So basically, CKMI-DT (Global) will be DT OTA only in Montreal? They will shutdown their Channel 11 analog in Sherbrooke? Would it make sense for them to use Channel 11 in Montreal, and then attempt a omni directional pattern to cover the Eastern Townships from Montreal?

What is the plan for their Quebec City transmitter on Channel 20. Will that go digital, or just shutdown?

Also...I read somewhere that CJOH-TV 13 will have a lower power output when it goes DTV. Perhaps this will allow WVNY-DT 13 to increase it's power output a few more kw. , but only towards the western part of it's area coverage. Let's hope this happens, because like plenty of you, I can't get WVNY-DT 13.

Blackburst asked:
So basically, CKMI-DT (Global) will be DT OTA only in Montreal? They will shutdown their Channel 11 analog in Sherbrooke? Would it make sense for them to use Channel 11 in Montreal, and then attempt a omni directional pattern to cover the Eastern Townships from Montreal?


My information comes from Global's filings before the CRTC. I don't know how much of this is real, and how much is posturing, but their stated intent is to only implement one digital transmitter per license. For Quebec, they've said this would be Montreal, and for Ontario, they've said Toronto.
They've said that they might consider adding other digital transmitters depending on market conditions. I would imagine this might mean Ottawa or London (Paris) might get digital OTA, but given limited capital funds, I don't see the business case for the short or medium term for Sherbrooke or Quebec City.

Applying for channel 11 in Montreal does make a certain amount of sense, unless the Global would have plans eventually for implementing CKMI-DT-2 Mont Orford. (The Estrie and Northern Vermont being very hilly, channel 11 would provide much more benefit there than in the centre of the St Lawrence Valley in Montreal.)


What is the plan for their Quebec City transmitter on Channel 20. Will that go digital, or just shutdown?

I highly doubt it, but that's just my opinion.

Hi all!

Just thought I'd throw this one out there to some people who can answer this. I have a cottage on Lake Memphremagog and it'd be nice to get some good TV reception. Currently, with a Radioshack VU-90 (I think - at the very least it's your generic outdoor combo antenna), some twin lead and our converter box, we can pick up WETK, WCAX, and, if I get the positioning of the twin lead right (over a chair, lamp, and curtain rod....) WVNY comes in.

So, according to the converter box signal meter,we can get a lock on:

WCAX - 62%
WETK - 25-37% (usually the higher end)
WVNY - 37 - 42%

We're interested in getting NBC (WPTZ). WFFF would be nice, but I'm not counting on it. At least the box acknowledges that both channels exist (ie. there's something there), so we have hope.

Any recommendations for a new antenna? I was thinking a ChannelMaster 4228, but will it pick up the lower end (Ch. 13,14, WVNY and WPTZ respectively) well?

TVFool report:
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8509/radarall2.th.png (http://img145.imageshack.us/i/radarall2.png/)

For Channel 14- 59 UHF:

You can get a 4228 HD (new model) then modify it if you want, check this:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=103749

Or get the older 4228, you don't need to hack it but they hard or impossible to get new.

There's also the DB-8, I never tried it, maybe someone can give their opinion about it.

For Channel 7-13:

WVNY-Dt Ch13 is very very weak. You need a channel 13 antenna like the Delhi/Wade 10y13s and even them it's not guaranteed you will get it. I have a 10y13s with a Channel Master 7777 pre-amp and I only get 40 % of the time in Beloeil.

Problem is also that Delhi does not make anymore the 10y13s. You need a VHF-HI antenna, Winegard has the YA-1713, but it has the reputation of being weak for ch13. You can also make yourself a clone of 10y13s with $ 25.00 of materials.
Check this thread for this :
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=53298&page=40

Your WVNY signal is about the same as me if we believe TVfool. The 4228hd or DB-8 in your situation is not good for WVNY ch13.


For retailers near your area: Raybel Electronique, Montreal-East (Notre-Dame East) and also in Sherbrooke (Boul.Industriel)

Check here also: http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=51078

Thanks a lot for the reply. Problem is, no one seems to have the Channel Master around here (as of 7/1/09), not even in Vermont.

So I will look for the elusive Channel Master - or build a SBGH or something. Need to have this done by the end of the week, though, since we will have visitors and the twin lead as it is now isn't very pretty.

For Ch. 13, I know you mentioned the 10y13s, but do you think this (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=186046&postcount=7) antenna might work? Just to be clear, without proper positioning of the stupid twin lead, I can only get PSIP data for WVNY, and just barely. Looking at the signal meter, it appears that half of WVNY's signal is coming in via the wire in our house. As well, since WVNY is a weaker signal than WFFF, but since I can't get WFFF, I suspect TV Fool of being wrong. That, and it tells me that the higher I go, the worse my signal gets?? I seriously doubt that the signal is as weak as TVFool says it is if I get half my signal via twin lead inside the house. (By the way, the report before was for 1ft AGL, which is as close to reality as it will give me. If I say 30ft, which it actually is, I don't see how I could get a 62% signal on WCAX with a NM of 3.1.)

Our handyman lent that antenna (the big one) to us last weekend to try, but let's just say it's old. Very old. The elements are bent in some places, one is about to fall off, the u-shaped bolt that attaches to the mast broke when I tried to turn the bolts, and half of the UHF part is missing - it doesn't extend past the vee-shaped end. However, I think I did get WVNY on it when I lay it on the roof, as well as our usual WCAX and WETK. Unfortunately, I never mounted it on the mast because of the broken bolts and the rain that came later. I also have no idea if I would still get WVNY since that was also the week I picked up KSDK, WSIL and WYFF all in the same night. (Nightlight analog signals, though, but still interesting).

I cannot tell you 100% if you can catch WVNY with the 10y13s.

With OTA it's trial and error, this is not DishTV, Directv, Belltv or Starchoice.

For TVfool, yes watch out, there are a lot of error for Canadian Addresses.

Did you try Raybel for the 4228HD ? Last time I heard they had stock.

For the 4228, that one is out of production since the Fall of 2008.

Maybe you can built your own and it is fun.

I can tell you by talking to People in Eastern Vermont that WFFF is very hard to get like WVNY and some have a bigger problem with WFFF.


Intravino

Thanks for the help. I'll think about building my own - see how it goes. Maybye the twin lead is causing mutipath or something? One part of the signal arrives at rooftop antenna, and the other arrives later inside the house or something? It is VHF, so chances are it will penetrate the house; the house is behind a hill, no LOS to anything but trees, water, and other people's docks. As well, there isn't much to penetrate: wood siding, wood.....insulation maybye..and not much else as far as I know.When I find time to get some RG-6, I'll see if it makes a difference. And although I know this should go in the shopping thread, I'll just say that yes, I've tried everyone from Montcalm to Raybel to Antenna Man in Newport, VT and no one has it.

Or it may be that the VU-90's gain drops off around 13. Who knows. Trial and error as you said- hopefully not expensive trial and error.

I have to take a decision about my reception of WVNY, I am really frustrated about the reception of this VHF channel and I want something permanent before this Fall. WVNY is not the best channel for content, they almost just infomercials when the ABC feed is off, but I need the ABC feed for my wife and me.

Right now because of the leaves, I get it about 5-10 % of the time. When they are no leaves, I get about 40-50 % of time (more at night).

These are my options:

1) Built a 10y13s clone for stacking with my original 10y13s

2) Purchase a very low noise preamp like the Research Communication.

3) Abandon everything for this very low power VHF channel and get a FTA setup for Galaxy 18, there are a few ABC affiliates from Wyoming and Montana on that bird.


I don't now also if there is something I can do about the leaves? I would try to mount the antenna elsewhere on the tower, or higher?


Give me your opinions please!


Thanks,


Intravino

Try a different tuner or/and a FM trap.

I have 6 tuners:

CM 7000
Zenith 901
Apex 502
TivoHD
Samsung TV
Sanyo TV

I tried the FM trap on the CM7777.

Last weekend, I replaced the twin lead with RG-6 and used a electrical taped indoor set transformer to give the coax signal. Worked very well before I cut the cable (WCAX 72%) but when I did, WCAX dropped to ~45%.... Anyway, I suspect it's the transformer getting a bad connection (being pulled by the weight of the cable - and the continuous rain) with the rusty u-bolts.

Although I thought I'd shed some light on my WVNY reception: with the RG-6, it's better. Before, I had to spend a lot of time moving around the twin lead to get a good signal, and even then I needed it strong (above 37% on my tuner) to get it stable. With the RG-6, I simply need to find a sweet spot for the cable hanging off the tuner (tuner is on an old Sony CRT) and it comes in stable, albeit at a lower signal strength (27%). This implies less noise (I think).

This is with the huge forest that surrounds me. I think, based upon what I've read about in stampeder's tree problem thread, is that the signal reforms or something after passing through the trees on its way to the antenna.. With the antenna pointed towards Mt. Mansfield, there are only 1 or 2 big trees in the way - which luckily are nowhere near as high as they should be since the antenna is raised above the roof on the house which is raised above the ground that has a very steep slope in the tree's direction. Anyway, I believe there is enough room for the signal to reform or something after going through the trees and that is what is letting me get the signal. That, and I'm not dealing with big leaves - only needles. But I did notice that the signal breaks with the wind up if the strength isn't high enough.

I would suggest, based upon my limited weekend experience, to try putting the antenna (or another one or whatever - since I personally would not climb a tower) somewhere else further away from the trees - even lower if need be. I've found VHF to be tricky, and sometimes even a clearer signal path means worse reception, at least for analog. You could also try to find an area with less leaf density. If an experiment like that works, you might even have to put up a separate antenna somewhere else on the property for WVNY - which would be a big pain. But probably cheaper than FTA.

By the way, the FM trap killed my WVNY signal at the cottage. Don't know about Montreal, though, since I've only tried an indoor antenna. Maybe it would help if you're in range of the high-powered FM transmitters, which my cottage is not.

Just my two cents.:)

I moved my 10y13s the other side of my chimney in front of my tower. It improved my reception but it's still not perfect.

When the 10y13s was on my tower with a horizontal J mount, I was getting now in July maximum 30% on the signal meter and with no picture. Now I am in the high 50's or low 60's. With the previous setup, I wasn't getting WVNY-DT since the leaves.

With the Kitz Tech Amp I was getting 58 to 62 % but that was with a strait 75 feet coax with no combiner . Now with the CM7777, I get 49 to 53 %.

I don't how much will the RC preamp would improve my signal. I have to repair my homemade balun tuned for Channel 13 before.

I used the FM trap on the CM7777 and there is no gain at all.

I have a felling that my 4228 behind my 10y13s is blocking CKTM Ch13 analog from Trois-Rivieres. I know that in August 2011, I should get less interfence because of the analogue shutdown.

There is not much more that I can do to improve my WVNY-DT signal. I don't want to stack an antenna or make better clone 10y13s.

I used the FM trap on the CM7777 and there is no gain at all.

I know also that DHC member Foxfan observed during a CFCF signoff that his WVNY-DT signal did not improve one bit.

I will see this Fall because the signal always improves 30 % after leaves fall.

Intravino

We have always been using free OTA TV throughout the years... Never got CATV or Satellite... So we kinda were a little jalous of other people with CATV and many channels, but happy to pay nothing....

And of course, you can imagine the great supprise we got when we learned that OTA was the way of the future with HD coming and digital TV. We were right all along after all thoes years to stick with OTA.

Anyway, as the years progressed since we bought our last antenna, we've been getting worse and worse reception, and I'm not sure why... So after looking for a week or two on this wonderful forum, I came here to make my first post and ask for your help on this matter...

I hope you can help me. If you need any more clarification, I'll be happy to oblige.

Thanks again.

Your existing antenna is getting worse for a reason. I suggest you take it down and examine everything to determine the exact cause, and then fix it and put it back up again!

Most likely, the wiring that connects it to your TV has gone bad somewhere, or the balun/matching-transformer needs replacement.

The antenna itself could be fine, but perhaps jit needs some attention at just the contact points where the downfeed wire attaches.

Cheers

How old is your antenna and cable?

It sounds like OTA has been very kind to your pocketbook over the years. Maybe you could spend a little on replacing your coax with RG6 cable and install a new balun. It would be a cheap fix for future savings. If that doesn't work, then look at some of the preferred antennas and other OTA gear listed in this forum.

How old is your antenna and cable?Well, my antenna is about 15 years old, and all the exterior wiring was redone 10 years ago...

I'm in a "fringe" area so I believe it shouldn't be too hard to get theses signals, but as I said earlier, it has worsen a lot these past few years...

Anyway, here's my TVFOOL results: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3daeade950081104

After continued reading and a little deduction on my part, I've come to believe that trees are my problem, so please tell me if the following reasoning makes any sense :

1. It seems that the UHF band is the most affected by my poorer reception, since I hardly get anything on this band, and VHF is still not too bad. And I've read that trees have a much greater effect on this band too.

2. I can't remember how tall were the trees before, when I had pretty good reception, but now they are almot 10 feet higher than my antenna... How fast do tree grows?

3. Here are some pictures of the trees and their position in comparison with my antenna :

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/1317/tree1k.th.jpg (http://img43.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tree1k.jpg) http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/9434/tree2w.th.jpg (http://img43.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tree2w.jpg) http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/4575/tree3.th.jpg (http://img43.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tree3.jpg)

Am I right? Trees are my main problem?

If so, what can I do? I'd very much like to watch these HD signals that I almost get!

Oh! And maybe you could tell me wich antenna I have, since I have no idea...

Here are some pictures of it:

http://img43.imageshack.us/my.php?image=antenna3.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/my.php?image=antenna2.jpg
http://img43.imageshack.us/my.php?image=antenna1v.jpg

And maybe I should add that I'm currently using a distribution amp:

http://img43.imageshack.us/my.php?image=booster.jpg

hey guys, new to ota.....i just bought an apex box (dt250a),
living in Beauharnois (south west of montreal),
built a bow tie antenna from coat hangers....
Can only get ch 17 (tele quebec) when pointing towards montreal, i also get 57.1, 57.2, 57.3
i get no other channels from montreal, I want TQS, CBC, SRC.
would i be better off with an indoor antenna, and where can i buy one?

Thanks for your time and patience


Boobou69

Am I right? Trees are my main problem?
One of your problems. Your biggest problem for the US stations is that you are located directly north of Mt Mansfield. The towers on Mt Mansfield do NOT clear the peak, so there is a deep signal shadow north from there towards Granby and Cowansville.
That's why TVFool shows good results for WCFE from Lyon Mountain, but impossible signal levels for WCAX and WETK (and nothing for WPTZ and WFFF).

Aside from that, the trees don't help. Also, the UHF section of your antenna is probably not the highest gain.

If so, what can I do? I'd very much like to watch these HD signals that I almost get!

Oh! And maybe you could tell me wich antenna I have, since I have no idea...


I would give up on the Mt Mansfield signals (WCAX/WETK/WPTZ/WFFF) and concentrate on Plattsburgh (WCFE) and Montreal(CBC/SRC/TQ/TQS digital, CTV/Global/Savoir analog).

Which way is your antenna pointing? Do you get any Montreal stations, in analog or digital?

You should probably be able to get the analog stations from Mont Orford (7/9/11/24/30) also.

Boobou69:
As far as I understand, none of Montreal's digital OTA stations is being broadcast from the tower on Mount Royal. That might explain your current difficulties.
Tele Quebec is being broadcast from the tower at Olympic Stadium; CBC and Radio Canada are broadcasting from the top of their building near the Jacques-Cartier Bridge; TQS are broadcasting from the top of their building in Old Montreal.
Just out of curiosity ...
Do you have line of sight to any of these locations?
Is your antenna indoors or out?
If outdoors, how high have you mounted it?
Have you considered something other than a bowtie?

i have a homemade bowtie, i've tried indoors and outdoors(rooftop maybe 10-15 feet), one thing is for sure...wherever i aim i get pbs...lol....

i cannot get fox when pointing south either

i should have a good line.

what indoor antennas do you recommend