Fox 31 was back last night!

Still no sign of CTV rebrodcaster 54 moving to 35 DTV yet.

I am looking at my antenna options.

The CM4228HD is rated at:

60 miles uhf
45 miles VHF

my tv fool says Rochester,NY is 83.5 miles SSE,167 deg. true north.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d3cf46d22dd7a92

Is anybody (the closer the better)getting Rochester,NY with it and a cm7777 preamp?

While we're at it...

Will I have problems with 18 and 44 analog @15.8 miles and 27 Global @19.0 miles overloadin g the amp and Sony Bravia KDL46SL140 's tuner?

btw: I'd like to avoid a rotor ,if poss.

I was thinking:

ch. 7-13 ant. pointed at Rochester,NY
cm4228HD(or other) aimed South?

+ preamp

suggestions?

btw: Just researching right now.This is a Spring project.If it works,I'll shut Shawdirect off for 6 months and think about telling them where to go! lol

ITpro007 I am at the west end of the lake, so pretty close to you. Yes I know they claim it does but I was not confident that model does well on HI VHF at fringe distances (Anyone seen some gain charts for this?) Look at all the other antennas that are of similar design. How many of them say 14-69? So if true, 45 miles VHF is way below what U need anyway. Rochester is hard to get here, low height transmitters, some signals directional. It was 10 & 13 that made me change my mind and get 2 separate antennas. You need a powerful VHF and UHF or all channel fringe style unit. Look around at your neighbors towers for E.G. You may need to trap those strong channels. No rotor will seriously cut your channel lineup. Not sure where your antenna should point but Rochester is south of you. More stuff towards Buffalo. Better choice with no rotor.

Thanls Wilspin,I will keep those thoughts in mind.

I decided I'm going to grab a CM4228HD in the next month and go from there.

Yes,I think you\re right.Rochester VHF-hi will require anothe ant. ie: Antennacraft 10 el. ch. 7-13.

Look around at my neighbor's towers?

They're all from the Stone Age!

No UHF,legs bent,or falling off....

I should imagine a lot have Cable and some have Satellite.

Anyway,we'll see how she goes.

I'll mount it on the side of the tv tower just above roof level,proabbly facing SW.

From here:

Rochester= 83.3 miles,167 deg. SSE

Harwood=15.x miles 214 deg,ssw
Baltimore=19.0 miles,209 deg. .ssw -ch. 27,Global

btw: did put an original Antennacraft 4 bay bowtie up yrs ago,but not knowing anything,fed it with twin lead.Terrible signal.Went to recently replace it with coax.All rusted out!Couldn't evern budge the wing nuts -live and learn! lol

Even the ones from the Stone Age will still work. They will also indicate what type of equipment you need to get quality reception. lots 'o' big long ones?

There are some combo antennas,but most are vhf only.Big suckers,probably Delhi Crossfires,or such like.10,12 ft. booms,I figure.

btw: I see by your signature(as all OTA pros do),you have a separate vhf ant.

I'm figuring on an Antennacraft 10 el 7-13 ant. for Rochester.Plus,something else for 21(16) and 31(38),8(45).

Oops sorry Stampeder! You will find 21 and 31 (28) a challenge to get reliably.

Yeah?

How about 8 -wroc?

Better than 21, 31 which are directional transmitters. 8, 10, 13 strong in all directions. 31 is a no-show jan feb here. all coming in tonite.

You must be far enough from 44 not to have problems with it overpowering 8(45)?

btw: What are the traps for?

Luckily 44 does not require a trap. 12 CBC Peterborough and 18 TVO do require one as they cause issues.

So my DB8 arrived today I took down the ‘testing’ old single bowtie. I expected much improvement but what I find is it’s very directional. Can’t get TO and all Buffalo at the same time. Do I want 5-1 or 49-1? Can’t have both, of course initial results do not indicate how it will be after a week or so. I went with 5-1. Specs; DB8 @ 10’ pointed south west with CM7777, HDA200 4x splitter. Get 2,4,5,7,17,29,51??? Why no 49 but fussy 51, maybe the weather? So now I can rely less on the rotor more on a/b switch’s and the wife’s soap will always record on 7 even if I forget to point the ’91 in the right direction.

Hi folks,

I have been reading all the threads and have learned a lot... and I can say that I am hooked! We have recently rebuilt the cottage in Caesarea, ON, just 10 km east of Port Perry and about 30-40 kms north of Bowmanville. I bought an 8-bay heavy duty antenna (clone) and put it on the peak of my roof on a 10 ft pole. I believe it is about 30 ft up. The results were pretty good but I can't get any of the Toronto HD stations. The only one I get is CBC 5.1 and that was only at night... just in time to catch the leaf game!

Here are the digital channels I got:

4.1 ABC
5.1 CBC
7.1 CBS
17.1 PBS
17.2 PBS
17.3 (Not sure what it is off hand)
23.1 CW
29.1 Fox
29.2 TCN
43.8 (finds the station but says it doesn't support it)
43.9 (finds the station but says it doesn't support it)

There is a tree in the way, but no leaves at this time and I did try different places on the roof and still no luck.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Would a pre-amp help even if I don't currently get the station at all? Will it be better when the Toronto stations boost their power? They are boosting right?

Here is my TV fool report:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d8d1754e6248069

Thanks!

Sounds normal to me until the transition and they turn up the power 5-1 is all you will get out our way. I would add a preamp any way and you should get a few more, 2-1,49-1. That clone may also be a factor.

Thanks Wilspin. I am looking forward to them boosting the power. It just seems odd that we can get the Buffalo stations yet the Toronto ones are so weak! Do you have a preamp that you recommend that won't break the bank? Is the CM7777 the way to go?

Yes me too. The US is serious about OTA, but up here--BIG SECRET keep the power low, maybe no one will notice how good it is :) the 7777 works for me. shop around for best price.

I'm about 5 miles north of Pre1ude and I get all the Toronto and Hamilton channels with a 30 year old VHF UHF antenna with pre-amp on a 45 foot tower with a broken rotor. Antenna is pointed at Hamilton. The only Buffalo I get is 23.1 and sometimes
17.1
17.2
17.3
2.1
2.2
2.3
Planning to install an 8bay when the weather warms up. Hope to get more Buffalo.

Hey Tennative... since I couldn't get the Toronto stations I pointed the antenna towards Buffalo. From where I am, it is almost directly pointed south. When I was pointed to Toronto, I only got a couple of Buffalo stations and only CBC. I am hoping that a Preamp will help my cause. Not sure I am going to invest in a tower until after the Toronto stations power up in August. Let me know what happens once you get an 8-bay. Good Luck

Wow nothing new these days. When is CTV switching the 54 repeater to DTV 35? No reply from CHEX to my email. I need some new channels to scan. What will I do one all have converted to DTV? it's going to be pretty boring. Guess I’ll have to watch TV.