Should I try just joining the VHF-HI and 8-bay without the UVSJ and use a simple splitter/joiner?

Definitely not. It will only make things worse. As flavoie, you could try pointing your YA-1713 towards CF to pick up the VHF stations there. My concern is it may provide too much gain and cause signal overload. To help with that, you might want to move your KT-200 before the UVSJ on the UHF side. The only problem with that is the UVSJ will block the power, so you might want to replace it with a band combiner that passes power on the UHF side. Alternately you could switch to a lower gain VHF antenna (possibly one that also receives VHF-LO so that you can receive global on 6 better).

Another possible test, you may want to remove the yagi altogether to see how your cm4228 is doing by itself for VHF when still pointing south, as a combo for uhf and vhf, skipping the uvsj.

Thanks for all the great info and suggestions...looks like I'll be spending more time in the attic. My reception of Global on 6 is good, not great, but definitely watchable. CTV on 13 has severe ghosting and is unwatchable. Until I can find a tower and an installer, I may be stuck in the attic for awhile.

Here's a couple pictures I took in the attic. Sorry for the poor quality. The first pic shows the back of the 4228HD where the 2 feeds join and then go to the UVSJ. You can see the KT-200 hanging off to the side.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/picture.php?albumid=588&pictureid=2985

The second picture was my attempt to show the mast with the YA-1713 at the top of the mast with the CM4228HD below, just above the tripod.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/picture.php?albumid=588&pictureid=2986

My concern is it may provide too much gain and cause signal overload. To help with that, you might want to move your KT-200 before the UVSJ on the UHF side. The only problem with that is the UVSJ will block the power, so you might want to replace it with a band combiner that passes power on the UHF side.

roger1818, so what kind of thinga-ma-jiggy do I need to move the coax powered amp before the UVSJ?

I've also picked up some flat aluminum at the Metal Supermarket in the east end and have started a StealthHawk build. I'm interested to see what that thing can do.

Put the VHF below the CM4228HD too. ;)

Put the VHF below the CM4228HD too. ;)

I can't tell,...stampeder are you serious or joking? I'm willing to try it out...

I only put the VHF at the top since it would "fit" better near the top than the wider CM4228HD. If I swap them top for bottom, I wouldn't get as much separation between the two since the 8-bay wouldn't get as high on the mast.

Nope, not joking. :) If there's no room to do that then so be it, but UHF antennas don't respond well to big VHFs above them.

OK, thanks for the tip. I'll get those swapped around and see what happens..:D

OK, Winegard YA-1713 on the bottom, CM4228HD at the top. 4228HD pointing just south of HC and the YA-1713 aimed at CF.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/picture.php?albumid=588&pictureid=3033

fixed my problem with CTV on 13 and Global on 6 is still watchable...


Yesterday I lost my Kitztech KT-200 preamp though :(...I lost all signal on all channels and when I removed the pre-amp during troubleshooting I got signal back again. I can only assume that the amp died somehow??? I'll be in touch with them since it is sitll under warranty.

Now without the pre-amp, I still get PBS on 18.1, 18.2 and 18.3, but I lost 16.1, 16.2, 50.1, 50.2, 57.1, 57.2 and 57.3 that I was getting.

Like Roger pointed out he was worried when your Yagi points at CF directly you could have signal overload at the preamp input. Try disconnecting the Yagi to see if the preamp works fine. It may also pick up strong FM signals.
EDIT: actually, overload could be both at the preamp input and at your tuner input if you're amplyfying an already strong signal.

yes, that is a very good point, but unfortunately, I lost the pre-amp before I turned the yagi around..it was still pointing south in the opposite direction of CF when I lost everything...the pre-amp dying forced me to climb into the attic again, and then since I was there, I took the opportuntity to flip the yagi around..

From what I've read in the "pre-amp" thread, an overload condition wouldn't cause a pre-amp to die, it would just affect reception on the overloaded channel/freq and then removing the overload would cause the pre-amp to revert back to "normal" operation??

Have you tried an FM trap ? There is none inside the Kitztech. I remember discussing this with backpackster, the Kitztech person recommended trying an FM trap in his case (Orleans).

Hi everyone,
I'm located in the Kemptville area and can receive all of the Ottawa stations to the North (341 degrees) clearly (expect for 6, its ) using a CM4221HD mounted on the side of the house so I have no back side reception. I also receive PBS (18-1) with another CM4221HD pointed south.

All DTV signals are 85% or better (never drops) and VHF is good so I should be happy right! Problem is I can't get CBS or ABC to come in at all pointing south.

Would a 4228 help? or should I try a preamp (7777) first? anyone else in my situation

TVFool list CBS as -94.1 2EDGE

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3da362abd8664ac1

I'm only interested in wwny-dt and wwti-dt

Hi Angrycow,

Are either of the distant CBS or ABC stations on high-VHF?

A pre-amp would probably help as long as you don't overload 18. Is 18 in the exact same direction as CBS and ABC?

Is Channel 6 acceptable as it is from Ottawa or do you want to improve it as well? If so, then maybe a big VHF antenna could work for you for both north and south problems.

I would say wait until WNYF-LD comes online in a few weeks. If you get WNPI fine, you'll probably get this. (It will broadcast with one tenth the power of WNPI, from the same tower.).

For Ottawa, you'll definitely need a channel 6 antenna with an FM trap to get Global properly. Global will be flash cutting to channel 6 digital next August, and it won't have much power. You'll need a directional VHF-Lo antenna to try to avoid as much local electrical interference as possible.

For channel 9 and 13 digital, a 4228 will probably be enough.

A 4221 is not so good for VHF-Hi. The 4228 only workson VHF-Hi because of the much longer width of its reflectors, which happen to resonate in the VHF-Hi frequencies.

So a 4228 would help, but it would be unnecessary for CBS-HD/Fox-SD on 7 if you manage to get CBS-HD/Fox-SD just as well on WNYF-LD from South Colton (any week now.) The repeater will be on RF channel 18 and PSIP as 28.2 CBS-HD / 28.1 Fox-SD.

Depending on what TVFool says for WWTI, we could make a recommendation as to what UHF antenna would be appropriate to receive ABC-HD and CW-SD. (You don't need to worry about WWNY or WPBS, since you'll be gettin g them from the South Colton repeater.)

edit. Now that I see your TVool, I would stay with a UHF antenna pointed at South Colton to pick up 18 and 23.
To get WWNY on channel 7 reliably with a negative NM requires a dedicated VHF-High antenna, not a UHF antenna that happens to be OK on channel 7. WWTI at -14 dB NM is not likely unless you get a very high gain antenna and mount it higher than 18 feet.

I agree with tvlurker. Looking at your TVFool results, I would say you don't have a hope of receiving WWTI (ABC) though.

Just moved from Mtl to Kanata and would like to know the US stations that I can get here as well as what equip you would recomend as my single bay DB antenna gets only CBC and SUN

In general, if you are south of the 417 (Queensway) and have a preamp you might be able to get WNPI (PBS Norwood). It still depends on the antenna. I live north of the 417 and I can't get it. You also MAY be able to get CBS at 7.1 digital (I can't remember the call sign - I can't get it either). Go to TV Fool and you can get a better idea of all the stations you MIGHT be able to see.

Hi OTAJuncqui and welcome to Ottawa.

I agree with Maple Leaf and a TVFool (http://tvfool.com/) analysis of your new home is the best place to start (and post a link to the results here). If pointed in the correct direction, you should be able to receive most if not all the locals with your DB antenna (CBC, SRC, Sun, City and OMNI1 & 2). If you are going to receive any American channels, a better antenna will certainly be necessary (my current recommendation for this here in Ottawa is the Winegard PR-8800 as its net gain is particularly good below channel 35).