Visor is living just off 130th Ave SE behind the Safeway on the top floor of a 4-storey condo which means the north-side of McKenzie Towne in the nowadays not too Deep South here in Calgary.

Shamefully there is no option for a central antenna in that condo, which means the solution Visor is using is probable the best solution possible.

I noticed myself that even a simple telescopic vertical, as shipped with a Hauppauge 950 USB-tuner, will receive the 3 current ATSC channels with acceptable results in quite a lot of places around Calgary (I tested on a laptop!), so that will be good news all around when the transition of OTA to ATSC is complete...

visor - I'd be interested to hear what signal strengths you have displayed on the screen.

Hmm... it never occured to me to check for a signal meter that would be built-in to my TV. I just checked the manual (I have a Sony KDL-52W3000), and it looks like there is one. I'm not at home right now though, and I'm off to Bragg Creek straight after work so I'll have to check it later on in the weekend.

I noticed that CTV's signal started to fade before going to work this morning. If I stood up, the picture would pixellate & freeze up. However, when I sat back down again, the picture was fine. I was home for lunch today and all was working well again. I must've hit some sort of temporary interference this morning.

which means the north-side of McKenzie Towne in the nowadays not too Deep South here in Calgary.

LOL... true, true. Well, technically I'm in South Pointe, which is just north of Prestwick, which is just north of McKenzie Towne. I know, my head's spinning too. ;)

I learn new things every day. I always thought South Pointe was the builder's name (and complex name) and that Prestwick was a part of McKenzie Towne, Like Mountain Park Estates was part of McKenzie Lake [that's where I live, since before McKenzie Towne was even there]...

Me, I'm using the Philips SDV2510, a predecessor of yours, and I'm happy with the reception, placed on the mantle. VHF is a bit iffy on sensitivity, but the UHF works like a charm, but still seems to need support from the VHF antennae to improve reception, odd as that may be.

CTV signal, being about 40-50% at my end, varies a bit with the weather [humidity in the air?], so when you need to go 'through' a building, you might notice even more variation. Are you not able to rotate to find a reflected signal from another wing of your building?

I always thought South Pointe was the builder's name (and complex name) and that Prestwick was a part of McKenzie Towne, Like Mountain Park Estates was part of McKenzie Lake

You may be right Mackerel, I'll have to do some reasearch about exactly where it is that I am. :p

the UHF works like a charm, but still seems to need support from the VHF antennae to improve reception, odd as that may be.

Sadly, you're correct... I just tried folding up the VHF antennae and I lost my digital channels. :(

Are you not able to rotate to find a reflected signal from another wing of your building?

Hey, good call. I found that if I rotated the UHF antenna from facing NW to facing directly South, my CTV signal went from 39-43% to 71-76%! The analog UHF channels (i.e. CTS and OMNI) came in much clearer as well. Unfortunately, Global's signal took a major hit, so I'm settling for having the UHF antenna face SW. Meanwhile, my rabbit ears are lying horizontally and are pointing North/South. I'm still playing with the length to extend them for best reception, although right now it's looking to be about 1/2 to 3/4 extended on each side.

Several posts about rabbit ears have been moved here on that topic:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=122209

I grabbed a 3 foot 2x4 from the backyard, some heavy copper core line that was in my basement and fashioned myself a crude Grey-Hoverman antenna. I have the antenna leaning against a main floor window that faces NE (I should be pointing it NW but that will require some work). I pick up three digital stations, CTS and OMNI come in clear, but Access and CBC are pretty bad. What was interesting is my CRT TV picked up Access and CBC very clearly with the same antenna setup.

I am looking forward to more stations going to digital (especially CBC) and I can't believe how well a hand fastened antenna made by a twit like me does so well at receiving stations. Especially given that it was made with scrap around the house.

I would prefer having something on the roof but a) I'm too cheap to buy an antenna and b) my near 45 degree angle roof scares me!

mr.steevo, several replies to you are in the OTA Mounts, Towers, Rigging Hardware (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=29559) thread, which already contains everything you will ever need to know about solving antenna mount problems.

It is the policy of this site that our members take advantage of the huge wealth of info in our various existing threads in the OTA Forum rather than beginning new discussions of the same topics in other threads.

cheers:)

Been browsing for hours looking for info on what I can pick up in Nanton south of Calgary...sorry in advance if I am off topic.

A few weeks ago I tossed (about 40 up) on my roof a commercial grade antenna that was tunned for Omni I am currently getting Global and City TV with VG signal.
(No booster)
Where is CBC CTV??? And what else?
One more thing where is a good place in Calgary that has rotors and Antenna's I would like to test pointing with a rotor at the US border and lethbridge.

timcat, if the Calgary DTV stations reach Nanton at their present power levels you will need an ATSC tuner and a UHF antenna. If those signals don't reach you, in the future they will use higher power levels that probably will. Read this (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=125161) for a ton of info to help you with OTA.

You can check on the availability of Calgary DTV stations here: OTA Station Status: Calgary, Edmonton, and Alberta (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=128296) including updates on the CBC's DTV situation.

You can look up OTA parts dealers here: OTA: BC & Western Canada Parts, Sales, Service, Installers (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=51079)

And you can research building your own antenna here: Best Do-It-Yourself OTA Antennas - see these links (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=119489)

Thanks
I am getting Global and City Tv with 100 percent signal. I have a commercial grade UHF on my roof nice and High. I was just wondering what else I should be getting. I will check your links thanks again.

Do you have the brand and model number of your antenna?

Timcat

You also should receive CFCN in the 70-80% range. It is still operating on its low power temporary transmitter so the levels are not as good as the other two digital stations. My friend in Claresholm receives all three stations right now, so you should be good to go...

tim

Hello, I am a new member here and I am looking for the right antenna!

It could be indoor or outdoor, doesn't really matter.

Here's my reception information.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d8e44eb88e226b3

I was planning on buying ANT-2086 or ANT-2084 from CC, but decided to do some more research before I do. (previously, I attempted to make one, but didn't get any channels :(... I didn't buy any parts, so the old balun may have been broken.)

Since it is only UHF, would I be able to get all the channels that are available in my area with that antenna?

Please help me with the decision :D

Also, we only need 1 antenna as we can use a splitter, correct?

Thank you.

p.s. How does one install it in the attic? is there a cable there, or do you have to install the cable down to the electric panel yourself? I have never been in the attic.

I've used a crappy old RCA VHF/ UHF antenna in my basement in the same subdivision as you and am able to receive all the Calgary HD channels with very little pointing (although CFCN is still a crap shoot).

Thank you for the reply, magnet.

But since the crappy RCA being sold at a local market is around $20... and since I can get the ANT-2084 at the same price (plus shipping, so in total around 27), wouldn't it be a better choice to go with ANT-2084? Or no?

ssy080, it's sad that companies still sell those ANT-**** antennas: OTA Clone, Coat Hanger, and Junk Antennas (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=106108)

There are far better antenna choices (see the Antenna Chart) for ordering online, but even if you want a local store you'd do much better with one of The Source's Antennacraft U4000 4-bay offerings that you can have the store order in for you. For their best indoor antenna they offer the Terk Silver Sensor copy (they use their own model number: 1505315). If you are still interested in making your own you have some terrific options: Best Do-It-Yourself OTA Antennas - see these links (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=119489)

I use the Terk HDTVa (Silver Sensor Clone) with a Hauppauge 950q, it works wonderful, and might be on sale right now at The Source.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Those are questions for your local store manager. Let us know over in the following thread what you find out:

OTA: BC & Western Canada Parts, Sales, Service, Installers (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=51079)

No way really CFCN? What Chan is this on I will run a rescan? All I get is Global and City TV right now with 100% on the signal. Are these transmitters at the same location? Strange that Clairsholm can see CFCN and I can't see CFCN in Nanton?
The antenna I am useing is a commercial grade and was/is tunned for Analog UHF Chan 38.n't think that it mattered so much about the tunned antenna since I am less than 100 kms from the transmitters.ing is notching out CFCN then??? What ATSC channel do I need to scan for CFCN then?