And yes, the Lacrosse is optimized for UHF but also receives VHF with a decent signal - it certainly did before Sep 1st both on 11.1 and 9.1.


"11.1" and "9.1" are virtual channels. The actual signals themselves were both on UHF channels prior to the digital transition; 18 and 40 respectively. They are now on channels 11 and 9 VHF respectively. A low gain UHF Lacrosse would understandably have difficulty pulling in these VHF stations.

Finally getting CKVR from my attic. I had to build a K6STI 5-element yagi to do it. The secret is to get it as high up in the attic as possible. I'm running it into a Leviton vhf/uhf distribution amp and 50 ft of rg59. From tvfool the signal is 2-edge and the NM is 10.8 dB and the distance is 37 miles. The signal does experience breakup sometimes but more blips than complete breakup for the most part. The signal seems to get better at night.

Of note i'm even getting all the Toronto stations off the backend as well as 23. My lead cable isn't long enough so I may be able to point it better if I get a slightly longer cable.

quickcurrent,

The signals got stronger after September 1 except for CHCH.

The Lacrosse is a fair antenna for nearby UHF stations that compromises for looks, which you have stated you're cool with. Your neighbours with their 8-bays are probably enjoying 20-25 steady channels including CBS, ABC, PBS, NBC, Fox, CW, and MyTV and related subchannels. 8-bay antennas have gain in the 10-14dB range without a pre-amp.

If you (or a future reader of this thread) that lives at Yonge & Elgin Mills is willing to use the old satellite mount and add a mast to raise a Channel Master 4228hd and use a low gain pre-amp such as the Winegard 269 you/future reader will maximize your chances of getting everying including VHF rf9 9.1 CFTO CTV Toronto (and CKVR CTV2 from Barrie on rf10 virtual 3.1).

Note:
The ideal antenna from Toronto for High-VHF channels 7 - 13 including WBBZ on 7, CFTO on 9, CKVR on 10, and CHCH on 11 is probably a ten-element yagi antenna such as the Winegard 1713, or the Antennacraft y-10-7-13.

The most practical antennas to add for high vhf that have a decent chance of working are the Antennas Direct C5 or the Antennacraft five-element y-5-7-13.

This advice is not directed specifically at you, quickcurrent, since you have already stated that you're satisfied with your set-up even though you no longer get CTV. It's more for future readers of this thread that might be looking for insight on their best antenna choice. With the right antenna, people in Richmond Hill can enjoy the full slate of Canadian stations without trouble and enjoy all/most of the main US stations as well.

For UHF reception a four-bay or eight-bay UHF antenna such as the Channel Master 4221hd or 4228hd work great.

If you're lucky enough to have a tower at your house or are willing to go that direction, I recommend my set-up -- a combo yagi such as the Winegard hd7697p.

Guys asking for reception in Aurora,

Yes i am this area close to Conover Ave and Spring Farm Road, I have 4 bay antenna in Attic and catch 15 channels, I am just struggling with 9.1 after recent switch, I am thinking to get 8 Bay which can go in from the attic door.
At Yonge & St John's Sideroad CFTO came in perfect before the transition using a 4-bay.

After the transition I lost CFTO so I attached approx 30" horizontal wires to the center points of the 4-bay and could pickup CFTO well.

I then decided to build the other half of my 8-bay and now I get CFTO perfect as well as many Buffalo stations and some Rochester.

I currently have the antenna in a second floor bedroom behind drywall and aluminum siding. I am expecting stronger signal strength and possibly (hopefully) CKVR once I install in the attic.

So, grab a $50 8-bay and enjoy!

Hi, I live south of Hwy 7, off 9th line. I am thinking of buying a Antenna Direct 8 bay. Is this right for my area?

Here is my TVfool report link:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d60b5deb3967212


Thanks,
Michael

I'm just a few blocks away from you at Bayview and Elgin Mills. I have a basement apartment, and I built a 4-bay Koch fractal out of some old lamp wire. It's mounted on the cover of an old cardboard box with a piece of aluminum foil taped to the back as a reflector.

It hangs by my kitchen window. I mistakenly thought, because I'm east of Yonge and the CN Tower is west of it, I should point it W of S. However, when I actually looked at a map, I realized that I had to orient it E of S, I also tilted it upwards a few degrees.

I get CBLT, CFTO, TVO, and Global just fine. Other stations come and go, although I'm hoping that when the Omni group goes back up on the tower, I'll be able to get them as well.

I'm sure you can't be lower than me, and I don't know if you have south facing window or not (I don't), but if I can get them with my home-made rig, you should be able to get them as well. (Certain weather conditions do sometimes temporarily interfere with reception, but Global and CFTO are pretty constant.)

One thing I learned from my electrical engineering courses is 90% of the problems are in the connections. Have you checked your co-ax? Is it kinked anywhere? I found once that by just unscrewing the connector from the back of the TV and than reattaching it, a bunch of channels came back!

I wouldn't be out spending big bucks on new equipment until you've tried these simple fixes.

Hope this helps.

If I were getting CKCO as an Analog Channel via an Antenna and now wanted to pick up the Digital Channel, 13.1, would it really be as simple as adding a Digital Set Top Box on the Coax and connecting the STB to the TV.?

that's all I did. My tv had a built in tuner...made my own antenna with some wire and instructions from this forum..hooked it up and scan.

Its the only channel I get though lol

That depends on antenna and location. Posting your TVFool report (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d60b5000c72d219) is a good start when asking for reception advice. The OTA reception thread for you location (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=94075) is also a good place to either look for other peoples' experiences or ask questions about reception.

Greetings from Sandalwood & Kennedy area,

I have clear site from our attic and roof to CN Tower and Buffalo. Initionally a 4 bay CM in the attic could pull in pretty much all the local channels. Now channels 9-1, 11-1, 25-1, 57-1, 66-1 have "signal level too low"/disappeared. Installed a mast type antenna (similar to cell phone antenna) on the roof and carefully pointed. The same occurs with this setup.

Does anyone from the vacinity experienced the same or is it me.

http://www.sushiwong.ca/tvfool.png

Just a FYI... at Major Mack and Keele with a CM4221HD in the attic CTV was Good but CHCH was flaky even if pointed right at Hamilton...

Build me a folded dipole antenna and with it in the attic pointed at Hamilton I now get CHCH as good as the 4221 when pointed at Toronto was getting CTV and still get CTV just as good (ie. with antenna pointed at Hamilton I get both CTV and CHCH in the upper 80% on a bell 9200 receiver).

My current setup is the 4221 pointed at TO/Buffalo and the VHF folded dipole pointed at Hamilton. Both are fed into a CM preamp with separate VHF/UHF inputs.
The folded dipole basically is a 56Inch peace of wire folded into a oval shape (I wrapped it around a 1/2 inch wood strip and added a 4:1 balun... cost=$1.50
_______________________________
|____________,balun,_____________| 56inches is for 200MHZ peak (CHCH)

I live here:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=brown+st,+tottenham,+on&hnear=Brown+St,+New+Tecumseth,+Simcoe+County,+Ontario&gl=ca&t=h&z=16&vpsrc=0

I don't want to go out and drop a bunch of money - so I was wondering what you all thought about reception, will I need a rotor? Here are my TV Fool results:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d60b5738e4617a5

I can mount it on my roof which will be approx. 30' off the ground with no real trees in the way? Thanks for all the help in advance!

Does anyone know if CTV2 ia available OTA to us here in Vaughan. If so what is the digital & virtual channel numbers.

Paul

Paulo

CTV TWO is VHF 10 and virtual channel 3.1. The transmitter is in Barrie. You will need a reasonably good VHF antenna to get it. I have an extra Antenna Craft y5 713 that could do the trick for you.


PS I don't know tha rules of this forum regarding buying selling:confused:

Does anyone know when they will move back to the tower from FCP? Will it be at midnight tonight, or sometime next week?

thx

My understanding is that the move to the CN Tower was to be "sometime in October", and not necessarily right away.

You likely have two issues:

1) You need to re-scan. Not just an "add-scan" but a total rescan of your system. On Sept 1, most of Toronto's channels moved to different real channels. A total system channel re-scan will solve some of your problems.

2) First, do step one above. Then you might find yourself still missing CFTO and CHCH and CKVR. That might be because your attic-mounted cm4221hd UHF-only antenna may not have what it takes to pull in VHF CFTO and VHF CHCH and VHF CKVR. You may need to add an attic mounted Antennas Direct C5 antenna to get CTV, CTV2 (Barrie), and CHCH back. Alternatively, you could consider an Antennacraft y5-7-13 in your attic.

Note the high-vhf antennas that have been recommended to you by name. Specifically the Antennas Direct C5 or Antennacraft y5-7-13. Either of these could be used in combination with your cm4221hd combined using a Channel Master 7777 pre-amp in your attic.

The antenna you mounted on your roof sounds like it might be insufficient. Add a pre-amp. If the antenna is already amplified and you're still having trouble, you probably need to change antennas to the set-up I suggested.

Good luck.

theskydiveguy, as long as you don't want the Hamilton, Barrie, Kitchener or eventually Oshawa and Peterborough stations, you probably don't need a rotor if you want Toronto and Buffalo stations. Traditionally, a UHF only antenna in a CM4221 or CM4228 (HD or original) would do the trick, but now CFTO is on VHF 9 and while it works for some, it doesn't work with others. DHC'er HWP has had good results with the Winegard HD7697P + Channel Master 7778 preamp. Also, many are now going the Antennacraft route and seeing positive results as well.

HWP, many thanks for the two splendid ideas.

My assumption was once broadcasters turn to digital only maybe new channels will appear instead of being moved around. Will let you know how this turns out.

BTW I was talking to a Shaw satellite installer yesterday and he uses the same 2 antennas and had problems pulling in the US channels instead of the mostly Canadian ones I am missing.

So after a month of the transition to digital, I'm wondering how people in this thread are making out? Any pros or cons? I think the one issue is that some of us have lost those VHF stations like CTV and CHCH. I'm sort of confused because my 4221HD is working fine with those two stations.

I was thinking of getting a DB8 and was wondering if this antenna would not be able to pick up CTV/CHCH. It's an UHF only one but so is my 4221HD and it's picking them up fine. Strange....

Anyways, just wondering how those with a 4228HD/DB8 are doing?

Lobo