tvlurker;
You are right there are no digital stations in Manitoba. I misread a post and assumed it was digital and not analog. There is hope for Winnipeg though, 18th of this month KNRR is supposed to start transmitting from Minot which is just outside the Canada border . . . . . sadly at 4kW only. I am building an antenna just for that station at channel 12. My build will be a yagi for 210Mhz.

KNRR is supposed to start transmitting from Minot
I think you mean Pembina, not Minot.

KNRR is up and transmitting in digital. I am in the west end of Winnipeg. I see a signal quality of 54%. This is considered a marginal level by the people who make the receiver (hdhomerun) and sure enough I get dropouts at a rate of 2-4 per minute. It is fairly watchable. The antenna is a 10 element yagi cut for channel 12 at around 25 feet (8m). I am presently using some preamp bought from Radio Shack. Common internet wisdom led me to order a Channel Master 7778. I'll update my report when it gets here.

The actual SD only video quality is simply awful at the moment. They seem to be using something that deinterlaces an analog signal by skipping every second line. The result is quite "cheap webcam". Things only get better when they do their local news from the studio. I suspect (hope?) that more work will be done in the future. The snowy analog KNRR was actually better.

Ignore the comment about the crummy deinterlace from KNRR. That was on my end. So the thing I wait for is some kind of HD. Rumor has it that it could be a while...

So are you saying you ar getting KNRR Pembina? Chould you post a picture of your antenna and did you make it yourself? I am in the NE of Wpg, have been waiting to test anything.

Joe

As per request, here is a image of the antenna I am using;
http://59.ca/~bwalzer/ch12.jpg
These are a familiar sight to those who live in Manitoba. There was once a time when a lot of people were keen to receive KCND on channel 12 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KCND-TV). They are still found on the occasional roof (usually with a bit of rotted twin lead). I suspect that there are a lot of these still to be found on the rafters of garages and could be obtained for the trouble of asking.

I have seen signal quality ranging from 48% (unusable) to 62% so far from KNRR here in the west end of Winnipeg. When it is good and the signal source is from the network the quality is excellent (speaking in SD terms). I still see a glitch from time to time even at the best signal quality seen. I now suspect impulse noise as previously experienced with the analog signal. The variation of signal quality was pretty much par for the course for the previous analog version. You still can see dual phased high gain channel 12 antennas on houses around Winnipeg on 30 foot pop up masts so i am guessing that there have always been bad days for this particular signal. Reliable reception of KCND was a big selling point for the earliest cable system in Winnipeg...

bwalzer, is it just me, or are you missing a director near the front of the antenna? The spacing between them seems odd.

tvlurker;
Yes it is Pembina and not Minot! For some reason I keep thinking Minot.

I have my antenna assembled. Now only putting it on the roof and trying it out remains. I hope KNRR boost their power and add sub-channels but I guess they need $$$$$ for that. Maybe by spreading the word that KNRR is up will generate some advertising dollars for them and that would get the ball rolling since the other stations don't seem interested. I read somewhere that they are not transmitting in HD yet any news on that?

how can you put an antenna on a grain bin, run the cable to and into a house and keep it under 30 m. in length

According to this FCC map ...
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/images/callsigns/KNRR.gif
KNRR is authorized to transmit at 28.7 kW @ height of 413 m.
Is this info still accurate?

Is this info still accurate?

No, it has been superseded by http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?state=&call=knrr&arn=&city=&chan=&cha2=69&serv=&type=0&facid=&list=0&dist=&dlat2=&mlat2=&slat2=&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&size=9.
Under FCC rules, though, they still retain the right to apply for 28 kW later on, should they wish too.

OK, so is it true that KNRR is back up and people are getting the signal in Winnipeg. Here in Southern Manitoba (about 16 miles from the border) I am getting nothing on channel 12. :confused::confused::confused:

I am about 35 miles North-East of Pembina, used to get the analog signal just fine with roof mounted antenna and amplifier. Now I get nothing on Channel 12. Digital capable tv and everything.....

The FCC database still shows KNRR as being in Construction Permit mode:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?state=&call=knrr&arn=&city=&chan=&cha2=69&serv=&type=0&facid=&list=1&dist=&dlat2=&mlat2=&slat2=&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&size=9

Is it possible they've been up and down and you've just missed them, or are they always operational now?

Also there is currently a lot of dissatisfaction amongst U.S. TV broadcasters who elected to stay in the VHF-HI band for their digital channels. The formula used by the authorities to calculate best ERP (Effective Radiated Power) levels for VHF-HI channels (like KNRR's channel12) seems to be yielding levels that are too low for acceptable coverage of the former analogue contours.

Unfortunately there is nothing that Canadians can do to get involved in that review process down there, but if anyone is in contact with KNRR about their signal please read through that ERP formula discussion in this thread beforehand so that you can knowledgeably ask them if they are/will be joining the protests:

U.S. DTV News & Discussion (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=86141)

Still doesn't make sense that folks in Winnipeg are getting the signal and I get squat down by the border.........:confused::confused:

have you rescanned it, or are you just turning to channel 12. what kind of TV is it anyways? It has an ATSC tuner in it?

Yes, a scan of digital channels reveals no digital channels. I am picking up all the analog signals from Winnipeg. Its is a digital capable TV. Actually, I have tried it on 2 diffferent TVs and both scans reveal no digital channels. Very stange. :confused::confused:

you may simply need a pre-amp or stronger rooftop setup.

are there any obstructions nearby, like barns, silos, or other houses? those can block signals. Other things to worry about are high-tension power lines. Those can interfere with signals (both analog and digital). 35 miles should put you within KNRR-DT's Grade-A coverage, so i don't understand why you have problems picking it up.

Please tell us what brand/model of TV's you have used. Not that I don't believe its not digital capable, but I just want to know if it could be something peculiar with regards to your televisions. I can't think of any other obvious reason you're not picking up any digital channels.

Its a Sanyo DP26648. I have a rooftop antenna and a channel master pre-amp. I used to be able to pick-up the analog signal with rabbit ears. I am picking up all analog signals out of Winnipeg, Channels 3, 6, 7, 9, 13, 50 and 59. Zilch on 12 and a channel scan says it can detect no digital signal.

TV Fool says I am 43.8 miles from the tower. I can't imagine there is anything that would block the signal, especially if people in Winnipeg are picking it up.

Can you post your TVFool results?