Thanks for the kind words, but there are many here in the forum that are much more knowledgeable than I am when it comes to the "science-y" part of OTA.

The closest thing I have to a science background it my Political Science degree...and I listen to Quirks & Quarks on the radio and watch Nova with my kids on PBS OTA.

I think I have developed a knack for knowing what what antenna set-up might be best for any given location. But once the situation gets more complicated such as multipath, electromagnetic interference, bouncing signals, or near and distant transmitters in the same direction, I'm getting out of my comfort zone.

Are there any other members here that can help our fellow OTAer in need of advice?

Perhaps post in the Research and Develpment thread. The really smart guys are there.

Thanks, HWP. Maybe someone will chime in eventually with some good advice or maybe I'll just have to try a 4221 and see what happens.

Meanwhile I'm looking for backup solutions to get PBS in case this doesn't work out -- satellite, internet, etc. Quite frankly none sound that great to me. Oh how I wish I had the OTA reception I had when I was only a mile away...

Because of your proximity to the CN Tower (ughh) probably gonna be tough. A very strong CITY (rf44) is adjacent to WNED (rf43). Are you seeing any indication of signal quality while tuned to RF 43 now? I wouldn't get too hung up on optimum aiming azimuths, because your location isn't optimum. Try different antenna locations even if it seems "off the wall". You might need to aim more east to minimize the signal(s) from the CN tower, if that's even possible being so close. A directional UHF Yagi with a narrow horizontal beamwidth might help. To the extreme perhaps a ch 44 trap might help with CH 43? Not sure. If you have any form of amplification now, try again without it. What does your TV fool look like at a higher height, say 35'?

Thanks for the feedback, majortom! I was not even thinking that much about the competing signal from CITY, but that's a really good point (yet another challenge unfortunately). I don't know if I have overcome some other hurdles yet to confront that challenge, since I am not getting any US channels at all right now. I did try a couple antenna locations and a few off-angle antenna directions with the DB2 before giving up. With a new antenna I will try to be even more exhaustive. Right now my Silver Sensor clone picks up the same local channels as the DB2 outside, but it is quirky about direction since it needs to point East to pick up Omni1/2 and still retain the other local channels.

In terms of upgrading my antenna, since you mention narrow beamwidth, would the 4228 be a better bet than the 4221 for an apartment deck/wall installation? Or are you thinking of something else altogether?

To answer your other questions, unfortunately neither my DVD record nor my TV locks on to any US channels to show me signal levels. And I am not using any amplification. I don't know if I can get to 35' but I might, might be able to get to 30' (at a cost however of moving even further east/left behind the neighbour's house). Going from 20' to 35' TV Fool shows modest changes in Signal values for WNED: NM 34.3 to 32.2, Pwr -58.3 to -58.7.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d0b86425443283e

Some have been curious about my reception results for WBBZ since the station made changes to its transmitter set-up.

WBBZ has been coming in solidly ever since a representative posted on Digital Home that WBBZ had replaced its transmitter.

For the last two days the weather has been ranging from -8 to -15 degrees Celsius and the station has been solid. This never would have been the case prior to WBBZ's transmitter changes.

Another Digital Home member speculated that my improved reception might have been partly attributable to some mild tropo and asked that I post again after the tropo had passed.

Last night was among the coldest nights of the year and I left the TV powered on with WBBZ on all night. It never dropped out. It is still coming in solidly.

I have a combo antenna with a 7778 pre-amp and a rotator. In these cold temps I need to have pretty exact aim for WBBZ. In the summer, WBBZ's aim requirements are pretty forgiving.

To compare, my need to aim for WBBZ is equal to my need to aim for CHCH on rf11 since transition. Both stations work well as long as I am straight at it.

Hi Guys,

I read tha WBBZ have a new transmitter, but I am assuming the tower is at the same location. Where do you aim from East Toronto to get it?

cheers

Same tower as before.

Some have been curious about my reception results for WBBZ since the station made changes to its transmitter set-up.


Hey, thanks for the update. Sorry about the late reply but the power supply to our internet modem conked out and we had to wait for them to ship us a new one. Took a little longer than it should have.

Anyways, I threw up my monster yagi in the attic. It seems to be somewhat worse than my K6STI yagi. However I think that there are problems with the driven element. I just did a quick imitation of the K6STI driven element. The instructions that come with it only mention a split dipole without giving explicit instructions. So I thought I would try that first and I could change it later if I had to. I looks like I will. I also stuck it at the back of the attic thinking that would help because we have a factory directly behind the house at around 150 - 200 ft. For channel 11 I get it at around 65% on the K6STI yagi. On this i'm only seeing 10%. There is a chimney in the way so that is contibuting. I think I need to start a thread on it and ask for some input.

try the clear stream 2 works for me in the down town area

feels funny to be a rookie with only 1 post when i have done at least 400 hd antennas

Doctor Antenna,

I'm not sure a small ufh-only CS2 antenna is appropriate for a person living in Maple trying to get VHF station WBBZ (rf7) from Buffalo in an attic.

Doctor Antenna thanks for trying to help.

HWP I created a thread for the yagi here.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=1389400

Anyone experiencing some signal breakups tonight ?

CFTO 9.1 been rock solid.Maybe the wind is moving something around your antenna.

95% and steady here.

No one has posted a detailed reception results report lately. So here is an update of my results. This can give you an idea of what is out there over-the-air in Toronto. With minimal effort, expect between 20-25 channels with a small outdoor antenna including all of the main Canadian and American networks. With more effort, expense, and complexity, your location may have the potential to get everything listed below.

Toronto - East York
Greenwood & Mortimer
mostly clear sky with a few big trees about 40m away.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d0b86682915b730

Winegard hd7697p
Channel Master 7778
vintage Channel Master rotator
back yard tv antenna tower - antenna height about 43 feet
splits to 8 tv outputs (TVs + HDHomeRun)

2.1 NBC
2.2 Antenna TV
4.1 CBS
5.1 CBC
7.1 ABC
9.1 CTV
11.1 CHCH
15.0 Star Ray
17.1 PBS
17.2 PBS SD
17.3 PBS Think Bright
19.1 TVO
23.1 The CW
25.1 Radio-Canada
26.1 TCT1
26.2 TCT2
26.3 TCT Kids
26.4 La Fuente
29.1 Fox
29.2 The Country Network
36.1 CTS
41.1 Global
47.1 Omni 1
49.1 MyTV Buffalo
49.2 The Cool TV
51.1 ION
51.2 qubo
51.3 ION Life
57.1 CityTV
67.1 WBBZ
67.2 ThisTV
67.3 MeTV
67.4 Daystar
69.1 Omni 2

Don't get: CKVR CTV2 from Barrie. Some north, nw, and ne of Toronto can get it.

Every channel on my list is 100% reliable except for WBBZ.

WBBZ is now extremely reliable except for in the coldest of temperatures (colder than minus 7 degrees) and even then it will mostly work but it will fade.

My "sweet spot" for antenna aim is at WBBZ. ION works when pointed at WBBZ. If I want Hamilton TV, then I must adjust the aim toward Hamilton.

HWP, how about a recent pic?

Goforit,

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/album.php?albumid=740&pictureid=4592

This is not a recent pic, but I just had a look at it and nothing has changed about the setup from this pic that I posted in my profile photo albums.

There are a bunch of pics showing the antenna up-close, my safety gear, and the tower.

Thanks for the feedback, majortom! I was not even thinking that much about the competing signal from CITY, but that's a really good point (yet another challenge unfortunately). I don't know if I have overcome some other hurdles yet to confront that challenge, since I am not getting any US channels at all right now. I did try a couple antenna locations and a few off-angle antenna directions with the DB2 before giving up. With a new antenna I will try to be even more exhaustive. Right now my Silver Sensor clone picks up the same local channels as the DB2 outside, but it is quirky about direction since it needs to point East to pick up Omni1/2 and still retain the other local channels.

In terms of upgrading my antenna, since you mention narrow beamwidth, would the 4228 be a better bet than the 4221 for an apartment deck/wall installation? Or are you thinking of something else altogether?

To answer your other questions, unfortunately neither my DVD record nor my TV locks on to any US channels to show me signal levels. And I am not using any amplification. I don't know if I can get to 35' but I might, might be able to get to 30' (at a cost however of moving even further east/left behind the neighbour's house). Going from 20' to 35' TV Fool shows modest changes in Signal values for WNED: NM 34.3 to 32.2, Pwr -58.3 to -58.7.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d0b86425443283e
Tamerlane,

i am at dupont and christie and also having trouble with us stations although not as bad as you (using a CS2) I tried a 7778 preamp, didnt help.... next step I think is to try the XG91, more directional... i really want pbs too but all i get well is fox right now. once i get it i will report back. hey if you want to try swapping antennas to see if it makes a difference, am open to that too. just pm me.

Anyone having issues in last couple of days with CHCH.

Have my CM 4-BAY antenna pointed in the hamilton direction, (no pre-amp) or anything.

Was working fine last week...now don't get anything

any else have any issues?