@EdT

I got something from NexxTech from The Source. I wanted something quick and that store was the closest to my house with an amp of any kind.

I got their Broadband Signal Amplifier providing a gain of 15 db (I think)...

I got it with a thought to returning it - just to test to see if my signal strength would improve overall with or without adverse effect. It improved my situation immensely and I don't think I'll return it now.

I still need to go back up in the attic to improve the positioning of the antennas. The fact that I catch PBS at 33 and 57 indicates that I'm probably aiming too far West.

Martin.

@Martinus

Return it, for the price you paid at The Source you could have gotten a real quality drop amp with low noise for less locally. I am sure those NexxTech amps are running with 5-6dB of noise compared to 2.7dB for the good amps. You can find PCT/Channel Master 3410 15dB drop amps for around $40 locally and a little less online.

If you got a better result with a drop amp is good news, this mean your antenna was able to pick-up the signal, just there was not enough gain. An amp no matter how powerful will not help if the signal is not present !

@EdT

This is the amp I got: Nexxtech 1512505

The specs are:

Forward path:
Operating frequency range: 54-100MHz
Gain: 15 dB

Reverse path:
Operating Frequency range: 5-42 MHz
Insertion loss: -0.5dB

Thanks a million for all your help and comments.

Martinus

@Martinus

That is not a bad price for that NexxTech amp, but it doesn't list anywhere about it's signal noise in dB. If it is 3db and below keep it or else return it and get the CM3410.

Goodtohave, I have Eaglestar Pro 8 bay fold-able antenna. Half is pointing to Montreal, half to US. The antenna is outside 25' above ground. In Vaudreuil, without a preamp I get good signal on all US channels except WVNY. From Montreal I get good signal from CBC 6.1, CTV 12.1, Global 15.1, TQ 17.1.
For the attic people report good results with those new "HDTV" amplified remote controlled rotary antennas. They say in the attic antenna works fine, but outside it is to cheaply made to withstand the elements.

Martinus, the problem might be how you combined your antennas. For best results you should use good quality combiner like Regal brand. I picked one up at marche aux puces on Metropolitan east for $7. Also have the same length of cable going from antennas to combiner and keep this length to minimum.

Thanks for the info...

I bought an outdoor antenae for my wifes' Mum and mounted it on a 2nd floor balcony on a satelite post and aimed to Montreal ( from pointe claire) and got 6.1 12.1 as well as the 33. And 57. Right away, signal strength did not seem to change no matter how I aimed it although when I moved west ( the balcony is north facing) I got some US but it was not strong enough to watch as ot kept dropping. But maybe it was the weather yesterday.

Will keep you posted.

PS what was the unit you mentioned for the attic?

@ogorek

I got the one that the people at Motrak said I would need. I have equal lenght of cable (2 ft.) connecting both antennas to my cable. I've also physically attached my two CM4221HD to "create" a CM4228HD.

There is no noticeable difference in the quality of the signal I receive.

Martin

rescan the signal on the air, pick up 10.1, but it's unwatchable.
so far never pickup 35.1.
22.1 depends on the weather or some reasons I don't know, not solid.
2.1 improves a little bit, but it still unwatchable in most of day.
3.1, 5.1, 6.1,12.1, 17.1, 33.1, 44.1,57.1 are quite good in pincourt.

No Commercial posts and links are allowed - Commercial is anything that is not a personal website (i.e./ has a registered domain) or has any types of ads on it.
I have had to edit several posts that were against that rule. Instead of posting a commercial link or photo of a piece of OTA gear just give the brand and model name/number so that other members can look it up if they wish.

Here is a thread that is specifically meant for our members to discuss where to buy OTA gear in your area:

OTA: Quebec & Atlantic Canada Parts, Sales, Service, Installers (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=51078) (not for discussion of reception in there though)

cheers

So a day later and follow up and it is not good...

6.1 no problem, 12.1 is ok but can be glitchy. 33 and 57 very glitchy.

My concern is the antenna faces horizontal power lines that go right across to a commercial building.

I could go to the other side of the building but would I have any luck facing south?

Should I get an amplifier?

Thanks!

Goodtohave, I have Eaglestar Pro 8 bay fold-able antenna. Half is pointing to Montreal, half to US. The antenna is outside 25' above ground. In Vaudreuil, without a preamp I get good signal on all US channels except WVNY. From Montreal I get good signal from CBC 6.1, CTV 12.1, Global 15.1, TQ 17.1.
For the attic people report good results with those new "HDTV" amplified remote controlled rotary antennas. They say in the attic antenna works fine, but outside it is to cheaply made to withstand the elements.
After I install the Canadian Tire - Ge Amplifier my WVNY ABC is very stable now!!

I got my second 4221HD today and tried a few things. It was pretty finicky and I didn't get definitive results either way. At one point I had 62.1 very strong as well as all the U.S. stations. I was able to do that with my single 4221HD pointed in between Mt. Mansfield and Mt. Royal anyways.
Since it didn't seem to help or hurt I just pointed them both at Mt. Mansfield with one directly on top of the other. I've lost 62.1 altogether now but it wasn't an important channel to me anyways.
3.1 is the most important channel to me and with the antennas in different directions it didn't take much to have it pixelated and jittery. In the same direction it comes in strong just as it did with a single 4221HD.
I'm hoping having 2 will be the difference between signal dropouts this winter or not.
I get 2,3,5,6,10,12,15,17,33,44,57.
Budget wise a single 4221HD and a CM7778 mounted outside gives a lot of bang for the buck.

You guys would have saved yourself a lot of headaches by getting just the CM4228HD instead two CM4221HD.
Stacking them on top of one another will give a broader beam coverage in depth only, but not extend beam width coverage.

I'd be interested to see how the 4228 does. I chose the 4221 because it's less directional and I wanted to point it in between Mt. Mansfield and Mt. Royal.

It works very well like that, of course I couldn't help myself and had to tinker around with a second one.

I might try messing around with them again but I keep having problems with 3.1,.2 as soon as I point one away from Mt. Mansfield. Maybe I'm getting interference from another channel (2?)

A little more tweaking for fun. I pointed one about 20 West of Mt. Mansfield and the other at Mt. Royal. Now one is pointing straight at the transmitter for 57.1

All the Montreal stations are 80% or better including CJNT. 6 out of 6 in WMC

All U.S. stations are very strong, 5 or 6 out of 6 in WMC. 57 has never been so strong.
The only strange thing is channel 3, in windows it's 5 out of 6 and plays perfectly but my TV shows almost no signal strength, however during another one of my experiments my TV showed it at 80% and it was unwatchable.

Notre Dame Ile Perrot:

Sonia Bravia HD TV + 2$ Antenna from Dollarama:

CTV, TVA, SRC, CBC, Global, Tele Quebec all at 65% to 90%.

Cannot get V because I understand they are not smart enough to be on Mount Royal where they need to be.

Cannot get Metro 14 as I understand they are not transmitting at very strong frequency.

Still not bad for 2$ antenna.

I tried an indoor RCA antenna from Future Shop and I could not get anything more than I was already getting, so back to FS it went!

Panache70, in order to get your OTA channels you'll have to invest a little bit more in your antenna than a dollar store one.

I am in notre dame and the only ones I'm not getting are V 35.1 and Metro14 49.1

The rest are crystal clear, Canadian and US channels alike (21 Channels in total).
I now get everything Canadian (except V and Metro14) on the 2$ antenna, just needed to move it. Are you getting US stations on an indoor antenna?

Panache70:
I live in pincourt, but I cannot get TVA and globe, I guess in Notre Dame Ile Perrot, the antenna in Mont Royal is not blocked by any obstacle (I can watch the antenna at top of Mont Royal in nice weather from Notre Dame), but in pincourt there is a hill.
If you get canadian stations, you should get most of US stations, because the us stations are much power than canadian stations.

Anybody else having a problem with Fox (44.1) tonight?

It was coming in ok two days ago. It was breaking up yesterday and tonight I get 0% reception according to my tuner.

I've gone back to toy with the antennas location, but to no avail.

Martinus.