Obviously, given that I am posting here, I am a newbie. I am very interested in putting up an OTA antenna, but am really quite overwhelmed with all the great information.

I have read through the FAQ, printed out the antenna selection pdf, determined where the towers are in Calgary using Google Earth, but still am unsure of which direction to take when it comes to selecting the best antenna for my location (which for the record is in the NW, in Varsity).

From what I can tell, I am not terribly far from the towers (I believe I fall in the "Metro & Urban" category - less than 20KM away from a tower). Given this, I believe that I should be looking at using either a Winegard HD7078P, a Winegard Square shooter or a CM4220 2bay or Zenith Silverstone.

Can anyone help me with my decision, and offer possible locations to buy these antennas?

Thanks.

Has anyone else noticed signal dropouts daily during the Noon News Hour? It doesn't seem to happen at other times I happen to be watching.

rit0025: Welcome to the forum.
I can't help you with commercially available antenna -- I have no experience in this area.
However, having built an antenna (and seen many others here do it, too) it might be a fun, less expensive alternative for you.
Check out the threads here:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=186
As for your location ... Global Calgary is currently broadcasting from a temporary site at their studios (Barlow Tr. and Centre Ave. N.E.), which is well away from the three main TV transmitter sites in the city. You'll have to keep this in mind once you have an antenna and try to figure out where you're going to aim it.

I have been trying to pick up Global HD in NW corner of Rockyridge, Calgary. Its by the city limits but according to global website very well within the footprint. I tried homemade coat hanger antenna after watching it in internet. Its no good. Tried another one from walmart but so far nothing beats the rabbit ears that gives me CTV HD regardless of direction along with semi-decent analogue channels.

Will terk indoor help with global or do I need an outdoor one?

downbeat: Thanks for the reply. Regarding Global, I thought that I had seen video a couple of weeks back on the Noon News showing that they had transitioned to their new tower? Could be wrong, but thought I would throw it out there.

As far as the antenna is concerned, I have considered building my own, but given that I am new to this, I tend to lean towards a commercial solution so that I can be sure that at least one part of the "signal" equation is not failing me. The other question I have been uncertain on is which style would I build? As I mentioned in my 1st post, I'm in Varsity, so I don't think I'm that far from the towers - definitly within the 20 mile distance which would put me in the "Metro" category on the antanna selection chart. Any thoughts/comment?

I've heard from reliable industry sources that CICT-DT Global Calgary will continue to broadcast from the Barlow Trail NE studios for the forseeable future.

Up on Broadcast Hill the old Global analogue tower and gear are almost completely down now, but this means that there's pretty much a line up of people needing to get their own new gear onto the new tower and site, so Global's DTV antenna and transmitter will have to wait until other projects on the new tower are complete.

Unfortunately there are no specific details as to when this might happen, but the tone of the news was that we should not expect it soon. For those of you in the far North West of Calgary the battle to receive Global's DTV signals will continue, with likely not much luck.

I have been trying to pick up Global HD in NW corner of Rockyridge, Calgary. Its by the city limits but according to global website very well within the footprint.

Those service contours you saw are not a proper representation of Global's actual digital TV coverage area. They do not take into account terrain and other obstructions to reception, or the location and height of the receiving antenna.
Global is using a rather short tower (51 metres) and relatively low power (5 kW max, directed to the east) from their temporary transmission site, beside their studio.
Looking at it in Google Earth, the far NW corner of Rocky Ridge is several hundred feet higher in elevation when compared to the Global DTV antenna. That area should clear the southern flank of Nose Hill, which stands almost midway between you and the tower. Might there still be shadowing issues to overcome?
You say you are using an indoor antenna. From personal experience: I have trouble getting both CTV and Global indoors ... even CTV, which is within sight of my neighbourhood!
Until local stations get to crank up their effective radiated power to something decent (dozens/hundreds of kW) and place their antennas much higher, it's my humble opinion outdoor antennas are more reliable.
Check out the antenna forums here:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=186
Lots of awesome info and designs for good DIY antennas that will blow the socks off the coat-hanger antenna you built -- and many store-bought antennas, too.

I've heard from reliable industry sources that CICT-DT Global Calgary will continue to broadcast from the Barlow Trail NE studios for the forseeable future.

Thanks for the info. At least we know it's coming along, unlike some other networks. ::cough:: CBC! ::cough:: :)
I'll give the Mother Corp. credit for replying to my inquiries.
I tried to reach the good folks at Citytv and Omni (both Rogers stations)... but have heard nothing back from them yet.

Thanks Downbeat. I may try square shooter if DIY doesn't work out or lazy man's solution, stick with analogue and rent DVDs. For CTV HD, I am not sure why its not working for you unless you are very close to the tower and therefore under the tower region. I am getting it with rabbit ears regardless of how I orient it or place it. Its like CTV put up a tower in my house.

A side point: I am not in tv business but, if Global is telling its advertisers that Calgary and surrounding areas will be watching ads in HD, and then cover barely half of that, something is wrong. I know analogue is covered and so is cable etc. but then ad prices should reflect that. This could be a minor bargaining point in tough economy for advertisers. My $0.02.

CTV is also using quite low power -- only 2 kW max, directional toward the east. Probably just not penetrating my building well at such low power, despite my proximity.
As for Global ... You'll notice on-air advertising for Global HD sends people to Shaw 199! Shame!
Like I said earlier, I can't wait for the ERP levels to rise to usable levels for hassle-free indoor reception.

Up on Broadcast Hill the old Global analogue tower and gear are almost completely down now, but this means that there's pretty much a line up of people needing to get their own new gear onto the new tower and site, so Global's DTV antenna and transmitter will have to wait until other projects on the new tower are complete.

According to the Industry Canada FM database, it looks like four Calgary radio stations will be broadcasting from the Global TV tower. I know one is operating for sure (CFEX 92.9), and possibly a second (CKMP 90.3), leaving at least two more to migrate (CJSI 88.9 and CFXL 103.1).
Maybe after those guys are done, Global can move their DTV broadcasts to their new tower?
And as it happens, the IC television database now shows channel 44 (ex-CHCA) as being available for transitional digital TV broadcasts. (Wonder if anyone is coveting the channel?)

I tried to reach the good folks at Citytv and Omni (both Rogers stations)... but have heard nothing back from them yet.

I received the following E-mail from the VP of TV Engineering at Rogers Broadcasting today:

Rogers Media is working towards the launch of DTV transmitters for Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary for 2010 and hopefully a few more cities.

Economically this is a tall challenge, but we remain optimistic these goals will be completed in 2010.

Thanks for the info. That's good news.

i find this website very interesting and plan on OTA as a project this fall,i was planing on setting up on my garage an antenna.I have an old clothes line tower that stands about 12 feet high,i thought to set it on the roof of my garage through the roofvent since i have an attic there.Just would be easier to adjust the antenna in that attic rather than getting up on my roof on the house.Bought my daughter a 17"LCD,so i can just take it out to the garage to adjust or tune the antenna from the attic.Thought to put some shingles around where it protrudes through the roof to keep the snow or rain out.The house is about 30 feet away from the garage and i was planning on sending the coaxial cable through a 1 inch pvc pipe buried in the ground.I dug a trench from the house to the garage about 15 yrs ago and set that pipe 3 feet down,i use it for a thermostat and phoneline to the garage,so the coax could be fed through there too.Anyhow,with all the knowledge on this website,i might be able to find what i need for an antenna,preamp etc... to make it work.Now where do i start to post and reply??:eek:

I live down in Inglewood,which is close to 9th Ave and close to downtown in the SE.but you know i just had a coffee outside and noticed that i live in an Airport path,you can hear those planes flying very close to the house,actually the air path is on Deerfoot trail which is about 3 kilometers away going East.I remember when i was a kid,how that really could affect the picture or we just had cheap rabbit ears,back in the days of black and white TV ha ha

Here's a plot from TV Fool (http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d8adfeed05a36fd) centred in Inglewood. You should be in the clear for all local digital and analog TV stations.

In OTA terms you are quite far away from the Deerfoot flight path, so you have nothing to worry about. :) The phenomena of airplane flutter (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=103432) is still around, but not at all as severe on digital ATSC as it was on analogue NTSC TV.

I have read lots on here and picked up a digital tuner last spring. I could only get CTV. I finally made a 10 element yagi today, 8 directors, driven element and reflctor. Used a 1" x 1" piece of walnut for the beam, 3/16" steel rods for the directors and reflector and 1/4" dia aluminum for the driven element. All scraps laying about except the Aluminum rod, $3 at CTC. From the upstairs bedroom window, no luck. Up on the roof - bingo!. So I went and spent some more for 50 ft of RG6 and ran it inside (under corner moulding and siding). Watching digital now. About 80% signal strenght on the bar meter on Global, (antenna pointed at global) and even though broadcast hill is about 90 deg from the aim of the antenna at global, I still get about 80% on CTV and great analog signals too for 2,4,5,9,13,16,32,38.

I put a coat of spar varnish on it so hopefully the moisture won't deteriorate it too much before global moves to the new tower. Then I should be able to just rotate it to broadcast hill and any old antenna should work for me then.

I am in east Dalhousie - near Shaginappi trail. So a Yagi works from here.

I finally made a 10 element yagi today, 8 directors, driven element and reflctor.
Welcome to the forum! Could you please share a picture of your creation?

drh9, you are thankfully in one of the driest parts of Canada so the varnish on wood should be fine for awhile. Even so, metal and/or sun-proofed PVC is the way to go for longevity of an outdoor antenna. :) 300ohm and the other folks in the Antenna Research & Development (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=186) forum can give you the state-of-the-art in DIY antenna materials as needed.

Nice that you get Broadcast Hill on the side lobe of your Yagi - that answers some concerns I've had for people in the NW wanting to get Global. It may still be tough for some people, but its good to know that your area gets it while they're still over on Barlow Trail NE.