Wow, that is quite a disappointment that the AP-8275 didn't help. It is the most powerful preamp on the market still, I believe, so maybe you have other factors that need to be looked at.

If you have the $$$, stack another CM4228 and run them into the AP8275. You'd gain about 3db more signal.

Another option is a dedicated VHF antenna like a preamped Wade-Delhi 306 with your CM4228.

Actually, I found the results disconcerting... it may be that the level is just too low on WVNY to get the preramp moving, which means your alternatives are the logical course... but I did not want to end up with an antenna farm.... my next move is to move the antenna up to the attic (although it is already 35 ft above ground). But this is a project that I will have to delay, unfortuantely.
Too bad... I really hoped the 8275 would be the solution.
I appreciate your input, Stampeder.

montrealmountian, I may have misunderstood - are you running your CM4228 indoors or is it outdoors?

The 4228 is now outdoors on the third level of the house.... I can put it in the attic - that adds about 20 ft... but can't do it till spring... luckily I returned the 8275 so it was not too bad a $$$ hit.
It is still hit/miss with the ap-8700, but there is now nothing to do at this time... the idea of 2 4228 is a bit daunting... and my wife will set me up for a lethal injection... she was not overjoyed with the first 4 bay unit... the 4228 got her going a bit... 2 would be instant evaporation or some such thing. She puts up with all my other wires (i am a ham operator so the place is littered with antennas, cables, transceivers, power supplies, computers, etc etc).

I guess I am just "on-hold" for now.

Good luck with the attic, but beware that preamps really, really don't like attics. :o

I'm curious... why would that be???

Attics usually have lots of metallic objects and properties (nails, trace metals in shingles, etc.) that cause multipath interference. An antenna can often get a clean signal because the interference is relatively weak, but when a preamp is used the interference is almost always made too strong by the amplifier and so the result is a mess.

The 4228 is now outdoors on the third level of the house.... I can put it in the attic - that adds about 20 ft... but can't do it till spring...

Can the 4228 be temporally split/folded in two halves? The only access I have to the attic is through an access hole in the ceiling. Can this antenna fit in such access holes? Unassembled perhaps?


So I have a 4 bay for someone who needs 1 in this area... make me a trade.


I might be interested. I've sent you a couple of questions in a private message.

Yes, another DHCer drilled out the CM4228's rivets on the mounting brackets so that he could take it up through the attic opening in halves. When he got everything up there he put it back together and used small nuts/bolts/lock washers in place of the rivets.

Hi guys, I've spent a couple of nights trying to find the answer on the forum but wasn't able to find hints to solve my problem. Basically, a week ago I was able to get FOX (WFFF) using an RCA ANT711 antenna in the attic (http://www.amazon.com/RCA-ANT711-Amplified-Outdoor-Antenna/dp/B00008V6JT). I understand that it was supposed to be a crappy antenna but for some reasons, it was giving me good results. However, there was a connection problem with the wires within the antenna and I was tired of re-soldering the wires so decided to go with the 4228.

I'm in a new neigborhood in Repentigny, East of Montreal. I'm pretty much the only house in the street for the moment. Although I know that many of you dissaprove the use of an antenna in the attic, this is what i currently have. My wife isn't too enthousiastic about placing the CM4228 outside of the house.

I get the following channels with the 4228, no pre-amp:
1) SRC: 92%
2) CBC: 81%
3) CBS: 83%
4) NBC: 83%
5) PBS - I get the one on 33.1 and sometimes the one on 57.1. Nothing for ABC.

My problem is I get only 16% signal for Fox 44.1 (with spikes going to 52 with a one second lock every 5 seconds). I understand that WFFF and WCAX are broadcasted from the same tower so I would think that if i get WCAX with good results, I should at least be able to get a consistent lock on WFFF. The new season of 24 is coming on Fox in about a week and I would like to watch it using OTA (I do have videotron so it is not such a big deal...). I see that many DHCers are having success getting WFFF so I'd like to be one of them.

My 2 questions:
1) some people have mentioned that Fox is possibly being broadcasted at 18Kw instead of its planned 47kw. However, when looking at the FCC website mentioned a couple posts before, it is unclear to me what power is currently being used (both numbers are mentioned and I would think that according to me, 47kw seems to be the one being used). Anyone could confirm whether 18kw or 47kw is being used currently (sorry if it is obvious on the report, not able to find the answer).

2) Any possible reason why the 711 would give me overall worse results (CBS, NBC and FOX were all around 60% using the RCA antenna) but able to lock on Fox? I would think that an increase in CBS and NBC reception would give similar results for WFFF. Is it possible that those 1 second spikes to 52% with a quick lock are caused by multipath? Why WFFF and not other channels?

Sorry for the long post and possibly bad english.

Thanks

Jackmicro

I've bought a 25db distribution amp and I am now able to get Fox without problem.

Problem solved!

I don't know if I'm the only one but I'm getting a lower signal on SRC et CBC these day 5 bars instead of a solid 10 bars.

What about you?

It's getting to most of my channels now, i'd like to have feedback from you guy's

thanks

I have everything solid except for WVNY... it is still just marginal with the 4228 and the VHF / UHF AP8700. Hopefully if (when) WVNY ups the power, the problem will go away...

I've found my problem, when its cold the signals gets magnified so I actually have too much signals strength. So to solve the problem I directed my antenna the opposite way of where it's usually is and it solved the issue. I can't believe i get too much signal strength from St-Eustache with such a small antenna, but still no lock with ABCHD.:(

I think you have the same problem has I have, the problem seem to be FM. I tried to find an FM Trap without any lock so i've put 2X10 db Tilt attenuater 0Mhz to 300Mhz (Addison 2.95$) and every thing went Up (Including ABC but just a bit). Now I even get a lock in the morning on WNPI and the 27, 44 analog are pretty much clear.

2X10 db Tilt attenuater 0Mhz to 300Mhz Where exactly do you put this? Lately I've had issues with CBS, inconsistent signal strenght, but NBC is solid 80%+ all the time. I want to take all steps to improving my CBS reception before Sunday evening for the SuperBowl, so where exactly does this go?

And what does it look like so I again go out and purchase it from Maddisson (Addisson copycat in Laval)

Poncho, check if they allow you to return it for a refund in case it doesn't work for you. Also if you guys just want an FM trap you can order one from Tin Lee:

http://www.tinlee.com/

They don't have them (Tilt Attenuator) at maddison.
I put one before the Pre-Amp and one after. I bought some 5 DB today and I will try them in different configuration. The best would be to get an FM Trap but this seem to do the job. I will also try another thing it's call TV Filter 20MHz 220MHz I have no idea of what it's doing I will try and see (0.99$ addison).

What I can say is those thing really improve all UHF and I guess it's because of the UHF. I was able to eliminate Horizontal bar on 27. The horizontal bar (Base on my reading) are usally cause by FM.

Kro, the "TV Filter 20MHz 220MHz" might be doing one of two things:

allowing only the VHF and FM Radio frequencies below Channel 12 by denying or reducing all others above that
denying or reducing all VHF and FM Radio frequencies below Channel 12Its hard to tell from the name of it which one it does, but don't be surprised if one of those things happens

An FM Trap filters out 88MHz to 174 MHz.