Timbo, what channel is the Bikini Destinations at?

Watch for Bikini Destinations on 66-1 Sun TV.
One of the only HD shows that I've seen on this channel. On very rarely.
?? sometimes @ 11:30 pm Saturdays ??

Kneedfree tv PBS on 43-1 and The CW on 23-1 are both fairly high powered signals out of Grand Island NY. Try to get your best signal from that direction and see if you can pick up WUTV FOX 29-1(14-1) or WNLO MyTV 34-1(49-1) both also in the same area.

There was a Hawaiian Tropic showcase in HD on SunTV over the weekend-around suppertime on Saturday. It was quite a program:o
Bikini Destinations is listed as airing 11:30 Saturday nights on their website...

Correct Yaamon,26-1 is TBN. Haven't spent much time with their programming yet but if SUNTV ever has a bikini marathon, it is good to know that help for recovery is available

electrocutioner, i'm using my other antenna, an omni-directional, and getting 4-1 (no sound though :( ), 5-1, 9-1, 23-1, 25-1, 43-1, 43-2, 43-3, 57-1, 66-1. 43-1 is about 40% - 45%, but PQ is good.

Cannot pull in 29-1 at all. Missed the season premiere of 24. Still missing 2-1, 7-1, 29-1, 49-1.

Electrocutioner, isn't the cm4228 powerful enough to pick those channels that are located in buffalo? would adding an amplifier enable me to pick those channels in buffalo? all i'm concern about is the digital channels.

kneedfreetv, just look through this thread for your answer to that question. Another thing you could do is click on the "Search This Thread" header at the upper right and put in "4228" to see a ton of info.

I have 2 antennas, an omni and 4228.

channels received from omni... and since it's omni, that's all I'm going to receive
4-1
5-1
7-1 (if tuned properly, height wise or at night)
9-1
23-1
25-1
43-1... (approx. 45%, pq is good)
57-1
66-1

channels received from 4228
5-1
9-1
23-1
25-1
43-1 (approx. 30%, no picture)
57-1
66-1

Now my question is if omni can pick up 4-1, which is approx. 85 miles from me, why can't I pick-up grand island channels which is only 65 miles away? When I try to aim the 4228 towards 43-1/Grand Island, I can't pick it up at all. Is an amplifier or pre-amp required? Can I physically adjust the 4228, ie. move the mesh or probes, to tune to those freq?

The CM4228's parts need to be left as they are - don't bend or change anything!

A Channel Master 7777 or 7778 preamp will be fine for what you need.

You'll notice that I snipped out your mention of supposed "ranges" provided by antenna manufacturers. We do not pay any attention to those here at DHC because they rarely match reality. Have you downloaded the antenna chart?

I would think the 4228 should be better than your omni. Are you sure its working OK? and are you aiming it right? I thought i'd seen others from brampton getting better results.

I've heard that the 4228 sometimes comes damaged from shipping. The mesh on mine was bent, it was too close to the bowties, so i straightend it out before i ever hooked it up. Then when i got it up it was easy to see that some of the bowties weren't quite right and fixed that too.

Amplifiers are made to compensate for line loss, or distribution. You can't amplifiy a signal that's not there to begin with. All it does is make the strong signal too high and add noise to the low power ones.
I was quite disappointed with my results after adding the amp.

How long is your cable? I used RG-11 instead of 6, i think it helped a bit.

Stampeder, no I haven't downloaded the antenna chart. where can I download it? It does look like I'm gonna go that way.

I have another question or more info to think about. My LG has an atsc tuner built-in, the Sony doesn't. I connected the 4228 to the Sony it is picking up Fox 29 analog, it's not clear but I can understand what is going on and see the picture. I connect the same antenna to LG and nothing, not even analog. Cable run is 20' longer to the LG, from the Sony.

Tom F1, as far as I know, the 4228 should be better than the Omni. As for the result, I've seen some posting here in Brampton that are very good. Is the antenna working? I think so, after all, I am picking some channels. In analog mode in Sony, I'm getting 5, 9, 11, 17, 19, 23, 25, 29, 36(cts), 41, 47, 57, 69. The cable run is about 70' from distribution to the tv and about 75'-90' from antenna to distribution. It is pointed in the right direction, even used Google Earth and a compass to find exactly where to point the darn thing.

My other question is right now, the antenna is sitting on a 10' pole that is only about 2.5' above the eavestrough. Should I change it to 20' pole and have it above the roof line? I don't want to install it on the roof, "boss" is afraid of a leak in the roof.

kneedfreetv as you stated that from your antenna to distribution is 75'-90' and then another 70' to the tv.

What type of distribution booster are you currently using ?

Having close to 90' of cable from the antenna to the distribution is alot of cable and surely you are losing precious signal.

If you can I would add a preamp and remove that cable line if you have a indoor distribution and have the cable run directly to that tv.

Another thing is height you might have to go higher to get the Buffalo channels. At your current height is the view its pointing towards Buffalo clear or is it being blocked by other roof tops? How will you secure a total of 20'?

Kneedfreetv,
the antenna chart is here:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=37629
Your digital results may not match exactly your analog results. Even though a much lower power is needed for digital reception, Canadian stations are currently broadcast on much lower power than their analog counterparts. In GTA all are under 40Kw I believe vs U.S. stations that typically push out 100's of Kw and a few are even over 1000 Kw.
A higher pole will only help your reception. However, mounting a 20' pole so that it is stable might be tricky.

20' - does that need guy wires???

Ahh, the long cable run explains it. You need a preamp, better cable would help.

I don't know about a 20 ft pole, would have to be pretty solid and maybe guy wires, but Yes, definately get that thing up above the roof line.
And the treeline. Higher is always better.

(I have mounted wall mounts with 20 ft poles, but they were 2-1/2" pipe and the mount went through the brick with a plate inside the wall.)

As for the cable length, I've shortened it, instead of going to my "distribution area", I've cut where the cables all meet, ie. cables to bedrooms and antenna from the roof.

Yaamon, ain't really using any distribution booster. For sure now that I'm gonna have to go higher, but I've got one problem, not allowed to touch the roof. The view of Buffalo is somewhat blocked. Cable run has been cut and still not getting Grand Island, only choice is to go higher. I think I'm gonna have to go for a tower, since putting a 2.5"-20' pole attached to the side of the wall with guy wire to the roof is impossible/unacceptable, according to the "boss". If going higher still doesn't work going with pre-amp, before tower.

told the "boss" about the missing channels, her reply was "aren't you happy with what you are getting?" of course not, still a few more channels available that I can get without paying.

told the "boss" about the missing channels, her reply was "aren't you happy with what you are getting?":D mrs. stampeder stopped asking me that years ago... :D

kneedfreetv a tower setup cost a fair bit of $$. The tower comes in section close to 9'.6-8". So you will need at least two plus the top section for a 30' height.

How high is your current setup would you need a 40' tower to clear. Sure the boss would prefer roof install to the 30-40' tower at the side or rear of your house?

A few questions how long is your current cable since you shortened it ? Is your antenna pointed close to 150' via a compass ?

When you say blocked would you be able to post a few pictures of how your antenna is mounted and the view it looking at ?

Sure the boss wont prefer roof install to the tower at the side or rear of your house?

A few questions how long is your current cable since you shortened it ? Is your antenna pointed close to 150' via a compass ?

I think if I tell her that tower will cost $$$ and the look, she will agree with me on installing on the roof :)
I would say the right now it's about 40'-50', from antenna to the basement, then another 50' from basement to the bedroom. Is that still too long of a run? The antenna is close to 150 degrees.



When you say blocked would you be able to post a few pictures of how your antenna is mounted and the view it looking at ?

I will do that too tomorrow.

kneedfreetv at that distance antenna to basement 50' you can try the cheap indoor amp there. No more than 10db gain and see if that helps.

At 100' you lost roughly 5.75db of signal. This is too much loss for stable and proper reception from the Buffalo stations.

150' is good direction.

At 100' a antenna preamp is what you need. A lowered power preamp like the Winegard AP4700 at 19db is more than enough.

Just got a 37'' LG LCD, and I'm able to lock on to everything perfectly, with a great signal, except for the Christian channel in Buffalo, which I don't care about.

I noticed the LG locks onto things perfectly even if the signal is around 35% (and it rarely is!), which is a relief!

So in my room, with my HDTV Wonder and my 20.1 inch, 16:10 ratio Viewsonic LCD, I can pick up everything relatively easy, except NBC is quite weak, and in the living room, it's strong. Also, in my bedroom, MyTVBuffalo is impossible to get.

Love my living room setup, and I'm fine with my bedroom setup, just wish these damn aluminum walls would allow me to get NBC easier in my bedroom. :)

Erin Mills/Eglinton area Mississauga - 6th Floor

Bought a cheap Phillips antenna and picked up the following straight away.

4-1 WIVB
5-1 CBLT
7-1 WKBW
7-2
9-1 CFTO
23-1 WNLO
43-1 WNED
43-2
43-3
57-1 CITY
66-1 Sun

Will borrow a Silver Sensor to see if I can pick up more but pretty happy with these for now.