How did you join the two antenna's? I used equal lengths of 300 ohm to a common matching transformer [make sure to tie them to the same side of the antenna conection left to left, right to right] or if you have built in transformers you must use 2 equal lengths of rg6 to an splitter [in to TV, 2 out to cables] Aim is everything T.O. channels are week sisters compared to Buffalo. Any obstructions in the way? Mine works good except for Fox in Buffalo---Good Luck

I'm near Fairview and Maple in Burlington

I combined them with equal lengths of RG-6 cable to a reverse splitter .
I even tried using just one antenna to find signal strength from cn tower.(nothing)
2 months ago when I put up the first 4221 I aimed it at TO and picked up CBC.CTV ...
Now when I want to dedicate an antenna to TO , I can't get any signal strength.
It goes from full strength too nothing. Won't lock on.
Thanks again. Al.

Sounds wierd, you should get a locked signal. Your aim should be roughly 40' east of north to the center of the tower. A cellphne and someone inside watching for a signal as you slowly move the antenna might help

HI Ancaster. Georgetown has a pretty decent angle so you might be able to get away with 1 CM4221HD like I do. In fact I think their angle is better than Oakville and Georgetown is higher ground. Not 100% reliable as City is the only one that rarely drops. Could be due to an attic installation. I have a CM7777 preamp to split to 2 TVs. I get all the channels Buffalo, Hammer, TO.
Thank you, that is useful information I will pass to my Georgetown friend.
I'm aware every location is different but if you don't mind, I'm just wondering roughly where you are pointing your 4221HD to optimally pickup the full T.O and Buffalo spread?
Right in the middle between the two? More towards a certain Buffalo tower?

Hey ancaster

I’d advise you use FOX ( 29.1 ) to aim your Antenna. You should be able to pick up your CN Tower stations off the side of your Antenna.

Good Luck.

Have a CM 4221 mounted in attic and get pretty much everything from Buffalo and Toronto except Global, City, while CFTO is weak.

Can't really tune any further as you lose Buffalo if you aim any further towards Toronto.

Would like to pick up Global, City and strengthen CFTO.

Suggestions?

Hi Ancaster,

I'm more or less pointing to Buffalo with a shade towards TO to get City. City comes in at 20-40 but is usually stable enough...everything else is mid 60s to high 90s. My highly scientific aiming generally consisted of aiming at the Grand island tower and using a cell phone to holler signal strengths.

hello,

i am new to post. I am near to Derry and Termaine rd intersection, Milton.
a) is 4221HD is good antenna at this location
b) at what angle i am suppose to mount the antenna so that i can catch Toronto Channels
c) how to find angle

thanks in advance for help

Go to the TVfool website and enter your lat/long coordinates. The resulting output will give you "true" and "magnetic" directions for each of the stations. That will tell you where to aim your antenna.

The 4221HD is probably okay for your location. I'm sure others from that corner of Milton will be able to provide more guidance.

Incidentally, yesterday I was down the road from you at Springridge Farms and the view from up on the escarpment is impressive. Particularly when looked at through the eyes of a OTA fan!

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to OTA and for the most part have had good success. I have a Channel Master 4221HD 4 bay hooked up to my Samsung 720P LCD.

I live in an apartment on the 5th floor, who faces South West exposure.

I get most Toronto and some Buffalo channels with great reception.

My question: I am having difficulty getting one particular Toronto station. Channel 41.1 or Global HD. Depending on the time of day, or show it seems this station gets very irregular reception.

Reviewing my reception meter on this station, it varies from 4 bars to 1 bars, to 3 bars, etc. These changes happen very quickly and do not stop changing. It reminds of satelite reception in bad weather. Most notably, the worst seems to be Monday night during 'House''at 8pm. Other days it seems fine or less jumpy.

Ive tried repositioning the antenna with little to no luck as I have a small window of reception for this channel.

Ideas, insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Brandon

Hi Art,

Maybe try adding an amp to your setup. Since you can't do too much with location, adding a little power might stabilize your signal. It helped with me. A cheapo amp from The Source or Home Depot might do the trick. If not, maybe go to one of the recommended stores to get a preamp. Since you're in a condo, you don't necessarily need a preamp...just a decent distribution amp with a low SNR.

Hi Everyone: My question is should I replace my antenna?

Current setup: 35 foot high tower, Channel Master rotor, and an old Channel Master VHF/UHF antenna. I don't know which model it is, as it is over 10 years old. I do know that it is not a "deep fringe" unit, it is one of the middle sized VHF/UHF units.

I also had the coax replaced a couple of years ago. The only issue right now is difficulties picking up channel 51 from Buffalo. Most everything else comes in fine.

Location: Oakville, Ontario south of the QEW at the Third Line exit.

So, would a new antenna improve reception? If so which one, to provide the best signal strength? :confused:

Vinyl Guy not many people in Oakville get Buffalo WPXJ-DT channel 51 so you'll require a strong antenna to try to get it reliably. Also it would be a hassle and a shame to have to take down your existing antenna when your reception is satisfactory, so my suggestion is: keep that combo antenna up there right where it is find the best aiming point so that it gets the Toronto digital and analogue stations lock it into place at that aim, maybe even removing the rotor install an Antennas Direct 91XG UHF antenna separately on a fixed mount to your tower point the 91XG directly at Buffalo WPXJ-DT channel 51 and it will pick up all the other Buffalo digital UHF stations test with re-aiming both antennas for peak performance after testing add a preamp to one or both of the antennas if required One or both of the antennas would almost certainly get the Hamilton digital UHF stations too via their back or side lobesPost #16 in the OTA FAQ gives info on how to combine antennas.

Hi Stampeder: Sorry for posting in the wrong place... thank you for the suggestions. If everyone else is experiencing these issues, then I will leave well enough alone. I do need to use the rotor, otherwise I can get Omni 1, Sun, or City in HD unless the antenna is pointed at Toronto.

The compromise setting that I have been using for years, worked great when everything was analogue, but with stations going digital I find that I have to move the antenna more frequently. In that setting I get CHCH in HD.

I also use the antenna for FM reception.

The rotor I am using has a remote control which is great, as I can point the antenna & programme it in... want channel 29? Punch in 29 & voila the antenna moves to that spot.

I am just wondering once all the Canadian stations go digital, do I change my antenna or just leave it?

Vinyl Guy, you can see the present and future channel assignments either buy looking up your location in the Industry Canada database:

http://www.user.dccnet.com/jonleblanc/Canada_TV_Stations/

or running your TVFool report (see Post #10 in the OTA FAQ for step-by-step instructions) and posting it here.

OK Just installed my CM4221HD antenna on a 10' 1 1/2" conduit, 26' from the ground. Total cable length from antenna to TV is about 40-45 feet. I am in Georgetown (near the Hospital).
Got 22 channels so far...antenna goes directly to my newly purchased Samsung DTB-H260F and then to my new Pioneer Kuro KRP-500M. Amazing picture quality let me tell you...waoooo....
Got all the main US networks - CBC, ABC, NBC and the Canadian ones - CBC, CTV, Global, CityTV....Fox is giving me problems though....get only one bar on the signal strength sometimes two but for very short time...even at that get picture but it is not stable....

Anyhow...my question to the knowing is:
Will some sort of Preamp help in getting more channels and get stronger signal on existing ones including getting stable picture of Fox?
If so which preamp would you suggest?
Will some basic preamp from Home Depot or The Source do it so I don't spent too much extra on it?
The way my cabling is done it is nearly impossible to bring separate power cable between the TV location and the mast mounted preamp (unless the coax cable connecting the TV and the Antenna can be used to also power the preamp?

Or (I hope not) will I need to buy different/more powerfull antenna and if so which one?

Thanks to all who are kind to help.

Hi Stampder: Would changing my current VHF/UHF for a straight UHF antenna improve my overall reception? Or do I leave it as it is?

Vinyl Guy, it looked to me from your posts that apart from Channel 51 in Buffalo you were satisfied with your reception, so if it ain't broke, don't fix it! ;) If you're not okay with it I'd go with the antenna that people in this thread who are nearby you have had the best success with.

Will some sort of Preamp help in getting more channels and get stronger signal on existing ones including getting stable picture of Fox?
A pre-amp will help bring up the signal level of existing channels but won't bring in any more channels if the antenna can't capture them.

If so which preamp would you suggest?
Channel Master makes some good ones, either the 7777 or 7778.

Will some basic preamp from Home Depot or The Source do it so I don't spent too much extra on it?
The way my cabling is done it is nearly impossible to bring separate power cable between the TV location and the mast mounted preamp (unless the coax cable connecting the TV and the Antenna can be used to also power the preamp?
Unless things have changed I don't believe either of those places sell a pre-amp. They sell amplifiers that insert somewhere down the coax. A pre-amp installs at the antenna and is primarily used to overcome signal loss due to long coax runs. Power is sent to the pre-amp via the coax.

Or (I hope not) will I need to buy different/more powerfull antenna and if so which one?
People have had good success with the Channel Master 4228HD when more gain is needed. Be sure to read Stampeder's OTA antenna chart which breaks down the "fringe" category and identifies the best antenna for each fringe location.

I'm starting to experiment with OTA. I'm thinking of getting 2 CM4221HD's installed on a boom mounted on an exterior wall near my roof. I called one of the popular equipment/install sources and they said they have finished for the winter and will resume installs in March.

In the mean-time I've been playing around with some cheap indoor antennas. I'm thinking of cancelling Cogeco as long as I can get 5-10 digital OTA stations to tide me over until March. I'd like to get Olympic coverage. There are some factors working against me:
- I have a patch of tall trees called the Pelee woods in between me and Buffalo (taller than roof-tops)
- my TV is in the basement. With a $10 indoor antenna I get around 10 snowy analog stations, one decent digital signal from Hamilton, and transient reception of CBC digital
- I tried in an upstairs bedroom facing NE towards Toronto but I get no signal (aluminum grilles in the windows blocking it?)
- I tried a bedroom in the back of the house with windows facing SW and I can get 5 digital channels, but not Toronto channels


I'm thinking of putting an antenna(s) in my attic over the winter. I'm not very handy but what I think I can do is mount the antenna(s) in the attic using a j-mount, and then run coax down through the ceiling next to the attic access door. This ends up in a closet with a power receptacle. I can put an hdhomerun in the closet to connect to the antenna(s), and then I can use a homeplug AV powerline adaptor to send the signal to my router and then on to the HTPC in the basement.

For the attic antenna(s), I was thinking of buying the 2 CM4221HD's that I will eventually put outside next spring. Then I can use one to try to capture Toronto signals, and one to try to capture Buffalo/Hamilton.

Any thoughts/advice? Will I need a pre-amp for the attic? If all wiring/antenna are internal to the house do I need to worry about grounding/lighting?

Thank you for any ideas.