@Redzone:

Now that I've looked closer at your photos, I know exactly where you're located. Those just aren't powerlines....that's a HUGE hydro distribution centre that manages the power for most of Toronto and the GTA West. I can definitely see that causing some reception issues...

I would perhaps try a Yagi, as mentioned.

Jase88, I agree, but thats a real heavy noise area, I don't know if a single yagi antenna can solve interference problem, since the area is large and more the line of the horizon coincide with it. As far as I know, noise interference in the vertical boresight is difficult to eliminate more than that on the horizontal plane. And redzone have both of them.
Regards, john.
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Solvitur ambulando

Redzone

Since the WGRZ signal comes from the same tower as several other Buffalo stations (and you have no problem receiving these other stations),I think its just the "finnicky" WRGZ reception issues that many others experience is the problem(as opposed to High Tension power lines).
I also noticed from the your photos and description that you are up on the
14th floor. If indeed you are 130 to 140ft in the air, then you are well above the height of the pylons.

Redzone

Since the WGRZ signal comes from the same tower as several other Buffalo stations (and you have no problem receiving these other stations),I think its just the "finnicky" WRGZ reception issues that many others experience is the problem(as opposed to High Tension power lines).
I also noticed from the your photos and description that you are up on the
14th floor. If indeed you are 130 to 140ft in the air, then you are well above the height of the pylons.
WKBW and WIVB are on the same tower, WGRZ is on a different tower- slight further away and the tower is not as high.

Redzone's issue may be overloading of early amplification stages from Hydro radiations (I may be just thinking of my own issue with the CN Tower and Grand Island only 2 degrees apart).

That can be addressed by attentuation and band-passing. The first "band pass" is the antenna itself.

In days of yore, when 300 ohm was King, we twisted it every few inches to combat non-antenna signals getting into the line. Dunno if shielded and twisted 300 ohm could be a solution.

(I started a search to learn Redzone's gear but was not successful; sorry if this post is redundant.)

Good point Goforit.......although they are about the same distance (at least from my vantage point...NBC 83 miles and CBS ,ABC 87 miles).
Sheldon and Boston NY are quite close together and are only 2 or 3 degrees apart.
The major difference is the height (1300-1400ft for ABC and CBS but only 968ft for NBC)

i tired using an attenuator with no success just weakened the signal.

i tried angleing it up a bit too but that didn't seem to help a ton ( maybe a bit but hard to tell as the signal meter on my tv istn exactly the most usefull thing and fluctuates alot on this channel.).

could i possibly alter the bowties(lengthen them) to try and lower the peak of the antenna?

well i think once it gets warmer it should come in as i got it some of the time last summer for the Olympics. as of right now the hockey game is coming and going .. in for 30 minutes. then gone fore 15-30 min. seems to be the norm with this channel.

i tried angleing it up a bit too but that didn't seem to help a ton ( maybe a bit but hard to tell as the signal meter on my tv istn exactly the most usefull thing and fluctuates alot on this channel.).
Well done, keep care about the signal to noise ratio, not the signal level itself.

could i possibly alter the bowties(lengthen them) to try and lower the peak of the antenna?
A small change in the antenna design seems me not useful. Good luck.
Regards, john.
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Solvitur ambulando

REDZONE: You likely just need something with a little more gain than a 4 bay bowtie.

Hi im new here, and new too antenna setup , and issues im in an apartment biulding with my balcony facing south east. I bought a cm 4221hd antenna facing it at buffalo, seemed good but wanted more. So i bought a cm7777 preamp, and now i get worse overall signal from buffalo. and if i point right at cn tower i lose 57.1 city tv with the preamp plugged in but get it when its off. Im using rg6 , and rg59 cables on a rather short run.

I'm at Bayview and 401 (see Post #133) and find that I can pick up WKBW fine but I can rarely pick up WIVB. Since they're broadcasting from the same tower, and WIVB is supposed to be more powerful, is there something else that can be wrong?

Looking at seeing if there's a simple fix.

- Jason

Greetings Gentlemen. I have a rather weird situation with my roof mounted CM4228. When pointed right at NBC Buffalo, i get nothing, then when i rotate 25-30 degrees east, i get a lock on it at around 19-21 db. How is this possible? I thought i'd have to be pointed right at it. I've tried it with and without a pre-amp and reception is always better slightly off-axis. Same goes for when i aim directly at WNYB. (not that i watch much of this channel) Is my antenna bent or something? There are a couple of trees across the street and some AC lines in my field of view. I'm about 77 miles from NBC's transmitter in the Woodbine/Danforth area. The strange thing is there is a slight gap in the trees across the street from me when i'm aimmed off axis for NBC. Could a signal be that strong through a gap in a couple of trees that far off axis from that distance or am i missing something? Any opinions and help is appreciated.

When pointed right at NBC Buffalo, i get nothing, then when i rotate 25-30 degrees east, i get a lock on it at around 19-21 db. How is this possible?Have you checked your TVfool results (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=362703&postcount=10) to see if WGRZ-DT's tower is where you think it is? If that is correct, this is classic signal bounce - it may or may not seem like it from looking around your location but something is bouncing WGRZ-DT's signal (which is one of the quirkiest Buffalo signals you'd be getting in Toronto) from the direction you're seeing instead of line-of-site.

I went one better than TV fool's website. I bring up my house on google earth and draw a line from my roof right to where NBC has it's tower. Both google earth and tv fool list the same angle in degrees from my house. Even tonite i'm even more off axis to pick up NBC. (35-45 degrees) NBC is my worst channel to lock onto so if it was the only station with this unique situation i'd chalk it up to that and call it a day. But all of Buffalo seems to behave in this manner for me except CW23 which is probably my best Buffalo channel. If the trees and powerlines across the street from me are blocking Buffalo from my antenna, then is the signal bounce coming around the obstruction? Would it make sense to move my set up to where i can see farther off into the horizon from my roof? I could do this but it would mean starting over again since all the wire would be too short. Just want to make sure i'm not missing something obvious (or not obvious) before i take that task on. :) Thanks for the feedback.

The big question is whether what you are receiving now is satisfactory or if one or more of your favourite stations are losing lock or otherwise breaking up. If its the former, don't change a thing. If its the latter, it would be good if there was some way of testing whether a higher antenna would help.

Perhaps i'll extent the existing cable temporarily and see what receptions like at the opposite end of my roof where its flat. NBC is okay most of the time except for when there's a bit of weather. Just trying to maximize reception. :cool:

I am new to Digital Home and just finished disconnection Rogers from my bank account and house:) I can see the top of the CN Tower from my front window and, because we are at the southern edge of Forest Hill, all the "forest' ends in the backyard. There are no obstructions to the lake.

I mounted a Channel Master 4221HD on the side of my bungalow, point at 149 degrees, and ran 15 feet of cable to the LG 42" HDLCD TV. I haven't read every post here but on DTV I get:

2
5
7
9
18
23
25
26
29
41
44
57
64
66

all with 'normal' to 'good' signal strength. There are two or three variations on each channel and everyone that broadcasts HD comes in crystal clear. All the analog stations are fine as well. Hamilton could be better. I'm not sure what channel 36 is though...it seems to be another religious channel.

I only put it up last night so I haven't really tried to tweak it yet. Oh, and I have the cable split with one connection going to my computer which is connected to the TV. I use Vista as my PVR and it provides a very good Channel Guide and search function.

I am absolutely stunned by the picture quality! I am installing the same equipment on my father-in-law's house (2 blocks away) tomorrow.

Also purchased HD Homerun as we have four computers throughout the house with 21" to 26" monitors.

I mounted a Channel Master 4221HD on the side of my bungalow, point at 149 degrees, and ran 15 feet of cable to the LG 42" HDLCD TV. I haven't read every post here but on DTV I get:
[...deletia...]

Congratulations. There's more in the pipeline. in addition to 2.1 (NBC), and 2.2 (NBC Universal Sports), there will be 2.3 RTN (Retro TV Network), date uncertain but "RSN" (Real Soon Now). Ditto for WNYO 49 switching its digital transmitter from impaired channel 34 to 49. The only date-certain change is that WPXJ will take over channel 23 on June 12 when WNLO drops its analog transmissions. WNLO physically broadcasts on 32.

Hamilton could be better.
Approximate bearing 210. It's up to you to decide whether E! plus a religious channel is worth it.

I'm not sure what channel 36 is though...it seems to be another religious channel.
Yup, see http://www.ctstv.com/

I have had no luck in picking up the new Ion tv digital station 51-1 through 51-4. I have a CM4228HD on top of my two story house and I have a rotor. Can anyone suggest a way of improving my setup to be able to pick this channel up? I also do not consistantly pick up WGRZ, and WIVB. I have an external ATSC tuner box. It is a Samsung.

Rui2487,

I presume you already getting the rest of the channels (2.x to 66.x)...As for the new ION (51.x), the tuner also make a difference assuming your antenna has sufficient height. For example, my high end LCD will not lock the ION channels but my al cheapo RCA DT800B tunner will lock them down perfectly well. I am using CM4221D, mounted about 30' above ground level.