If the two antennas point in different directions, then it is almost always best to NOT combine them, as doing so will likely result in worse reception than not doing so.

Although true, if the two antennas are quite directional and are pointing in substantially different directions the results can be fine, especially if the signals are strong to begin with.

Instead, run separate coax down from each antenna, and use an A-B switch to select between them according to the station of interest.

Or use a computer/PVR with separate tuners dedicated to each antenna

Another option is to use one antenna that has a wide beam width and and find a direction to aim it that picks up signals from both towers. This works well if the towers are in close to the same direction, but not so well if they are far apart.

Trial and error is necessary for all these options and you need to find the one that is best for you.

Just an Update on the antenna i bought from Monoprice dot com. the Antenna was 23$ and I live in the outaouais region. I was able to get all DTV channels avail to me in the area, Even get the 3 stations from the Plattsburg area.

Just though i would tell you guys that you don't need the huge antenna on the roof, mine is extremely small and can be installed anywhere inside or outside.

Mine is on the roof.

doboy: what's the model..

I would link it but im thinking thats not allowed. its just called HDTV Indoor / Outdoor Antenna. It manufactured my monoprice

There's only 3 antennas for sale at monoprice and this one is the white one, that sells for 23.40. there out of stock till 15 of april though

.. I live in the outaouais region. I was able to get all DTV channels avail to me in the area, Even get the 3 stations from the Plattsburg area.

Yes, the elevations on the north side of the river have much better reception possibilities than (especially) the south side where most of us live.

What, me envious? :)

I have a SBGH (UHF band mostly) already.

Because Ottawa has good channels in VHF-lo (Global channel 6) and VHF-hi (channel 13 / 11)

The rest are UHF channels and can be picked up by the SBGH.

Is it easier to couple a VHF antenna with the SBGH to get all channels clearly?

Or try for the SBGH with NARODS to get VHF-hi ?

Interference?

A downshifted SBGH, coupled with a decent VHF/UHF pre-amp, can bring in all of the local stations quite clearly. With the possible exception of Global (6), which is difficult at times even with a dedicated VHF antenna.

So try the SBGH first, and see how well it does, before worrying or fussing about alternatives.

Cheers

Which is the best indoor antenna to use in Ottawa? I'm looking at the Terk.

Wooo Hooo!!!! That's great news!!!

Do they show anything "good" on those channels?

EDIT (add): For a while I remember getting channel 18 analogue, but it was far to snowy to watch. I guess that it is good news in that if I could get the analogue reception with a relatively bad setup then that means that the tower is "close enough" to receive a signal, and with a signal boost as well as it being digital then there is hope for us here in Ottawa! I guess we'll see in a month what actual results are.
Hi, I haven't posted in a while, but I have been receiving WNPI-DT since it went on the air (and was the first person to email their station engineer to confirm reception). Only CBOT-DT comes in stronger than WNPI-DT for me (I'm in Stittsville). Does anyone in Ottawa who receives WNPI analog have any trouble receiving their digital signal? I have a home-made replica of a Radioshack Hoverman in the attic with a Radioshack mast-mount preamp (i.e. not the sexiest setup by any measure) and have never been remotely close to losing signal from WNPI-DT.

DaveM, I just recently bought a cheap digital converter from the USA and scanned the available channels. All I can get are the CBC and Sun stations from Camp Fortune. I have the omni directional disc antenna on a short pole on the roof. I can get PBS analog but it is snowy at best. I live in Glen Cairn and always had problems with CBC being ghosted. Now the station comes in crystal clear so we only have to follow one puck on Saturday nights :)

DaveM, In your original post (before it was split) you only mention that you can receive CBOT-DT and WNPI-DT. Are you not able to receive SunTV?

I have been thinking of doing this for a long time, and just pulled the plug. What I was thinking of doing was ordering a Square Shooter and pointing it at Camp Fortune. I posted in this forum back in Feb, and included my TVFool map :

http://www.mediafire.com/file/jid222ywkmm/Radar-All.JPG

One of the responses suggested I look into an omnidirectional antenna instead of a square shooter. I had a look at the antenna guide, but have a few questions :

I don't want to have to buy 2 Square Shooters, so a better solution would be one which could receive both the northern and southern stations at once. Does anyone know if I can mount a Delhi VU either 932,3,or 4 on the side of a house, near the top of the second-story roof? I actually have no idea how to mount an antenna, but I am sure I could fire some screws into a side-mounted one. If it had to go on the roof..........

Secondly, according to the antenna chart, the Delhi is my top rated best bet, it seems. But I also read on this forum that they no longer make consumer antennas, so I might have trouble finding one. Does anyone know where I can get one in Ottawa, or since they are no longer made, should I go to the second choice (Channel Master 5646) ?

Third. My TV (Samsung Plasma PN50A530) has an integrated ATSC tuner (actually, it has an ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM tuner). I assume I won't need an external tuner in that case in order to get the best picture?


Thanks,
FF.

Hi There,

I just got into all this DIY DTV stuff in the last couple of weeks and I've already given up on Bell ExpressVu. Living in the Smiths Falls area, I'm able to catch on a good day CBS-HD Watertown NY, FOX in Watertown, ABC- HD, lots PBS in HD & SD, CBC-HD Toronto & Ottawa, Sun HD & SD, and CBC French in HD. I'm hoping to catch NBC HD outside of Syracuse. There's a repeater that's about 133 miles from where we are. With my current crude & rude 8 Bay {soon to be 2 DBGH's point SW (Watertown, U.S.A) and SE (Toronto/Kingston)}, I receive signals up to 100 miles away on a clear day!!

Its a lot of fun and my 8 year old son helped bend the 16 elements (14" V's).

I read a lot on the do's and don'ts in the digitalhome.ca pages. I'm just going to mount the 2 DBGH's 3 ft. apart facing SW & SE with a UHF combiner pre-amp mounted on the tower (ChannelMaster 7700 perhaps).

Proper grounding will be a simple ground wire running alongside the co-ax, then clamped to a copper rod that will be hammered into the earth.

Wish me luck and feel to to give me some advice. I'm still catching up on my antenna theory which I haven't touched since college some 20 years ago!!

Cheers,
rajugsw

Thanks Stampeder. I'll keep in mind my local next time.

Cheers,

I'm still catching up on my antenna theory which I haven't touched since college some 20 years ago!I know that feeling well! :D Once you've looked around the OTA Forum some more you'll probably find that the discussions in the Antenna Research & Development Forum (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=186) sure help to shake out those cobwebs! There's also a GH build photo contest that you might want to enter.

Hey all,

I'm close to Luskville. I'm definitely up on a hill, but still close to the 148.

I'm quite willing to put up a 50 foot tower, and spend about $2k on such toys if I can get Watertown or Platsburg, or both.

Has anyone experimented with any of this, in this area? I've heard with the elevation here, that reception is quite good.

Frankly, I'm not doing this to save money, but to screw over the cable company. I really, really hate them. The only thing I care about on cable is The Comedy channel, and to get that one channel, I must pay at least $48.

I also hate their lack of broadcasting HDTV over cable. Absurd. Forcing consumers to pay for a digital box, just so they can sell cable on demand, is another annoyance.

Anyhow, enough of the hate. :) Any ideas on Plattsburg or Watertown from my location?

Thanks

I'm close to Luskville. I'm definitely up on a hill, but still close to the 148.

I'm quite willing to put up a 50 foot tower, and spend about $2k on such toys if I can get Watertown or Platsburg, or both.

Has anyone experimented with any of this, in this area? I've heard with the elevation here, that reception is quite good.

Use the TVFool website at: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=90

Put "Luskville, QC" as the city, and you should be able to position the resulting icon exactly where you want it. I played around a bit, and while reception in Aylmer south of Cook is very good, around Luskville, it's pretty iffy unless you're on Mountain Road.
If TVFool predicts a noise margin less than -10 dB, it's worth a try for WWNY (Watertown CBS), WNPI (Norwood PBS), or WCFE (Plattsburgh PBS).

Just a warning -- the Canadian data includes lots of stations that are not yet (or may never be) on the air. The only digital stations in Ottawa right now are CBC, SRC, and SunTV. OMNI1, OMNI2, and CITY TV are expected this year, and that's it until 2011.

You may get the Ottawa stations with a good indoor antenna, but you'll need a tower for the American stations, if it's even possible from your location. (You may not have line of sight to Camp Fortune -- if so, an indoor antenna may not be good enough for CBC/SRC/SunTV but an outdoor antenna should be fine.
You probably have line of sight to Herberts Corners near Manotick Station, so the OMNIs and CITY will probably work with an indoor antenna.)

PM me if you need help with TVfool.

TVl

Hmm, neat tool. Thanks.

I'm actually on the same plateau as that mountain road. The map shows a 100m elevation area, I'm on it (and the map's right, everywhere is down from here ;) That's the same elevation that the mountain road is, on the base of the hills.

Anyhow, weird thing. With a 10ft antenna, it shows:

WWNY-DT 7 (7.1) CBS 105.8 2Edge -14.9

with 20:

WWNY-DT 7 (7.1) CBS 105.8 2Edge -7.9

with 30:

WWNY-DT 7 (7.1) CBS 105.8 2Edge -9.0

with 40:

WWNY-DT 7 (7.1) CBS 105.8 2Edge -9.7

with 60:

WWNY-DT 7 (7.1) CBS 105.8 2Edge -10.4

with 500:

WWNY-DT 7 (7.1) CBS 105.8 2Edge -5.4

Why on earth would 20 feet be better than 30?! Something seems wrong with this algorithm, to me. That is, I can certainly see how going higher will get over an obstruction, but why would 10 extra feed show a drop above?!

Put "Luskville, QC" as the city, and you should be able to position the resulting icon exactly where you want it. I played around a bit, and while reception in Aylmer south of Cook is very good, around Luskville, it's pretty iffy unless you're on Mountain Road.

Btw, how on earth did you enter Luskville, QC. I only see US states there...

I had to use coordinates. Did you set your country to Canada, somewhere, and have a stored cookie?

Btw, how on earth did you enter Luskville, QC. I only see US states there...

In the City field type "Luskville, QC" and leave the state field blank (it is not mandatory).