Ell383:

I'm on the Fort Henry side, along hwy15, 1/2 way between CFB and HWY-401 (the greenwood park area). I don't think my elevation is good as hwy-15 slops down from CFB.

I just want to get some idea about how many channels (and the quality of) I can get in my area before I invest more time/money into OTA. My house is a bungalo and I suspect I have to set up an outdoor tower antenna in order to get good reception.

as I mentioned previously, I'm using an indoor antenna (looks like an arrow) and I'm only getting 3 channels. Of the 3, only French CBC is clear. Even CKWS is snowy.

any info/help is very much appreciated,

chene,
Did you do your address search on TVFOOL ?

Weehaggis,

I have used tvfool to check for the channels, but the result for analog channels does not correspond to what I'm getting myself (using an indoor antenna). I'm more interested in knowing the real world experience, i.e. antenna reception result with respect to the location, elevation, and the equipment used.

I'll be happy to post the tvfool result once I figure out how to post a picture :)

thanks,

Chene
You are wise to wait to hear what other folk in your area experience before you go to the expense of buying an antenna.
In the meantime I have some suggestions.
In the TVfool website,are you mentioning your height above ground level of your antenna?
Rather than buy an antenna at this point,have you considered making one?
The one I made last year (coathangers,scrap wood,wire,screws and a balun.)....total cost $0.
A good starting point would be the Antenna Research and Development thread.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=186

Chene:



...but the result for analog channels does not correspond to what I'm getting myself

thanks,

Your results will not be the same as in TVFOOL as it assumes the there are no (man made) obstructions between you and the transmitter. Using an indoor antenna, the walls of the house and other objects will prevent you from getting a strong signal.

I have an outdoor antenna and am getting similar results to TVFOOL.
Being close to Watertown you should get WPBS - 16, and WWTI - 50 with no problems. Note: WWNY - 7 is now strictly digital.

I am getting good analog reception from WWTI with a noise margin of -0.6, and a digital signal with -2.4. The digital signal rarely drops out.:D

I am in kingston between Johnson st and bath rd.
I am getting on plain jane rabbit ears the following.
6 ctv (snowy)
7.1watertown cbs (usually good)
7.2watertown fox (usually good)
7.3(same a 7.2)
11 kingston (Very Good)
16 pbs (Pretty good)
16.1pbs watertown (Not great as it breaks up)
16.2 pbs watertown " "
16.3 pbs watertown HD " "
32 french cbc
38 TVO (Pretty Good)
50 off air abc watertown (Usually good)
50.1 abc watertown (Excellent)
50.2 CW watertown? (excellent)

I am going to put up an antenna in the attic and will post my results in the spring.

Hope this helps

Been doing some reception reports for WWNY, trying to give them some input on what's happening with their signal about 80 miles away. So far, I've had a fairly consistant signal, in the 40's, since adding my new VHF YA-1713 Winegard antenna, to my UHF PR8800. WWTI and WPBS have come in between 55% and 65% most days. WWNY has some issues with that signal, because I do get some dropouts and pixilization from WWNY, at certain times. Considering that they upped their power to 24.5kw, from 14.5kw, shows that they need more ERP to reach area's that their analog signal had previously reached.

During me recent trip, to Watertown, last Saturday, I spoke to a number of locals and they told me that that signal has not been consistant, even close to their transmiiter. Speaking of the transmitter, their channel 35 UHF antenna, is attached to the east side of their channel 7 tower, about 3/4 of the way up. If your north, northwest of that tower, your going to have obstruction from the tower that it is attached to. So once the FOX affiliate starts broadcasting from there, the signal may not reach into places like Kingston and Belleville, consistantly.

Chene:



Your results will not be the same as in TVFOOL as it assumes the there are no (man made) obstructions between you and the transmitter. Using an indoor antenna, the walls of the house and other objects will prevent you from getting a strong signal.

I have an outdoor antenna and am getting similar results to TVFOOL.
Being close to Watertown you should get WPBS - 16, and WWTI - 50 with no problems. Note: WWNY - 7 is now strictly digital.

I am getting good analog reception from WWTI with a noise margin of -0.6, and a digital signal with -2.4. The digital signal rarely drops out.:D
How has your reception been, for WWNY, since they went digital? You can't be more than 10 miles from me, north of Shannonville. What are you using for an antenna, tower, etc.?

How has your reception been, for WWNY, since they went digital? You can't be more than 10 miles from me, north of Shannonville. What are you using for an antenna, tower, etc.?

PrinceLH:

(See post #199 of this thread for my equipment)

My WWNY 7.x reception has been excellent since they went digital. It is the best of the three from Watertown. Has not dropped out at all, even during fog etc. I am finding that WPBS is the worst of them.
How has your reception from Rochester been?
I will be putting up an 68' tower this summer as I want to get the Rochester stations. TVFOOL indicates that the noise margin for WHEC 10.x is -2.0 post transition so I am hoping ;) that I can get it. WWTI 50.x is presently -2.4 with my 32' tower and that station has not been a problem.
Looking into getting a new preamp as I was told from an installer my ANTECO will degrade over time and it is now 9 years old. Debating about spending the money and getting Research Communications from the UK.

Also looking at building a DBGH to try and get the Syracuse stations as they are all UHF.

Your problem with WPBS may be a UHF antenna problem, since it is up on channel 41 currently. When it returns to 16, it may come in better. I have had good reception of it, plus WWTI, pretty much flawlessly. I guess my PR8800 is a good UHF dedicated antenna, because I rarely have trouble with the Watertown UHF channels. Maybe that extra 10 mile east of me, makes a difference on WWNY's signal, in east end Belleville.

On Rochester, I have messed around with it, but learned that WROC, who are currently running their analog signal on 8 and digital on 45 may be a problem. They are trimming their signal pattern, because they are protecting the territory of SUN TV, who are also using 45 for their digital signal, in the Toronto area. WROC is staying on 45, when the transition happens. I've been able to get WUHF decently and often get the the other two, on 58 and 59, which will be receivable on VHF, after the transition. Right now, there are issues with WXXI, who are using digital 16, the same as Watertown's WPBS on analog. That should change, once the changeover happens. Also have been getting some decent signals on the Syracuse networks, primarily their PBS affiliate on channel 25 and on 19, which is FOX. Also been picking up the NBC, ABS and CBS affiliates on good days. I'm also waiting for a used tower, from Lightfoot Antenna, in Picton. Looking to put up a 40 footer and another 10 with pipe and rotor.

Your problem with WPBS may be a UHF antenna problem, since it is up on channel 41 currently. When it returns to 16, it may come in better.

My understanding is WPBS is staying on 41 post transition (Mar 15th) and increasing their power to 60kW.

My understanding is WPBS is staying on 41 post transition (Mar 15th) and increasing their power to 60kW.
That wouldn't hurt my feelings, since it already comes in good here. Looking at the PR8800 specs, it shows good results, for UHF channels under 30. There won't be too many stations, in these parts, using channels in the higher range. So I may get off lucky. Many, around the OTA neighbourhood swear by the CM 4228, because of it's upper level response, but few, after June 12, around here will be affected. I will be curious about what to expect, after the 12th of June, when many of the Syracuse and Rochester stations move back to VHF.

By the way, I did check out your previous post on equipment, and you've got a pretty decent setup. If you add that larger tower, you'll be in business. If you change your preamp, consider the Channel Master 7777, with the dual inputs, if you put up dedicated UHF and VHF antenna's. I just got one and it works great. My other two preamps were good, but not as good as this one.

increasing their power to 60kW.

That's the plan, but the FCC has not approved the power increase yet.

Hi All,

The following is my adventure in OTA in the city of Peterborough.

All the talk on this forum about OTA HD DT and the success that others have had got my interest piqued. Unfortunately Peterborough has been considered a black hole for all but local OTA reception of any kind. You’d be hard pressed to find any kind of VHF/UHF antenna on any roof top in the city. But a couple of posters results here sounded encouraging.
Not wanting to spend anything on this unless it showed signs of hope I constructed a CM4221, 4 bay type design I found on the forum from scraps I had around. I made the elements from 12 guage romex and used the 14 gauge ground wire for the feeds. I made the elements 7 in long and spaced them at 7 in apart on the narrow edge of a 2x4.
Smuggling the contraption from the basement past my wife and on to the deck under the cover of darkness I lashed it to my gazebo with bungee cords, pointed it to what I figured was south, ran about 40 ft of 6U through the patio door to my Panasonic TH-PX60U plasma and excitedly did a scan….. Rats….a few local VHF and UHFs were good but no DT were detected. The next night I added a cable preamp I had laying around and not got very noisy but watchable 8, 10 and UHF Rochester chs. as well but still no DT. Only one last thing to try, add a reflector before I was forced to put the contraption where my wife suggested. The next day off to Home Depot to get the only piece I didn’t have, some 1/4 x 1/4 in screen which I cut to 24” x 32”. I mounted it to the back of the ant, again smuggled it outside under darkness and lashed it to the gazebo.
Expecting the worst my pulse was barely raised this time as I did a scan.
That all changed after the scan. Wham!!!!! 2-1 came up in glorious OTA HD. My pulse skyrocketed as I then tuned through 4-1, 7-1 and 21-1 from Buffalo all at about 60 % level.
No time to mess with orientation it was now time for one of my wife’s favourite programs Dancing with the Stars. Unknown to her I left it on the OTA feed not the Star Choice HD box. A few minutes in she commented on how much clearer the picture was. She could see some wrinkles in the young dancer’s faces. The more wrinkles she sees on others the better she feels. During an ad I showed her the other channels after which she said perhaps I could just put it where the neighbors won’t notice it. Thankfully a much less painful option for me than her original suggestion.
So it looks like a CM4228 might be worth the investment for me and perhaps others in Peterborough that have good enough elevation to see over the ridge of the valley. Perhaps not all of us are lost in the black hole.

Well Done! This is a poster story for OTA. (Watch for Dxing.)

Good story! Should try the Rochester nets again, on 31.1, 16.1, 45.1, 58.1 and 59.1. On June 12th, 58.1 and 59.1 go back to VHF high on 10 and 13.

Perhaps not all of us are lost in the black hole.

Great story rfelst.
Nice to know it is just not me in stealth mode while working on the OTA gear.;)
I hope that you are able to keep all the stations and it just wasn’t the weather conditions. We might lose WHEC 10.1 as they are dropping their ERP to 18.1kW when they return to VHF 10.

My rotor is shot at the moment and is facing Watertown. So I can’t check out the Rochester or Syracuse stations. I ordered the Research Communications pre-amp from the UK and picking it up from Canada Post this afternoon (need to pay the taxes). Providing the weather cooperates this weekend, I hope to climb the tower, check out the rotor and install the pre-amp.

On another note, I heard that CJOH-6 from Deseronto is not renewing their license. It expires 31 Aug 09. Really need to pick up WHEC then.

Glad you all are enjoying my adventure. Thanks for the comments. I thought others may identify with it.
goforit….good point about the DXing only time will tell if it was all a fluke. I’ll have to leave the ant up for a while to see how reliable the reception is. With my wife now on side it should be easier to do further experiments. I’ve been a putterer all my life so I love this stuff.
PrinceLH ….I’ll play with the orientation this weekend and see if I can get the Rochester DTs.
At first I was surprised that it was the Buffalo DT chs that came in and not Rochester, especially since over the years when I checked with rabbit ears I could get weak analogue Rochester but no hint of Buffalo. But when you look at the low ERP of the Rochester DT when compared to Buffalo DT perhaps it makes sense. Since I plan to simply mount a CM4228 with no rotor on the side of our 2nd story about 10’ higher than my home built, my hope is that once the TO chs up their power I’ll capture some of them as well. The direction from where I am will be roughly the same as Buffalo, however since the pattern of a CM4228 is tighter than the CM4221 type I’ve built, this may not play into my plan.
markfromread……good luck with your new preamp and rotor troubleshooting, although the weather this weekend may make for miserable stealthing:o

Yeah, my wife has come on side now too. It all started late 2007 when the remote on our analog TV died. (This was my chance to go HDTV.) She questioned why we needed an new one. Couldn't I just get off the couch and walk to the TV.....
After explaining the analog shutoff and that our TV wouldn't work with the new digital stations. (Got the deer in the headlights look:o.) She was a first skeptical about it all, and questioned why I needed to update the OTA gear. But once she saw the quality of the picture she quickly came around.
I am gathering the material together to build a DBGH. (See my previous posts).
Once the new tower is up later this summer, I will put it up and see how it pulls in the Syracuse stations.
I must say this is getting rather addicting.

Unknown to her I left it on the OTA feed not the Star Choice HD box. A few minutes in she commented on how much clearer the picture wasBut once she saw the quality of the picture she quickly came around.Ah yes, the surprise A-B test! ;)

As a life-long technogeek I guess I married well becase she's always been supportive of my quixotic quests for quality, but even so I've found that the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) climbs in direct proportion to the noticeable, empirical benefits as opposed to the theoretical. In the case of OTA the cost:benefit facts seal the deal. I'm delighted to add that none of my OTA activities have ever tempted her to rearrange my anatomy. :)