mcbiggest, did you at least see a better SNR reported for the local channels ?
Yes Flavoie,

The local channels have a stronger signal, and so does PBS (marginally), but the antenna seems a bit more "finnicky" for some reason. I have to be more precise with how I aim the antenna in order to get my two Omni channels (which want to flake out on me)... before the antenna seemed slightly more forgiving. Does that make sense?? I'm trying to figure out why. That being said, I only had one week of experience with the current antenna without the amp.

Hi Bouval,

The antenna mast is mounted on my former satellite jmount on my deck, and that's where its going to stay until I climb my almost vertical (exaggeration) roof pitch... A 5 degree angle effects the reception on my other channels (Omni 1, or 2, but never together...possibly due to reflecting signals off my neighbours house)
I'm just lucky that I have a reasonable line of sight to Herberts Corner!

mcbiggest, Remember that pre-amps can only compensate for loss between the antenna and the tuner. They can't improve a marginal or non-existent signal at the antenna.

Hey guys,

Here is my TV Fool stats: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d0b860280cc19b3

I live in an apartment building on the 15th floor and have a direct line of sight to the tower in Herberts Corner. Camp Fortune has a direct line of sight to my building as well, however there are a couple walls of concrete between my antenna and the tower.

For the last two years I've been using a Terk Silver Sensor clone. Real world testing results in me being able to pick almost every channel (except Global which I get about 20% signal strength for), depending on the direction I'm facing the antenna. With it pointing straight at Herberts Corner, I can get Most channels except Global and CBC english and french come in fairly broken.

I want to upgrade my antenna, and have spent hours going over DIY antennas and commercial ones. I'm looking at either using a GH or a bow-tie (4 or 8 bay) antenna next. I also have an entire wall that faces in the direction of camp fortune, and is about 40 degrees off from facing Herberts. I've been toying with the idea of building a massive wall-spanning antenna, however research has told me that the law of diminishing returns kicks in beyond the 8 bay bow-tie design. I'm curious if a bow-tie antenna with double it's usual dimensions would result in better reception.

On a side note, my buddy lives in an adjacent apartment from me, and our balconies face each other. If only the owners would let us, I'd love to put up a massive balcony to balcony wire antenna and see just how much I could pick up. (Maybe I'd get reception from Voyager II). Sigh, one can dream.

Ideally, I'd like to improve my reception of Global and CBC. I'd also like to try and get PBS. Anything beyond that seems unlikely from what I've read about our area.

Do any of you have any suggestions as to what antenna might work?

Cheers,

This is my first post; I have virtually no background knowledge of this field (other than reading here). I’m located in the Glebe on the 3rd floor of a 4-storey walk-up apartment building. With a very basic passive ears-and-loop combo antenna positioned in a southeast-facing window I am receiving most of the local station digital signals quite reliably – with the exception of Global 6, Radio-Canada 9 and Quatre-Saisons 34.
I ran a TV Fool analysis with this result:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d0b86e5f4ee1d4e
(Strangely, CJOH/CTV-1 at 13-1 not included on the list?)
I’m not really bilingual, so Radio-Canada and Quatre-Saisons aren’t missed, but I wouldn’t mind getting the elusive Global.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
One further question: in my livingroom on an interior wall, at the same level as electrical outlets, there is a non-standard plug receptacle labeled “Aerial” across the top and “Ground” across the bottom with two slots – a feature that obviously dates from the original construction of the building in 1939. Behind the plate two wires in conduit emerge from below, and another two from above – one from each direction attached by screws at poles on either side of the round receptacle. No antenna projects from the roof of the building. Might this be some sort of antenna built into the structure? And could it possibly be put to use, perhaps to capture those VHF signals I’m missing? Just a thought… any feedback, again, appreciated.

Hello,

I strongly considering going to OTA TV. I'm a TechNoob (I still have a flip phone) and I would like to know what I need to switch to OTA TV.

Here is my TV Fool report...
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d0b867b3d9b7a0a

I would like to install the antenna in the attic, and have the cable from that go to the bedroom behind and then use the existing TV cables to transmit the signal to the entire house, if it is possible to have more than one TV on one antenna.

What type of antenna should I use?
Do I need a converter box?
Do I need a booster box?
Do I need 2 antennas? One for UHF and one for VHF?

Thanks.

az896, On your TVFool report, you need to click on "Pending* applications included: Only Digital" to see all the local broadcasts (ignore the CRC-DT-x listings along with CKXT-DT).

Global is going to be tough to receive if you are facing south-east, as channel 6 isn't very easy to receive indoors.

As for that strange outlet, does it look something like this?
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4152/5119373605_804b89ccc2_m.jpg
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/klutzz/5119373605/sizes/o/in/photostream/)
My guess is is was for an AM radio antenna.

Hey Everyone!

Checking in from Mechanicsville/Hintonburg just bought a Terk HDTVA from Amazon.

As far as I can tell from TV fool, it's not even pointing in the right direction but I am pulling in:

4-1 CBC
6-1 Global
9-1 SRC
11-1 CHCH
13-1 CTV
14-1 OMNI2
24-1 TVO
30-1 TQ
34-1 V
40-1 TVA
42-1 CTS
43-1 CTV Two
60-1 OMNI1
65-1 City

Which I think is all of the channels that I could possibly hope to pull in with it. Is that right?

I am beyond satisfied. I cancelled my cable yesterday and can't wait to save $80/month. Woohoo!

well you have a good list but 57 and maybe 33 and 18 and a few more should come in too.
you have a rotor on you antenna?

^^^I somehow doubt mwzie has a chance of receiving any of those from Mechanicsville/Hintonburg but I would need to see his TVFool report to know for sure. Most people in central Ottawa are stuck with only locals unless you are near the top of a tall building facing south.

Thanks for replying you guys!

FrankTurbo I tried to manually tune all of those channels. The TV really hesitates on 33 like it wants to find something there. The snow also looks more digital when it shows up if that makes any sense at all. But that confuses me because I thought that channel was shut down? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CKXT-DT

roger1818 - I thought I had made TV Fool in my last post a link but I guess I botched that somehow. Here you go:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d0b861ba082046e


The only thing I wish I could get is PBS. I am facing south but I'm not very high up and I'm definitely in that valley that kicks in around lebreton flats. I did an experiment on TV Fool to see how high a roof mounted antenna would have to be to get PBS and that's only about 400 ft! :D Think my neighbours would mind? lol

mwzie, as I suspected, you don't have much hope of receiving any American stations reliably (not even one of the two PBS stations). Unfortunately central Ottawa is in a depression and there is a hill to the south, so the American stations are too weak to pull in reliably (unless, as I said, you have amazing elevation). Those in the far east, west and south ends have a much better shot at them however.

I am not sure what FrankTurbo was talking about when he was referring to channel 33. SunTV (CKXT) was never on 33 (they were on 20 when they shut down here). He is in Hawksburry, so maybe he is referring to one of the Vermont stations, but there isn't even a blip of it on your TVFool report.

Attached is the TVFool (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d0b8643fdaa20bb) report for my location. Should a CM4221HD be sufficient to pick up all the UHF channels from CP and HC or would I be better off with a CM4228HD?

The antenna will be mounted on my roof, about 25ft above ground.

Thanks.

@gbanks

Your 4 bay antenna should be ok. Point at HC, as those stations are weaker, and you should get most of the CF stations off the backside.

Channel 6 Global may be problematic, but I have no problem receiving channel 6 with a clone 4bay indoors.

@old sparks

Thanks for the response. Am I correctly understanding that it is possible to pick up VHF channels, such as Global and CTV, using a UHF antenna?

I noticed that the CM4228HD is designed to pick up VHF-HI channels while the CM4221HD is not. Would going with the CM4228HD increase the chances of being able to tune in to a VHF-LO channel like Global at all?

Also, are there any disadvantages (other than size and cost) to using the 8-bay model over the 4-bay?

Thanks.

Yes. You *may* be able to pick up both RF6 and RF13 using a 4-bay antenna. I can, and I am considerable further from HC than you. Your TV Fool reports reasonable signal strengths for both channels.

Apart from size (windloading/icing) and cost, the 8-bay will be more directional than the 4-bay.

gbanks, the 4228hd, even though it's better on VHF Hi, is terrible at channel 6. I could be fine for CTV at 13, but don't buy it expecting to get better results on channel 6 Global. You'd be better off keeping that excellent 4221hd and pairing it with something else, like rabbit ears, or big VHF antenna, or even an FM antenna. Channel 6 has trouble penetrating inside and there's lots of man-mad noise affecting it inside, so your best bet is to have your antenna for channel 6 outside.
EDIT: I own a 4228hd, outside, so I could see the dismal gain it has on channel 6 first hand.

The only reason to use a 4228HD in Ottawa would be to try and pick up the American stations, but from Island Park, you won't have a hope of that, so the 4221 would be better. As for VHF, give the 4221 a try (it might work from Island Park), and if it isn't reliable, you can add a VHF antenna.

I'm guilty of not having looked the location, assuming it was in the East End... like roger mentioned, definitely try it out by itself, i've seen people having success with 4-bays like the 4221hd with channel 6 in the west end. You are so much closer to this low power transmitter that your west end location makes a huge difference.

Thanks for all the responses. I'll post some results once I test everything out.

First Post:
Started OTA two weeks ago and read up on the lack of signal that CIII-DT6 was sending to the eastend of Ottawa. As expected i didn't detected Global even when I set up my 8bay in the attic last week. Originaly I was scanning CF with 8 bays but wasn't gettin HC channels that well. Saturday I angled 4bays to rescan and pick up HC Channels and did get them. Global also was detected but not clear at all. Monday evening I saw Global was clear as a Bell and has been for 24 hours. Is it just me or did Global boost their signal yesterday.