Ahuntsicguy....

I have read that info on their site. But, If I do what they suggest, then I risk loosing WCFE-DT. Also, on my signal meter on my TV, WPTZ-DT (Ch. 14) is usually hovering at 27%. And it hasn't changed for days. My WCAX-DT (Ch. 53) was usually coming in at 35-46%. But in the past week, it has been at 0 - 28%.

I e-mailed the GM at WCAX-DT this evening asking them if they are running any tests? If they get back to me, I'll post the response here.

Also, some of these station in Burlington/Plattsburgh (WFFF-DT, WVNY-DT, even WCFE-DT) seem to be broadcsting at lower levels than their analogue stations. Does anybody know if they intend to spike up the output once their analgue transmitters are shut down in February 2009, or are we going to be stuck with this situation?

I don't know for sure, since I'm not a broadcast hardware guy, but I would be surprised if they didn't start using the high-power transmitters for digital after the analog shutdown. After all, it's going to be their only OTA transmission, so for WFFF to do 47kW on an ongoing basis seems pretty silly to me. Might as well not bother.

I e-mailed WCAX-DT last night about reception lose. This is part of the e-mail I got back concerning the problem. Great info for us OTA folks.
It may be that your location and the fact that we are the highest
frequency (channel 53) on Mt. Mansfield means that some seasonally
related weather issue (such as snow cover) is effecting your reception.

We do hear of this problem occasionally where folks will be able to get
us just fine for a period of time, then the signal quality will drop off
and they will not be able to get us. Almost always they are far away or
just over the brow of a hill. The reception seems to return after some
period of time.

Generally speaking, we have been very pleasantly surprised at how robust
the HD signal is, and how far it seems to travel, particularly over the
flat ground north of the border. However, please recognize that our
analog Grade B contour is right on Mt. Royal, and the HD signal is
designed to replicate the Grade B contour. If you are north of Mt.
Royal, and particularly if Mt. Royal is between you and Mt. Mansfield,
you are very much on the outer fringes of our service area.

Please also be aware that when we in the US make the full transition
from analog to digital in February 2008(*), we will move from channel 53 to
channel 22 (which is currently used by WVNY analog). As it is a lower
frequency, we will also be dropping our power from about 850 KW to 500
or so. This may have an effect on your reception.

I am not surprised that you have very little or no signal for WVNY-DT or
WPTZ-DT -- both of those stations broadcast directional signals with
virtually no power to the north east, and severely reduced power to the
north. They are required to do so to protect Canadian stations in the
Sherbrooke area. WFFF-DT broadcasts an omnidirectional signal, but at a
lower power relative to its frequency than we do. Even when we do shift
to channel 22, we will be broadcasting an omnidirectinal signal at more
or less full power to achieve replication of the channel 3 signal. I
suspect you will be able to receive us and that the signal will be more
robust than the channel 53 signal.* I'm sure he meant 2009 ,and that this was just a typo

very interesting response / info Blackburst, thanks for sharing

It's coming in at 100% for me tonight.

I'm in St.Dorothée
i live just across from Highgate Vermont, and only get about 50-60 on wcax, about 35 for CBC 6.1, ~40 for 2.1 about 70 for wcfe and about 72 for a 35.1 thats a slate saying to call if any troubles. the rest i cannot get, no wptz no wfff unless it rains, no wvny. not sure why, anyone in my area or close get any channels other than this. it might just be my antenna is no good, but no one else i know actually uses ota signals. there analog counterparts come in great though. thanks in advanced.

Thanks!

By the way TQS is finally broadcasting 35.1 (42)!

Very nice. One more HD channel working.
:D

Yeah I just saw that... TQS is up and I just compared it with illico hd and the compression looks the same. Like with SRC and CBC the compression is the same OTA and with illico HD.

Great another free local HD!!! :p

Yeah another one i can't get...

Pleaaaaase move all transmissions to the summit of Mt-Royal ASAP!!!

I am kicking videotron out by 03 29 2008. Gonna save a bundle!

For my part I would like to get rid of videotron but because I have so many specialized channels that I like to watch in HD like Discovery HD, NatGeoHD, Canal D HD and sometimes TSN HD and RDS HD. The ones that I get OTA I haven't subscribed to on illico like NBC, CBS and FOX.

I am at the Lachine/Dorval limit right on the water. As stated before i get all us stations perfectly but only a very faint signal from montreal stations.

I don't have a rotator, but we tested during the 3rd story roof install and even pointed directly at them they are too weak for a lock (well, totally unwatchable) with or without a pre-amp because of Mt Royal blocking LOS.

I am stuck like this until they all get permission to broadcast from the top of mount royal.(If that ever happens) It's either that or i could try building a tower to take the antenna higher above the building which is totally out of the question.

I wish we had more info about things to come, the potential is so great, i'd hate to see this technology wasted.

What is the deal with broadcasters and Mount Royal anyway? Do we have any clue as to when they will begin transmitting from there? I searched and searched but can't seem to find anything.

by the way, TQS is near bankrupt but still managed to go digital while TVA and CTV, 2 big money tv stations won't do it...

So I emailed TQS to tell them they got me as a new viewer. Listening to evening news in digital is always better than analog; whatever station it is. Anyway, they cover the same news.

NBC this morning is 100% but no actual signal. Am I the only one?

still at 100% but nothing coming in.

NBC this morning is 100% but no actual signal. Am I the only one?
Same for me...

atleast it's not me!

KRO,

BTW I installed a 4221 and 5y13s joined into a CM 7777 and I pickup all the US nets and all local digital channels. All this from my attic, thanks to you actually. Your setup convinced me it would work for me.

I am really west in Laval, adjacent Laval-sur-le-lac, probably in your LOS to the US nets. Thanks for your help, whether you realized it or not!

Same here NBC signal was strong but no Picture or image.(last I checked about an hour ago)

How many subchannels can be assigned to a OTA station?

Example.... if a 1080i HD channel is broadcast, how much more is their for a proper 480i subchannel. And if a 720p HD channel is being broadcast, can those channels provided another 720p HD, or is that too much, and they can only provide 480i subchannels.

What I'm basically asking is, What is the limit of these configurations for OTA channels?

From memory, with ATSC 8VSB (OTA), there is a limit of about 19mbps of bandwidth available to be shared with all the subchannels of a particular channel.

French speaking people unite ! go there and leave your comments :

http://lapresseaffaires.cyberpresse.ca/article/20080123/LAINFORMER/801230911/-1/LAINFORMER01

* C'est fait!

More needs to be done though, I mean there must be some mailboxe(s) that we can fill with angry letters concerning the Mt-Royal transmitter... It's really frustrating to be in it's shadow knowing it could be sending me these 3 local networks loud and clear instead of blocking me from them. As Homer would say; D'oh!


*(Done!)