hi,
i bought an HDTV last week and i tried the rabbit ear antenna but no use, then i bough the RCA indoor antenna for $40 , i get only couple of channels that too not clear, i live in mississauga ( glen erin-derry) apartment building on 7'th floor , my apartment face's north, i'm desperately looking to get those free channels as i can't afford cable and for my kid to watch the tvokids, pls suggest a best solution for me, tks

That's a tough one. You've got nice height but you're facing the wrong way.

I'm famililar with the area (used to live in a building at Glen Erin and Aquitaine). If you have a balcony, as a test take your RCA indoor antenna and position it so it's pointing due east. If you don't have a balcony, stick the antenna out a window so it faces east. You should be able to get most of the Toronto stations (including TVO which is analog channel 19).

Good luck!

my brother is in brampton facing the wrong way north he gets no channels..
20 floors up ,to much steel i think. good luck

Hi All
I'm new to this site and here are my details and results:
My hardware is :
Antenna mounted on a 3 foot tripod,on roof peak about 20 feet off the ground.
I bought a Eaglestar pro model 53-6308. I installed it last night in the dark and cold, so aiming it was just by eye . I pointed one side to the CN tower and other to where I think is Grand Island .After deciding not to cheap out on a converter I visited "Save and Replay" today and purchased a Channel Master cm-7000. I have about 90 feet of RG-6U coax from antenna to cm-7000 .I is all connect to a 27" Apex TV :( .

Signal results right now at 10:15 PM .

02-1 WGRZ-HD 90%-94%
02-2 WGRZ-US 90%-94%
02-2 WGRZ-RT 90%-94%
04-1 WIVB-HD 100%
05-1 CBLT-DT 100%
07-1 WKBW-HD 100%
09-1 CFTO HD 100%
11-1 CHCH-DT 44%-48%
17-1 WNED-HD 100%
17-2 WNED-SD 100%
17-3 WNED -TH 100%
23-1 WNLO-HD 100%
25-1 CBLFT-D 100%
26-1 WNYB-SD 100%
26-2 WNYB-HD 100%
29-1 WUTV-HD 100%
29-2 WUTV-SD 100%
41-1 WIII-DT 100%
44-1 omni 2 100%
49-1 WNYO-HD 100%
49-2 WNYO-SD 100%
57-1 City HD 100%
64-1 omni 1 100%
66-1 CKXT-DT 100%

You're not too far from me actually!

What seems to be the problem? Are you happy with your reception?

Looks like you're getting everything solid.

You're only missing 36-1 (CITS-HD) from Hamilton, and CHCH seems to be alot weaker. It could be the decreased directionality of your 8-bay. Nothing big unless you're into religious stuff (you already have 26-1/2 TCT from Jamestown).

You're also missing 51-1,2,3,4 (WPXJ/ION from Batavia). No big loss on the programming side though. very hard to get for anyone in the west end of the GTA.

I have the 4bay version of your antenna and can get all the channels you specified plus weak-ish CTS no problem.

FYI, your going to get the same signal strength on subs as you will on the main channel... no reason to post strength reports for them ;-)

little-infinity Hi
Im happy with the results last night ,around 2:00 am I lost a few of the Buffalo channels ,signal just dropped right off . My plans tonight are to go back up on the roof and move everthing a little more west towards Hamilton .
alebowgm ,Hi Thanks for letting me know I'm new to this OTA stuff ,but have lots of Ham and CB experience from the 70's and enjoy playing up on the roof .I will report later after my reaiming .
Cheers .

I've got a modified CM4221HD installed in a attic and these are my results.


Channel | Affiliate | Signal |
-------------------------------------------
2.1 WGRZ NBC 5-6 /10
-------------------------------------------
4.1 WIVB CBS 5-6/10
-------------------------------------------
5.1 CBLT CBC 6-7/10
-------------------------------------------
7.1 WKBW ABC 8-9/10
-------------------------------------------
9.1 CFTO CTV 4-6/10
-------------------------------------------
11.1 CHCH 1-4/10
-------------------------------------------
17.1 WNED PBS 10/10
-------------------------------------------
23.1 WNLO CW 10/10
-------------------------------------------
25.1 CBLFT RC 1-2/10
-------------------------------------------
29.1 WUTV FOX 9-10/10
-------------------------------------------
41.1 CIII GLOBAL 2-4/10
-------------------------------------------
44.1 CJMT OMNI 3-6/10
-------------------------------------------
49.1 WNYO MyTV 3-6/10
-------------------------------------------
57.1 CITY CITYTV 2-4/10
-------------------------------------------
64.1 CFMT OMNI 3-4/10
-------------------------------------------
66.1 CKXT 3-5/10
-------------------------------------------



I am using a CM7777 with about 50 feet of RG6. Before the pre-amp the only Toronto station I got reliably was 44.1 and 9.1. My Toronto signals are very sensitive to outdoor weather conditions, this is especially true when it's windy. I'm hoping to fine tune a little, but am limited by the height in the attic.

I've gotten 26.1 in the past, but fine tuning for it would be at the detriment of the Toronto station. I would like to get WPXJ 51.1, but doubt I'll have any success.

I wouldn't bother with WPXJ 51.1-51.4, it's way beyond reach for us western GTAers. You might have some more luck in Scarborough or Oshawa, but here it's most likely tropo-only, and spring-fall. Which is not bad at all :)

On another note, recently my reception of WGRZ has been unacceptable. I know it's always been on the low side for me, I know it's a problem station for alot of us at this time, but I'm a stone's throw from the lake, and my antenna is 30feet high. I've usually been able to recieve this nodroputs despite the low strength in cold weather.

I can understand I don't have LOS to WGRZ, but WNYO is quite similar in the TVFool report, and I can recieve that perflectly (in fact it's one of my strongest stations, slightly better than WNLO!) I get every other channel fine minus ION. I don't know why WGRZ is being problematic...

Heck, I can even pick up 26-1 quite strong too. I have nothing blocking my antenna to the lake.

I find this very odd and inexplicable. My antenna should peak around RF30-40. I've heard reports of people in Milton using attic antennas could catch it no problem. Could something else be hampering with WGRZ?

(Again antenna is eaglestar cm4221 clone 30feet above ground aimed exactly halfway between Buffalo and Batavia)

TVFool Report: http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/9433/tvfoolreport.png

WGRZ always gets a little weaker in winter down from 100 to 92 steady no problems here in the attic.My tv fool gives me 16.8 db vs your 13.6.As you go north from the lake you gain height.I am at 700ft while you are much lower.I could only suggest you try a different tuner maybe strong 32 is affecting weak 33.A different antenna or try a preamp.Move the antenna to peak WGRZ in the winter.No LOS means a scatter or refraction which is very weather depentant.Ion is mostly gone now in winter but always returns in warm weather , -10db from tvfool.

Ahh thanks. I do have a preamp but it never helped with WGRZ. It's my strongest station during the summer.

It could be the fact that I have my 7777 about 30 feet from antenna (less ideal). I can't go up there right now though.

What surprises me actually is how can WNYO be booming if TVFool data shows it should actually be weaker than WGRZ?

WNYO is always 100% for me.My tvfool gives me LOS for wnyo and all others except ion,wgrz,wnyb.Tv fool not perfect.Does not consider buildings or trees on either end.Some of those hotels at niagara or buffalo could be in the path to WGRZ tower.

Is anyone receiving ION network reliably now that the weather is colder? If so, what is your antenna and preamp setup? Depending on the TV I get or don't. Viewsonics seem to be quite reliable, Sharp Aquos on the edge. I'm using a hacked CM4221 with CM7777 preamp and wondering if stacking a second CM4221 would boost my signal enough.

Stacking would give you about a 2.5 to 3dB boost in gain along the peak of the forward lobe so I'd guess that ION would lock in for you all the time after that.

I not getting ION very often at all.TV fool says -10db.All other buffalo area stations 100% except WGRZ down to 92%.TV fool says all others are 14db or better.Anyone in Northwest Mississauga getting it reliably then i may consider moving antenna up on roof in summer.TV fool map for ION WPXJ shows no signal beyond lower edge of Mississauga.

My artec tuner shows a strength of 20%, only 5% short of locking on. My Sharp TV probably has a more realistic meter, it only shows 15% (45 required for a lock).

WGRZ stable again for now. But still close to losing it. (48-50 on sharp, 33 on artec).

I might stand a chance at getting ION all-year if I stack + move the preamp to the antenna. Right now it's not 100% effective as it sits about 30 feet down the RG6.

Elevation will definitely help, but ION will probably return with warmer weather regardless of which :)

Anyone have any luck with CKVR 3 in southwest 'sauga? My TVFool shows NM of 7.9, which should make it recievable, but asides from a snowy picture with my 4221 clone in the summer, nothing. I be guessing I need a larger antenna?

Hey all,

Just tried receiving OTA TV for the first time ever today.

I decided that my first step would be to do try the cheapest, easiest experiement that I could. I.E. grab an inexpensive, easily available indoor antenna on my way home from work, with a discreet enough form factor that I could just set it near the TV (I know - terrible location...) and my wife wouldn't be unhappy with a "spaceship" in the main floor living room.

CANT1400 RCA antenna from the Source on sale for $20, connected to my Viewsonic with ATSC tuner, ran the autoscan once. As close to zero effort as you can get.

For reference: here's my TVFool report:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3db32bda3162f0d7

And the results of my first scan:

Chan. Callsign Affiliate A/D quality
5-1 CBLT-DT CBC HD digital awesome
23-1 WNLOHD CW23 digital awesome
36-1 CITS-DT Crsrds digital awesome
41-1 CIII-DT GlblHD digital awesome
9-1 CFTO-DT CTV HD digital awesome
57-1 CITY-DT City Tv digital awesome
64-1 OMNI-1 Om1HD digital choppy, dropouts
11-1 CHCH-DT CHCH digital choppy, dropouts
17-1 WNEDHD PBS digital choppy, dropouts
17-2 WNEDSD PBS digital choppy, dropouts
17-3 WNEDTH ThkBrt digital choppy, dropouts
66-1 CKXT-DT SunHD digital choppy, dropouts
57 City City Tv analog good
19 ? TVO? analog watchable - not great
25 CBFL CBCFr analog watchable - not great
36 ? CTS-HD analog watchable - not great
41 ? Global analog watchable - not great
47 CFMT Omni analog watchable - not great
52 ? Sun analog watchable - not great
9 ? CTV analog blurry
11 CHCH CHCH analog blurry
5 CBLT-DT CBC analog snowy

My reception of CKVR is poor do to interference patterns ,moving lines and some snow.This using old VHF antenna in attic aligned toward Barrie.Hopeing digital 10 will come better when they switch to digital

rob50312, do you think I'd have more luck with a channel-cut dipole antenna in my basement? Or should I just pick a cheap VHF yagi and try my luck?

Great start rcammoore. I'd definitely add more height. According to TVFool you're cutting off alot of channels due to obstructions. Here's a list of channels you might/should be able to recieve just to put into perspective.

Digital
2.1 WGRZ-HD (NBC) Buffalo South
2.2 WGRZ-US (NBC/Universal Sports) Buffalo South
2.3 WGRZ-RT (NBC/Retro TV) Buffalo South
4.1 WIVB-HD (CBS) Buffalo South (And you can watch the superbowl in HD for free!)
5.1 CBLT-DT (CBC) Toronto CN
7.1 WKBW-DT (ABC) Buffalo South
9.1 CFTO-DT (CTV) Toronto CN
11.1 CHCH-DT (IND) Hamilton
17.1 WNED-HD (PBS) Buffalo Grand Island
17.2 WNED-SD (PBS SD) Buffalo Grand Island
17.3 WNED-TH (PBS ThinkBright) Buffalo Grand Island
23.1 WNLO-DT (CW) Buffalo Grand Island
25.1 CBLFT-DT (CBC Radio-Canada) Toronto CN
26.1 WNYB-SD (TCT) Jamestown
26.2 WNYB-HD (TCT HD) Jamestown
29.1 WUTV-HD (FOX) Buffalo Grand Island
29.2 WUTV-SD (FOX SD) Buffalo Grand Island
36.1 CITS-HD (CTS) Hamilton
41.1 CIII-DT (Global) Toronto CN
44.1 CJMT-DT (OMNI.2) Toronto CN
49.1 WNYO-DT (MyTV) Buffalo South
49.2 WNYO-SD (MyTV SD) Buffalo South
57.1 CITY-HD (CityTV) Toronto CN
64.1 CFMT-DT (OMNI.1) Toronto First Canadian Place
66.1 CKXT-DT (SunTV) Toronto CN

Depending on the weather you can get these ones possibly.
51.1 WPXJ (ION) Batavia
51.2 WPXJ (qubo) Batavia
51.3 WPXJ (IONLife) Batavia
51.4 WPXJ (Worship) Batavia

These are also possible when atmospheric conditions (DXing) are present, usually in the summer.

8.1 WROC (CBS) Rochester
10.1 WHEC (NBC) Rochester
12.1 WICU (NBC) Erie
31.1 WUHF (FOX) Rochester
54.1 WQLN (PBS) Erie
And a few more Rochester/Erie stations I'm too tired to list.

For Analog

5 CBLT
9 CFTO
11 CHCH
15 WNYB (low-power repeater)
19 CICA/TVO
25 CBLFT
36 CITS
41 CIII/Global
45 CKXT (Hamilton repeater)
47 CFMT
52 CKXT
57 CITY
69 CJMT