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BC - Burnaby, New West, Coquitlam, PoCo, Port Moody

198K views 617 replies 138 participants last post by  laurienicol 
#1 ·
Thank you all for great info in OTA thread, better and quicker than books. I just bought a new sharp lcd with ATSC tuner, and tried to use RCA cant501 indoor amplified antenna to get Digital signal (ctv). It came up with nothing but one analog ch-10 with vague picture. I know indoor antenna is last choice regarding PQ.But for me, it is only choice, the complex doesn't allow sattelite and outdoor antenna. I am wondering that maybe my ATSC tuner have some problems. need help!! I am on second floor facing northeast, and there is one more floor above. For my location , I think north is the direction to Mt, seymoore.

Anybody has same experience. Thank you,stampeder ,you did very good job to keep this thread alive
 
#2 ·
Thanks for your kind words, newwest. Unfortunately you are living in a signal shadow area and an indoor antenna will do you no good. Your ATSC tuner is probably fine. If its a small, light TV you could take it up into North Burnaby and plug it into a power socket and run a scan. That will tell you if the tuner is working properly or not. If its a full size unit, only an outdoor antenna mounted quite high would be useful in New Westminster, especially anywhere downhill of 10 Avenue (my best guess).

Have you tried walking around your place with the antenna to search for a sweet spot, keeping the antenna pointed at NNW (about 350 degrees)?

Its interesting that only Channel 10 (CITY Vancouver) came through, because its antenna is not on Mt. Seymour but rather is over on top of Saltspring Island, which is southwest of Delta and Richmond over in the Georgia Strait.
 
#3 ·
new westminster condo OTA problerm

stampeder said:
Thanks for your kind words, newwest. Unfortunately you are living in a signal shadow area and an indoor antenna will do you no good. .
I didn't expect all those OTA channels from the states. I am only hoping to get those local digital signals, and there are more channels coming next year according to the thread. If the broadcasting station increase the signal strength,I guess, I might have the luck to get them with indoor antenna. Is that right?is that my only hope to get out from this signal shadow area?
 
#4 ·
newwest said:
Is that my only hope to get out from this signal shadow area?
Whether its Vancouver stations or from other places you are not in a good area for an indoor antenna because of the geography of your city (sharply sloping downwards to the southeast with the broadcast antennas to the northwest, along with lots of high rise buildings). New Westminster has been driving broadcasters nuts for many years. Many car radios start getting strange reception there too. CATV seems to be your option since you cannot put up an outdoor antenna or satellite dish.
 
#5 ·
stampeder said:
CATV seems to be your option since you cannot put up an outdoor antenna or satellite dish.
It looks like I am living in the wrong place for OTA channels. Thank you for the direction, Stampeder. Is it necessary for me to get other indoor antenna to have another try?if Yes , which one you would recommend. I read silver sensor repeatly in the thread . is that the one from zenith?

How is everybody doing with your reception?
 
#8 ·
ATN said:
Jason,

Any success stories from Port Coquitlam? With Eagle Mt in the way we might be in a shadow.

I know that a cheap RadioShack antenna indoors WON'T work but would like to know what will.
Have you tried putting your cheap radio shack antenna outside facing Seymour? Inside the signal drops off in a hurry. Are you in an area that you can mount an outdoor antenna? Are you wanting to keep it so your antenna will be small?

Really try and pan your antenna around DTV can pick up reflections much better than analog.

This post talks quite a bit about antennas. Might be a little overkill for Port Coquitlam though. http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27994
This RCA from Radio Shack(the source) seems pretty slim and not an eye sore. http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/P...ine&category=Outdoor+Antennas&product=1518235
I wonder if you can purchase it try it out, and if it doesn't work take it back?
 
#9 ·
One of the things we try not to do in the OTA Forum is recommend antennas that we haven't tried ourselves. ;) The OTA Forum is an entire Knowledge Base, and lets make the best use of it.

ATN, let's talk about your reception problems a bit more before you lay out any dollars. :)
 
#11 ·
If stealth is a priority and one lives in a Metro/Urban area close to Mt. Seymour like Vancouver, Burnaby, or North Van I've recommended the Winegard Square Shooter, but for people in the other GVRD municipalities I'd look under the Metro/Urban, Suburban, or Near Fringe distance headings for better options for getting the Mt. Seymour stations:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showpost.php?p=314598&postcount=10

Personally for just the UHF digitals I would go with a Channel Master 4221 or close competitor in almost all the cases above, assuming there are no local factors affecting things adversely. For almost any typical situation the Chart's recommendations should be great, but given reception problems like ATN has mentioned in Coquitlam or areas with really tall trees around your desired antenna location, its important to consult here in the OTA Forum for the best solution. Just ask. :)
 
#12 ·
ATN said:
Jason,

Any success stories from Port Coquitlam? With Eagle Mt in the way we might be in a shadow.

I know that a cheap RadioShack antenna indoors WON'T work but would like to know what will.
ATN Which part of Port Coquitlam are you in. I was looking on Google Earth, PoCo should have a pretty clear view (NW of you)to CBC TX site Mt. Seymour (elevation 2775 ft.)
 
#13 ·
Port Moody HDTV feedback.

Hi,

Just bought a Samsung TX-R3079WH which is HDTV ready. I live in a Newport Village high rise on 17th floor which looks SE and SW. From the balcony I can see Mount Seymour. To the SE & S is Coquitlam ridge and SW Burnaby Mtn.

Using just a UHF bow-tie antenna, I can receive the following:

CBUT-DT 50 - 60% Solid picture with no drop out.
CIVT-DT Have never even managed to get a picture. :(

Looking for US stations, KBCB analogue on Ch 24 comes in weakly with heavy multipath. KBCB-DT on Ch 19 not receivable with present set-up. Transmitter is about 75 km away.

Went to The Source and bought antenna cat number 1501880. Link below:

http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/P...line&category=Indoor+Antennas&product=1501880

This has an amplifier and the UHF antenna is bow tie with a reflector. The only good thing I can say is that directivity was improved. The amplifier was overloaded by signals from the cell sites on the roof, above 20th floor, the local fire hall and possibly other sources.

KBCB analogue came in little better than with the original bow tie. CIVT-DT was still not received. Basically, I wouldn't recommend this antenna.

It seems to me that with CIVT-DT only transmitting 900 Watts, it is a "token gesture" at being a terrestrial station. This sort of power is normally used for covering a small area, not a major metropolitan area. Does anyone have any footprint info on the transmitter coverage?

Anyone know of local dealers for Channel Master, Wade or Winegard real antennas?

Cheers,

Rick
 
#16 ·
from Burnaby Capitol Hill NE

Just for the record, I am using a simple dipole (it came with one of my old Sony TVs) and I get both CBC and CTV HD on my Samsung T451. I get 8 bars with the 9th flashing with CTV (32) and usually that or more with CBC (02) -- but right now it is not broadcasting (actual number of bars to be reported later if anyone interested).

I live on the North East side of Capitol Hill almost directly facing Seymour Mountain and am probably less than five miles from their towers with a clear view.
 
#17 ·
bubba said:
I get both CBC and CTV HD on my Samsung T451. I get 8 bars with the 9th flashing with CTV (32) and usually that or more with CBC (02) -- but right now it is not broadcasting...
Are you saying that CBC-HD went off the air this afternoon? I didn't hear about that.

From where you are if you only want the local stations just stay with your current setup and you'll be fine for the future. From that close many antennas would overload your system. If you ever decide to try for the U.S. stations, especially when the new translators start to come up in Bellingham, you would probably need a corner reflector yagi to cut down the effects of rear (Mt. Seymour) and side signals.
 
#18 ·
from Burnaby Capitol Hill NE

I am not sure what CBC HD is doing, my T451 recognizes it as channel 02 (rather than 58) and we get a flashing hdtv blue logo so something is being broadcast -- but not a program although as I write this there is sometimes a broken up picture. I have not turned it on in a few days. I am still awaiting regular programs like CTV HD did for a few weeks before they officially started broadcasting.

I point north and half way down the hill so there is no way I will ever get those stations to the south.
 
#20 ·
South-East Coquitlam

Location:
East Coquitlam (just north of Riverview Hospital)
2 story house on a SE facing slope of Riverview Heights
Elevation is ~90m (according to Goggle Earth)​

Tuner:
DViCO Fusion 5 Lite running on a Windows XP 2.8GHz Celeron​

Antenna and Stations:
Pointed outside of the 2nd floor SE facing window
#1. Silversensor (packaged deal with the Fusion from Snapstream)
  • Disappointing. Only managed to get 1 DT signal.
  • 19 KBCB-DT: antenna point south. Clean with a few dropouts. Signal: ~68%, 19db

#2. Home brew CM4221 lookalike (thanks to Telsat for the inspiration (see http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25677)
  • Encouraging.... Surprised that I can actually get KIRO from Seattle. However, not others from similar location and freq that seems to have comparative ERP (e.g. KOMO, KING). Antenna siting on the window ledge with window opened.
  • 19 KBCB-DT: antenna point south. Clean with almost no dropouts. Signal: ~71%, 21db. Signal locked.
  • 39 KIRO-DT: antenna point south. Mostly clean with a few dropouts. Signal: 62%~72%, 16-19db. Notice large variations in signal strength throughout the night though...
  • No signal from CTVT-DT or CBUT-DT when I tried pointing north indoor. I am in the signal shadow from Seymour transmitter (obstructed by Riverview Heights)
  • Hoping for a day clear of rain in the weekend to try the antenna outdoor. Plan on pointing toward north part of the sky, angle up to see if I can get some diffracted signals from Seymour... Any recommendation?
  • Analog CTV (32) is unwatchable, and has a lot of ghost. So I don't think there is much hope there. I think analog CBC (2) is only transmitted on VHF so I didn't try.
  • Have yet to try any of the US analog signals.
 
#21 ·
South-East Coquitlam More updates

More updates from South-East Coquitlam... While digging through my pile of old junks, I came across an old TV booster a friend gave me more than 10 years ago. Plugin between the antenna CM4221 clone and turner, and immediately saw some improvements (antenna still facing south)

39 KIRO-DT - 70-80%, 19~22db reported by DViCO signal checking program
48 KING-DT - ~20%, 6db, cut off to 0db. no picture
38 KOMO-DT - ~20%, 6db, no picture
35 KVOS-DT - ~40%, 10db, no picture
58 CBUT-DT ~20db, 5db, cut off to 0db frequently

Granted, I still only have 2 viewable digital channels (kiro and kbcb) but I am optimistic... :D The booster is an Antenna DX ETM-201, 12~16db gain with 5~8db noise figure. With a proper CM4228, CM7775, would I be able to get the rest of the channels?
 
#22 ·
South slope area of Burnaby near New West - CBC reception problems

I can receive CTV with occasional dropouts, but am not having much luck with CBC. Was getting it with frequent dropouts on the weekend, but now cannot lock onto the signal so I do not get any picture at all.

I am in the south slope area of Burnaby close to New West so do not have line of sight to Mt. Seymour. Should I try mounting my CM4228 even higher or is CBC still just "testing" their system.
 
#24 ·
CTV-DT Coverage & Signal Shadow Area

Looking at the signal reception posts in this forum, tends to confirm my ideas about CTV-DT coverage. My belief is that CTV-DT being low power has most of the signal directed towards Vancouver and Burnaby. I also think that viewers to the east of Burnaby Mountain (Tri-Cities, East Surrey etc.) will probably not be able to receive CTV-DT. There have been reports in this forum from West Surrey and Tsawwassen of receiving CTV-DT.

Seeing if I could use a set-top antenna, I purchased this one by Terk available at London Drugs:

http://www.audiovox.com/webapp/wcs/...10001&storeId=10001&productId=14122&langId=-1

The specifications page on the site gives no data on gain etc, but comparing with other antennas, I guess it has a gain of 4-6 dB with a front-back ratio of around 10 dB. It certainly has good directivity and I recommend it.

Signal strength measurements from the Samsung TXR3079WH TV were taken with antenna inside on top of the set and outside pointing directly at Mount Seymour and the results are as follows:

CBUT-DT Inside: 7 (solid) to 8 bars. Outside 8 (solid) to 9 bars.
CTV-DT Inside and outside - NOTHING.
CTV analogue, Ch 32, fine and strong.

So, unless CTV increase power and modify the signal footprint I don't think many in the Lower Mainland will be able to receive CTV-DT. Anyone in the forum from Tri-Cities or East Surrey able to pick up the signal?

Rick Dude.
 
#26 ·
Rick Dude said:
Seeing if I could use a set-top antenna, I purchased this one by Terk available at London Drugs:

http://www.audiovox.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=14122&langId=-1
Yes, that is a rebranded or clone Zenith Silver Sensor, which I list in the Downloadable Antenna Chart. It should be fine for people in local areas to Mt. Seymour to get those stations, with maybe a bit of walking around the house looking for the sweet spot for those without a direct view to it.
 
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