Does anyone know if this is true for Kanata's locally available channels. In other words if I get a UHF only digital antenna, will that get ALL digital channels or do I need to get an antenna cable of both UHF and VHF in case some of the "digital" channels are on VHF.Almost all of our Ottawa channels will be UHF after DTV transition. We will have Global on VHF 6 and CJOH (CTV) on VHF 13. That being said you are in a good spot to MAYBE get those two channels on a decent UHF antenna. Have you experimented with an antenna yet?

bobo, I can also offer you a free antenna that a neighbour of mine was nice enough to allow me to remove from his old tower. It won't do you any good for the NY stations but will get everything on the Ottawa area towers because it works for me here so I'm sure in Kanata it will be better. I tried it here in hopes of solving my channel 7 dilemma from the other thread but no dice.

Here's what it looks like so you know, big and ugly so you may want to hide it in the attic or behind your house.http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=107706 (post #506)

Today, I was experimenting around and come to the realization that the 10 foot "coaxe" cable I thought I was using as my "temporary" antenna was not the antenna but rather the 12" grabber wire I had hanging off the end of the center conductor of the coax wire was my antenna. I attached a random length of copper wire and now can successfully get all the local channels except 66 and I think it is 17.

thanks
bobo

Okay, anytime. I may bring it back down and fix up the damaged arms and try it again. Just let me know.

Do you guys do anything specific for Lightening concerns?

thanks
bobo

Grounding wire up to the grounding rod in the ground outside for the antenna body/mount. Surge arrestor/coax grounding block for the coax just before it enters the house (block connects to grounding rod too) Someone will be quick to mention there's a thread for that, too.

Sent an email to CJOH's Director of Engineering & Information Technology and he states they will begin broadcasting DTV on Sept 1, channel 13.

bobo

Hi
Just wondering if anyone else is noticing that the audio is a fraction of a second behind the video?

I am noticing this on the other digital channels as well. It may be the way the audio is going through my stereo system.

If someone could confirm it is correctly aligned on their reception, then I can begin to debug my audio setup.


thanks
bobo

Hi - I have a CM 3671 on a 40ft tower at Clyde Forks (http://maps.google.ca/maps/place?ftid=0x4cd236181cc2741b:0x7df5d6ccf95aa566&q=Clyde+Forks,+Ontario&hl=en&ved=0CAwQ-gswAA&sa=X&ei=Afc_TrHJOpqWtQOesMWrDw), over 100 km west of Camp Fortune. I'm am not picking up CBOT-HD on 4-1 (25?). Without going into details (assume I'm pointed and setup properly with current gear), is it possible to say that a preamp will actually improve the signal at that distance? I'm worried about the "nothing there to boost" scenario.

I've read quite a bit, and will continue, but if someone can tell me I would benefit from a preamp without a new/used antenna (eg DBGH or CM4228), that would be very helpful. I want to know if I can increment my way back to OTA rather than starting over.

Thanks

rpdvdkam, the way a preamp makes things better is by minimizing losses after your antenna but adding a noise figure so your total loss after the antenna becomes your preamp noise figure. If your losses amount to more than 2.5dB a preamp is usually a good choice to improve your Signal To Noise ratio.

You need to find your amount of loss after the antenna:
What grade is your cable (RG59, RG6 Dual, RG6 Quad)
How long is your cable
How many splits do you have
Any other amps currently in use


You'll also want to get and post your TVFool results here to see if CBOT is attainable reasonably...

As flavoie states, please post your TVfool. (Use the satellite view option of ther online maps feature to be as precise as possible, because there are many dead zones in and around Clyde Forks)

tvfool results (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d3e47d63165032c)

What grade is your cable (RG59, RG6 Dual, RG6 Quad):
RG/6 (doesn't say Dual or Quad)

How long is your cable:
~80 ft (40 ft tower and 40 foot laying around the room in case of moving the TV)

How many splits do you have:
1 to FM radio but capped for now.

Any other amps currently in use:
NO

Thanks a lot

That one above (will it appear?) should do it. But just in case....Here is an exact one.

exact tv fool data (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d3e4790be98a1c5)

both links appear, but the exact one was only done for a 10 foot elevation, not 40.
for the other one, you'd need a good UHF antenna just to get CBOT. (A few years down the road, the CBC may raise the power and/or elevation of CBOT, but who knows?)

Here is a mapped one, corrected for my location, and 40 ft.

tv fool clyde forks (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d3e47fb53602ed7)

...and the preamp question? flavoie? Can anyone point me to instructions or help me decide if a preamp will help?

thanks

rpdvdkam, for everything you will ever need to know about preamps see the following link, and especially the helpful tools in Post #1:

Signal Amplifiers (Amps, Preamps, Distro Amps) - See Chart in Post #1 (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=42426)

A preamp will help. Until such time that CBC increases its power to the 400 kW range in a few years (if it indeed follows through on its initial plan, that is), CBC will be more reliable. As it is, I suspect that a very low noise preamp like a kiztech or RC may be able to get you reliable reception of CBOT.

Otherwise, your choices are CJOH and CBOFT on channels 9 and 13, and even then, that will work only if there is not much local electrical noise. CIVO and Global digital on 6 are also possibilities. Of course, you can get Global analog on channel 2, and by 2016, it will convert to digital (as per Shaw's promise), probably on channel 8.

An 8-bay will probably give you better gain on channel 25 for CBC than the 3671, but it may not be worth the complication of adding an antenna.

Thanks for the info, everyone. That will get me started. As for a new 8-bay or GHDB, I'm certainly willing to pay something quite substantial once, rather than some other amount every month after month after month after month......

Rob V.

Rob I like tvlurker's recommendation of a very low noise amp like a Research Comms or Kitztech. You would likely not have the problem of having to put an Fm trap in front of it like we have in Ottawa so it could be worth it. You definitely need every extra DB in your case.

I had better hurry up and get my 5Y6S installed while there is still an analog signal I can aim it to (you can aim to a DTV signal, but analog is easier).

roger1818, my 5Y6S is on my tower now and I can say it makes a HUGE difference in reception on Global 6. Analog picture is as good as it can be. No ghosting, fuzzies or anything...can't wait till they switch over..

thanks again for the tip on the antenna....

Will do.

If that is not enough, can anyone say that a big 8-bay 4228 or a GHDB will make a significant difference over my current deep fringe 3671?