Currently I don't get ch2 at all, though would like to.
2 is the same as 6, so if you can get 6, you won't need it.

Got 4 digital so don't care re analog (same with the Sun 20.x). Would like to get 6, 11, 13, 14, 24, 43, 60, 65 clearly (did I miss any?). Of course there probably are other channels, like south of the border, and if possible I'd add them to the list.


You'll need a simple VHF yagi for 6, 13 pointed to Camp Fortune, if you're lucky, the same antenna may pick up 11 from Herberts Corners.

The same antenna you use for CBC digital will work for TVO on 24.
A UHF antenna pointed to Herberts Corners will pick up 14/32/43/60/65 analog and 27/66 digital(next spring). Depending on where you are in Kanata, the same UHF antenna may get you WNPI and/or WCFE.

The Kingston CKWS repeater on ch. 36 is south west of you in Franktown, but that may not be worth devoting an antenna to, since you can watch CBC digital, and you can get Letterman locally on OMNI. Depending on your antenna, you'll probably get a snowy picture off the backside of your east-facing antennas.

Any other stations (like the low power stations in Massena (20 is impossible because of SunTV, Fox 28 is less than a kW, so it's pretty hard to get), or Watertown stations) will be a hit-or-miss affair, without a massive investment in arrays of antennas.
Down the road, the PBS stations will be increasing power slightly. Fox 28 in Massena will eventually convert to digital, but whether it will get 15kW like its Watertown sister is anyone's guess. That will still be a long shot in Kanata.

I'm willing to build an antenna(s), but unfortunately they all have to be indoors. I have a few ideas that I'm contemplating. I built the antenna off youtube (8 bowties on a 3' wood stick) which worked beautifully 6 months ago (gave it to my mom), and am now building myself another one. After that I will build more antennas, adopting this as a new hobby (I tend to like these kinds of things as hobbies).

You should be fine with attic mounted DIY antennas for the local stations, and possibly even for CKWS. Check out the antenna design threads in the Antenna R&D section of this site.

Also KanataEye have you seen the shopping list of Ottawa stations:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=95758

TVlurker, you are awesome! I just want you to know that I am grateful for your time to respond to my posts (and hopefully others will benefit from your wisdom too). I can already see that you are a valuable member to this forum.

I guess that I'll try a wire yagi for those channels (anther weekend project). I'll probably build two UHF bowtie arrays at nearly 90 degree angles to each other to point one to camp fortune & the other towards manotic... hopefully without reflectors they might accidentally catch others south & west of here. I'll probably just gang the 3 antennas together and see how that goes.

I guess I'm off to google plans on how to build a yagi out of coat hangers. Question: To catch both of those channels should the yagi be built based on the average frequency of those two channels (between them)?

Yes he certainly is! :)

KanataEye, I have to ask if you are familiar with the whole DHC site, because you don't need to go and google anything about OTA at all when we have everything you need here.

This is the layout of where the OTA Forum portion of this site exists, amongst the many other forums here:
Digital Home (http://www.digitalhome.ca/)

Digital Forum (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/index.php)

Canadian Television (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=3)

Over The Air (OTA) Digital Television (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=81)

OTA Reception Results (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=129) <- You Are Here
Antenna Research & Development (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=186) <- Home of the Gray-Hoverman Antenna

Holy Cow Stampeder!!! Do you own stocks in this website or something??? With over 10,000 posts you are obviously an important contributor here.

Yes, I've been exploring this site, and will be delving more into it; it is certainly the best resource I've found online, and the only forum I've joined on this subject.

I'll be researching the yagi a lot over the next little while, mining through this site for sure, but will check out what else I stumble upon. Most roads do seem to lead back to Rome (aka this site), and thus my stumblings often terminate here anyhow.

I don't own stock, but Hugh pays me several thousand (fictional) dollars a month. :D

You'll need a simple VHF yagi for 6, 13 pointed to Camp Fortune, if you're lucky, the same antenna may pick up 11 from Herberts Corners.

Ok, so here is the question... would one yagi catch both of those channels? I thought 13 was broadcast from near baseline & merivale rd. Would the yagi be built to be in the middle of these two channel's frequencies (thus tune the yagi for say frequency of channel 9)?

I've looked around but don't see a forum for yagi building (am I blind or is there not one?). I would make my first attempt out of coat hanger wire for speed of testing before committing to something better (if even needed).

In Post #504 click on the link I gave to Antenna Research & Development and you'll find great info on DIY antenna projects.

So I just finished building my second antenna (identical to the first one I made, but gave away) and hooked it up. Digital channels all of them come in. Some analogs are very clear, some bad, but those that are bad improve when I reorient the antenna another direction. Furthermore it is snowing outside right now so that might lower the quality some.

I know that this is a UHF antenna so am not surprised that 6 & 11 are bad, but I really want to get these improved.

My next experiment will be to make a smaller version of this antenna, but make two of them joined together, though angled differently (one pointed @ camp fortune, the other @ herbert's corner). Will post how this works out.

When I get a clear starry night I'll check to see if I can pick up an US channels, though tonight is bad weather.

I thought 13 was broadcast from near baseline & merivale rd.

By the way, stampeder, this is why I put the transmitter locations in my original Ottawa OTA list -- to short circuit misconceptions like this.

Channel 13's transmitter is at the Ryan Tower at Camp Fortune, along with 4,6,9,24,30,34,and 40 analog and 20(Sun),22(SRC),25(CBC) digital. Most FM stations are there, too, except for a few stations on buildings in Hull or downtown Ottawa, and CHRI from the Rogers Tower in Herberts Corners.

The TV stations broadcasting from the Rogers Tower are 11, 14, 32, 43, 60, 65 analog. Next spring, add 27 and 66 digital for the two OMNIs.

AFAIK, the tower at CJOH's studio building is used for ENG, (electronic news gathering), STL (Studio Transmitter Links) and VHF 2-way Radio. Perhaps there is a backup antenna for channel 13 there. The Ryan Tower was only built in the mid sixties, so CJOH had to be somewhere else from 1961. I read somewhere on the web that the original transmitter was on Hazeldean Road in Kanata, but I'm not sure.

TVl

Ok, so here is the question... would one yagi catch both of those channels?

mlord in Bells Corners says yes. It probably really depends on local sources of multipath (tall buildings, etc) so "your mileage may vary"(YMMV).

If you only have slight multi-path on analog, I wouldn't worry too much, as current digital tuners can deal with a certain evel of multipath. Down the road, when 11 and 13 falsh cut to digital, and Global moves from 6 to 12, you'll probably get them all (and whoever lucks into channel 9 at the top of the ryan tower) just fine with one VHF-Hi antenna


TVl

Channel 13's transmitter is at the Ryan Tower at Camp Fortune, along with 4,6,9,24,30,34,and 40 analog and 20(Sun),22(SRC),25(CBC) digital. Most FM stations are there, too, except for a few stations on buildings in Hull or downtown Ottawa, and CHRI from the Rogers Tower in Herberts Corners.

The TV stations broadcasting from the Rogers Tower are 11, 14, 32, 43, 60, 65 analog. Next spring, add 27 and 66 digital for the two OMNIs.

I thought that Sun (20) was at Rogers tower.

That explains why some of my channels are nearly perfect, and some are mostly dung. All the channel numbers you listed from camp fortune come in very good. All the ones I've been having issues with are the rogers tower ones (and 36 from smith falls could be better too). I guess that once I get an antenna pointed at manotic then they should all be good. I'll make a second antenna, mount reflectors to both backs, and aim the antennas at both main towers. Hopefully this will improve results dramatically. I'll post my results once this project is complete.

BTW, thanks again for the great replies!

Well, I've read through all 34 pages of this thread and am ready to install a "proper" OTA setup. Just to give a little background info, I've been an OTA user for many years using a set-top, amplified RCA antenna (rabbit ears and UHF loop) for occasional news and TV watching (analog only). I've recently moved into my new house and now have a Sharp Aquos LCD TV mounted on the wall. Using the RCA antenna sitting on the floor, I can get all the local digital channels without much problem. However, leaving the antenna on the floor is not an option. Since my TV is mounted on a "false" wall in a corner, I have room to slip the antenna behind the TV. Doing this means I now have no chance of receiving the digital channels. (understandable since my exterior walls are concrete). Here are the channels I can pickup with the antenna stuck in the wall.

4 good (before putting antenna behind the wall the picture was as good as digital)
4.1 33% no picture
6 fair
9 fair
9.1 42% noisy picture
11 barely visible, no sound
13 fair
14 fair
20.1 0%
20.2 0%
24 good
30 good
32 barely visible, no sound
34 fair
40 fair
43 poor with sound
60 barely visible, no sound
65 barely visible, no sound

Although I didn't spend much time playing with the antenna before putting it in the wall, I believe I could get most channels to a "fair" state with the antenna sitting on the floor. My neighborhood is built on a slope and my house is on the highest point. From my roof I can clearly see the eastern part of Ottawa. (I’m curious about my true elevation so I’ll try to get my hands on a GPS) I’m pretty sure the tower in Herberts Corner truly is line of sight, however the Camp Fortune tower is through trees (so close, 5 mi, I don’t think it matters, does it?). Now I don't want to use a rotator or have an enormous antenna on my roof. Seeing as reception seems to be pretty good, I was leaning towards getting a Winegard MS 2000 (or MS 2002 since I already have an RG6 going to the attic). The antenna will have the advantage of being 25 ft higher and being outside. Reviews of this antenna seem positive however it is not on Stampeder's antenna chart and I've never seen anyone recommend it. Why is that? The two local towers are 136 degrees apart so my only other option is two antennas or a rotator. As for the PBS stations, I guess I'd need a CM4228 but I don't think I'll bother. From what I’ve read here, the other US channels are out of the question for a reliable set and forget installation. The MS 2002 isn’t very expensive and because of it’s size, shouldn’t be expensive to ship (does anyone know where I can get it). All other antennas are more expensive and harder to ship. What do you people think? One last thing, the MS 2002 has a built-in VHF 15.5dB and UHF 19.5dB amplifier. Since the CF tower is so close, will I overload my TV tuner? If so, would I be better off with a MS-1000 (same but without amplifier) or a Winegard Square Shooter pointed at the Herberts Corner tower?

Sorry for the long post but I figure the more info I supply the better you will be able to help me. I've included the TVfool results for my location.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d3912f93395

By the way, stampeder, this is why I put the transmitter locations in my original Ottawa OTA list -- to short circuit misconceptions like this.I've added the following caveat to each of the station lists in the main OTA Forum:

Important note: although stations may be listed as broadcasting from the same city, their locations may be quite far apart, possibly requiring re-aim.

Welcome here Muus, and thank you for a very informative first post - also you're in the east end of Hull?

The results from TVfool didn't come through. Yeah, I'm in north/east Hull near the Alonzo-Wright bridge, coordinates: 45.479347, -75.751950

Do you see the link at the bottom of your first post to your TVFool chart? New members cannot post images so I approved the link instead.

Yah, thanks.

As for the PBS stations, I guess I'd need a CM4228 but I don't think I'll bother. From what I’ve read here, the other US channels are out of the question for a reliable set and forget installation.

Because of your elevation, you're probably in a better position than most in the west end of Ottawa. I wouldn't give up on PBS, but yes, you would need a SGBH or DBGH or some other high gain antenna. A complicating factor is that because of your proximity to Camp Fortune, you probably don't want to use a preamp. This loses you a few dB of noise margin, since most tuners have a noise figure of at least 5dB, while good preamps are around 2 dB, and exotic preamps are 0.4 dB.
Since the CF tower is so close, will I overload my TV tuner?

Probably. You need to add up the powers for all the Camp Fortune stations to see if they would overload a preamp. The calculation isn't simple, but my back of the envelope calculation has you at -5 dBm total for the Camp Fortune analog TV stations, and that's not even including all the FM stations.

I suspect that a DIY antenna in the attic will do you fine for all the local channels. You may want to try a reflectorless UHF antenna to pick up CF and HC at the same time.
Note that if you're only interested in digital stations from Camp Fotrune, then a UHF (say, a SGBH) antenna pointed towards Herberts Corners will get you all the english commercial stations, and you'd get CBC , SRC, and SunTV perfectly in digital off the back side of your antenna. The CF analog stations may have ghosting.

I can't mount outdoors.

Why not? The old bylaw has been overturned since amalgamation. Is it the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor)?