I have an elderly family member living in Hemet Ca. Trying to cut costs. Anyone on here in Hemet using Tablo and an antenna to get local stations? If so, what antenna are you using and where is it, inside or outside.
How is your reception?
Don’t live in the State but Antennas Direct has plenty of stations listed in the green. I would highly recommend a outdoor antenna as Tablo is very susceptible to signal strength.
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Unfortunately, it looks like they have all three types of station bands in several different directions so a multidirectional antenna may be recommended. Also unfortunately, this type of antenna is hard to find for UHF, VHF-high (7-13), AND VHF-low (2-6) bands or real channels.
I would print out a list from the site provided by @Ed_InstrEd and review those stations with your family member to cull the list down so they can make a better decision.
The ClearStream MAX or 4MAX are probably the best for VHF-high and above, while the VHF-low channels may require a different antenna, depending on distance from the antenna to the broadcast tower(s).
After reviewing the map, it looks like it could be difficult to get all the channels they want, but keep with it. It’s not impossible. Fortunately, they’re not >50 or 60 miles from most of the towers.
I have the Clearstream max for Chicagoland area. One main tower (Sears Tower). I’m around 25 miles out from tower and all the main channels come fine. Get over 118 channels.
Your area has multible antennas and so as @wysiwyggin says a multiple directional antenna like one from ChannelMaster might not be a good idea.
I use to have a huge directional antenna with a rotator on the Roof with a 10 foot mast. Lasted for almost 18 years before a microbust storm did a number on some of the elements. I was able to rotate towards Rockford and get some stations from there.
But still get a good directional antenna and give it a try:wink:
@Ed_InstrEd, RabbitEars.info is only showing 2 good and many poor or bad stations in the Helmet, CA area, unlike the AntennasDirect site.
It may be quite flat in your area and the Sears Tower is 1,451 ft tall. While it could be quite mountainous in Helmet, so a directional antenna alone may not work.
I think you’re right, though - it’s going to take some experimentation. But knowing what they want to receive is the one key to success.
Hemet is probably too far away for receive LA stations. And the only full power station is a PBS station to the north in San Bernardino. The other stations listed transmit from the east side of palm springs. Not only are they low to medium power stations they use low-VHF and Hi-VHF. And to make matters worse hemet sits in the shadow of Mt. San Jacinto.
You would have to find someone else that uses OTA or borrow someones old antenna to see if the TV picks up anything.