@tvlurker;

I am currrently using an ANT-2040 that I bought for $15 facing south through a window on the 2nd floor. I have a Winegard AP4700 amplifier. The ANT-2040 is a poor performer on the lower UHF channels. However, I often see WNPI and WCFE during inversions (ie tropo ducting events).

I plan on building a 'Mclapp' with 28cm whiskers. NEC2 says it will have 14 dBi gain at 505 MHz. I'm hoping to mount it outside on the lower eaves so that my roof blocks direct line-of-sight to HC. I also plan on aiming it between WWNY and WCFE to further attenuate the HC stations.

I've moved beyond the "plan & hope" stage and have started bending some whiskers. I'd like to have said antenna up before the cold weather arrives. However, with the exception of CJOH, I'm quite happy with the peformance of my temporary set-up and have bought a HDHR3 to set up a MythTV box.

AnalogMig, if you want a more reliable WNPI, I believe you'll want a 4 bay like the 4221 you mentioned or bigger, and a preamp. 4221hd is excellent and should be good enough, but keep in mind any UHF antenna (like your current one and the 4221hd) will lack on the VHF channels: that is Global(6), SRC(9), CTV(13).

This is why many people add on a VHF antenna to their setup later. Your cm7778 is ideal for combining a UHF and a VHF antenna, so you're set for later if you wish to improve VHF locals. VHF choices range from rabbit ears up to "small" which really are middle and huge antennas.

CHRO looks fine in the past an hour.
anyone still see the pixelization video/dropping audio?

Andrew

Keej613, If you want to pursue this, you need to make absolutely sure that you disconnect the cable from the Rogers coax network completely if you do this.

That was my intention. Where their coax meets my coax, there appears to be a simple metal coupler(?) that looks like this:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4926880896_952dfd2e04.jpg

I would simply unplug their cable from my house at this coupler and connect the external antenna into my house here instead, correct?

Thanks Flavoie,

I appreciate your advice. With the present antenna (CM 4220), CTV, RC and Global are almost at 90%. no issues there. So with the preamp, I can plug and install another antenna? How would that work?

yes, just make sure that is where their cable comes in and that is the single entry point. You don't have any cable services like Internet either, right ?

AnalogMig, that is great for your VHF reception. You can simply use the 4221hd on its own then. Your 7778 gives you the possibility to use either one antenna (combined default setting) or 1 UHF and 1 VHF antenna (separates setting) It has 2 inputs (UHF/Combined and VHF) but in your case you'll just put the 4221 into the first input: UHF/Combined input and leave the default setting (combined) and the FM trap ON.

yes, just make sure that is where their cable comes in and that is the single entry point. You don't have any cable services like Internet either, right ?

Nope! I have dry loop DSL .

CHRO looks fine in the past an hour.
anyone still see the pixelization video/dropping audio?

Andrew
is it still working for you
i went home at lunch and sure enough it was booming in
watched it for about 30 minutes solid signal
at 12:59 exactly it dropped off again
all other hc stations are fine
this is really getting anoying
i have phoned CTV 3x i always get transfered to a generic VM
i have emailed 2x no
answer what so ever

You sure that's not a commercial break?
Yes, still solid to me on my plasma. Not even a glitch.

This morning it's jump all over the place, form 46-87%, got glitchy every single drop. Now it's very stable, from 89-92%, ONLY.

Andrew

no when i say it drops i mean down to 10%
and still hasnt come back
its now been almost 2 hours
chro has been like this since august 31st
it worked great until 3pm on the 31st and has been up and down since then
many people with this issue in east ottawa

To Flavoie, re post # 986

Yes, thanks. That's a big factor then.
9.1 SRC (CBC French). Their Digital signal moved from UHF to VHF, from rf 22 to rf 9, after transition. i.e. they shut down analog rf 9, and moved digital transmission from rf 22 to rf 9.

And yes, our antenna performs better for UHF than for VHF. Big factor.
(The VHF part of the antenna is only a 29 inch folded dipole with no reflectors or directors for the folded dipole VHF part).

This is probably also why we don't receive CTV CJOH now in digital 13.1 on rf 13.


I think there's another factor for poor VHF reception for us here - our specific receive situation.

Signal comes in only through a square window - metal surrounding the square opening. VHF signals have a longer wavelength than the UHF signals. Size of window is affecting the VHF signals more than the UHF due to the longer wavelength. I am almost sure this is also a big factor.
(the window is probably no more than 3 or 4 feet square, and 20 to 25 feet from the receive antenna)


To HWP, post # 987

Yes, we did a complete re-scan. Several times. And tried to move and point antenna differently. Very difficult receive situation as mentioned above. And also not the ideal antenna for VHF reception.


Third factor - we suspect some broadcasters from CF may be working and tweaking things - and this may be affecting other broadcasters on the same tower. May just have to wait and be patient to see how things work out over time.


Of course - we'll try again later - to see if we can receive them again later.

beverly, why would you use a vertical dipole? As far as I know, all of the antennas used for transmission are horizontally polarized so you would be losing some signal by having a vertical antenna.
So far it doesn't matter why. It works for my needs, it doesn't require a pre-amp, it was free to make and I get all the local channels from Manotick and Camp Fortune with that simple antenna made from coat hangers.

As for 18 and 57 I may have to go to extreme lengths for those two. Good thing I kept my satellite dish. I did pick 57 up on a strong windy day blowing from the south.

Ok, I'm just suggesting if you make it horizontal, your reception might improve.

chro is working solid for me now but only on my hvr2250
all other channels work much better on my hdhr3
chro is also currently not working on my tv either

funny thing is that when tropo is over
its the oposite
works on hdhr3 and tv's tuner but not on the hvr2250

most people love tropo
i hate it
during tropo i lose locals but do not gain anything extended

With a CM 4221 HD fixed on CF tower I am able to receiver 42.1 and 43.1
from the HC tower which is 162 degrees to the south from CF tower for me.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d8387c494a14789

using an amp the two stations give good signal and snr around 20
TV Fool indicates 22.1 and 27.1 and 17.1 are also at HC tower.
Is there a good reason I am not receiving these 3 such as they are not
turned on yet ?
There is no sign of them in a scan.
Jim

22.1 = 11.1
27.1 = 60.1
17.1 = 65.1

They are all coming in fine.

Thank you YROC HC tower vs CF tower
you are correct but for me they are weak at 162 degrees off direction.
So I read in the past of someone combining 2 antennas with different aim points and using a combiner device.
The notation was that the RG 6 had to be the same length and in that case they used 2 CM 4228 antennas pointing to A and B locations.
I have a CM 4221 HD and a CM 4220 HD on hand and I want to point the CM 4221 at CF tower and CM 4220 at HC tower.
what are our Ottawa reception experiences with this idea.
Jim

I compared both antennas on the same tv and these are the results.

Antenna 1: Standard rabbit ears on top of tv
Antenna 2: CM 4220 On roof 25 feet in the air and running 85 feet of wire without pre-amp

The results may surprise you.



Station Channel Rabbit CM4220 Change
CBC 4 77% 92% +15%
Global 6 65% 92% +27%
RCanada 9 92% 95% +3%
CHCH 11 62% 97% +35%
CTV 13 97% 97% +0%
Omni 1 14 10% 97% +87%
TVO 24 97% 90% -7%
TQ 30 87% 97% +10%
TVA 40 97% 92% -5%
CST 42 60% 97% +37%
CTV 2 43 62% 97% +35%
Omni 2 60 72% 97% +25%
City 65 90% 97% +7%

Those rabbit ears are pretty good. I can't wait to install my pre-amp CM 7778.

I'm in the Riverside south area in Ottawa south.5km from Manotick

Hey Jim,

I'm Riverside South, I'm pointing a roof top CM4220 at HC and getting all CF channels at +90%. No Pre-amp and running 85 feet of coax to one tv. Personally, I would point towards HC or south in order to try and get those PBS channels on the border. CF is very elevated and gives out strong signals.

I guess it depends where you are situated. All My CF channels are picked up by the back of my antenna.