Thanks for the reply and hyperlink (OTA: Ontario Parts, Sales, Service, Installers thread).
Where in Ottawa? AltaVista / Elmvale Acres.
What do you mean by '….but may help receiving the American stations…' ? I was hoping I will get them.

I would do a TVFool analysis (and post a link to the results) to see if you have a chance of receiving PBS (you aren't likely to receive anything else from the US).

Right now, I do have an outdoor antenna (4 bay) and I am able to get 6 HD channels. The others (non HD) channels (except couple of them) are not clear. I thought by using Winegard HD7698P, I will solve both problems, 1) I will get more HD channels (American stations), 2) and will get better quality local/non-local VHF/UHF channels.

The HD7698P will be much more directional than a 4 bay so you will need a rotor to point it at the correct tower (there are 2 in Ottawa and they are probably about 140 degrees apart from you). It also won't receive VHF-LO very well, so it won't receive Global very well. It will receive VHF-HI well though (something your 4 bay won't do), but it may or may not be better at UHF (depending on the make of your current antenna).

I suspect there are better options for you.

Here is the result from TV FOOL:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9fbefae71612b7

So, based on TV Fool result, what would be the best solution for me?

So, based on TV Fool result, what would be the best solution for me?

As suspected, the only American stations you have any hope of receiving are WCFE and WNPI (both PBS with WCFE being more likely).

I think your best bet would be a 2 antenna solution with separate VHF and UHF antennas.

For UHF, I would recommend a Winegard PR-8800 for you and point it towards WCFE. It has excellent gain for the lower UHF channels so should do well with WCFE. It should also pick up the HC broadcasts (about 45 degrees off axis) on a side lobe and the CF broadcasts on the back side.

As I said earlier, it is tough to recommend a VHF antenna right now as we don't know what global will be doing. The VHF-HI signals will be strong, so you might be able to get away with only the 8800 after the analog shutdown. You could also use a small cheap VHF/UHF combo antenna as a VHF antenna if you are wanting the VHF analog broadcasts until the shutdown.

The rotor on my setup should be sorted out this week, hopefully am able to pick up the nbc and abc that have been eluding me so far without a rotor.

all the 18.1 stations and 57.1 are coming in just fine

lima20, I doubt you'll pick up nbs and abc all year long reliably. Could you please post your TVFool link, I searched for it and never found it. These summer days, you'll get better reception but come winter or bad weather, it should be more difficult to pick up some stations reliably. My guess is you have a shot at WCFE/WNPI (PBS) and the future WNYF-LD(Fox/CBS, maybe) to pick up reliably.

I already get the WCFE and WNPI stations with no problem, and once the new rotor goes on 2morrrow, we will see how far the long range channel master antenna really works

Is Winegard HD7698P a good antenna for Ottawa area. if yes, where i can buy one of them.

When I called Winegard customer service maybe 6 months ago, I spoke with a Lady Rep. She hinted / recommended the Winegard HD8200U.

It's a large combo antenna ... and I think they consider it their "premium" receive all antenna. UHF/VHF/FM. Ch 2 -> 69 plus FM.

I think this antenna is also rated very high in this Forum's "Antenna Comparison Chart".

Long term ... I think I might consider this antenna myself ... for the tower in Kingston. I'll see how things develop over the next year or so ...

Update:

New rotor went in yesterday, and during the day, we were able to pull in after pointing the long range uhf/vhf/fm channel master in different directions, the following channels steady

cbc-4.1
CBS,FOX 7.1, 7.2
cbc- 9.1
city tv HD- 17.1
pbs- 18.1, 18.2, 18.3
sun tv- 20.1
omni hd 1
omni hd 2
wcfe- 57.1, 57.2, 57.3

All the usual analogues

global, chch, city, a channel, tvo ctv, cbc et al

Another update after tweaking the antenna last night, pulled in the following with strong signal

16.1, 16.2, 163
ABC
cbs
CW channel

All in digital. I guess the long range antenna works well and the tower helps too from my location in Orleans

Long term ... I think I might consider this antenna myself ... for the tower in KingstonFor those who still want or require the entire VHF/FM/UHF bands the 8200 is one of the last of the big brute combo antennas to do that. If by pure good fortune you should come across a Delhi 937 in good condition with the UHF booster kit on it you'd have the very best of that category, but for a brand new product the 8200 is great. Any rotor and/or tower and/or mount needs to be suitably beefy for such an antenna.

I don't know whether HD Radio stations from the U.S. will penetrate to the Kingston area but if so, you can read about those options in the Canadian AM/ FM Radio and Music (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=26) forum.

how about '8 Bay Multidirectional Ultra Clear HDTV Outdoor Antenna with Super Strong Design ANT-7287'? is this a good antenna for HD channels? Is there a significant difference between 4 bay and 8 Bay Multidirectional?

You can see a very nice antenna chart mentioning best in class performance antennas for different situations and channel ranges here
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=97121
The document is even up to version 7.1 !

how about '8 Bay Multidirectional Ultra Clear HDTV Outdoor Antenna with Super Strong Design ANT-7287'? is this a good antenna for HD channels?

Clone antennas typically don't perform as well as name brand ones as they aren't built to the same standards. The nice thing about the PR-8800 is it is better optimized for the new, smaller UHF band, giving you more signal strength where you need it most.

Is there a significant difference between 4 bay and 8 Bay Multidirectional?

A folding 8-bay antenna is not much different to combining two 4-bay antennas with all the same problems. A normal 8-bay antenna will provide twice the signal strength (a 3dB increase) as a 4 bay antenna.

8 Bay Multidirectional Ultra Clear HDTV Outdoor Antenna with Super Strong Design ANT-7287Those kind have been analyzed in detail in the following thread:

Clones of CM4228 That Fold / Bifurcate (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=114608&highlight=folding)

I would not bother with one. If its not on the Antenna Chart I would not buy it. ;)

Pulled in NBC last night with my setup

Lima,
I have a friend in Olreans (Trim Rd. up the hill area) who has asked me about an outdoor OTA antenna.

If he were to go the route you did with the tower etc. then would he have a shot at all of the following:
NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, CW, PBS?

How reliable are these channels (example: CBS and Fox are viewable 80% of the time)?

Is there a MyTV channel within Ottawa's range? I'm guessing no ION.

I anticipate my friend will probably go a more basic route such as a wall or roof mounted four-bay to start off with.

But I'm wondering what kind of real potential there is to get all the main US stations from Ottawa if one is willing to put in the effort/time/money.

Thanks!

Out of NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, CW, PBS, the only one that is reliable is PBS, with WNPI and WCFE. CBS and Fox, we're waiting for a re-transmitter to go up within a few days in Potsdam, NY. Otherwise, you might not get anymore channels. ION, none.

Ottawa has the most OTA local stations (with English and French stations), but not much as far as US stations.

Your results may vary, but alas not by much (unless he was to be elsewhere in town, on the 10th floor of a high-rise!). I suggest you check out tvfool.com and similar sites.

-gmd

Pulled in NBC last night with my setup
Which NBC? WPTZ Plattsburgh, WKTV Utica, or WSTM Syracuse?

-Hi Guys,

I've been an active reader of the many threads on OTA here. I've done my best to learn the ins/outs and have now thrown my hands up.

I can get the Ottawa digital channels quite well (with or without amplification) on my roof (25 feet). My goal however was to get at least one PBS.

I've tried a few avenues (built a reflectorless M4, bought a CM4221 HD), tried each of those with a KITZ preamp KT100-VG-COAX (edited to add COAX). I'm using USB tuners (ATI 650HD and Hauppauge 950Q).

Based on what I read I thought I had a shot at at least one PBS but I just can't seem to get there. Unfortunately, with the ATI device the best I get is a fluctuating signal of 23-70% for both WNPI and WCFE. The Hauppauge device reads 0.

Here's my TVFOOL report
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3da362be4d4f9822

Before I go and sell some equipment, does anyone have a suggestion that might work? I'm reluctant at this point to buy a bigger antenna as I haven't seen much of a difference between the home-built and the Channel master.

Thanks in advance
Andy

Hi amac,

Is that preamp mast-mounted and the antenna pointed at wcfe or wnpi ?
Any obstructions around blocking reception ?
Did you play with the dial to try different levels of amplification on the Kitz ?