so what antenna and amp do you suggest??

@sheppdogg2009: I recommend doing lots of reading around this forum to educate yourself.

Whatever equipment that you choose, be mindful that some popular channels in this area are moving to VHF after August 2011. Some of the antennas that are suggested can only tune UHF channels.

whats a good uhf vhf one??

Check out the antenna chart, that's a good start.

i checked out the chart the most that i read about that work in cambridge are just uhf if i wanna get one setup is it worth getting one that will lose channels in 2011?

@sheppdogg2009: It's something that you will need to decide for yourself. Earlier in this thread, I've mentioned the digital channels that are going to VHF after August 2011.

I've heard that most channels will be staying on UHF, even after the completion of the analog shutdown, due to coverage problems on VHF. WIVB-TV told me that they will stay on UHF, and not move back to VHF.

But aren't the deep fringe antennas better suited to pick up long distance VHF channels?

All of the feedback regarding digital VHF has come from the US, where the FCC grossly underestimated the ERP requirements for VHF-high digital stations. To remedy the problems, the FCC has granted ERP increases to some stations, and relocation to the UHF band for others.

The CRTC has not made their reaction public with regards to the US VHF issues. As such, many stations across Canada will begin broadcasting digitally on VHF come August 2011.

Both UHF and VHF have their respective advantages and disadvantages...issues that are already discussed in other threads in this forum.

The CRTC has not made their reaction public with regards to the US VHF issues. As such, many stations across Canada will begin broadcasting digitally on VHF come August 2011.

Will the UHF broadcasting digital stations be changing frequency, or is it only the channels that aren't yet broadcasting digitally? Sounds like a royal pain in the ass.

akohlsmith, all the present and future channel assignments have already been made by Industry Canada:

http://www.user.dccnet.com/jonleblanc/Canada_TV_Stations/

There will likely be some changes based on a rethink of the VHF calculations, as Jase88 mentions. Also keep in mind that with station ownership and/or operation changes such as the shutdown of repeaters the CRTC sometimes approves channel or coverage area reassignments.

Generally though you can get the whole picture of Canadian OTA in your area from IC's database as it is today.

sheppdogg2009 there's some good advice about OTA Gear suppliers and installers in the K-W area in this thread:

OTA: Ontario Parts, Sales, Service, Installers (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=23984)

sheppdogg I have heard either a db8 if you have tall trees or even a 4228 they are both very directional or a 4221 works in our area but it needs a preamp if your running long wire over 30ft.

I picked up an Antennas Direct DB8 and a CM 7777 pre-amp. And finally got a little time today to try it out (when it was not raining). My RG6 cable run was probably about 30 to 40 feet long.

With it about 10 feet off the ground outside (high enough to clear the fence but low enough to miss the big branches). I got CBC and CHCH pointing in the direction of the CN Tower.

Attaching it to my ladder so it is about 4 feet above my roof peak (bungalow), I got CBC, CHCH, and CTS. But noticed CBC was pixelating - probably because at that height, it is facing right into the branches of a few big trees.

I did not try for the Buffalo stations. I ran out of time. But even at 4 feet above my roof line, my neighbour's house (2 story) would be in the way. I'm in a bad spot, seems like I'm at the lowest spot in my area, in a bungalow surrounded by 2 story homes (and big trees in the back and a big building also)

If this long weekend is nice, I will try a few more locations. But it is not looking good to have the antenna on my roof. So as I feared, I'll probably need a tower.

I have been using a single DB8 and CM7777 in south kitchener for the past 6 months with decent results. You have to keep in mind it is VERY directional. A turn of 1-2 degrees and I will lose CBC/CTV from TO. I also have the issue of neighbouring houses being higher than me, but with precise aiming I could reliably get CBC/CTV most times throughout the day in most weather. I marked this direction on my pole and then found another position that would allow me to get Buffalo reception. The CW, PBS, TCT, CHCH, CTS are quite reliable in that position. CBS and ABC come and go.

I recently decided to order a second DB8 to try for a stacked arrangement with one pointing to TO the other to BUF, but that killed many signals for me from both directions and was worse. I have reconfigured for a ganged (vertical) arrangement and have been experimenting with a position in between the two previous positions and have had quite good results at receiving most stations reliably. I'm still not sure if my new antenna is better than the old one (it was bent a little from a fall) or if the ganging is responsible for the improvement.

The weather this past week has not been very good, the wind has been causing problems with leaves... can't wait for them to fall off! I found that patience, VERY small directional adjustments, and lots of testing is required to find the optimal position.

Thanks for the report tgf... With all the rain and windy days, busy at work and getting dark by 7pm, I've had little time to play with the antenna. Hopefully this weekend with the weather looking good, I can play with different positions / locations, and then report back.

CHCH and CBC seem to be coming in no problem for me (with a fairly wide angle I can point at and still get these channels)... wish all the Toronto channels would come in as strong as CBC does! :D

CBC Digital is a flamethrower- 1000 kW.

Yes, it is... Would that be causing any issue with receiving the tea candle stations on the tower? I can get CBC without any issue whatsoever (so long as my aim is half-assed in the right direction) but OMNI and CITY are both very tricky to keep. Is there any sense to the idea that an attenuator to try to knock CBC down a little might improve reception of the weaker stations?

I've got a 6 foot corner-reflector yagi aimed pretty much directly at the tower, but have strong (-21dBm and -36dBm) analog stations coming from the south and west. I'm wondering if band-stop filters for channels 6 (CIII) and 13 (CKCO) before the LNA would help, or if their insertion loss would kill any advantage I'd see in my attempt to have stable coverage of the tower's digital stations (channels 20, 40, 44 and 45, the strongest being 20 at -79dBm).

For the curious, my tvfool map is here: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d03fbd946422424

Channel 11 (CHCH) is coming in from the northeast at -49dBm is another strong analog station.

I think you are on the right track with the yagi (i.e., very directional). RE the weaker stations off the CN- that's it, they are diddly- I also have trouble with these and I'm much closer than you- Global digital is pathetic- hopefully with the analog shut-down things will improve for us all.

Cheers!

:cool:

akohlsmith: Local stations are mostly VHF. Your Yagi is UHF, and doesn't have much gain below channel 21. Therefore, it's doubtful that you'd experience issues with these stations overpowering Toronto stations.

Most Yagis are so directional (including my 91XG), that I've been able to pick up US tropo on channel 15--even with SUN TV broadcasting on the same channel in nearby Hamilton.

The reality is that most Toronto digital stations are exceptionally weak. You need good height in this area to get them reliably...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe CHCH 11 is coming from the North East for us in Kitchener. I pick up channel 11 at ESE.

CBC Digital is a flamethrower- 1000 kW.

I can't find any reference that the CBC digital transmitter is 1000kw. The only information I can find says that it is running at 38kw with a change to 100kw scheduled after Aug 2011. My references are wikipedia and remotecentral. I will admit I do not fully understand the difference between ERP, TPO, etc, so 1000kw could be true.

It is the strongest of the Toronto channels for me, but I am hoping for a power boost for even better reception in the coming years.