Thanks Stampeder for the link... I'll be using it.
Recneps77 .. I don't know how I drew a blank on the weather bringing in long signals.. Guess I'll have to start reciting the alphabet from time to time to make sure i'm not losing it..hahaha
Since you guys have been doing this for quite a while, what is reception like during the winter, obviously during a snowstorm reception will be in the dumpster, but what about cold spells and such?

I usually get good results but this time very little results not the usuall results I normally get during strong tropo. July 18 to 20th

obviously during a snowstorm reception will be in the dumpster, but what about cold spells and such?
Actually no - snowstorms have increased my reception in the past ;)
Generally, when winter rolls around reception drops a bit overall.
Summer is good for reception* and it will slowly decrease to maybe.. 75% of the rate you have now (rough guess). *unless you have trees that fill with leaves and distort your signal :p
In the summer I can receive MyTv (49-1), though in the winter, its often too low a level to receive. (JUST.. like 45% when I need 50% to lock, for example)

PicklesRichard, the link in Post #397 leads to a terrific site on tropospheric skip predictions run by one of your countrymen! :)

Hahahaha, Ya, bad and odd weather are part of the "charms" of Scotland/England. We like to refer to rain as Scottish Sunshine. It looks like this weekend is going to be good for reception here.

Richard.

My wife took the camera with her to work and i wish i had it here. I have 68.1 WSYT Fox Syracuse tuned here right now at 135 degrees. But I had for a few minutes 44.1 .2 .3 .4 WVIA-DT coming in which are PBS channels from Pittston Pa. I wanted to get a good shot of it.

SCRANTON, PA nice one.

Nothing happening down here in Niagara.

Solid digital reception of Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse into Ottawa tonight

also got WCAX 53 and WCAXtra - a weather channel for the first time

all 100% -- probably have about 30 HD channels depending on which way I turn the antenna, including the 2 local Ottawa CBC stations

This is what shows up now on my list of channels on the computer screen:

CBOT-DT
WCAX-HD
WCAXtra
WCFE-D1
WCFE-D2
WCFE-HD
Weather
WGRZ-HD
WGRZ-SD
WIVB-HD
WNPI
WNPI-2
WNPI-HD
WNYF-SD
WPBS-1
WPBS-2
WPBS-HD
WROC-DT
WSTM
WSTQ
WSYR-2
WSYR-DT
WTVH-HD
WUHF-DT
WWNY-HD
WWTI-2
WWTI-DT

OK, my channel 2.1 and 2.2 used to be at 4 bars out of 10. Last night it was all of a sudden at 9/10. Same with Channel 7.1 and all of the 17's. On Wednesday night, channel 7, channel 2 and all the 17's were constantly cutting out and showing no signal. Skys were clear and no storms or anything from Milton to Buffalo.

Can anyone explain why I would have such a difference in signal strength with nothing being changed? Is this why I need a preamp for my attic installation?

Thanks
Matt

I have always had a love/hate with Fox 29-1 here in Oakville as well. 85% of the time, I have it at about 60%, but last night for example, it completely disappeared. Back perfectly this morning.

For a guy about to ditch cable, this was a tad disappointing.

I think I need a pro to come over and tweak my setup. Since I own all the gear necessary already (except a rotor - which I can't use) I might have a hard time getting someone to do it as no gear sales will be involved - except maybe some taller mounts.

Any recommendations?

stu

I've observed the same problems on 29 (FOX is what I watch the most). No idea what was going on, since there were no obvious reasons for the bad signal. And usually in this cases I just flip to the analog 29, but on Wednesday even analog was cluttered with huge pixels and noises as if they had some serious troubles downgrading digital signal on the station.

The other night I was watching King of Queens on Omni. It went all pixelated, the other omni was fine though. I just hate it when it happens because then I have to converse with the wife ;)
Matt

He he.... this is why I don't want a rotor. My wife can then be in the other room watching her own picks.....

If there was any haze or fog in the air that would adversely affect signal reception.

Snow and rain don't cause the attenuation issues that fog/mist/haze do.

Took these shots of the channels I was getting yesterday morning. Of course they're gone but the channel info is still on the bravia.

http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/cc347/PicklesRichard/P1090365.jpg

http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/cc347/PicklesRichard/P1090362.jpg

Thinking I need to get another camera for my just incases.

Richard.

Last night from my place in the Kawarthas, I received:
14 CITS-TV2 Crossroads from Exeter... 248 km Barely watchable
51 CHCH-TV2 E! from London... 307 km Good reception
42 CKCO-TV3 CTV from Sarnia... 334 km Good reception
59 CICO-TV59 TVOntario from Chatham... 347 km Barely watchable (a new distance personal best)

My best digital distance was on Friday
2-1, 2-2 on Ch 29 WKTV-HD NBC, WBU-TV CW from Utica NY... 319 km (6/10 bars)

Another good tropo night in Kingston.
Receiving the usuals plus a new one for me, 26-1 WNYB-TV. 20 digital stations tonight all together, unfortunately, no canadian digital stations.

Great night for reception for me,
Pulled in CHCH and CTS at double their regular strength (usually not enough to lock)
and the rochestor analogue channels are pretty clear (no digital for me :( )
I would say thats an accomplishment, considering I'm pointing in the wrong direction.

A new record for me yesterday and today.

From the Kawarthas
Yesterday:
Ch 30 WGTE-TV (analogue) PBS from Toledo, OH.... 489 km barely receivable but I could make out the PBS logo and I could only receive it in the direction of Ohio.

Today:
Ch 28 WFUM-TV (analogue) PBS from Flint, MI.... 422 km. I could make out the Michigan Public Television logo.
Ch 66 WSMH-TV (analogue) FOX66 from Flint, MI.... 457 km. I was watching Jerry Springer but it was fading in and out.

Also a new record for digital:
25-1, 25-2 on Ch 30 WEYI-HD, WEYI-S1 from Saginaw, MI... 430 km. I was fading in and out but was up to 5/10 bars at one point.

There might be a bit of tropo tonight for those in southern Ontario:
http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo.html