thanks for trying to help flavoie

here is my report
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d3e47069c7173c1

i have the following
on roof
on 3 foot tripod
AD 91xg UHF pointed to HC
RCA rc-7510 VHF pointed to CF
both in CM7777 preamp with seperate input and fm trap in
~45' rg6/u solid coper 95%braid
in to power inserter
then straight to the hvr 2250

Looking for some advice on what antenna setup I should go with.

First my TVFool report:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d3e470d1f5b1f1a

My Goal:

I don't want to get US stations, but would like to get the DTV stations from both Camp Fortune and Herbert's Corners. From what I understand from my TVFool report, it should be doable, though the HC stations are all in yellow zone and given the virtual 180 degree spread I need either 2 antenna or an omni-directional one

Complications:

Aside from my location, our house itself is a low-lying brick bungalow surrounded by 3 story urban infill. I have decent LOS to CF, but my LOS to HC is blocked by a modern 3 story monstrosity with corrugated metal siding, which may or may not not interfere with signal. Either way it blocks LOS.

A roofmount is out of the question, as is a tower, though I may be able to attic mount.

In my basement, I currently use an amplified VHF dipole with UHF loop and can get 4.1, 6.1, 9.1 and 20.1 no problem (sometimes 20.1 is pixelated). Also CJOH 13 and TVO 24 are very clear in analog (as are a few French language stations, 30 and 40, 34 is snowy). As far as Herberts Corners stations go, I get a 15% signal on 17.1, a paltry 5% on the Omni's, nor do I receive their analog equivalents very well (sometimes 43 A-Channel comes in somewhat snowy and even rarer 65 comes in, but always very snowy, most times not at all).

Upstairs I use one of the RCA amplified "flat" antennas (ANT1650) going into a DTV converter box (Electronic Master DTV5000HD) as its hooked to an old tube CRT TV. The results are a bit better all around, stronger signal, better analog picture upstairs but still nothing from Herbert's Corners, get 20% on 17.1. Odd though, I get Global as a 2nd occurrence of 4.1 on it, rather than on the 6.1 I get downstairs. I think that is an issue with Global.

Once the analog channels stop broadcasting, it can only help the DTV channels near them in frequency... specifically CityTV. Given my results, and my goals, should I go with a more expensive setup? I would like to stick with indoor antennas if I could but can put something in the Attic. For indoor use, would I see better performance with the Zenith SS or the Terk HDTVa clone of it?

Would a 4 bay bowtie (4221HD) or 8 bay Winegard 8800 or CM4228HD be overkill, or will I need that to get the HC channels at my location (and my surroundings).

I could put one in the attic pointed at HC but then I would need some sort of amp/combiner to attach some rabbit ears pointed to CF for Global and CJOH when it converts or would the bowties be good enough to get VHF-Lo Global and VHF-Hi CJOH stations, though it would be pointed 180 degrees in the wrong direction?

I would also need to split the signal to two TVs if I go with something in the attic.

Will the CM7777 be a good choice post transition.

I am no longer getting 17.1 and am considering trying a preamp with my fingers crossed. Not sure which to buy given the pre and post transition and the unknowns it will bring.

cm7777 has helped me bring in the difficult omni's
but now cbc is so strong that my tuner overloads
get only as strong as you need
its very strange that you get omni2 the hardest channel to get
but cant get 17.1
i was able to keep 17.1 running even in bad weather without the cm7777
maybe you need to adjust the azimuth

Charettepa now that you posted your tvfool we see that CF and HC are almost 90 degrees apart. Usually spells with Bad luck. Maybe this and your antenna type is part of the problem. I am hoping somebody else can chime in here ...

I actually thought that CF coming in at 90 degrees on your xg91 would give you very little gain... So you are sure it is overpowering and not low signal ?
My TV and my other tuners are better than the 2250 in general and less sensitive to overpower.

An idea... Compromise by Turning your antenna around slightly to see if you can find a spot where CBC causes less trouble. You may lose a bit on either tower, the trick is finding a spot where no channel is problematic.

Is there an xg91 thread ?

Hi Yroc
My short answer is yes it is a no brainer if using a PC tuner card, or if you are splitting the signal.

But it won't fix everything. I can't get Global today !

You have a 4221hd in the attic pointed at HC ?

I have a modified 4221HD pointed south toward HC, the coax is grounded, and has no splits. It is connected to a Sharp Aquos 52 inch HDTV.

Edit: Had the location incorrect.

Yroc have you tried orienting your antenna differently, like at HC or elsewhere in order to get all channels ?
EDIT: sorry I thought you meant CF

Yroc are your coax crimped properly ?

Cable was not damaged, kinked ?

I can double check them. The mystery is that I am getting the omnis but no cityTV.

I have a less than ideal setup at this point but I'm getting a decent steady signal on 24.1 in centretown with a crappy Radio Shack omni antenna sitting on top of the TV stand. So far my signal strengths on a Bell TV receiver:

4.1 69 steady
6.1 0 forget about it!
9.1 0 doesn't lock
17.1 59 poor - only locks for a few seconds
24.1 63 steady
27.1 72 steady
66.1 59 poor - only locks for a few seconds

So far except for 6.1 the relative signal strengths are in line with what TV Fool was predicting. Being downtown with a couple of FM transmitters a few blocks away, I had a lot of trouble receiving analog 6 as well. I'm really hoping 6.1 is anomaly on VHF since 13.1 is important to me. It looks like I will receive 22.1, 42.1 and 43.1 without much trouble since they should be similar to 27.1.

I have been waiting for all the digital signals to go on-air before improving my antenna situation.

@flavoie

i dont see how it could be a problem
in the attic when i had a 91xg clone that was shorter
basically it was a 43xg clone
cbc was comming in at almost 100%

i put that cheap antenna back in the attic and have it connected to the tv in the bedroom directly
cbc comes in at 80%

last night when weather wasnt the greatest
cbc was working
now that its clear again
it has stopped working

i did manage to get a lock on the hvr2250 long enough to bring up the signal info on the screen
the signal stays at 100% and drops once and a while
the noise figure just pops up to 100% and back down to 0% though.
only cbc does this
all other channels keep a noise figure of 0%
except for omni 1 @~30 and omni2 @~40

tvo digital 24.1 pulls in perfectly as of this morning
same tower
weaker signal but my tv shows it at 80% and the hvr2250 shows it at 100% and 0% noise

We're pretty well situated, with CF and HC about 176° apart from each other (TVFool report here (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d81a31cff30d1d3)). Installed a CM4221HD in the attic a few months back, pointed at HC, and have been happy with the results; CBC on 4.1 comes through strongly on the back side of the antenna, but 66.1 has been flaky in the last few weeks.

I've been pretty impressed with the analog reception for Global on 6 - it's probably been the clearest of the analog channels. However, we completely lost the signal for a few days a couple of weeks ago, and again last night were unable to see anything on 6. Has Global switched to digital on 6.1 already? I was hoping that we'd be able to get the digital signal, even without a VHF antenna, given the strong analog signal that seemed to be coming through - was I hopelessly optimistic?

Yes they switched on Monday, August 15, 2011 - yesterday. Many people like you and me who were getting Global analog ok are no longer getting Global digital. They are still on channel 6, but with a reduced signal. I was able to pick 6.1 up in my bedroom on the top floor of my house using rabbit ears. Since channel 6 is considered low VHF, you need an antenna suitable to the low frequency.

Hi retropc,

Global has indeed switched to digital, and you're not alone. I don't get it either, along with many others. You might have been optimistic getting it with a 4221hd, but I can't get it even with a vip302sr VHF antenna in the attic, pointed at CF.

Lots of posts under the Ottawa Station Status thread, including some Global contact numbers:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1297372

I am located approximately 4 miles outside of Stittsville, Ontario and this is my Digital reception information to date. If there are any suggestions that would improve my reception they would be appreciated.

Currently Ch 4 CBOT-DT (CBC), Ch 6 Global, Ch 9 CBOFTf, Ch 17 CityHD, Channels 18-1 WPBS, 18-2 WPBS, 18-3 WPBS-HD, 20 CKXTD9 SunTV, 24 TVO, 27 OMNI1, 66 OMNI2,

Ch 18-1,-2,-3 WPBS from Watertown, USA will lose signal strength during mid-afternoon but is mostly a 90% strong signal.
On occasion Ch 7 NY, and Ch 28 NY will be present when unusual atmospheric conditions support it.

My converter box is a Zenith DTT901 Digital TV Tuner Converter Box with pass-thru.
My Yagi antenna (993140 HD-2900 High Definition Antenna ) --- faces East-South-East for most of the time in a stationary position
Ch 6 Global and TVO 24 appeared on Aug 16/2011 with strong reception.

Oddity: If I set my DTV Converter to Ch 25 (supposedly CBC) it will automatically shift and tune Ch4. Normally my converter would sit on the selected channel slot with a "no signal" on the screen, but not for Ch25????

Rescanned this morning and to my surprise, Global (which was not viewable in analog) is crystal clear. To my surprise, CBC French 9-1 is no longer being received, just a black screen.

I tried adding a CM7777 pre-amp to my modified CM4221HD and adjusted the position of the antenna today hoping it might help.

It would appear I simply cannot get the HC tower solid without positioning the antenna upward toward the sky, but when I do that I end up having trouble getting CF, specifically 6.1.

Can I use two antennas, one for CF and one for HC?

Looking for options.

Edit: I decided to give up on 6.1 as I can get 4.1 and 20.1 regardless where I point the antenna knowing that 6.1 is terribly weak. I am still getting 6.1 but its pixel hell.

I tried adding a CM7777 pre-amp to my modified CM4221HD and adjusted the position of the antenna today hoping it might help.

It would appear I simply cannot get the HC tower solid without positioning the antenna upward toward the sky, but when I do that I end up having trouble getting CF, specifically 6.1.

Can I use two antennas, one for CF and one for HC?

Looking for options.

Edit: I decided to give up on 6.1 as I can get 4.1 and 20.1 regardless where I point the antenna knowing that 6.1 is terribly weak. I am still getting 6.1 but its pixel hell.
you can use 1 uhf and 1 vhf without any problems since you have a cm7777
just set it it to seperate instead of combined
also make sure you have tre fm trap set to in
this will help
then point the vhf directly at CF since the only 3 vhf will be at CF
i now get 6.1
5$ rabbit ears attached to the last dipole of my vhf hi pointed to CF
try and point your uhf to hc while keeping the cf uhf's