Well, just thought I'd report that I FINALLY was able to pickup Global HD!!! For some reason it never occurred to me to tune to the channel manually instead I just kept doing the auto channel search. By manually tunning to channel 11.1, I was able to enter the signal strength menu and wandered around my living room twisting and turning the antenna until I could get some signal. I was able to peak at 46% standing infront of my window with the antenna about 5.5ft in the air, in a horizontal position with the longest side facing west. (I live in Lakeview BTW). So it's not really a position where I can conveniently place the antenna and watch TV but at least I know there's something out there.

I'm gonna wait until CBC and CTV go digital and see what my indoor reception is like for those channels before I go outside to permanently mount (as that's probably the only spot to reliably receive Global and I'm guessing I'll still have to tweak the orientation of the antenna even outside.

Well, I'm convinced it's something at the tower. I'm able to pick up CTV's Moose Jaw repeater when conditions are right, and that's 70Km from here.

I suspect we'll know more in a week, but they could be sending out a lower than normal signal for a reason.

Here are my thoughts on the difficulties folks are having picking up CFRE channel 11:

I read earlier in the thread that perhaps the antenna is rotated 180 (installed backwards) on the tower from back in the STV days. The pattern in the CRTC application and on rabbitears is directional to the south so if this were indeed true, at 180 degrees rotated, the antenna wouldn't cover the south well.

Everyone seems to be having trouble picking up VHF DTV at longer distances.

And finally ... channels 10 and 11 are most susceptible to interference from high-powered FM radio. I haven't looked into it but I'm sure Regina has lots of FM stations closer than the Disley Global transmitter. If anyone has access to an FM trap (passive or in a pre-amp) or HLSJ (which separates channels 6 and below from 7 and up), I would suggest they try to insert it in their setup and see if it helps. Maybe someone in Regina needs to start selling passive FM traps.

There are in fact 2 fm radio transmitters on the same tower in Disley. Golden West radio from Moose Jaw leases tower space from Global. CILG-FM is 100.7 and CJAW-FM is on 103.9. I believe that both of these Golden West stations are full power at 100,000 watts.

@countrymanners

The TVFool for Piney shows:

TVFool for Piney MB (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d9e74c966af3628)

It looks to me that things will not really change for you after the transition unless you are somehow able to receive CKY on 7. You will still have a strong CBC NE on channel 29 and the 5 digital stations SW from Roseau, MN.

If you were to aim a UHF antenna at Roseau you would likely be able to get CBC off the back and the 5 US stations off the front. You don't even have to wait until the end of the month... :)
Thank you for the info. As of yet, we have not put our antenna on a tower - it simply sits outside leaning against the house. We only pick up CBC. We hope to put a tower up within the next few weeks (before winter) and then perhaps we will pick other signals. My understanding is that once everything goes digital, we will either have reception or we will not and that once a signal is picked up, any further tweaking of the antenna will be futile. Is this true? Also, will our picture improve once CBC goes digital?

Well, it looks like I have either a bad amp or a bad coax. Awesome reception, bumped the cable, it went away. Just as well I'm waiting for all three stations before permanently mounting the darn thing. I think it's the amp, so I'm off to the amp section to find a gooder.

Countrymanners, your CBC station will not be going digital -- it will stay analog and be the same as today. The digital Rosseau stations will not be changing, either.
Have you scanned for them?

The only thing that will change is perhaps CKY on channel 7, but for that, you'll need a VHF antenna, and you'll need to do a new digital scan. What kind of digital tuner do you have?

Hello TVlurker,

With things moving to digital in Canada in two weeks will I need a VHF antenna or will my CM4228 do?
Is CBC going digital in SE Manitoba (Piney area)?

We recently purchased a flat screen TV - will we need a conversion box?

Thanks!

The only thing that will change is perhaps CKY on channel 7, but for that, you'll need a VHF antenna, and you'll need to do a new digital scan. What kind of digital tuner do you have?No, I have not tried to pick up anything except CBC. We will be putting the antenna on a tower within the next two weeks so I should be able to pick up some other stations. Digital tuner - what is this?

Countrymanners, from your post here two years ago I see you have a Toshiba 27AFX54. While the Toshiba website has no manual for that model, similar models 27AFX55 and 27AFX56 only have NTSC (analog broadcast) tuners, but not an ATSC (digital broadcast) tuner.

To receive the Rosseau (PBS/ABC/NBC/CBS/FOX) stations or CTV Winnipeg on channel 7, you would need to buy a "Digital TV converter" box, usually available for 50 to 80 dollars at places like The Source or Canadian Tire.

Given that you don't currently get channel 7 in analog, I would not expect you to be able to get in digital next week, either. Your antenna is a fringe UHF antenna that works for VHF stations like channel 7 only when they are nearby. You are not that close to the channel 7 transmitter, so a dedicated VHF antenna would be required. You need to decide if getting the Olympics next year is worth it.

The important news is that you should be able to continue to watch your local CBC analog transmitter on your existing TV for a few more years. CBC claims that their analog distribution will be at "end-of-life" in a few years, and so they may shutdown their analog tranmistters at that time. Given that you find one channel distracting enough, you probably don't need to do anything!

Countrymanners, I don't know what channel you currently receive CBC on, but Winnipeg will be switching to digital in one week. However, you seem to be just a bit outside of the digital footprint for CBC-HD winnipeg (english and french). CBC might still have some analogue rebroadcast towers to cover that part of the province so you might be able to pick up CBC on analogue, at least for another year.

You may be able to pick up CTV, but you'd need a VHF antenna mounted pretty high and it probably won't be reliable.

Global is already digital and I don't think you'll be able to pick it up.

You're in a pretty unlucky spot for digital reception for Canadian channels. I think you have your work cut out for you. However you can certainly get some of the american channels.

Countrymanners picks up analog CBC on CBWT-3 channel 29 in Piney. MB.

We will be putting the antenna on a tower within the next two weeks so I should be able to pick up some other stations.
there will not be any other stations to get next week.

The only other analog stations you could get next week would be other CBC analog repeaters. If the weather is right, you might get a snowy signal from TVOntario on channel 44.

The only other stations would be the digital ones from Rosseau, or other American stations with the same programming as the Rosseau stations.

Hey countrymanners, When the weather conditions are right(like they have been for the past month) I pick up cbc from piney easily here in Morden, and I don't even have my GH pointed in that direction. CKND comes in most of the time as well. Try building yourself a GH and give it a try, it's a beauty at pulling in fringe signals. Point it towards Warroad and you should pick up 42,46, 48, 50 and 52, all digital.

Ps I've crushed gravel out in piney area. You don't happen to know a Highways Department guy named Laverne, or Louie, do you?

Point it towards Warroad and you should pick up 42,46, 48, 50 and 52, all digital.

Countrymanners doesn't have a digital tuner, so he won't get the Rosseau digital translators on 42, 46, 48, 50, and 52.

Hi guys and gals.

Somewhat of a complete newbie to OTA and looking at putting together a system and turfing my dish. A couple of questions:

I'm in Niverville and looking at the TVFool range/signal map, it looks like I can pull in all local channels, including FOX Pembina with an attic mounted antenna. I've got a two story house and I'm thinking of putting the antenna in the second story attic with a mid to long range antenna. Any one else with a similar setup or in the same general area? What antenna would you recommend.

Will I need a rotor to get all the proposed channels, as well as KNRR Fox Pembina? There is about a 70 to 80 degree difference between CBWT-DT and KNRR. Is a Rotor only required when looking at transmitters 180 degrees in the opposite direction?

Are multi-directional antenna's any good? Are they a good option for my circumstances?

Sorry about the newbie questions -just looking for a place to start

I'm in a situation where all of my UHF channels are within ten degrees and are at most 21 miles (34 km) away. I'm looking at a UHF antenna (like a Channel Master 4221) that will be fixed in one direction for these. Then I have three VHF-HI channels, the closest is 6 miles away and the farthest is 45 miles away, separated by almost 100 degrees.

Would the C5 as a multidirectional antenna work on these three VHF-HI channels, or would I have to go with a directional antenna and a rotator?

Whitefish,

Post your exact address TVFool plot and we'll take a look at it. Without some data to look at, all anyone can do is guess - and that isn't worth much.

look like i'll be not watch cbc hd till they activate their digital signal


as of September there will be ony 4 digital stations in winnipeg to watch


CKY-DT channel 7-1
CKND DT channel 9-1
CHMI DT channel 13-1
CIIT DT Channel 35-1
and 2 Analog Stations
Channel 3 CBWFT-TV
Channel 6 CBWT-TV

thanks ProjectSHO89, I'm in Niverville Manitoba. Here it is:

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x342/whitefishy/Radar-Digital2.png

I talked to Antennas Direct today. Staff were very helpful, pulling up my location in TVFool and considering my circumstances. The tech I spoke to felt that I should get all channels with the C5, except possibly KNRR (Fox Pembina). He suggested that a seperate UHF antenna would not be required as the C5 has a maximum UHF range of 35 miles. He recommended pointing in a WNW direction.

I'm interested in your suggestions.

I did some reading - I may be able to get away with a large multi-directional antenna like the C5.