NY - Buffalo, Southern Tier, Batavia, Rochester, Syracuse - Page 7 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

buffalofan19 · 2011-09-01, 09:29 AM

It's amazing the difference in Tropo levels. I'm reading forums from people in Toronto that are picking up Cleveland stations with rabbit ears, while I really didn't get anything out of the ordinary down here about 50 miles to the south with a 4228, 13-1 registered a signal for me, but wasn't watchable, and that's about it. Granted, my antenna was facing almost purely North and I didn't turn it, but I'd have thought something interesting may have happened.

buffalofan19 · 2011-09-01, 11:26 AM

Is it still coming in weak for you? All last night, and before I went to work this morning, it was still very powerful. Not as powerful as yesterday, but still more powerful and much more consistent for me than it ever was on UHF 40. Last night, I even turned my antenna from Toronto towards Hamilton to try and lock in on CHCH, and CFTO still didn't seem to lose much power.

903ASP · 2011-09-01, 09:10 PM

Hi guys. New here so i'd like to say "hello" first

Now my prob: I live in the sticks, 100 miles South of Buffalo, NY, in a valley, and getting any signals for cell, satellite, ota is a major challenge....but i'm trying

I have purchased an HD-2805 antenna, a Winegard HDA-100 amp w/power inserter, and walked ( struggled ) up my 40 degree hill in the woods, about 200-250 yds, and put antenna on a 14' pole, facing in best direction for reception ( North ). Returned back home, put Panasonic Viera on "antenna", and scanned. Of course i got absolutely NADA, not even a snowy, grainy pic. Seems to me i should get at least that, if i'm getting any signal at all....right? Had my neighbor sit at tv, and i re-struggled back up hill with walkie-talkie, and turned antenna by hand. He stated that each time i turned antenna, he got NADA also. Have no idea what to do next. Any ideas of how i can determine if i'm even getting a signal to antenna? Or something else i should be trying? Thanks

026163 · 2011-09-01, 10:35 PM

Anyway you can get a TV or laptop with usb tuner out to your antenna? This will help you significantly to troubleshoot and to get locks on channels.
Use TVfool to detect the channel that you have the best chance of receiving Bypass your pre-amp and run cable straight from your antenna to your tuner. Then tune the physical frequency of the channel and adjust your antenna to see if you can get a lock.
I would think from your location you could adjust get a lock or a blip from one of the high powered stations in Buffalo, which are already in South Buffalo.
Also, be sure your TV is scanning for digital (ATSC) channels and not the now extinct analogue channels.

majortom · 2011-09-01, 10:41 PM

903ASP

The below thread has all the information you will need to get started.
Please check it out, and post your tvfool report here in this thread and we'll take a look to see what if anything ya should be able to get from there.
I'm in Buffalo myself so familar with the area, hopefully we can advise you from there...

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=125161

Quote:

not even a snowy, grainy pic. Seems to me i should get at least that, if i'm getting any signal at all....right?

wrong, with digital it's all or nothing.

903ASP · 2011-09-01, 11:23 PM

No 026163, i haven't got a laptop, and the only small tv is a heavy 13". At 69 yrs., i'm lucky i can get my old fart a** up there...lol. It really is a steep hill....arrrrgh!! I don't know what tvfool is, so maybe you could advise me on it's whereabouts/use? My Panasonic Viera has both tuners, so it scans for analog, and digital. It gets zero chs on both, in "antenna" mode

903ASP · 2011-09-01, 11:26 PM

Again i see the "tvfool" Majortom, but don't know anything about it. Ahhaaa!!! maybe that's why i get nothing, if it's all or nothing. Will check out the link in your post, and see if it helps me. Thanks guys

Ok guys, found "tvfool". Will check it out, and see what i come up with

903ASP · 2011-09-01, 11:45 PM

This is what it showed for my address/zip. It has chs in red, and green, and says 10' height. The antenna is about 100' higher than my house up there, but there is a ton of giant trees, which i guess would be my downfall?
Have no idea what "path:2edge" means?
WIVB-DT 39 (4.1)
CBS
Max ERP: 790.000 kW
Eff. pwr: 790.000 kW
Dist: 37.4 mi Path: 2Edge
Rx: -102.2 dBm NM: -11.2 dB
Az: 336.2° (true)
Az: 346.9° (compass)

Jase88 · 2011-09-01, 11:47 PM

The report TVFool generates creates a link for forums--so others can view the report without providing your specific location. Can you copy and paste that link here? Thanks.

majortom · 2011-09-01, 11:53 PM

I'm actually fairly surprised with CFTO, at nite at least. Haven't been around much to look for it during the day yet. Pretty sure it'll be trash way down here in Buffalo though.

Here's a comparison of the distant stations I can get while aimed at the CN tower this evening. All 3 of the Rogers stations are no shows here. 44, 47, 51 right?
For the most part I'd say in line with Tvfool's "pending" predictions so far.

Code:

CFTO-DT CTV 9
FE: Samsung S5H1409 QAM/8VSB Frontend (ATSC)
status SCVYL | signal -808 | snr 180 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -808 | snr 180 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -808 | snr 180 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK

CICA-DT TVO 19
FE: Samsung S5H1409 QAM/8VSB Frontend (ATSC)
status SCVYL | signal -733 | snr 250 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -738 | snr 250 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -733 | snr 255 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK

CBLT-DT CBC 20
FE: Samsung S5H1409 QAM/8VSB Frontend (ATSC)
status SCVYL | signal -723 | snr 265 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -723 | snr 265 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -728 | snr 260 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK

WPXJ-DT ION 23
FE: Samsung S5H1409 QAM/8VSB Frontend (ATSC)
status SCVYL | signal -803 | snr 185 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -803 | snr 185 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -803 | snr 185 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK

CBLFT-DT SRC 25
FE: Samsung S5H1409 QAM/8VSB Frontend (ATSC)
status SCVYL | signal -763 | snr 225 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -768 | snr 220 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -763 | snr 225 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK

CIII-DT Global 41

FE: Samsung S5H1409 QAM/8VSB Frontend (ATSC)
status SCVYL | signal -788 | snr 200 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -793 | snr 195 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal -793 | snr 195 | ber 0 | unc 0 | FE_HAS_LOCK

buffalofan19 · 2011-09-02, 08:49 AM

CFTO has been fairly strong any time I've checked it. Granted, I haven't been home to check it at high noon or anything like that, but I have checked it at about 5:30-6:00pm, when the sun is still pretty high in the sky at this time of year, and it still comes in at about 60-65% power. It goes up even more at night. It will be interesting when I experiment with a Stealth Hawk at my parents' house in Elma this weekend.

Also, I think the Rogers' channels upped their power at least a little bit last night. On Wednesday night, I started to receive CITY and the 2 Omnis, but the power was only so-so. Last night, it was full. I checked at about 8 this morning and there wasn't really much change if any at all. Hopefully that lasts.

Also, I just checked the TV Fool for the Elma location again. They have yet to account for the channel and power changes up in Canada with the digital switch. For instance, CFTO is still showing as Channel 40. I would guess that any TV Fool reports for any location in or near Canada would be highly, but probably favorably, inaccurate.

Humbar · 2011-09-02, 09:30 AM

Remember you guys, that Rogers stations are now on the FCP in the downtown core, and they will be moving in late October to the CN Tower at higher ERP's and more height, so dont count them out yet.

buffalofan19 · 2011-09-02, 09:36 AM

Is there any word as to whether they'll maintain or increase the power level once they move up there? Like I said, all 3 of their signals were very strong last night and this morning (usually, the more "unreliable" Toronto signals at least start to fade/drop out in the AM down here). It could just be atmospheric though.

Humbar · 2011-09-02, 11:06 AM

I believe they will be all in the 22KW range which is higher than what they are at now, plus the new height advantage.

majortom · 2011-09-02, 08:50 PM

didn't know that. So all they really did was retune? makes sense I guess as I rarely ever received them on their transition freqs.
Thanks Humbar there's hope yet

2011-09-01, 09:10 PM	#93
903ASP Rookie Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 5	NY - Buffalo, Southern Tier, Batavia, Rochester, Syracuse Hi guys. New here so i'd like to say "hello" first Now my prob: I live in the sticks, 100 miles South of Buffalo, NY, in a valley, and getting any signals for cell, satellite, ota is a major challenge....but i'm trying I have purchased an HD-2805 antenna, a Winegard HDA-100 amp w/power inserter, and walked ( struggled ) up my 40 degree hill in the woods, about 200-250 yds, and put antenna on a 14' pole, facing in best direction for reception ( North ). Returned back home, put Panasonic Viera on "antenna", and scanned. Of course i got absolutely NADA, not even a snowy, grainy pic. Seems to me i should get at least that, if i'm getting any signal at all....right? Had my neighbor sit at tv, and i re-struggled back up hill with walkie-talkie, and turned antenna by hand. He stated that each time i turned antenna, he got NADA also. Have no idea what to do next. Any ideas of how i can determine if i'm even getting a signal to antenna? Or something else i should be trying? Thanks

2011-09-01, 11:47 PM	#99
Jase88 Moderator Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Kitchener, ON Posts: 4,109	The report TVFool generates creates a link for forums--so others can view the report without providing your specific location. Can you copy and paste that link here? Thanks. __________________ DMX 68' tower, HyGain HAM 5 rotator, Antennas Direct 91-XG & C5, Channel Master 7777 preamp, Siemens surge protection

2011-09-02, 08:50 PM	#105
majortom Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 2,567	didn't know that. So all they really did was retune? makes sense I guess as I rarely ever received them on their transition freqs. Thanks Humbar there's hope yet __________________ uhf/vhf combo rotor chimney mount homebrew vhf hi hpf ap-8700 preamp 4way split lg lcd dtt901 pctuner mythtv

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2011-09-01, 09:29 AM	#91
buffalofan19 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 154	It's amazing the difference in Tropo levels. I'm reading forums from people in Toronto that are picking up Cleveland stations with rabbit ears, while I really didn't get anything out of the ordinary down here about 50 miles to the south with a 4228, 13-1 registered a signal for me, but wasn't watchable, and that's about it. Granted, my antenna was facing almost purely North and I didn't turn it, but I'd have thought something interesting may have happened.

2011-09-01, 11:26 AM	#92
buffalofan19 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 154	Is it still coming in weak for you? All last night, and before I went to work this morning, it was still very powerful. Not as powerful as yesterday, but still more powerful and much more consistent for me than it ever was on UHF 40. Last night, I even turned my antenna from Toronto towards Hamilton to try and lock in on CHCH, and CFTO still didn't seem to lose much power.

2011-09-01, 10:35 PM	#94
026163 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Downtown Vancouver Posts: 788	Anyway you can get a TV or laptop with usb tuner out to your antenna? This will help you significantly to troubleshoot and to get locks on channels. Use TVfool to detect the channel that you have the best chance of receiving Bypass your pre-amp and run cable straight from your antenna to your tuner. Then tune the physical frequency of the channel and adjust your antenna to see if you can get a lock. I would think from your location you could adjust get a lock or a blip from one of the high powered stations in Buffalo, which are already in South Buffalo. Also, be sure your TV is scanning for digital (ATSC) channels and not the now extinct analogue channels.

2011-09-01, 11:23 PM	#96
903ASP Rookie Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 5	No 026163, i haven't got a laptop, and the only small tv is a heavy 13". At 69 yrs., i'm lucky i can get my old fart a** up there...lol. It really is a steep hill....arrrrgh!! I don't know what tvfool is, so maybe you could advise me on it's whereabouts/use? My Panasonic Viera has both tuners, so it scans for analog, and digital. It gets zero chs on both, in "antenna" mode

2011-09-01, 11:26 PM	#97
903ASP Rookie Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 5	Again i see the "tvfool" Majortom, but don't know anything about it. Ahhaaa!!! maybe that's why i get nothing, if it's all or nothing. Will check out the link in your post, and see if it helps me. Thanks guys Ok guys, found "tvfool". Will check it out, and see what i come up with

2011-09-01, 11:45 PM	#98
903ASP Rookie Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 5	This is what it showed for my address/zip. It has chs in red, and green, and says 10' height. The antenna is about 100' higher than my house up there, but there is a ton of giant trees, which i guess would be my downfall? Have no idea what "path:2edge" means? WIVB-DT 39 (4.1) CBS Max ERP: 790.000 kW Eff. pwr: 790.000 kW Dist: 37.4 mi Path: 2Edge Rx: -102.2 dBm NM: -11.2 dB Az: 336.2° (true) Az: 346.9° (compass)

2011-09-02, 08:49 AM	#101
buffalofan19 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 154	CFTO has been fairly strong any time I've checked it. Granted, I haven't been home to check it at high noon or anything like that, but I have checked it at about 5:30-6:00pm, when the sun is still pretty high in the sky at this time of year, and it still comes in at about 60-65% power. It goes up even more at night. It will be interesting when I experiment with a Stealth Hawk at my parents' house in Elma this weekend. Also, I think the Rogers' channels upped their power at least a little bit last night. On Wednesday night, I started to receive CITY and the 2 Omnis, but the power was only so-so. Last night, it was full. I checked at about 8 this morning and there wasn't really much change if any at all. Hopefully that lasts. Also, I just checked the TV Fool for the Elma location again. They have yet to account for the channel and power changes up in Canada with the digital switch. For instance, CFTO is still showing as Channel 40. I would guess that any TV Fool reports for any location in or near Canada would be highly, but probably favorably, inaccurate.

2011-09-02, 09:30 AM	#102
Humbar Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 453	Remember you guys, that Rogers stations are now on the FCP in the downtown core, and they will be moving in late October to the CN Tower at higher ERP's and more height, so dont count them out yet.

2011-09-02, 09:36 AM	#103
buffalofan19 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 154	Is there any word as to whether they'll maintain or increase the power level once they move up there? Like I said, all 3 of their signals were very strong last night and this morning (usually, the more "unreliable" Toronto signals at least start to fade/drop out in the AM down here). It could just be atmospheric though.

2011-09-02, 11:06 AM	#104
Humbar Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 453	I believe they will be all in the 22KW range which is higher than what they are at now, plus the new height advantage.