adding local service to satellite service

the angry face is directed to Direct TV - sure, i love my digital satellite TV but they PROMISED me 2 years ago that my area would be getting local network television availability in “june.” that was in 2000. it’s now SEPTEMBER 2002 and the story is, well, we just can’t provide local network service to all 1600 major broadcast areas.

hmm… anyway, all the complaining aside, if you have a satellite tv system and you live, like me, in an area that’s not covered for local network programming, DO NOT ADD A CLIP-ON ANTENNA WITHOUT A LOT OF INVESTIGATION!

there’s a company that makes a clip-on antenna that’s supposed to allow you to tune local network channels over the same cable as your satellite signal - you just turn off the satellite receiver and put your tv on the channel you want and presto… only it’s not always presto.

there are two main things to watch out for.

first is the fact that these clip-on antennas come in different models designed for different areas. you should read all the small print on the box and ask the salesman you get it from if the model you have in your hand is the correct model for your area. it might not be, and chances are the salesman doesn’t even know there are different models to be had.

the second thing to think over is the position of your local broadcasting stations in relation to where your satellite dish is. here’s the problem - say you live on the south side of the city whose broadcast you want to get. that would mean that the signal from the tv tower comes from the north. but since you live in north america, your satellite dish is pointed SOUTH and is probably on the south side of your house - signals from the north are likely to be obstructed by your own house! also, your satellite dish is pointed UP - the farther south in north america you are, the more “up” your dish is aimed, so it’s possible for someone in, oh, how about texas, to have their satellite dish four feet off the ground on a landscape timber and get perfect satellite reception - but your tv reception won’t happen because you can’t usually get a decent tv signal when your antenna is only four feet off the ground.

i’m assuming that if you’re north of the place you want the tv signal from and your dish is high enough up on your house and you don’t live in the middle of the big thicket, these antenna must work… but in my case, it must be the trees - we’re on the correct side of the house, about 20 feet off the ground but the picture (on the ONE channel out of five that we were able to tune at all) really stunk. it’s pretty sad when a $20 set of rabbit-ears from wal mart gets a better picture than a $50 outdoor AMPLIFIED antenna…