# OTA antenna in the attic



## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

I am considering moving my OTA antenna to the attic to improve reception and reduce weak signals at times. I know an outdoor antenna is the best way to go but I am not getting on my roof or paying someone to install one for me. 

Can I run rg6 cable next to electrical cables without interfering with the TV signal? We have a couple of light fixtures in the ceilings and thought of running the rg6 cables along the electrical wires so I wouldn't have to drill anymore holes in the walls or ceilings.


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## hjones4841 (Jan 21, 2009)

Running your coax close to electrical cables will be fine.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Why not get the best of both worlds and install an outdoor antenna in the attic? That’s what I did. Plus, with the antenna in the attic you don’t have to worry about lightning strikes. The only advantage mounting it outdoors would get is a few more feet of height, but living in an urban area like you do that’s not going to matter much. 

Regards, 
Wayne


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## BD55 (Oct 18, 2011)

I've got a homebuilt antenna in my attic and it works great even with the towers a good distance away. , I don't even have a great line of sight, houses and trees right in the way, but I still get really good reception. I think you'll be pleased getting that in the attic out of sight but with 90% (total WAG  ) capability of on the roof antennas.


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

One thing to check/remember is if you have foil backed insulation you may encounter some interference. While this is not common some homes have this and it may or may not affect reception.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Or a metal roof... 

Regards, 
Wayne


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

For many years my antenna was strapped to my chimney and it worked great.
When I painted the house I decided to move it into the attic.
So I managed to collapse the stupid thing and wrestle it into the attic.
It didn't look nearly as big up on the chimney.
So I get it oriented correctly and hooked up to the first splitter just like it always was connected.
Try out the reception and nothing.
One channel tried to work but kept losing lock.
Figured I did something wrong so rechecked everything finding nothing wrong.
Tried running the coax directly to the TV, nada.
Antenna looked OK so I happened to have a new balun in my junk drawer so I swapped that out.
Didn't work.
Collapsed the antenna in the attic (found out I only though it was a pain doing it in the backyard).
Wrestled it down the attic stairs (found out I only thought wrestling it up the stairs was a pain).
Ran the coax directly from the TV to the collapsed antenna lying on the ground and before the nut was even threaded I heard audio on the TV, looked in and the picture was perfect.
Tried all the channels and it was perfect.
Hummmm, composition shingles, oriented strandboard decking, nothing exotic or unusual at all.
Google attic antenna, found nothing but glowing reports of success.
OK here is where the insanity begins.
I wrestle that thing back up the attic stairs and open it back up.
Why I thought it would work is still a mystery.
Nothing, nada, zilch.
Threw the antenna on the patio only partially opened and watched TV with a snarly attitude for the rest of the afternoon.
Next day bought a new pole and strapped it onto a fence post.
It has been there five maybe six years and works just fine.
I see no reason it will not work in my attic but I am not going to try it again.


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## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

Thanks for the tips. No foil insulation and a shingle roof. If I do this and it works, I will get an outdoor antenna at some point and put it in the attic. I may run the cable through a closet into the attic and down into the basement to is I can connect to the existing coax cable and splitters. I may need to get an amplifier though. Can I split the cable from the antenna and install amplifiers at two TVs or should I put the amplifier before the splitter?


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

You really shouldn’t need a splitter for only two televisions. If so, then your antenna is probably marginal and maybe you need a more powerful one (read “bigger”). I think I have mine split four ways.

Regards, 
Wayne


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## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

How would I feed two TV's from one antenna without a splitter? I am using indoor antennas that have only one cable connector on them. Here is a link to what I am using.

http://store.gomohu.com/the-leaf-ultimate-hdtv-antenna.html


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

I think he meant no amplifier will be needed.


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## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

Question about splitters. There is a 4 way splitter attached to the coax cable now. Is it ok to use this splitter if I only connect two TV's to the splitter? Do I disconnect all the other coax cables from it if they are not connected to a TV?


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

Try it and see. 
You'll reduce signal slightly but if you can leave the other outlets live, I would.


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## hyghwayman (Jan 15, 2008)

Howdy neighbor, 
I had the same problem with signal drops and it almost drove my wife crazy back in 2004, so did a lot of research.
Hope I may be able to pass some of my findings along to you, today.

First thing is that a antenna is an antenna, is an antenna, some may work better than others in different situations. I tried all kinds of store bought antennas, indoor and outdoor, amplified and non-amplified inside our rental house and they all had drop out issues. So I made my own and it beat the pants off every store bought antenna i tried.

Any antenna should do better in the attic than at ground level. WTBS, before running cable through the walls, just run it through the house and up into the attic access to test first. As for splitters, I've read it is best to terminate any unused ends.


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## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

My plan is to try several locations in the attic. I have to get the wife to approve drilling holes in the floor and ceiling first. I just have to hope I can find the right spots to drill without hitting joists or wires. I may need to invest in a stud finder. I figure I can straighten out a coat hanger and use it as a fish to get the cables through the holes. What size drill bit should I use for drilling the holes? 1 inch?


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

Finding your top plate shouldn't be an issue. You'll probably want a stud finder. Really should have one anyway.

If your cable comes into the attic and splits from there you may not have to drill anything. Just connect the antenna to your existing coax.


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## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

The cable comes in through the basement. So I will have to drill through the ceiling and floor of the main floor (ranch style home). I could try mounting an antenna somewhere outside and connecting to the coax outside. But I don't have a good mounting point with line of sight towards the broadcast antennas. The house is all brick with no soffits or wooden trim.


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## MikeBiker (Jan 3, 2010)

You can drill a hole through the siding and run the coax down the side of the house from the attic to where the cable enters the basement. If you are lucky, you could have a roof vent under the eaves to pass the cable through.


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## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

MikeBiker said:


> You can drill a hole through the siding and run the coax down the side of the house from the attic to where the cable enters the basement. If you are lucky, you could have a roof vent under the eaves to pass the cable through.


There is one place on the house that I may be able to mount an antenna outdoors without getting on the roof after all. I could run the cable along the aluminum trim under the gutters and then drop it straight down to the existing coax where it enters the house. I may try one of the antennas below.


http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/antennas/?sku=ANT751R

http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/antennas/?sku=ANT700R


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## hyghwayman (Jan 15, 2008)

browndk26 said:


> The cable comes in through the basement. So I will have to drill through the ceiling and floor of the main floor (ranch style home). I could try mounting an antenna somewhere outside and connecting to the coax outside. But I don't have a good mounting point with line of sight towards the broadcast antennas. The house is all brick with no soffits or wooden trim.


If you mount an antenna outside, proper grounding is a must. Does the house have a chimney? that is where I have my outside antenna mounted.


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## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

Our chimney would be the ideal place for an antenna. I am not willing to climb up on the roof and install it there (my wife doesn't want me on the roof either). Quotes to have an antenna installed, grounded and aimed were between $300-400. More than what my wife wanted to pay to have it done. We will come up with a solution at some point soon. Losing the signal during a show is starting to aggravate her.


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## hjones4841 (Jan 21, 2009)

browndk26 said:


> Our chimney would be the ideal place for an antenna. I am not willing to climb up on the roof and install it there (my wife doesn't want me on the roof either). Quotes to have an antenna installed, grounded and aimed were between $300-400. More than what my wife wanted to pay to have it done. We will come up with a solution at some point soon. Losing the signal during a show is starting to aggravate her.


I used to walk all over my house roof putting up antennas, cleaning gutters, etc. I quit several years ago due to bad knees plus late in my life onset of vertigo, a bad combination for roof walking. My OTA antenna is in the attic, but most of the time my OTA comes from DirecTV. As for the gutters, they were replaced last week with one of those never have to clean types.


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## hyghwayman (Jan 15, 2008)

browndk26 said:


> Our chimney would be the ideal place for an antenna. I am not willing to climb up on the roof and install it there (my wife doesn't want me on the roof either). Quotes to have an antenna installed, grounded and aimed were between $300-400. More than what my wife wanted to pay to have it done. We will come up with a solution at some point soon. Losing the signal during a show is starting to aggravate her.


Been there, PM sent


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## browndk26 (Jan 3, 2011)

The wife got fed up with the poor signal quality and had pay TV hooked up again. I am still using OTA antennas for two other TV's in the house. It is good to have a DVR again though. I will still continue to experiment with antenna placement for the other TV's.


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## DuggII (Nov 28, 2013)

I had really good results with a $35 RocketFish splitter/amp from Best Buy.
Had 40 channels with a outdoor antenna (12" off the ground), and tried a 4way, no-power splitter, ugh,,, that got ugly fast.
Added the RocketFish in 5 minutes and doubled channels on all 4 TV's. The antenna is a $35 GE and they are all working beautifully, rain, wind, snow. 
Somewhat amazed, picking up channels in a 50 mile circle!


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