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Off-Air Antenna Installation Training

Off-Air Antenna Installation Training. Overview. Why install off-air antennas Basics of off-air broadcasts Antenna Characteristics Basic Rules of off-air broadcasts DIRECTV approved antennas Safety , Preparation, and Installation Installation Considerations Troubleshooting

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Off-Air Antenna Installation Training

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  1. Off-Air Antenna Installation Training

  2. Overview • Why install off-air antennas • Basics of off-air broadcasts • Antenna Characteristics • Basic Rules of off-air broadcasts • DIRECTV approved antennas • Safety, Preparation, and Installation • Installation Considerations • Troubleshooting • Using Antennaweb • Commonly Used Terms and Additional Resources

  3. Why install off-air antennas • To allow a customer to view their local area broadcast channels either in standard or High Definition

  4. Basics of off-air broadcasts • Over-the-air (OTA) channels are broadcast by local television stations. • This signal is broadcast from a transmitter tower. The signal travels in the air across the surface of the earth in all directions within a specified area. • There are two ways of sending the signal: analog and digital. Analog broadcasts have in most areas been turned off

  5. Basics of off-air broadcasts • The signal broadcast from the TV tower use to cover channels 2 thru 13 (55MHz to 211MHz) & 14 thru 69 (471MHz to 800MHz) – the Analog days • With the move to Digital, the TV broadcasters now utilize channels 14 to 51 • Channels 52 – 69 have been re-assigned by the FCC for other purposes • An off-air antenna is used to gather these signals and send them to the ATSC off-air tuner which can sometimes be built into the TV its self. • Since digital TV signals are more "economical" than analog TV signals, digital signals are able to carry more information while taking up less space as compared to analog signals. With Digital, television broadcasters have the ability to offer more features and more programming (more virtual channels) on their assigned frequency channel.

  6. Basics of off-air broadcasts • An ATSC tuner is required to receive digital off-air broadcasts. • A digital off-air tuner, which can be either the TV’s tuner or a tuner built in to a standalone receiver, or an AM-21 • AM-21 uses a USB cable to connect to an HR21/H21 and newer receiver • Both the H20 and HR20 have the ATSC tuner built

  7. Antenna Characteristics • There are many types of antennas available on the market with varying characteristics. These characteristics are usually described on the antenna model’s specification sheet. Antennas are also grouped by a color coding system which is useful in picking an antenna with specific characteristics. Antennas are usually described by their: • Gain • Directivity • Beamwidth • If it is amplified or non-amplified

  8. Antenna Characteristics Gain – Describes the available signal increase of a specific antenna when compared to another antenna.

  9. Antenna Characteristics Directivity – The antenna’s ability to intercept signals from one direction and ignore those from another direction. Directivity may be referred to as directionality. The antenna shown in this image is highly directional.

  10. Antenna Characteristics Beamwidth – The area from which the antenna can receive and output signals at approximately equal levels. This area is described in degrees, and is formed from the compass angles outlining the area’s boundary. Usually, the narrower the beamwidth of an antenna, the greater its directivity and gain.

  11. Antenna Characteristics Amplified vs. Non-Amplified • Amplified antennas do not increase the range of the antenna. Rather, they should be used when the signal strength is already of a good quality, but too much cable loss occurs by the time it has reached the off-air tuner due to long cable runs or multiple pieces of in-line equipment. • An antenna that includes a signal amplifier is often referred to as having a “preamp”. This means that the amplifier is built into the antenna, rather than being a separate line amplifier.

  12. Antenna Selector Pie Chart This pie chart is used to classify antennas according to their reception range and directivity. These colors match up to those used on www.antennaweb.org in making a recommendation on the antenna required to receive a particular channel in a particular area.

  13. Basic Rules of Off-Air Reception • Outdoor antennas are better – These antennas have a better view of the transmitting station, receive less interference from other equipment, and are less subject to multi-pathing from the building structure • Higher is better – The higher the antenna’s position, the more direct signal it receives from the transmitting station • Closer is better – The antenna should be on the side of the building that faces the broadcast tower • Bigger is generally better – The larger an antenna, the more signal it generally receives

  14. DIRECTV Approved Antennas Eagle Aspen Part # DTV2BUHF Used within Metropolitan areas < 25 miles WinegardSensar III Bi-directional Part # GS-1100 For use from 0 - 25 miles WinegardMetrostar Omni –directional Part # MS2000 • For use from 15 - 35 miles • DTV2BUHF – 2BAY UHF ANTENNA (This antenna will work with the 2” mast but does not work with VHF frequency ranges channel designation 2-13)

  15. OTA Antenna Installation • The existing standard 2” mast with an ODU will not properly accommodate the off-air assembly. • In many cases the installation will require a second mast to be installed at the customer’s home to accommodate the additional off-air antenna. • DIRECTV will try to ship as many 1-5/8” masts to the affected markets as possible to aid in installation. • The current antennas were designed to fit our previous 1-5/8” mast and only DTV2BUHF will bolt properly to the new 2 inch mast assembly. 

  16. OTA Antenna Installation • In order to attach the MS1000D or GS1100 assembly you may be required to remove the pole clamp to enable the included U-bolt to attach to the 2” mast if a 2” mast is used.

  17. OTA Antenna Installation • This installation may require a self-tapping screw to keep the antenna from spinning on the pole or moving up and down on the mast. • The other option is to replace the existing U-bolt with a 4” U-bolt

  18. OTA Antenna Installation • Moving forward, the antenna manufacturer will include the 4” U-Bolt along with the existing 3” U-bolt with the GS1100. • You will need to use the longer U-Bolt when attaching the antenna to the 2” standard foot and mast or any of the other DIRECTV approved 2” alternative mounts once the option is included in the packaging. • Please do not attach the antenna to the existing ODU mount. • Unless absolutely necessary, a separate mount should be used for the OTA antenna.

  19. Safety Considerations • Follow all safety rules and regulations you normally follow for installation of satellite dishes. In addition to those rules: • Locate and avoid any power lines or other wiring in the area. • Antennas can not be installed closer to a power line the twice the combined length of the antenna and mast. • Any antenna mounted on a mast 20 feet or higher requires more than one person to install. • The antenna mast and cable must be grounded in accordance with the National Electric Code. • Masts over 10 feet tall require guy wires every 10 feet.

  20. Steps to choose and install an antenna 1. OTA channels desired and available 2. Pick antennas to bring to the job site (at the office) 3. Preparation and printouts (at the office) 4. Site Survey (at the customer’s home) 8. Ground antenna and run cabling 7. Point antenna 6. Assemble and mount the antenna 5. Discuss anticipated channels with customer 11. Fine tune the antenna, if necessary 10. Verify scanned channels match anticipated channels 12. Clean up 9. Scan channels using receiver

  21. 1. Determine the availability of off-air channels If a customer expresses an interest in receiving off-air channels, go to www.antennaweb.org and click the “Choose an antenna” button. This tool predicts the off-air channels that may be available using the address, whether there are structures over 4 stories tall, and the building structure. Enter the customer’s address and click “Submit”.

  22. 1. Determine the availability of off-air channels Antennaweb.org provides you with a list of available channels, the antenna required to pick up each specific channel, and the signal direction for each channel. Click here for a detailed explanation of how to use Antennaweb.

  23. 1. Determine the availability of off-air channels Since the customer is interested in receiving off-air high definition programming, click the “Show Digital Stations Only” button. “View Street Level Map” provides a map of the transmit station locations relative to the customer’s address. Discuss the list of available channels with the customer to determine if an off-air antenna can provide the desired channels.

  24. 2. Pick Antenna(s) Using the street level map and channel list, choose the antennas to bring to the customer’s home. For this customer’s location, a medium directional antenna (color code red) would likely provide access to many channels broadcast from the north-west, but may not allow reception of the channel broadcast from the south-east.

  25. 2. Pick Antenna(s) Always bring at least two or three types of antennas with different beamwidths, gain and directivity to the customer’s home. Pick antennas that should allow reception of the desired channels based on the information from Antennaweb.

  26. 2. Pick Antenna(s) • Picking a specific color-coded antenna does not guarantee you will receive all channels that also use that color-coded (or smaller) antenna. The channels received are also determined by the direction in which the antenna points. • Additional considerations that may be evident when arriving at the customer’s home will help you to choose which antenna to install. These considerations will be determined by performing a thorough site survey at the house.

  27. 3. Preparation and Printouts Using antennaweb, click on “View Street Level Map”, then click “Printer Friendly Map”. Print the map and the list of digital channels for the customer’s address to take with you to the job site. The map and channel list will be used while performing the site survey and pointing the antenna.

  28. 3. Site Survey • The site survey should be performed using a compass and the compass orientation provided by Antennaweb.org. If possible, the antenna should be mounted near to the satellite dish. When performing the survey, keep the following considerations in mind: • Natural Obstacles (Hills, Trees, etc.) • Man Made Obstacles (Tall buildings, houses) • Reflective Surfaces • Obstructions between the antenna and the broadcast stations may cause a reduction or complete loss of signal.

  29. 4. Discuss anticipated available channels with the customer • Based on the customer’s location and surrounding terrain, it may not be possible to receive all off-air channels. • After determining the off-air channels that will likely to be received from the Antennaweb.org information and your site survey, discuss the expected channels with the customer.

  30. 5. Assemble and mount the antenna • Assemble the antenna following the installation instructions that came with that equipment. • Find a location on the customer’s home that has line of sight to the transmit towers. • Install the antenna as high as possible to avoid obstructions.

  31. 6. Point the antenna • Peak the antenna using the highest desired channel frequency (shown as “frequency assignment” on the channel list from Antennaweb.org). • Once you have pointed the antenna, check all desired channel frequencies for signal.

  32. 7. Ground the antenna and cabling run • Both the antenna mast and the transmission line must be grounded to meet the National Electric Code, State, and any local requirements. • RG-6 coaxial cable is preferred. • Note: a single RG-6 coaxial cable must be ran from the off air antenna to the ATSC tuner

  33. 8. Verify available channels Verify availability of desired channels found using the receiver’s Local Channels scan. These results should match what was expected from the site survey and Antennaweb.org

  34. 9. Fine-tune the antenna alignment • If not all expected channels are found, adjust the antenna’s alignment until the expected channels are available. • Azimuth fine-tuning - you may need to adjust the compass orientation (azimuth) setting of the antenna.

  35. 10. Fine-tune the antenna alignment • Depending on your location and that of the transmitter towers, you may need to compromise how the antenna is pointed to receive the desired channels. It may not be possible to receive all desired channels, or using an antenna with different characteristics (beamwidth, directivity, gain) may be required.

  36. 11. Clean Up • As always, once the installation is complete, clean up any packaging, loose cabling, and tools that were used during the installation.

  37. Important Installation Considerations Terrain – The landscape surrounding the customer’s home has many impacts on their ability to receive off-air channels. For instance, if a broadcast station is behind a large hill from the customer’s location, it may not be possible to receive the channel from that broadcast station. Trees and other natural objects may also interfere with the reception of off-air signals.

  38. Important Installation Considerations Obstructions – In addition to the terrain, man-made obstructions, such as buildings and other houses, may be between the customer’s location and the broadcast station. These objects may prevent the signal from reaching the customer’s antenna, or they may cause signal to be reflected, resulting in multipathing.

  39. Important Installation Considerations Multipathing – Multipathing occurs when the signal from the broadcast station reaches the antenna at varying times. This often occurs when the antenna receives the signal sent directly from the station, but also receives the same signal reflected by another object.

  40. Important Installation Considerations • Distance from the broadcast station – The longer the broadcaster’s signal travels, the weaker it will be. Choosing the right antenna for the desired channels will help. • Digital off-air broadcasts are still in their infancy. This leads to some additional considerations that may impact what channels the customer may receive. • Many broadcasters do not yet have permanent broadcast stations. • Broadcasters are not yet legally required to provide full-time digital signals. • Some digital channels may not broadcast all the time.

  41. Troubleshooting • This troubleshooting section lists commonly experienced issues with the most common resolutions. • Match the symptom of what you are experiencing or seeing on the screen for troubleshooting steps for the issue.

  42. Troubleshooting - Interference Herringbones or images from another channel - Occurs when another channel is on a close frequency. A directional antenna may be required, or traps and filters can solve the problem. • Try adjusting the antenna’s alignment or location. • Try using a more directional antenna. • Try using traps or filters.

  43. Troubleshooting - Interference Co-channel interference - Occurs when another station is broadcasting on the same frequency, and is usually resolved by using a directional antenna. • Try adjusting the azimuth of the antenna • Try relocating the antenna • Try using a more directional antenna

  44. Troubleshooting - Interference Electromagnetic interference – Bright static across the screen with a whining or grinding noise that is often caused by appliances and power lines. • If the source of the interference is outside the home, try using a more directional antenna. • Try unplugging from the electrical outlet each device in the home that could be causing the interference. • Contact the power company.

  45. Troubleshooting - Interference CB / Ham Radio Interference – Rolling, fading, or disappearing picture, with the voices of the radio operator in the TV audio. • If you can identify the source of interference, contact the person and inform them of the interference. • Contact the FCC if you can not identify the source. • A high pass filter (one that eliminates frequencies below 54 MHz) may need to be attached to the input of the receiver.

  46. Troubleshooting - Interference Airplane flutter – Rolling picture or a picture that fades in and out, often occurring when in the flight path of low-flying airplanes or near an airport. 1. Try using a highly directive antenna.

  47. Troubleshooting • Multipath – Multipathing occurs when a reflected signal is received at a different time from the primary signal. Multipathing can appear on one channel but not on others due to the differences in frequency and wavelength of the channel. • Multipathing will show up as freezes in video or pixelizing. • Avoid installing an antenna adjacent to a structure that could reflect the signal, such as a large building or structure. • Install a more suitable antenna for the location. A more directional antenna will block multipath better than a less directional antenna.

  48. Troubleshooting – Proper use of amplifiers • If you have a strong signal reading at the antenna, but have low signal by the time it reaches the receiver, you may need to consider using an amplifier. • Amplifiers only compensate for signal loss due to long cable runs or pieces of in-line equipment, such as splitters. • If you are not receiving adequate signal readings at the antenna, this indicates that the antenna needs to be peaked or a different antenna may be required. An amplifier would not help for this situation.

  49. Using Antennaweb.org Antennaweb is a great reference for picking and installing off-air antennas. After entering a customer’s address, you will receive a screen similar to the one to the right.

  50. Using Antennaweb On this screen, you have the option to see the list of all channels, only digital channels or only analog channels, and view a street level map of the transmitter towers relative to the address you entered. Each channel also lists information helpful in picking and pointing the antenna, which is described on the next slides.

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