On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 04:40:35 -0500, "cme" wrote:

I"m half way between two transmission zones. So I wanted to build an antenna
to see if its worth upgrading beyond a Delhi bowtie without a reflector. I
have Buffalo 30 miles away and Toronto about the same in the opposite
direction north/south. Dont want to go to a rotor.

Remove the reflector (if not already gone).

I bought a radio shack antenna preamp, 15-1109 to see if it will do
anything, waiting for the weather to improve to try it. Its not the best ,
but at least it will tell me something, before dropping a bigger buck.

It offers more gain than you will ever obtain from a new antenna. In
fact it may have too much gain. This will be discovered with TV
channels "blacking out" when you overdrive the set's AGC. As the gain
is adjustable, be prepared to experiment here.

thinking of a yagi or something more directtional or omi directional. I
need ideas.

Indeed. Omni-directional brings nothing new to the table and you
stand to lose through increased ghosts. Something more directional
without a rotator condemns you to select Toronto OR Buffalo. What you
have is a paradox: your goal conflicts with a newer resolution.

I want to experiment before dropping the buck.

You spent as much as you need to. 30 miles is actually very close,
and the only further investment is moving what you already have
straight up.

So I'm shooting for channel 57 which is north, but the rest of the channels
are in the 20s south out of Buffalo coming in crystal clear. This Delhi
boxtie is attached acouple inches from the vhf antenna, this is how who
installed put it..

I thought they were suppose to be attached like 3 apart.???

3 what? Inches? Maybe OK if it part of the same antenna. 3 feet is
OK even more so.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC