Re atmospheric conditions, we actually got better analogue reception in the winter. We've been using the rabbit ears for the past three years -- never had cable or satellite. I think CBUT on Mt. Seymour is classed as a 2Edge for us; definitely not line of sight. I never knew why we received it as well as we did -- perhaps a reflection off something? One of our choices is, of course, to give up "live" TV entirely, and just stick with Roku and Netflix and the radio.

gshall,
If in TV Fool (Online Maps under Tools) you click on the CBUT Call Sign button, you'll get a detailed map showing how the reception of CBUT varies across San Juan Isand. Your postal code is centered on the island where the reception is poorer (purple), but there are other areas including on the west side where it is better (green).

I think you'll do pretty well with a 4221 antenna and a pre-amplifier. I'm getting all the Vancouver channels on Mayne Island, which is almost as far (40 miles) away.

I have a TVfool image showing us right at the junction between green and purple. Probably worth a try.

Re atmospheric conditions, we actually got better analogue reception in the winter.

That could be in part because of trees shedding their leaves and thus allowing clearer paths from the transmitters.

I don't seem to get chek since the change over and for some reason tonight kbcb .1,.2 and .3 aren't coming in. I used to get chek in analog reasonably ok. Is the power way down with the digital broadcast?

currently in central nanaimo I'm getting

2.1
8.1
10.1
12.1
12.2
17.1
23 (I thought this was going away?)
26.1
32.1
42.1

23 (I thought this was going away?)

Is that analog or Digital? CH 23 in digital is CIVI-DT broadcast from Victoria.

late last night 6 and 23 both analog were still coming in.

23 may be coming in from Nanimo is it CHAN TV?

It's chan, showing the same as 8.1

I'm pretty surprised our local electronics retailers are generally clueless about the digital transition. I could not even find a small indoor TV antenna to pick up CHEK and CTV2 (Formerly A-Channel). I likewise had contact with the supposed expert that was on CBC and I knew way more about it than he did. How can you stay in business like that? His response to me when I asked if could sell me an indoor antenna so I can pick up the new digital signals was that I needed a big antenna and a converter box and then asked me if I knew about the signals changing over to digital. What did I just ask you buddy?

Every flat screen you can buy has a built in tuner and there are a lot of elderly people here with limited and/or fixed income. I'm just trying to help some of these people get free TV and cut the cable and the costs. They just watch the local news and there's just no way a rooftop antenna is in their future. I had to mail order what I needed.

If our local electronics business people just bought a supply of Silver Sensor indoor antennas or even just cheap UHF loop antennas and 75 ohm baluns to attach them to the new sets a whole lot of old people could save a mint, get perfect local TV and be completely happy about it.

There's a business opportunity for someone out there. Even the stations should be giving away UHF loop antennas to anyone who asks and they'd generate tons of goodwill and increase their viewership. I can get KVOS perfectly too and they show all the old shows our elders enjoy.

Sorry to be so cynical about this -- but isn't there anyone with any brains at all out there in the real world of people? Seems all of us here are some kind of freaks to know this stuff and that's what is nuts. This is simple stuff. What's wrong in the world?

There's a business opportunity for someone out there. Even the stations should be giving away UHF loop antennas to anyone who asks and they'd generate tons of goodwill and increase their viewership.

You will find antennas at London Drugs, The Source, Canadian Tire, Best Buy, Future Shop, Walmart, etc, etc.

They didn't have the simple UHF loop antennas, they had the poor quality Terk antennas. I was surprised that my local "The Source" had nothing. That was the first place I looked.

Benjamin:

Yes they might sell antennas, but they know very little about their products and OTA. Here's our opportunity to write letters to the editor, get on CBC, CKNW, CFAX, etc... to spread the word.

We can get some amazing reception with a relatively small investment that will pay for itself quite quickly - the trouble is the retailers are working closely with the cable / telephone companies to help them sell their subscriptions.

I feel I spoke to absolutely every retailer in Victoria who should have had some knowledge about OTA. Two were somewhat knowledgeable, but one admitted they stopped carrying Channel Master Antennas (for example) because the demand was so low and the boxes take up valuable real estate.

Good day all, I have been reading the post on and off for the last month. Finally decided to give this a try. First I hooked up an old digital ant that I bought with a Computer TV card earlier in the year, and hooked it up to my samsung upstairs. The set up was a 3 inch rubberized antennae, with two RG6 Coax cabled coupled together, length was bout 20 ft. and placed the antenna on the front windows sill. Well, the TV was able to scan 8 channels, upon close inspection, I was receiving one HD signal that came extremely crisp, the picture was better than the HD channel on the cable. So, I went down to the Source to see if I could pick up a better antennae for not too much. As it happens they were on sale this weekend CM4220HD. So I bought one, but the store has to ship it in from another location in Victoria. I will pick it up on Wed or Thu. I will let you all know of the reception from this mountain, to which I did not see any post from this location. Here is my tvfool report for where I am. The report was completed using the lat and long of my location, along with a 20ft above ground elevation (2 story house)

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d83871bc5c42442

Can't wait to see, what I will get with the CM4220HD without pre amp.

@dcstamper
You say that you tried The Source (ex-Radio Shack, owned by Bell Media).

I did too and they brought an antenna down from upcountry. However in the meantime I find that my old regular no-loop 40 year-old rabbit ears work just fine for all regional signals, Vancouver, Victoria to Bellingham. So I cancelled the antenna order, kept the Zinwell. More savings.
Using the Zinwell converter box as it has bypass and a few other considerations. Now I have to hit the analogue remote for colour correction and power on/off. And the Zinwell box as its power on/off, and channel switcher with the feed through analogue channel 3, or 4, or Video 1 or 2 which I have to select with the analogue remote (when not watching Channel 6). Two volumes, two mutes possible.
Clearer signal, but sometimes finicky.

The Source at one mall said to order online and the customer could have it delivered to a store, which is what the web pages say.

Durhamradio in Whitby had a better mail order and I used them for SW radios before.

I would have gone with the 4221 or 4228 so that you have a chance to get some of the Seattle stations.
Will be interesting to see how you make out.

@OnDuty - that TV Fool will be the envy of many, I'm sure! Your 4220 should be great at picking up your Mt. Seymour stations, and if you ever want to get a more powerful antenna, a lot of those USA network stations are within a pretty easy grasp. You are a lucky guy...

I decided that I should be getting chek at the very least and since I hadn't built a new antenna since last winter I built the stealth hawk UHF model using parts from a spare GH I had. The old antenna was a GH without the reflector my available channels are basically split by 90 degees and aiming to get both groups was finicky.

After completion the new antenna was so much lighter I was able to get it up an extra 5' to roughly 17' from the ground. I had the GH up this high for awhile and the extra 5' made no difference.

After rescanning I now get

2.1
6
6.1
8.1
10.1
11
12.1
12.2
13
17.1
23
24.1 KBCB
24.1 RF24-1
24.2 KBCB-2
24.3 KBCB-SD
26.1
32.1
42.1
66.1

the 24.1 duplication with different channels I find interesting. I'm overjoyed with these results. Not half bad for 30 minutes bending of an old chunk of electrical wire.

yep here's my tvfool
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d8387d7dd1af77a

I just rescanned and got 4.1 komo and 4.2 komo-2 it looked like it said live in the logo. Both are very pixelated and unwatchable but tvfool says that is a -28.3 Nm(DB) Is it good tropo or something? the scan pauses in a few other places for awhile before giving up.

The current setup is the stealth hawk to 30' of RG6 to a canadian tire 24db amp (all it says is 20221) to 20 feet of RG6 to my insignia 32" tv the amp helped with the old GH a fair amount. It may be helping a lot with the current setup.

Ya the tropos have been fantastic over the last couple of days getting roughly 50 channels in Victoria seems a bit better at night but have been getting day time as well.

We have had Starchoice/Shaw-Direct for a few years but the trees have grown to the point that there is no line of sight and they can't find a spot on the house to get a good signal. We have trees to the south and east.

We don't need 20 channels with the same program anyway.

We have been thinking of OTA but this TVFool report makes us wonder if we would get any channels at all and what kind of antenna we would need. My wife would like to get KCTS but it is way out there.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d838758de67c4f2

We have an older plasma with the analog tuner so would go with a digital tuner and probably a Yagi with pre-amp and rotator.