mike, you'd be replicating my setup, almost exactly the same way. And with this setup, I don't get Global at the moment. I suggest staying on the roof if you want something that will work.

I have the 4288hd on the roof with the cm7777. My vip-302r in the attic coax output goes out of my soffit into a surge arrestor/grounding block then back on the roof into the cm7777.

Panamark, if you're still around, could you confirm the 302sr antenna orientation ?
Smallest end is the front, to be facing transmitter. To better assist the end that has the balun closest to the front.

mike, you'd be replicating my setup, almost exactly the same way. And with this setup, I don't get Global at the moment. I suggest staying on the roof if you want something that will work.

I have the 4288hd on the roof with the cm7777. My vip-302r in the attic coax output goes out of my soffit into a surge arrestor/grounding block then back on the roof into the cm7777.
I thought about that. I am closer to the transmitter than you are at the highest elevation in beacon hill...I have an unobstructed (save a few trees) line of sight to CF.

What I find confusing are the tvfool results:

I am 12.2 miles from CF with line of sight, no obstructions and at the top of beacon hill. I get a stronger signal for CBC, CTV (13), etc...but a weaker signal for global even though they are all from CF.

ie. Global (analog 6) me: -32.5 dBm you: -28.0 dBm Roger1818: -31.9 dBm

For channel 13 and 4.1, on the other hand, I have better signal than both of you.

In fact, when you look at all the signals coming from CF tower its a real mixed bag.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e7492316df4fd

look at 20.1. me: -43.5 dBm you: -69.6 dBm

I'm confused.

Mike: Compare to my TVfool. I'm not that far from you in Overbrook (2-3 houses north of the Hampton Inn).

Flavoie: 11 and 13 are both quite clear Analog, they are the only two that I watch (in Analog). As for 43, not so much. I can confirm my 302 is backward. Signal has been solid since I did it yesterday (no pixelation what so ever). My 66.1 has been in and out this morning (back in now). Hardly worth any effort given Omni is moving soon.

I am 12.2 miles from CF with line of sight, no obstructions and at the top of beacon hill. I get a stronger signal for CBC, CTV (13), etc...but a weaker signal for global even though they are all from CF.

ie. Global (analog 6) me: -32.5 dBm you: -28.0 dBm Roger1818: -31.9 dBm

For channel 13 and 4.1, on the other hand, I have better signal than both of you.

me: -43.5 dBm you: -69.6 dBm


Global channel 6 is near the bottom of the tower, while channels 4 and 13 analog are 2nd and third from the top.

global 6.1
has been very strong for the last 3 days
over 65%
its been 72 all day
zero pixelation

TVO is now digital in Ottawa on channel 24 :D

Global channel 6 is near the bottom of the tower, while channels 4 and 13 analog are 2nd and third from the top.
Does this factor in with elevation, then? I tried inputting different antenna heights into the tvfool database...made little to no difference in gain on the result sheet.

If you have line of site to Global's position on the tower already, then the receiving antenna's elevation won't affect much.

Some people close to the tower, though, cannot "see" the lower antennas on the tower. (And some people along the Gatineau River bank can't even see the top of the tower.)
for those people, a higher receiving elevation would help. Likewise for people where a building obscures the view of the lower part of the tower.

Hello everyone,

Just a couple of questions about TV Fool data that I cannot seem to find answers to anywhere...

Here's my TV Fool:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e74a876e9a6bd

Question 1: CITY TV has a NM of 34.9dB from my location. Assuming the Terk antenna I just ordered has a gain of 12dB, does this mean the signal strength will be 34.9dB + gain of 12dB = 46.9dB?

Question 2: Since I use an indoor antenna, I assume the signal strength will be reduced further. How much will the signal strength decrease? (Building is made of brick with no metal siding)

Question 3: Assuming the signal strength is reduced by half (just my uneducated guess), this means that the signal received by my tuner is 23.5dB in strength, correct?

Question 4: Will a signal strength of 23.5dB be picked up by the built-in tuner on my Panasonic TV? Would I be more succesful with an external tuner because an external antenna is not an option where I live.

Any ideas?

Using TV Fool, it looks like I'm in a bad area for OTA reception from Herbert Corners due to the lower elevation. :(

I get everything down to -2.7 on my 4228 with cm7777. That's outside on my roof though. I noticed a huge difference just going up one floor...and even bigger difference putting it outside.

I'm not sure about the directionality of your antenna....but I was able to pick up channels with similar power indoors with my setup without the cm7777.

My location has a poor line of site to CF tower due to topography but I have an elevation advantage to HC tower.
I have purchased a CM 4221H and a CM 4220MHD both of which are UHF only.
The 4221 facing NNW to CF tower has excellent reception of 4.1 but 6.1 is
weak and pixilating.
I have read in the past that some TV bandwidth was being converted to other communications yet it seems that VHF low and hi as well as UHF are
continuing in Ottawa and I do not have the correct antennas.
One article talked about no TV on VHF low which would explain the CM 2016
yagi with channels 7 to 69.
After September 1st will we be limited to about 67 UHF television channels ?
Have I been reading information on the US model regarding channels ?
Sorry about the review but I need to get on track and thanks for the help.
Jim

poor line of site to CF tower due to topography but I have an elevation advantage to HC tower.
I have purchased a CM 4221H and a CM 4220MHD both of which are UHF only.
The 4221 facing NNW to CF tower has excellent reception of 4.1 but 6.1 is
weak and pixilating.
vhf lo is channel 2-6
vhf hi is channel 7-13
uhf is currently channel 14-69

part of the uhf band is being reassigned
channel 52-69 will no longer be used for ota uhf reception
the new uhf band will be from 15-51

the problem with vhf low is it is quite low in MHZ and channel 6 specifically
is partial to FM interference
the problem you are encountering with Global is in part that fm might interfere and that you do not have a vhf lo antenna

your antenna's were designed for UHF
you will need to add a VHF lo to the mix in order to get global
in my case a simple set of rabbit ears set to 34.5 " each side
did the trick
but only work outside

Hi all hope this is the right place - or should I be in the Kanata-Nepean thread? I noticed a few other west end Ottawa postings here - I am in Westboro a few blocks west of Churchill and just south of the transitway.

First off I'd like to thank all the knowlegeable posters who've got the OTA ball rolling here - I've been lurking for a while but this is my first post.

I just put up a cheap Philips SDV440/27 hybrid (from Princess Auto surplus) on a 1-1/2in x 7'6" galv chainlink fence post, strapped to the gable of a 1-1/2 storey dormer. Total height is about 25ft above ground level. The antenna looks kind of like the CM-3016, a vee-style LPDA with a corner-reflected yagi at the front. I'm pointing it pretty much towards HC and picking up CF off the back. [I *think* it's actually closer to 160* magnetic than the TVFool suggested 155* - this seems to minimize the ghosting on the analogs - maybe due to the big tree right at 155*]. No amp, just a 50ft pre-made RG6 from CT into a Samsung UN22D5000 TV.

I get reception on all the first 20 indicated channels from my TVFool report i.e. everything from CF and HC. If I move the TV to the living room (adding another ~50ft of in-situ ratty coax) and re-scan I lose 66-1. The lower NM analog channels (32 and 34) are pretty fuzzy. Unfortunately the Samsung doesn't appear to indicate signal strength.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e740d3bb5ec59

I think I'm going to see how things shake out after 31st before doing any more - if I get all the current stations reliably post-cut there's no point adding a preamp unless it will get me PBS and/or CBS - which I doubt it will w/o better antenna(s), right?

If I did it over I would probably go straight for separate UHF / VHF antennas as several posters have recommended. Likely I will wait and see if any Ch.14-51 optimized UHF yagis start to show up.

One article talked about no TV on VHF low which would explain the CM 2016 yagi with channels 7 to 69.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of mis-information out there. VHF-LO (channels 2-6) will continue to be used in both Canada and the US, but most stations have decided to abandon it as it is very poor for DTV. Since many markets don't use VHF-LO and they have the largest elements on an antenna, many antenna manufactures are making VHF-HI/UHF antennas but continue to sell full VHF/FM/UHF antennas for those who need them.

For one reason or another some stations (such as Global in both Ottawa and Paris) are continuing to use it though. In the US most stations that continued to use VHF-LO post transition had to apply for an emergency increase in power, since many of their viewers were unable to receive their signal. True to bureaucratic tradition and human nature, we did not learn anything from their mistakes and are making the same ones ourselves.

very odd
OMNI2 66.1 is clear
but
OMNI1 27.1 is stuttering with poor reception
this makes no sense as OMNI1 27.1 is about 5db stronger
anyone else having an issue with OMNI1
all other channels including global is working great

I have an old delhi sharpshooter CYD-1430 UHF antenna designed for limited
frequencies of channel 14 through 30.
My centertown location gives me a elevation advantage for stations to the south and 10 years ago or more I could pick up pbs in watertown area.
Obviously this was analogue signal and no amplifier was involved.
my TV fool plot also shows the path to be a few degrees from Herberts Corners tower.
So with the change to Digital and a distance of 75 miles I expect that I need an amplifier like the CM 7778 to receive WPBS 18.1
Before I purchase the amplifier I wonder if others would share their experiences with this station and will the HC tower signals fllod out the
preamplifier.
Jim

I have cm4228 + c7777. I use a two way splutter as well to my two htpc tuners.

18.1 from Blair/Montreal road area is 100%.

City HD from HD is the same.

These are some of the strongest stations.

I get 18.1 all day from an attic with a 7778 pre-amp. I an in the south part of Orleans. The pre-amp actually boosted all my local reception.

hi jimlum, could you post your tvfool ?