Thanks for the extra info, but I doubt I'll bother with CTS/E.. things are working fine as it is, don't want to jinx it ;)

I've been playing around with a homebuilt 2-bay bow-tie antenna with a 10db booster and I've been able to get

2-1 (NBC)
4-1 (CBS)
7-1 (ABC)
7-2 (RTN)
17-1 (PBS)
17-2
17-3
23-1 (CW).

I also briefly got in CBC 5-1 but just barely. I also get Omni 2's signal but no transmission. I haven't been able to get 29-1 (FOX) even though the other stations from Buffalo are coming in. The PBS and CW stations come in the strongest.

It seems the US stations come in better than the Canadian ones. But I can see that the Canadian stations are broadcasting at much lower power. When they go full power I should get better results.

The antenna works surprisingly well for the analogue channels as well, better than the dual-dial rabbit ears I had been using. And it didn't cost me anything since I had all the parts lying around. (The antenna are cut-up hangers.) I based it on a 4-bay design I found online. The only downside is having to hold it up and move it about the room to find just the right spot to catch some of the digital signals.

Since we currently have ExpressVu I'm only just playing with OTA for now but I like having it as a secondary system. I am trying to avoid putting up an antenna.

Hey guys,
Well, I installed the CM 4221, pointing it mainly at Buffalo, about 180 or so? Not sure, didn't check with the compass. When I set it up on Saturday, during the day, everything came in that I needed, except CTS, but who cares for it?

CBS, ABC, FOX & PBS were all 5 or 6 out of 6 (I have a Samsung lcd with a built in LNA & tuner). NBC was 3, MyTV 2 to 3 and all CDN channels were 6/6, except for CityTV which was 3/6.

When night rolled around, the signals went down. Lost NBC, CBS for a bit, came back to about 2, ABC was 1-2, Fox was ok, and so was PBS. I think CityTV was gone also. So, I let my boss know (since I'm in an electronics tech position and he knows alot!) and he said it's the thickness of the ionisphere. At night, with it being clear and thick, lost signal and if I was further away, I'd be able to get it. During the day, it's thinner and comes in fine. I asked him whether the 4228 8 bay would correct this, he says depends on it's gain. I just checked some stats on it and it's not very clear. Says not good above channel 60 and not good inside 25 mi, 40Km's.

So, do you guys think switching to an 8 bay is worth it or stick it out with the 4 bay. He said, when the bad weather comes, clouds, etc., then the signal shouldn't drop out.

I let my boss know (since I'm in an electronics tech position and he knows alot!) and he said it's the thickness of the ionisphere. Tell your boss to join up here at DHC so we can school him on tropospheric skip, ducting, and other OTA phenomena

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=26789

which don't relate to the ionosphere. He/She is most welcome here. :)

I have a 4228 pointed at buffalo combined with a 4221 pointed at hamilton. mostly its good.
But i still lose signal sometimes, mostly evening. Ionisphere, sunset, mist rising from the lake, ducting from distant analogs interfereing or Whatever.
Drives me nuts. My recording of CSI Miami had dropouts and pixelation. I wasn't impressed. Finding out what happened to Horatio was important!

I've bought new antennas to double what i currently have on the roof, just haven't got to it yet. Do you think two 4228's pointed at buffalo and another pointed at hamiltom will do it?

lw84no1:
I get the same symptoms as you, with a 4228 pointed at buffalo. (but I think I'm in a bad reception area). I also lose channel 2 and channel 49 in the evenings. it's pointed at about 190, anymore west and I lose channel 2 completely. I'm still tweaking the antenna to try and get as much as possible.

Tom, Just curious;
Have you tried the 4228 at hamilton, and the 4221 at Buffalo to see if there is any difference in signals?

Tom, Just curious;
Have you tried the 4228 at hamilton, and the 4221 at Buffalo to see if there is any difference in signals?
Never tried that combo, but i did compare the 2 against each other back on the day i first combined them. (2 years ago)
As expected, the 4228 won.
I'll have a leftover 4221 when i'm finished.

On Thursday, I lost E! & NBC, MyTV seems to be coming in better, but I recall reading that 49 & 2 are in the same spots. So, if that's the case, it doesn't explain why I get 1 and not the other.
TomF1, what are you going to do with the spare 4221? Though I'm pointing pretty much @ Buffalo now, maybe if I point it more towards NBC I may not lose it?

Iw84no1,
I can only suggest what I have, and that is the 4228 along with a 7777 preamp. I have mine pointed mostly towards Toronto and Hamilton and I have no problems with NBC,ABC,CBS,FOX or MNTV. I can tell you that MNTV (Mytv 49.1) is much the same as ION (channel51) in that the signal for that station coming off thier tower is directed southward towards NY, thus it can be somewhat a pain to receive sometimes. I think because of the longer range the 4228 would most likely be a better option for you. Talk to the guys on here about combining the 4228 and a 4221 to get a broader area covered. I hope this helps.

Cheers, Richard.

so, I'm setting up my new array, got more signal almost everywhere, compromised to get toronto, hamliton and buffalo. I had my freind checking signal strength while i was on the roof.
I got back in the house and now City is gone.
I got Sun and Global ok, and City used to be higher than those for me. :confused:

I guess i got more adjusting to do, but now my freind went away and it hard to do by myself.

Edit: This is way too strange. Adjusted more west towards toronto.
I got City back, more signal on Onmi's, CTV, CBC, and Lost global and Sun.

No wonder people get fustrated.

Finally, got all channels, at the same time.
But with good weather, I wonder whats going to happen when it rains.

I find reception to the be same whether it rains or not (if you're aimed correctly). (i.e. signal is still high enough to maintain a lock)
Our tuners have roughly 50% signal requirement to lock (pretty high compared to some new tuners)

As of this past week, the only channels I haven't been able to watch reliably are MyTV, E! and CTS (the last two I never get except on Dx days, anyway, and MyTV has always been low in the fall/winter)
ABC likes to randomly cut to half signal, whether it rains or not (probably wind blowing a tree just right, or some random event. It should even out once we get closer to winter)

This is with a 4228 with a simple dist amp about 25ft in and a splitter to 2x50ft runs. No rotor - fixed position.

Since you have a multi-setup you should be more than covered ;)

Guys, If I win the lottery, I will buy you all Rotors. they are a godsend.

I haven't told my wife yet but I was thinking about getting a second 4228 (yes with a rotor) and combining it with the first one. This way I could keep one at 140 (Syracuse, Rochester) and the other at 220 (Buffalo,Hamilton and Toronto).

Looking forward to my first OTA winter. HNIC next weekend. Wooohoo.

Cheers, Richard.

First of all, a-w-e-s-o-m-e forums.

I was wondering if phdtv3 (zss clone) will make a diffrence in my case.

Location:
Brimely and Finch
House (outdoor antenna is not an option though)
No windows facing SW towards CN tower
Window SE (more east than south though)

Gear:
Philips SDV2510 (box says 50db amplication but not sure if this is true though)
I have set it up facing SW towards CN tower at the top level of a closed closet on my 2nd floor.

The channels I get so far:

5-1 CBC
25-1 CBCLFT (Constant Drop outs)
9-1 CTV
17-1 WNED HD
17-2 WNED SD
17-3 WNED TH
23-1 WNLO HD (Voice is a little off sync)
44-1 OMNI2
57-1 City HD
64-1 Omni 1
65-1 Global HD (Occasional Dropouts)
66-1 SunTV HD
2-1 NBC HD
2-2 NBC-W+

I am pretty satisfied with what I get but I am sure I will lose a few of them on a bad day. Would the PHDTV3 help me get even better results ( for example WUTV)? Would it also help me get better consistency for channels like global hd?

BTW for those wondering, I got this philips sdv2510 from my local walmart for 34.95. I am planning to order the phdtv3 from dell.ca if it will actually help.

I have set it up facing SW towards CN tower at the top level of a closed closet on my 2nd floor.I'm surpised that you get the channels you do in that situation. I assume that's a wood-frame house. You've optimized your setup for Toronto stations, including pointing the antenna the wrong way for Buffalo.

What you really need, in order to get more Buffalo stations, is another antenna pointing SSE, preferably through a window. Then there's the question of how to handle 2 inputs. In that case you'd need either a muxer (multiplexer is the full name) or an A-B switch. The advantage of the muxer is that you won't have to toggle another switch, like the A-B switch, when flipping between Toronto and Buffalo stations. The muxer will probably cost more money.

just checked...no more nbc :(
so you would say that theres likely no value in upgrading to a phdtv3?
Is there any other way to make the signal more consistent?
The antenna is wired 42 feet to my living room if that makes a difference

Hi kamu and welcome here - a ZSS or clone will definitely help in your situation assuming you cannot use an outdoor antenna.

kamu, I would try and place the indoor antenna as high as you can 2nd floor or even attic.

Height is your friend and will help with Nbc, Cbs, and Abc.

Good luck.

Hi all,


I just installed the ota antenna on outside of our home in whitby. The antenna is a db8.

Picking up 14 hd channels.

Crystal clear is city, cbc, cblt, omnis,

Others have slight "jaggedies" happening.

Not able to get Fox, Nbc, or Abc.


Any ideas how to get more americana or fix jaggedies?? Will 1-2" direction change help??

Thanks-a-ton,

Bill

How high up is your antenna and do you split or amplify the signal from it?