Are you able to pull in CKWS-TV on 36 at all?

When I manually add 36, there is something there, although very snowy (the results previously posted are from the tuner's channel find function). Tonight I would rank 4 as the best "snowy" channel (watchable), followed by 36 then 6 (barely watchable). This tells me with some tweaking I should be able do something about these.

roger1818, do you have a post number with your results and setup (I have to admit I started reading this thread from around page 75), I'm curious how we compare.

I'm less than 5 miles away from one of these transmitters so i'm hoping to be able to pick something up as well.

My DBGH 10 w NAROD's hasn't moved since September when I put it up. CBS & FOX SD in Watertown are gone and so is 66.1. ABC HD & CW SD are ALWAYS ON 100% of the time. Could it be due to the cold weather because with all the snow currently blowing out there right now, ABC is still 100% on.

Looks like I'll need a real VHF only antenna combined with my DBGH or get some more height via a real TV Antenna Tower (next year??)
:(:)

I don't think it would help you at all. Anything gained from putting the reflector back on would be lost in reflections combining the signals together. As for VHF, it is the double width reflector of the 4228 that gives resonalbe VHF-HI reception. Not sure if the 4221 reflector will help much there.

Thanks roger1818 - I think then I'll just play around with home-made VHF antennas and see if I can get better results for VHF than with the 4221 - and if so, filter out the VHF from the 4221 (Even a folded dipole up on the mast might be enough). I'm trying to avoid a rotator.

Maybe a faint hope. WNPI is almost directly behind HC, so that could be trouble, but a high gain antenna might be able to receive WCFE. You would need a dedicated line for it and either switch it in or give it its own tuner on an HTPC. Even then you may not receive it reliably.

Maybe a project for the future then - home made DBGH or channel cut yagi. mlord inspired me with his workshop a couple of weeks ago!

Thanks roger1818 - I think then I'll just play around with home-made VHF antennas and see if I can get better results for VHF than with the 4221 - and if so, filter out the VHF from the 4221 (Even a folded dipole up on the mast might be enough). I'm trying to avoid a rotator.

A folded dipole tuned for channel 12 or 13 should receive analog 9, 11, and 13 well. For analog 4 and 6 you would likely need a separate antenna. The signal could be combined with your 4221 using a UVSJ or a pre-amp with separate VHF and UHF inputs. If you also build a VHF-LO antenna, it could be combined with the HI antenna using an HLSJ.

Maybe a project for the future then - home made DBGH or channel cut yagi. mlord inspired me with his workshop a couple of weeks ago!

Sounds like a good plan.

roger1818, do you have a post number with your results and setup (I have to admit I started reading this thread from around page 75), I'm curious how we compare.

My DTV results are in post #1303 (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1017105#post1017105). As for my analog results, I will have to look for them. I suspect they may be in the predecessor to this thread.

I just bought a CM4221HD, modified it (without cutting the reflector) and put it up in my attic. After some adjustments I was able to get the following, pointing the antenna at CF.

Digital:
CBC 4.1 100%
CBC french 9.1 100%
Sun 20.1, 20.2 90-100%
Omni 1 27.1 30-40%
Omni 2 66.1 50%

Analog:
14 - watchable
24 - very clear
30 - very clear
34 - very clear
40 - clear
43 - watchable
65 - watchable

I may mount the CM on my roof this summer and see if I can get any US channels, but if I'm able to get Omni 1 and 2, I'm pretty happy.

Hello,

I am new to this and have been trying to read as much as possible.

Can anyone help me out with deciding what type of antenna to buy. I would prefer something with an easy setup and not too bulky. I know indoor antennas don't work as well as outdoors.

Thanks

not sure what your priorities are but you might get solid omni's if you point at HC and pick up CF off the back of the antenna. Is there a non-desctructive way to remove those reflectors?

Is there a non-desctructive way to remove those reflectors?

The reflector of a CM 4221HD can easily be removed. Just unscrew the two wing bolts that screw into the bowtie section.

not sure what your priorities are but you might get solid omni's if you point at HC and pick up CF off the back of the antenna. Is there a non-desctructive way to remove those reflectors?
Thanks for the suggestion Ralph. I did try taking the reflectors off, but when I pointed at HC I couldn't get anything. The only way to get OMNI 1 was to point away from HC and it was only at 20-30%. CTV did come in more clear, however there was no hint of OMNI2. The only time I got something pointing at HC was when I took the antenna out to my back porch (with reflectors on). I got OMNI 2 at 30% but no OMNI 1. Wierd, maybe something is blocking my LOS and I'm picking up a signal bounce. I can get CBC and Sun no matter where I point the antenna.

The best situation so far is with reflectors on, pointing at CF (my results in original post). The OMNI's are stable. I'm hoping to track down a uvsj to join my rabbit ears to the 4221 and see if I can get CTV better. That thing is impossible to find. I'll probably just buy a splitter at The Source and see how that goes.

That thing is impossible to find. I'll probably just buy a splitter at The Source and see how that goes.



Not sure what the isolation specs are on this one (http://www.thesource.ca/estore/product.aspx?language=en-CA&product=1501296&category=Hookup%2fPatch+Cables&catalog=Online&tab=1#more), but it might be better for you than a straight broadband splitter.

I'm hoping to track down a uvsj to join my rabbit ears to the 4221 and see if I can get CTV better. That thing is impossible to find.

As mlord says in the Splitters, Attenuators, Filters, Diplexers, Other Signal Gear (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=999137#post999137) thread you can get the UVSJ from Active Surplus in Toronto for cheap.

As mlord says in the Splitters, Attenuators, Filters, Diplexers, Other Signal Gear (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=999137#post999137) thread you can get the UVSJ from Active Surplus in Toronto for cheap.
Thanks Roger1818. I saw that post, unfortunately I won't be going to Toronto any time soon and it doesn't look like they deliver. I'll try what tvlurker recommended. Good thing about The Source is that you can return it if it doesn't work.

Just wondering if this is possible..

I have an HD4221 Antenna with a pre-amp installed in the attic.

In Kanata, I have 4.1, 9.1, 20.1,20.2, 27.1 and used to have 66.1!

I have my media centre record the simpsons, and I noticed that the last episode recorded was on the 25th of Dec or so, I found out I no longer have 66.1 working (OMNI 2), zero strength! I thought maybe int he new year they move frequency but I Didn't find anything about that.

So, all other channels are perfect signal, the setup has not been touched since a I installed it in the fall! So why would it just disappaear!

That only reason I tought off is that snow accumulating this winder on the roof of my house cause have killed this channel?? IS that possible??

IF so, I Guess I have to go up their again and try to fix it, what is the best direction that I should point my antenna to get all the channels I listed plus 66.1 and maybe anymore if possible?

or can you explain the loss of channel any other way?

Thanks,

re: UBSJs.. Thanks Roger1818. I saw that post, unfortunately I won't be going to Toronto any time soon and it doesn't look like they deliver.
I have a stockpile of UVSJs from there, here at my antenna farm in Bells Corners. Cost ya a Twoonie apiece. ;)

Cheers

Greetings everyone, I'm fairly new to this whole OTA thing (family is tired of handing money over to Robbers month after month) and we finally made the transition to HDTV. We live out in Kanata where I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to have anything on your roof so having an outdoor aerial is not an option. We've also never been into our attic in all the years we've live in this house so I'm not even sure how plausible it would be to get up there.

I'm curious to know if anyone has an indoor setup or one of those small (wireless AP style) outdoors mounted (I'm assuming it's gotta point north/northwest to catch most of the signals) outside or inside for that matter. I'd like to be able to catch CityTV, OMNI1 and 2, CityTV and Global for local SD stations (as CBC HD comes in pretty clear already).

I've tried one of those $20 RCA flat panels but didn't have too much luck (I'm guessing because it didn't have an amp on it).

Suggestions?

surreal:

I am in Kanata. Just tried the TERK Hdtv antenna from The Source.

I get HD
4.1
9.1
20.1
27.1
66.1 (sometimes)

I may try making my own SBGH.

cheers

I"m In front of the experimental farm, I have my antenna pointed north, and I live in a house. I just built my first and really only antenna, i've ever had.

It works great gives me

CBC
SUN TV
OMNI2
French CBC

all in HD. What I don't understand is why the standard or regular non digital channels still look bad, I have read the FAQS and have tried searching for a few hours, but Can't seem to get too much info, my antenns is the coathanger one seen on youtube, thanks for any comments

i believe I read in the faq that an antenna is an antenna as in it will receive digital and analogue signal equally, so basically am I just screwed unless i Get this thing from the attic to the roof, would adding a reflector help, should I use cardboard covered in tinfoil or the metal mesh ones I've seen

Don't omni1 and omni2 broadcast off the same tower? if you get one shouldn't you get the other, I have omni1 but no omni2,

We live out in Kanata where I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to have anything on your roof so having an outdoor aerial is not an option.

It is true Kanata used to have a bylaw that prohibited outdoor antennas, but since amalgamation I believe the bylaws have been harmonized so they should be permitted now. Double check with city hall to be safe though. If the developer put a restrictive covenant on your neighborhood it would be a different story however.