years ago the HOA decided to enforce a long should have been updated rule relating to DTV dishes outside going even to a point of having the management company take pictures and sending out notices relating to some sort of fines. This until I pointed out to them the change in the FCC rules (done even long before the building of this subdivision). The HOA to date hasn't updated the revelant by-laws relating to DTV dishes yet. In previous home installed a 3 meter legacy dish about 100 feet from the back of the home. I put it between a shed and the back yard. It was a major endeavor relating to installation, running cables and tweaking. No complaints but neighbors did plant a line of trees to obstruct their view of the dish. Remember using a HT receiver and waiting "minutes" for the dish to move to another bird.

 

[jrfuda]

We closed on the house on Monday, so now it's ours. Movers star packing on the 25th and load the truck on the 27th. I leave TX for NC on the 31st and have to make the drive alone with 2 kids and 2 cats (the wife follows in December due to having to finish school here), so it will be at least a 3-day drive - more if the kids can't handle long days in the car. Movers are supposed to arrive at the new house on 6 Aug, then the fun begins.

 

[Neurorad]

Awesome! Congratulations.

 

[cornutt]

I don't know if you ever got an answer to your question about running the bundles up through the floor... you need to use a fireproofing caulk to seal the hole. Stuff's about $10 a tube, but it forms a tight seal and it will retard the rise of heat or fire though the hole; it will also keep vermin out. Use it anyplace that you have a floor or ceiling penetration larger than 1/2" or so.

 

[mustangcoupe]

Congrats John, and sorry about traveling alone with the cats and kids .... I know how traveling with the wife and kid is like and well if she wasnt there I may not have my sanity