actually channel 24 is relatively weaker but still strong enuff to see the whole thing. with a different scanning software i am able to tune into 14 as well, that one definitely more static than 24. If I have to rate the quality, it goes:

the best, 30, 34, 24
medium 40, 32
just bearable 60, 14

If i tune into 9 and 4 there are just nothing at all no matter how I point my antenna

What kind of TV are you using? Perhaps it is an old one with separate UHF and VHF inputs?
(Although that close to Camp Fortune, you almost don't need an antenna at all.)

i am actually using a tv tuner card of bt878 (avermedia capture97) to tune into this.

just strange I am not getting a fix on anything < channel 14

I start wondering if this is a tuner problem. Maybe I should borrow an old TV to try

Make sure the software is set up for North American VHF channels. It should be, but who knows?

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask if its really usefull to have a rotor in the aylmer hull area?

The camp forture is 10 km straight north of my house and herberts is a somewere south but i was thinking if i point a antenna south i could still get camp forture cause its 10 km away and hopefully get the best of whats south. would there be another reason to get a rotor ?

heres my tvfool report
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d8d174265d317f4

I personnally use a rotor for fine tuning reception without ever having to go back to the roof (hopefully). I have it pointed at wnyf-ld 24/7.

your right thats a good reason Flavoie thanks for the reply.

ill go shop some rotors now :-)

Theoretically you should be able to point a single antenna at the HC stations and then pick up the CF stations through the antenna's rear lobe without having to re-aim it. Can you test that first?

Thanks Stamp for your reply,
Yes i will be trying that for sure, just waiting for my antenna to come in. Ordered the HD stacker from Dennys, looking forward to testing this out in the ottawa/gatineau area.

Id be happy without a rotor. I didnt know you had to use rotor wire , i hate making new holes in the house specially for some rotor wire when the rotor could use the coax to command the rotor just like a sat motor.

I don't use the rotor except when testing; it is only if I need to turn a few degrees left or right....
My antenna is always pointed in the same direction, at WNYF.

Hwp would you mind linking your previous Hull thread post, possibly one with your tvfool ? Or just create a new one there and link it here ?

Here is the link to my most applicable post in the Hull-Aylmer thread:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=1144106&postcount=47

Thread post #47 (I also posted #33 and #34).

Here is the newly updated TV Fool for the cottage using Google Earth:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d8d173a6d69de0e

Anyone here have any tips, advice, recommendations? I'm not married to the 4228hd. I am willing to consider an antenna change.

I didnt know you had to use rotor wire , i hate making new holes in the house specially for some rotor wire when the rotor could use the coax to command the rotor just like a sat motor.

There is one brand of rotor (the Eagle Aspen) that uses the coax as a control line.

HWP, looks like your CM4228hd is a very good fit for you, even better than the HD8800 because channel 25 is what you want and the 4228 yields good results on VHF HI under the same package, something the HD8800 is not good at. You can improve based on a good starting package !

you were reporting:
===
Analogue:
4 CBC CBOT watchable
8 CTV CJOH watchable (from Cornwall)
9 Radio-Canada CBOFT clear
11 CHCH watchable
13 CTV CJOH clear
24 TVOntario CICA watchable
30 CIVO clear
34 CFGS watchable
40 CHOT clear

Digital:
CBOT 25 (Virtual 4.1)
CBOFT 22 (Virtual 9.1)
Solid, reliable signal - though they only show as 40 percent solid.
===
The very nice, encouraging part is you are getting "9 and 13 clear" from the 4228hd. Those are 2 post-transition channels for SRC and CTV at those channels. Right there you have the potential of gaining CTV digital after the transition as a 3rd channel in addition to CBOFT which you have but moving to 9 and CBOT staying at 25.

Assuming channel 4 analog will go down and stay digital under UHF 25, the only channel you'd possibly be interested in gaining is Global at 6.

This is where I hope roger will chime in with an estimate whether it's worth it or not.

You could POTENTIALLY merge your current 4228hd with a VHF-Lo antenna or a "specially designed for channel 6" antenna, what people call a "Single cut channel 6 yagi". You could merge these 2 antennas into an HLSJ then put the output of the HLSJ in your cm7777. You'd want to find the antenna with the best gain on channel 6, but that's if it's even worth trying.

Forget the HC channels, they are indeed too far...

Flavoie,

Thanks for the feedback. I chose the Channel Master 4228hd for its possible usefullness for the Hi-VHF and UHF -- and because it is easy to find.

In fact, recently, I was lucky enough to pick-up a used, partially hacked (reversed balun) 4228hd. I may try swapping it out at the cottage with the unhacked one and do a Pepsi Challenge.

After so many years without watchable TV there (under a metal roof using rabbit ears), it was indeed a revelation to get so many watchable channels.

I have inquired in a few places about obtaining a Channel 6 antenna. But when I research it, it seems like price-wise, I might be able to get the same amount of gain on rf6 by buying a combo antenna like the CM3671, or perhaps a VHF antenna to be coupled with perhaps the Winegard 8 bay or a 91xg.

I agree that HC is a lost cause -- but I will hold out a smidgen of hope because CHCH 11 was watchable with snow all last summer.

About the HLSJ (High-Low-Splitter-Joiner)...If I combine the VHF low antenna to the L and the 4228hd to the L and then attach everything to the 7777 (combined input), will my UHF be filtered out by the HLSJ?

Roger1818 -- Is Global a lost cause? Have you looked at the Antennas Direct M21? What about that being used with a 4228hd using the 7777 to combine the signals? M21 in VHF and 4228 in UHF?

Sounds good. I like to compare the net gain charts of those various antennas under hdtvprimer site, for the channels I want. In your case, you'd check the gains at the channels you think you can get and try to find the best combination available. Whether you decide on a VHF-Lo + 4228 or a VHFLo/Hi + UHF only antenna, as long as you maximize the antenna gain for the channels you need you should win ! Either of those combination could be combined, using an HLSJ (VHF-Lo+4228) or use your 7777 as separate inputs (VHF Lo/Hi + UHF).

On channel 25, for example, there isn't much difference between net gains of the 4228hd and hd8800.

Hwp, about your HLSJ question, no it should not filter your UHF.
On the other hand, there was much wondering about the FM trap properties of an HLSJ, but that's another subject and is in no way affecting you with your 7777 which has an embedded FM trap.

Reception Report: Danford Lake Kazabazua Quebec

Looking at your updated TV Fool results posted here (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1244811#post1244811), I would agree with flavoie (response in that thread) that things look promising as your actual results seem to follow what we see in TVFool (analog signals on VHF-HI and UHF in yellow come in clear).

As for antenna advice, it really all depends how hard you want to try to get Global. I won't deceive you and it will be tough and may not even be possible. The good news is since all stations from Camp Fortune are at a 1 edge distortion, the FM stations won't be as catastrophic for you as I had first feared (I thought they might be LOS and Global 2-edge).

Your best bet would be to use a big VHF-LO Yagi, optimally one cut for channel 6 if you can find one and, as flavoie said, combine it with your 4228HD with an HLSJ (though I recommend using a separate pre-amp for the VHF-LO Yagi to minimize the loss between the antenna and the pre-amp). The 4228HD may be good enough for VHF-HI, but if end up having troubles with CJOH and CBOFT post transition, you may need to add a VHF-HI Yagi.

If you want to stick with a single antenna on the roof, I would go with the biggest, deepest fringe VHF/FM/UHF combo antenna you can find (optimally a VU-937SR (http://www.wade-antenna.com/Wade/HD%20&%20VU%20Series.pdf), but it has been out of production for a while and will be tough, if not impossible, to find).

I'm sure it's not worth trying to get Global, but nonetheless, it is a physical and intellectual challenge I'm up for this summer.

I'm contemplating waiting until September to see if I lose CJOH 13 and Rad-Can 9 with my 4228hd. If so, then I'll buy a VHF hi-low antenna or maybe even a combo antenna as Roger1818 suggests. If I go with a VHF hi-low, maybe for UHF a 91xg or the existing 4228hd -- we'll see when all those new channels arrive.

If anyone knows where I might get my hands on a rf6 antenna with better gain than regular antennas I'd be interested.

This is the family cottage I grew up with. My dad is thrilled about the benefits he has gotten from my new hobby. There is no way my folks or any of us would ever subscribe to satellite at the cottage. Just having something to turn on on a rainy or cold day is nice. CBC & CJOH & TVO really is enough. Would like to figure out why I can't get SunTV - if it stays OTA as news, that would be a great bonus. And adding Global would be the cherry on top. I have lately been contemplating maybe trying out some cheap hardware just to try for PBS on FTA -- that would be the whipped cream around the cherry.

We've been without cable in Toronto for about a year, and the quality of programming we choose to watch has greatly improved. I never understood people who said it before, but now I understand people who say, "all I need is CBC, TVO, and PBS, and I'll be happy." We get 29 digital channels in Toronto at our place - soon to be 30 with TVO.

If I can lock-on to reliable digital signals at the cottage just for those few channels it would be great. RF6 is a hobby project.

If you don't want to run the risk of seeing your 4228hd underperform on VHF HI, merging 2 antennas will be more efficient and less expensive than merging 3. You'd favor a VHF Lo/Hi + UHF then.

You'd try to find a VHF only antenna with the best possible gain on channel 6, and also with equal or better gain than the 4228hd on the VHF Hi range, especially on 9 and 13.

You'd try to find a VHF only antenna with the best possible gain on channel 6

That is the tricky part. Most antennas underperform on VHF-LO compared to VHF-HI or UHF. An antenna designed specifically for VHF-LO is the best option, but there are some monster VHF or even combo antennas that will also do very well.

I have said this before, but one other advantage of a VHF-LO Yagi (either cut channel or wide band) is it will inherently filter out FM because of their sharp drop above the target frequency.