Having that UFO on the top of the mast is what is causing the swaying, so is it absolutely needed up there? If you can take it down you can move the DB-8 up nice and high, which will definitely show an improvement in your reception.

Stacking another DB-8 will get you between 2 and 3dB more signal but your tripod might not be robust-enough. As others have done, you could string some guy wires from each corner of the roof to the top of the mast just below the raised DB-8 and it will be very solid.

Is there any way of utilizing the bowtie antenna you have up there at the top of the mast. I drove by and had a look and I think you just need some elevation. If I see you out there I'll stop and have a chat with you. Since it's a single pole mast, you may need guy lines on it, or put up a massive tripod.

Maybe we'll chat.

Cheers gin

Is there any way of utilizing the bowtie antenna you have up there at the top of the mast. I drove by and had a look and I think you just need some elevation. If I see you out there I'll stop and have a chat with you. Since it's a single pole mast, you may need guy lines on it, or put up a massive tripod.

Maybe we'll chat.

Cheers gin
Hey Gin, thanks for rollin' by :)

I did have it higher up there once, but the mast swayed way too much due to all the top-weight, so I would have to have guy lines for that, which I wanted to avoid because it's enough of an eyesore already, lol.

My main TV is a 58" Maxent from Costco, but it's nuilt-in ATSC tuner is fine, but it completely lacks a signal meter, which isn't helping me fine-tune my signal. My next attempt when I have some free time, is to use my ATSC converter box I use on the upstairs analog TV, which does have a signal meter. I'm going to take it up there with an extension cord and a small TV so I can optimize its direction. I'll start with the UFO antenna by itself, then the DB-8, and this way I know they are BOTH pointed in the best direction. I'll post the results here when that is finally done :)

Hello,

I have an Electronic Master ANT-2024 HD Attenna, and an Electronic Master DTV5000HD receiver.

I've aimed the antenna south east and have troubles getting regular digital channels. The antenna is not on the roof, but is mounted on a tripod roughly the same level as the second story of the house.

Here are my results.

5.1 67%
9-1 50%
25-1 44%
44-1 53%
57-1 37%
64-1 44%


It seems (to me) that my receiver is only receiving HD channels. The info of the above channels say that they are being broadcasted in HD. I have none that are broadcasted in SD.

Do i really need to mount the antenna on the roof to start receiving regular digital channels? I figure that if i receive some HD channels, i should receive some that are in SD.

Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Eurogx, from your location you should really be getting a lot more channels and stronger signals. I've even put my CM4228 indoor on the main floor and get better signals than what you've listed (both SD and HD)... Maybe there's a lot of interference (trees, neighbouring houses?) around the antenna? Or very long cables between the antenna and TV? or equipment problem?

I figure that if i receive some HD channels, i should receive some that are in SD.
All of the stations that broadcast digitally in GTA/Buffalo are capable of HD and SD. It depends on the content they are displaying and if they have any subchannels. None of the GTA stations carry subchannels, so if they choose to air HD content you will see it as HD, and if they choose to air content in SD, you will see it in SD without any interaction on your part. Your tuner will do this for you automatically.

What you are really wondering is why you are not receiving any distant digital channels, or possibly analogue channels.

For Buffalo and some of the GTA digital stations you might have to increase your height, directional aim (azimuth), increase the gain of your antenna, amplify your signal, upgrade your cabling if it is RG59, or a combination of the above. That's just a start,.... it can get addictive :).

If you are wondering about analogue stations, the Buffalo stations have stopped regular broadcasts in analogue. GTA stations are still broadcasting, however your tuner must be set to receive analogue if it is capable (not all are).

See the OTA FAQ & Knowledge Base (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=41102) for more info.

cheers.

Eurogx,
your tuner is digital only. Says so on the box. DTV5000hd
Notice the DTV in the name?

Digital tuner is what you need. The only station in the area that is not yet DTV yet is TVO 19.

You have most of the toronto stations. I sugest your aim is off, or you need more height or a real antenna.
I tried to search for your 2024 and couldn't find it. The 2084 is a really cheap bad clone of the CM 4221.

This is my first post, and I'm new to OTA, so be gentle. ;)

I'm looking to get all the digital channels that I can. Here's my TV Fool results (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d8ecd977cb8605b), and I'd be interested in building an antenna if could work well for me.

I assume that getting the Toronto stations would be easy with the right setup. It would be *awesome* if I could get the Buffalo stations too, although I gather from reading the site it might be difficult.

I've read a lot of the site so far including the Antenna Chart and OTA FAQ, but I'm still confused which GH antenna would be best for my situation. What do the experts recommend?

I had a CM 4221HD installed on my roof. I'm getting quite a few channels, but I'm finding that quite a few of them are < 60%. For the majority of the channels I receive, the picture breaks up too much to watch.

here's a list of what I get and the signal strength:

14 - 66%
18 - 48%
20 - 99%
23 - 68%
24 - 61%
26 - 36%
32 - 92%
33 - 46%
35 - 36%
38 - 72%
39 - 79%
40 - 80%
43 - 83%
44 - 77%
49 - 92%
53 - 56%
64 - 80%
65 - 45%
66 - 50%

I'm thinking that a pre-amp would be the best bet to improve my signal, but I don't want to go back up on the roof.

Should I get a preamp and run it at the bottom of the antenna cable? (about 40ft) Or, should I get a amplifier?

Anyone have any suggestions?

I use a pre-amp in my attic setup right off of the feed with a short jumper to it and I get good consistency on all available channels except WNYB, and even ION comes in 100% of the time with good signal strength.

Should I get a preamp and run it at the bottom of the antenna cable? (about 40ft) Or, should I get a amplifier?

The answer is ... it depends. Each situation is unique, so it's hard to answer without a bit more info. Are you running into a single tv or splitting the signal? How long is the cable run after the 40ft drop from the antenna?

If you are running into a single tv, then you need to reduce signal losses through the entire run, so putting the amp after the 40ft run down from the roof is less than ideal because you have already lost signal strength. You would really want the pre-amp within a few feet of the antenna.

If you are splitting the signal and feeding multiple tvs then a distribution amp can overcome the loss at the splitter and any of the runs downstream to the tvs, so it may help out without having to get back on the roof.

I've read a lot of the site so far including the Antenna Chart and OTA FAQ, but I'm still confused which GH antenna would be best for my situation.

I build the wideband GH on Jed's site. It's at the bottom of this page:http://www.jedsoft.org/fun/antennas/dtv/gh.html

The reason I build the wideband is because there are some Toronto stations still trasmitting in up in the 60's until the end of August 2011. Most of the other GH designs have been optimized to drop off ch52 and above, since in the states these channels have already disappeared. If you want all the TO stations you need the wideband for the next couple of years. I plan on building a GH10 once all of the TO stations move to their permanent channels, which will all be below ch52.

Hey guys,

I live on Bathurst just south of Bloomington Road (Oak Ridges).

I went out Saturday and bought a Channel Master 4221 and Channel Master Amplifier splitter...WOW!

I have it set up in my attic...here's what I get, (too lazy to get the signal strength..sorry):

2-1 NBC
2-2 NBC
2-3 NBC
4-1 CBS
5-1 CBC
7-1 ABC
9-1 CTV
11-1 CHCH
17-1 WNED
17-2 WNED
17-3 WNED
21-1 WXXI-HD
21-2 WXXI-W
21-3 WXXI-C
23-1 WNLO
25-1 CBC French
26-1 WNYB-SD
26-1 WNYB-HD
29-1 WUTV
29-2 WUTV-SD
31-1 WUHF
41-1 Global
44-1 OMNI2
49-1 WNYO-HD
49-2 WNYO-SD
51-1 ION
51-2 qubo
51-3 IONLife
51-4 Worship
57-1 CityTV
64-1 OMNI1
66-1 CKXT SunTV

Is there anything missing from the list that I could be getting if I mounted a 4228 on my roof??

I'm surprised you didn't pick up WROC . WUHF and WXXI will only work during the warmer weather. You won't get them in the winter. You may find WNYB intermittent as well.

Awe SNAP!

I build the wideband GH on Jed's site. It's at the bottom of this page:http://www.jedsoft.org/fun/antennas/dtv/gh.html

The reason I build the wideband is because there are some Toronto stations still trasmitting in up in the 60's until the end of August 2011. Most of the other GH designs have been optimized to drop off ch52 and above, since in the states these channels have already disappeared. If you want all the TO stations you need the wideband for the next couple of years. I plan on building a GH10 once all of the TO stations move to their permanent channels, which will all be below ch52.

Thanks for the recommendation; I was so intent on getting US stations I focused on the GH10 and forgot about the T.O. stations that are still broadcasting above its design frequencies.

I'll try the wideband GH and see where I get with the US stations. If I get no joy I might still try the GH 10.

The answer is ... it depends. Each situation is unique, so it's hard to answer without a bit more info. Are you running into a single tv or splitting the signal? How long is the cable run after the 40ft drop from the antenna?

If you are running into a single tv, then you need to reduce signal losses through the entire run, so putting the amp after the 40ft run down from the roof is less than ideal because you have already lost signal strength. You would really want the pre-amp within a few feet of the antenna.

If you are splitting the signal and feeding multiple tvs then a distribution amp can overcome the loss at the splitter and any of the runs downstream to the tvs, so it may help out without having to get back on the roof.
I'm going to do a single split into an HDHomerun. so, antenna -> ~40ft RG6 -> splitter -> 2x 6" RG6 -> HDHomerun.

The values I posted before are without splitting the signal. I'm afraid to see what happens when I split it.

I'm thinking my best option is to go up on the roof and put in the preamp. (or hire someone to do it for me).

Guess the next question is, which preamp? CM7777?

Guess the next question is, which preamp? CM7777?

That's what I have and I'm very happy with it. The noise margin is nice and low, which is very important. If you haven't already looked at it, there's a pre-amp comparison chart you can look at in the first post of this thread: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=42426

salc75, those are amazing results for in the attic. Do you have a rotor or are you re-aiming the antenna to get all those channels? The has been nice tropo the past few nights, so as thenewdc mentioned, you will likely loose the Rochester stations.

@ddDave

I popped a screw and hung the antenna. then went down to do a scan..