There are a few things that this big antenna does not do well (it is not compact and easy to take down when a hurricane threatens), but for what I wanted it works very well. No need for an electronic amplifier/booster. Note that the specs in their literature states that the average gain for the multiple US TV bands are:
VHF Lo: 3.6db (54-88 Mhz)
VHF Hi: 8.6 db (174-216Mhz)
UHF: 9.5db (470-806MHz)
FM: ? (87.5 - 108 Mhz)
HDTV: in my area there are both UHF and VHF-Hi HDTV stations - the main antenna farm is located only about 23 miles away, and most broadcasters are in the same general direction, but there are multiple large buildings in the way, and plenty of big trees even though I have the antenna mounted on a mast 24ft over the ground. I had the previous model of this beast before and knew that it would perform well enough for this job. I have no problem receiving the main HDTV stations in our area. Seems like a better image than the compressed signal from ATT Uverse.
FM - I like to listen to a few college radio stations in our area and they are not strong broadcasters - this antenna has no trouble picking those stations up as well.
Size - this antenna is big - a beast - fortunately made of mostly hollow aluminum and some plastic so it is not heavy. If you know about broadcasting and antennas, basically the higher the frequency the smaller the wavelength, and thus the smaller the antenna needs to be. UHF frequencies, where most HDTV is now days, do not require this giant antenna. However the lower frequencies VHF and FM require a larger antenna to achieve the same level of gain. Since I knew there were several HDTV channels broadcasting on VHF and I wanted FM reception of some weak stations I went with this solution. Do your homework and check through various online sites where your stations broadcast antennas are, and what frequencies they're on. For me, the downside to this size is that the antenna needs to be taken down in preparation for a hurricane, and that is not trivial.
Directional - This antenna is also fairly directional and works best only when aimed correctly. Fortunately the main broadcast antennas for the stations I'm interested in are all within a few degrees of each other from my location. Do your homework and find out where those HDTV broadcast antennas are.
Cons: The plastic parts are light and make good insulators for the best antenna design, but mechanically these parts will be fried in the South Florida sun and will not last. On my old antenna (very similar to this one), after 10 years, the plastic parts had become so brittle that one of the "arms" had broken off and was waving in the breeze (maybe a bird landed on it?). When I brought the old one down to repair it, many more plastic pieces broke. However, the old antenna may have been over 10 years old - so yes, the plastic parts are annoying in that they will break, but 10+ years is not that bad a lifetime. This new plastic and design looks a little sturdier than the old design so I'm hoping that it last longer in the SFL sun.
The assembly is not completely trivial and there are some orientation issues with parts that might be helped with better instructions. I was able to get it done without help, but I think most people would consider me handy.
Again this thing is big and required some thinking on where I would assemble it and how I would get it up onto the mast. I assembled it outside on the roof, as close to where I was going to need to mount it on the mast.
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Next time I may experiment with some of the more modern "bow-tie" type antennas in the attic for the HDTV, along with a separate FM antenna for the FM receiver. I just did not want to hassle with the unknowns and additional wiring that setup would require. I knew this setup would work since it was replacing a very similar older antenna and every antenna recommendation site clearly states that outside and high up are the best mounting locations for the best signal.
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This item: Channel Master Advantage 100 Directional Outdoor TV Antenna - Long Range FM, VHF, UHF and Digital HDTV Aerial - CM-3020
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Product Description
The Channel Master Advantage Series of outdoor TV antennas offer high performance directional reception for the entire spectrum of over-the-air television broadcast signals. These antennas are lightweight yet robust enough to hold up against high winds and extreme weather.
 Advantage 45 |  Advantage 60 |  Advantage 100 |
|---|---|---|
Estimated Reception Range:45 Miles | Estimated Reception Range:60 Miles | Estimated Reception Range:100 Miles |
Reception Pattern:Directional | Reception Pattern:Directional | Reception Pattern:Directional |
Gain (VHF, UHF):7.9 dB, 7.7 dB | Gain (VHF, UHF):8.2 dB, 8.8 dB | Gain (VHF, UHF):8.6 dB, 9.5 dB |
Size:66 x 83.5 x 22 in | Size:113 x 95 x 22 in | Size:152 x 95 x 22 in |
Weight:3 lb | Weight:5 lb | Weight:7 lb |
From the brand
Since 1949
Committed to innovation, quality and customer support for over 70 years.
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Channel Master is the industry leader in over-the-air broadcast entertainment products and solutions, providing the highest quality and value for consumers since 1949. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona (Phoenix), Channel Master offers a complete portfolio of over-the-air TV antennas, OTA DVR's, TV antenna mounting equipment, amplifiers, cables, connectors and more.
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Compare with similar items
This Item  Channel Master Advantage 100 Directional Outdoor TV Antenna - Long Range FM, VHF, UHF and Digital HDTV Aerial - CM-3020 |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $229.00 | $89.95 | -17% $89.95 List: $108.00 | $69.95 | -39% $103.20 List: $168.00 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Sep 3 | Get it as soon as Saturday, Aug 31 | Get it as soon as Monday, Sep 2 | Get it as soon as Friday, Aug 30 |
| Customer Ratings | |||||
| Sold By | Channel Master | DigiHiTech | DigiHiTech | DigiHiTech | DigiHiTech |
| number of channels | 999 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| maximum range | 100 miles | 200 miles | 200 miles | 150 miles | 1056000 feet |
| impedance | 75 ohm | 75 ohm | 75 ohm | 75 ohm | 75 ohm |
Reviews with images
Channel Master Advantage 60 CM-3018
I take off one star because the antenna came with one bolt that was bent out of place as seen in the photo. The box it came in was undamaged so it was shipped from the factory like that. It was an easy fix, but for a 200 dollar antenna there should be a quality check before it leaves the factory. I paired this antenna with a channel master CM-3414 four port signal amplifier an RCA VH226E antenna rotator, Mediasonic homeworx 150PVR-Y22 DVR and phat RG6 solid copper core cables. The antenna is 22 feet in the air. When I ran a channel scan on the TV I picked up 91 stations from towers that are 45-54 miles away. I had no idea there were that many channels available. I like the fact this antenna is stream lined and very light. RCA rotators are not built to take much weight. The antenna was easy to assemble and the long elements snap into place very solid. The cable run from the antenna to the house is 35 feet. The signal amplifier is located in the house and is hooked up to a total of 3 TV sets. I put the 3 sections of the antenna together on the ground and I didn't extend the elements out until I had the antenna on the roof of the house. This made it very easy for me to climb the ladder with the antenna and not damage any of the elements. I highly recommend this antenna for anyone that wants to cut the cord and get over the air TV stations. I am now enjoying free TV and saving 135 dollars a month by not having dish network anymore.
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Top reviews from other countries
Patricia DeMarsh
Fantastic Antenna
Reviewed in Canada on July 8, 2014Style: 100 MileVerified Purchase
Jon
but light) probably overkill but provided excellent reception even without an amplifier
Reviewed in Canada on September 13, 2016Style: 100 MileVerified Purchase
TheBouthi Lliers
The antenna is very easy to install but I`m not sure how long it ...
Reviewed in Canada on August 22, 2015Style: 100 MileVerified Purchase
Amazon Customer
The Citytv tower is about 10 miles further than the others and is not in the line of sight like the other 3
Reviewed in Canada on October 18, 2016Style: 100 MileVerified Purchase
