In databases everywhere, four DT channels have longitude/latitude information for Ottawa:

- CBOT-DT
- CBOFT-DT
- CFMT-DT
- CJMT-DT

Can we expect the last two to show up at some point? What's in HD on those (for those in TO)?

-gmd

This is incredible! I now get TWENTY-SIX digital channels!


Yet others in this same thread are happy to see three PBS channels, 'cause that's all we can get...

-gmd

I wrote a letter to CJOH on Friday and was very surprised to receive a responce about about an hour later. I replied to the responce and received a reply to that e-mail about 2 1/2 hours later. Very impressive in my mind!

Unfortunately that is about the only good news. :( It looks like CJOH won't go HD any time soon. I asked for a ball park timeframe and asked if it would "likely be ready in time for CTV's broadcast of the 2010 Olympics?" and I received the folowing responce:

...the funds for that type of upgrade would have to be approved at the Network Level. They would have to take that and every other local station's needs into consideration including the upcoming 2010 Olympics. The 2010 Olympics I am sure will be a driving force but I still can't say when as I am not a betting man.

Unfortunately that is about the only good news. :( It looks like CJOH won't go HD any time soon. I asked for a ball park timeframe and asked if it would "likely be ready in time for CTV's broadcast of the 2010 Olympics?" and I received the folowing responce:

What would it take them to broadcast 480p?

-gmd

It looks like CJOH won't go HD any time soon.What would it take them to broadcast 480p?DTV contains the possible capability to display all HD, ED, and SD formats (1080p down to 480i) depending on the programming available to the broadcaster and on other issues such as sub-channel usage, etc.

HD is just a subset of DTV and is not necessarily what the broadcaster might choose to use.

To avoid confusion when you are discussing OTA stations please use the terms DT or DTV and not HD.

At this point, I'd rather see DT stations come up, then wait forever for HD to be broadcasted on them.

Why, you may ask? I get WCFE Plattsburgh on channel 57. At best, it will not be crystal clear. Go to the DT channel (57-02 on channel 38), and it looks fine - always.

I was going to write that it looked great, but I reserve great for the HD stream on 57-01.

-gmd

The bonus with WWNY is that 7.1 is HD CBS and 7.2 is SD FOX.

I was just noticing this on WWNY's website and according to W9WI.com (http://www.w9wi.com/tvdb/states/ny.htm), WWNY-DT [35] is transmitting at 1000 kW (are they up to full power yet?) as compared to 316.0 kW for WWNY-TV [ 7]. Has anyone been able to pull this in from Ottawa? Are they always transmitting both CBS and FOX?

I've never picked it up with my Motorola.

BTW, I lost WCFE for about a week. It came back last night; are they doing something to the signal?

-gmd

Where abouts are you? WCFE seems a bit far away for me (about 175km), but if you were east of Ottawa it might be easier to get.

I'm right in Ottawa, East of St-Laurent. I hope to be East enough to get the Vermont stations when they go up. Otherwise, will have to wait 4 years until we move further East, on the countryside.

-gmd

I'm right in Ottawa,

Since amalgamation saying you are right in Ottawa doesn't mean much. You could be in Vars, Antrim or Burritts Rapids and still be in the city of Ottawa. ;)

East of St-Laurent.

Assuming you are only just east of St-Laurent, it looks like you are about 160km away. That is pretty good reception! What type of antenna do you have? Do you use a separate antenna for the local channels?

I hope to be East enough to get the Vermont stations when they go up. Otherwise, will have to wait 4 years until we move further East, on the countryside.

I am not sure if you will have much luck even when you move further east. I gather there is a mountain range between us and the towers in Vermont.

Since amalgamation saying you are right in Ottawa doesn't mean much. You could be in Vars, Antrim or Burritts Rapids and still be in the city of Ottawa. ;)

True.

Assuming you are only just east of St-Laurent, it looks like you are about 160km away. That is pretty good reception! What type of antenna do you have? Do you use a separate antenna for the local channels?



160 km sounds about right (last time I checked it was in the 90-95 mi). A Channel Master combo is what I use, same antenna used for local channels.



I am not sure if you will have much luck even when you move further east. I gather there is a mountain range between us and the towers in Vermont.

I grew up in Hawkesbury and there are no mountains between there and the towers in Vermont. But I won't be moving that far East as I will be staying within the Ottawa city limits, 800' from them to be precise!

-gmd

160 km sounds about right (last time I checked it was in the 90-95 mi). A Channel Master combo is what I use

Are you able to pick up WCFE-DT [38] or only WCFE-TV [57]? It looks like WCFE-DT is only transmitting at 100 kW, so if you are able to pick that up, you should easily be able to pick up WWNY-DT [35] if it is at full power (you are probably only a couple km further from it).

same antenna used for local channels.

Are you using a pre-amp? If so, aren't you worried about overpowering your tuner when pointing the antenna at local stations?

I grew up in Hawkesbury and there are no mountains between there and the towers in Vermont. But I won't be moving that far East as I will be staying within the Ottawa city limits, 800' from them to be precise!

Oh. I thought I had read about problems receiving Vermont stations, but I guess I must have been mistaken.

For the one in Ottawa who can't get Watertown, what type of antenna are you using and how high is the antenna from the ground? I thought it would be receivable from there. I got them with an indoor antenna in the car while in Prescott.

I think what the Ottawa people need to push for now is the opening of a full-powered Fox affiliate and a new NBC affiliate in the area. I don't get how a market can have CBC and ABC but no NBC.

Greetings!

I get two - or three depending how you count - DT stations. WCFE-DT (38) with 57-01 and 57-02, and WNPI-DT, with 18-01.

I was never worried about overpowering. What's considered dangerous?

I cannot get Watertown (DT) at all. As for getting it in your car while in Prescott, you'll also realize that while driving on Highway 416, South of the Rideau River, you'll get *way* more radio stations than North of it, as the elevation is not the same. Try listening to a Montreal or Bellville radio station.

In Kingston, you can listen to Ottawa radio stations all the time.
In Ottawa, you can listen to Kingston ration stations a few days every week.

Before people in Ottawa can push for an NBC, they need to know about the CBS station (and the FOX station which I've never seen). Cable doesn't even carry it.

-gmd

For the one in Ottawa who can't get Watertown, what type of antenna are you using and how high is the antenna from the ground?

I don’t' have a digital receiver, so I can't comment on DTV reception but with an omni-directional antenna in the attic (2 strikes against me I know) of my 2-story house WNPI is very weak (only sometimes watch able and only with the tuner in my Panasonic VCR) and I can't receive WWTI or WWNY at all. If I moved my antenna outside and/or switched to a directional antenna, my reception would almost definitely improve.

I thought it would be receivable from there. I got them with an indoor antenna in the car while in Prescott.

Which station(s) did you receive? WNPI is actually transmitted from Norwood, which is only about 60km from Prescott but about 120km from Ottawa. Watertown is a bit more than 100km from Prescott but more than 150km from Ottawa (170 to downtown).

I think what the Ottawa people need to push for now is the opening of a full-powered Fox affiliate and a new NBC affiliate in the area. I don't get how a market can have CBC and ABC but no NBC.

I agree it would be nice, but I don't think as Canadians we have much influence which American stations are broadcast. Even if we did, the problem is that Ottawa is considered deep fringe from Watertown and not very many people in Ottawa pick up the Watertown stations OTA.

I was never worried about overpowering. What's considered dangerous?

Well, I am not really an expert on this, but I have read on this forum that if you amplify a strong signal you can blow the input on your tuner.

I cannot get Watertown (DT) at all.

I am not surprised that you can't get any Watertown (DT) since they are all either low power (or in the case of WPBS, modulated such that they cover more to the south than north). Can you pick up WWTI [50] in analog?

As for WWNY-DT [35] Carthage, NY (just north of Watertown), I am not sure if it is broadcasting at full power yet. If it is, for you to pick it up, you would probably have to point your antenna a few degrees east of due south (or almost directly at the Manotick tower).

Can you pick up WWTI [50] in analog?


Not usually. I get WVNY [22] 5 fimes more often and much clearer.



As for WWNY-DT [35] Carthage, NY (just north of Watertown), I am not sure if it is broadcasting at full power yet. If it is, for you to pick it up, you would probably have to point your antenna a few degrees east of due south (or almost directly at the Manotick tower).

Manotick is sw of my place (I was *in* Manotick this morning)

-gmd

Not usually. I get WVNY [22] 5 fimes more often and much clearer.

Really? WVNY [22] is about 240km away! You must be in a really bad spot for picking up stuff from Watertown. I wonder if your reception will improve when you move?

Manotick is sw of my place (I was *in* Manotick this morning)

I guess it depends how far east you are of St. Laurent. ;) The Manotick tower is actually quite a bit east (and a bit south) of Manotick. I have all of the towers in the Ottawa Valley and some of the towers in upstate NY and western Quebec bookmarked in Google Earth. With your pre-amp, I guess it is possible that you get better reception when you don’t have the antenna pointed directly at the local towers.

Really? WVNY [22] is about 240km away! You must be in a really bad spot for picking up stuff from Watertown. I wonder if your reception will improve when you move?


I'll work on that. I won't need a red light on top of the tower, but it'll be a suggestion!



I guess it depends how far east you are of St. Laurent. ;) The Manotick tower is actually quite a bit east (and a bit south) of Manotick. I have all of the towers in the Ottawa Valley and some of the towers in upstate NY and western Quebec bookmarked in Google Earth. With your pre-amp, I guess it is possible that you get better reception when you don’t have the antenna pointed directly at the local towers.

I'm in Blackburn Hamlet. Manotick/Old Presott@Stagecoach is SW of my place.

-gmd