tlman46, some tuners have trouble doing incremental scans when the physical channel already exists. Make sure you do an erase and rescan on your tuner. (The options vary from one model to another.)

I agree. Go to the add/delete channels section of your TV -- delete all -- save and then re-scan.


By the way -- you can purchase at the dollar store a 6 ft RG6 cable, cut off one end-connector,1 then shave about 12 inches, so that only the bare wire is showing. Hook the other end directy to the antenna port at the back of your TV, then do a re-scan.

That is your antenna. Not $40. Place a piece of cardboard behind the bare wire that has aluminum foil on it (as a reflector). You may be surprised that you can receive the channels.

In Miss, prior to Oct 31st, I was receiving all local Toronto stations with a bare wire (about 30 feet in the air).

Anything that is metal (designed for that RF) should get you what you want.

Might be a silly question but if the 4221HD antenna only has a range of 45 miles how does it pull in 2.1, 4.1 & 7.1, which are about 80 miles away from downtown Toronto?

Lake Ontario is nice and flat.

As HWP put it, I think the terrain inbetween Buffalo and Toronto is ideal. Also, the U.S. networks are broadcasting at SUPER HIGH POWER. Some of these stations are at 1MW.

Ion, which I get often enough, is 96 miles from my house. :) Compared that to CTV2 Barrie which is ~ 38 miles away, and I have no prayer of getting. There, terrain, broadcast power, and broadcast frequency are not ideal.

Also, antenna ranges should be used for comparison only, and probably only with the same family of antennas. Actual results will vary wildly based on terrain, obstructions, transmitter configuration, etc.

Guys, thanks for the suggestions.

I do have a spare indoor amplified UHF antenna that I have tried subbing for the outdoor one, with our upstairs (bedroom) TV. If I place it in a south-facing window, orient it "just so" (i.e., VERY finicky), and don't stand near it, I can get CITY on this TV -- not 100% stable, some random drop-outs, but I do receive it. That makes me think the TV can receive the channel, and that it's a signal problem--even if my location would seem (to me) to be ideal for this reception.

I went on this and the remotecentral forums, thinking others must be having the same problems as me--but it seems like other GTA OTA watchers didn't experience the same "dropped off a cliff" results I did.

Anyway, I will try the delete-all approach, and see if that helps.

Thanks. I am curious as to how weather, such as heavy rain or heavy snow, affects the picture. Is it still watchable? I'm getting the antenna anyway, but just wonder when I can expect to not get a watchable picture.

I have never noticed weather have an impact on my reception (rain snow).

Of course, summer reception is different from winter reception. In the summer, you frequently get visiting channels from other cities like Rochester, Erie, Syracuse, etc. So in some ways summer reception is better...unless one of those out-of-town visitors is on the same frequency as your local channel, in which case your channel can be replaced temporarily. I find those occurrences more fun than frustrating (and rare).

In winter, some of your weakest channels may disappear in the coldest weather (WBBZ, WPXJ). I don't think anyone in Toronto loses any of the main US stations though (NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, PBS, CW, MyTV)

Ok well I guess that TV antenna and broadcast technology has changed a lot since I was a toddler in the 60's. I remember heavy snow really affecting the picture. Is it the broadcast tower signal strength, digital technology or something else that eliminated this problem?

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=41102

There is a great knowledge base in this forum that can answer all your questions about digital OTA TV.

As long as your digital signal remains above the digital cliff, you'll get a perfect picture. Your signal can become weakened with rain or snow but as long as it is strong enough the error correction technology in your TV's tuner will provide a perfect HD picture -- much like how a CD with some scratches still works.

Thanks. The only thing I am worrying about now is I have a line of 75' oak trees running se-nw about 60' south of where the 30' high antenna high will be and some of their branches will be likely be in the way.

No joy.
I connected my indoor antenna and oriented it *just so* in a south-facing third-floor window so I could receive CITY (to make sure I could get it back), reconnected my main outdoor antenna, did a from-zero rescan of the channels, no City. Switched back to the indoor antenna, rescanned and recovered it.

Weirdly weak signal.

So I'm thinking my options are to (1) upgrade the antenna, or (2) hang tight, wait for Rogers to migrate back to the CN Tower, and see if that solves things.

It really makes me wish I new more about RF engineering -- it defies my common sense that line-of-sight over three kms would create a problem experienced on all three of my receivers (a flatscreen TV, a media room Viewsonic tuner, and a Hauppauge tuner in my Myth-box). Some sort of severe multipath?? I don't have a mental model for it.

BTW, does anyone else think it odd that Rogers is so uncommunicative about its transmitter plans and timing? I appreciate the theory of cable strategy dominance, but most companies manage multiple distribution channels, and there is a growing number of urban dwellers who are watching OTA -- Rogers might as well seek to enhance the brand relationship, since we are wireless customers, video renters, and (who knows?) potential returnees to the fold some day. It would take very little effort for them to be friendly and helpful.

I've never noticed snow or rain having much of an impact on signal strength. It might drop your strength by 5%, but that's not a problem unless you're right on the edge.

Fog, on the other hand, I've seen cause havoc, but that may be more about the temperature differences in the atmosphere.

RF stuff is pretty easy to learn. MClapp and his followers have shared much great information. Just read. Or type in Homemade Antennas on the internet and read.

Could it be your cable from the outside antenna has gone crazy. If you use decent RG6 cable (not RG58 - 50 ohm or RG59 - 75 ohm) cable -- and not dollar store stuff, you should be able to receive the signal from 3 km away.

Maybe part of your cable has been severed inside the protective shield. Cheap cable is pretty thin and breaks, even though outside plastic looks ok.

Have just installed a GH6n3 (non-modular) I built at its intended permanent location – on mast attached to brick wall, 23’ high (to centre of GH), aimed more or less at ABC.
50’ RG6, no amplifier, rotor or splitters.

My TVfool: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d4bba8eb2bde252 (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d4bba8eb2bde252)

Receive following (signal strength %):
2.1 NBC (86-92)
2.2 Universal Sports (90-92)
4.1 CBS (75-85)
5.1 CBC
7.1 ABC (0-50)
9.1 CTV
11.1 CHCH (70-75)
17.1 PBS hd (65-75)
17.2 PBS sd (65-75)
17.3 PBS Think Bright (65-75)
19.1 TVOntario
23.1 CW (75-80)
25.1 Rad-Can
26.1 TCT1 (50-60)
26.1 TCT2 (50-60)
26.3 TCT Kids (50-60)
26.4 La Fuente (50-60)
29.1 Fox (70-75)
29.2 The Country Network (70-75)
36.1 CITS (75-80)
41.1 Global
47.1 Omni 1
49.1 MyTV Buffalo (0-10)
49.2 Cool TV (0-10)
57.1 CityTV
69.1 Omni 2

All Toronto stations are 100%.:)

Any suggestions for improving 7.1 and/or 49.1/2 appreciated.

Awesome! Good job! Consider a pre-amp to improve those marginal channels.

Winegard 269 possibly. Once you add the pre-amp, you can try it with the current antenna aim and if necessary, try the aim a little east and/or west in case it might help. I'd try a little east because you have potential for WPXJ (ION).

I get ION solidly and my TV Fool shows -14.5 whereas for you it is -9

HWP,
Thanks. Guess I should try adjusting the aim to see what impact that may have before getting a pre-amp.

Since my Toronto and Buffalo channels are only about 15 degrees apart, is it likely that a pre-amp would cause overload for Toronto channels?

Overload is possible in your situation where the Toronto and Buffalo signals are in the same direction.

The pre-amp I mentioned, according to Stampeder's Pre-Amp chart here on Digital Home, is a low-noise, low-gain pre-amp. It may be forgiving enough to help you with those weaker channels and yet not introduce overload into your system.

I suggested aiming a little east and west because I was thinking you can turn away a bit from Toronto once you have the pre-amp.

I have a rotator and a pre-amp. I can aim straight at WPXJ (ION) which is quite a ways off from Toronto and Buffalo for me and I still get everything from Toronto and Buffalo (except WBBZ - which is a channel you're not even shooting for). So, I think you could get the pre-amp, aim quite a bit east (right at ION) and see if you get decent results. For comparison, my TV Fool report can be found in my photos section of my profile.

No guarantees, though, unfortunately. You've done a great job building your own antenna. I think the pre-amp will likely yield you the same results (or better) as anyone with a factory-made UHF antenna.

Since most reception results reported here seem to be for commercial antennas (my impression), you may not be familiar with the performance of GH6n3.

Average net Gain is 14.2 dBi for UHF and 9.85 dBi for VHF-hi. Model and horizontal pattern for the antenna and net Gain and SWR curves modeled by nikiml at Digital Home’s Antenna Research & Development forum and posted here (his website):
http://clients.teksavvy.com/~nickm/gh_n3_uV/gh6n3_9V85_14u2.html

Built the GH carefully as modeled, so it should perform close to its theoretical potential.

Posting this just in case it makes a difference to your suggestions.