ON - Niagara Peninsula - OTA - Page 3 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Crispy · 2005-07-07, 06:50 AM

Hijumper,

as a SS-2000 owner; if going with a directional antenna you will not find one with better results than the SS-2000.

I am receiving every channel that I should be receiving based on my location. I am even receiving some fringe channels that I should not be receiving as well as I do.

Crispy

thenewdc · 2005-07-07, 09:47 AM

Can you report on all the channels you receive in the Welland area please?

stampeder · 2005-07-07, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thenewdc

Can you report on all the channels you receive in the Welland area please?

His results are already posted in this thread.

HydrogenCyanide · 2005-07-13, 04:25 PM

About to move to Ridgeway/Fort Erie about half a block from Lake Erie. I would imagine that Buffalo will not be a problem to pull in OTA. What do you guys think abou anything coming from Toronto.

Buffalo will be almost straight west of me while Toronto would be directly North. What antennae would you guys recommend? I would like to have it go into my attic.

intrac · 2005-07-13, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HydrogenCyanide

About to move to Ridgeway/Fort Erie about half a block from Lake Erie. I would imagine that Buffalo will not be a problem to pull in OTA. What do you guys think abou anything coming from Toronto.

Buffalo will be almost straight west of me while Toronto would be directly North. What antennae would you guys recommend? I would like to have it go into my attic.

Your OTA from Buffalo will be good. Toronto may be a problem. You'll have to aim about 330 degrees. The antenna pattern from the CN Tower goes primarily in a wide lobe towards the North, so you may have difficulty getting the Toronto channels. I know a person in Lockport, N.Y. that uses a large parabolic on a tower to get Toronto.

You would need a good antenna and preferably not mounted in your attic.

stampeder · 2005-07-13, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HydrogenCyanide

About to move to Ridgeway/Fort Erie about half a block from Lake Erie. I would imagine that Buffalo will not be a problem to pull in OTA. What do you guys think abou anything coming from Toronto.

Have you checked the other Niagara results in this thread? We've had posts from Port Colborne, Fonthill, Thorold, St. Kitts, so it will be good to see how Fort Erie results turn out.

jbracing24 · 2005-08-16, 03:45 AM

I have previously documented DT reception results from here using an attic antenna. Well, I'm about to embark on building an outdoor antenna system. I have recently purchased the Channel Master 4228 antenna and 9521A rotator kit from the US and now comes the job of selecting a competent installer.
I want him to put up a tower unit behind my bi-level semi (basement has full windows). The area is reasonably free of large trees, the closest being at the front of the house and at least three backyards away. Asthetically, I don't want a monster tower, but the goal is to get a steady signal from Toronto, CBC-DT & CFTO-DT which are tentative with a stationary attic antenna.
I would appreciate comments on tower installations, height suggestions ( I realize every location has its own requirements), and any other help so that when I approach an installer, I don't look too much like a dummy. Some of the links posted on this forum have already proved invaluable in understanding various problems, i.e. roof installs, tree problems, line of sight, antenna selection, etc. Thank you DHCer's.

Crispy · 2005-08-16, 08:54 AM

jbracing24,

Goto Nutech electronics in St. Catharines on Nielson and buy a 30 foot tower. It comes in 3 sections and I beleive is $33 per section.

While there, ask him about installers. If all else fails install it yourself; no biggy really just either bury a few feet of the tower in the ground with a couple bags of cement or buy the triangle mounting plate and bury it.

Crispy

jbracing24 · 2005-08-16, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crispy

jbracing24,
Goto Nutech electronics in St. Catharines on Nielson and buy a 30 foot tower. It comes in 3 sections and I beleive is $33 per section.
Crispy

That's a start. Thanks.

HDTV101 · 2005-08-16, 07:10 PM

Crispy you're not that far from Thorold.... maybe go help this guy out with the tower... sounds like you know what your doing

stampeder · 2005-08-22, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crispy

just either bury a few feet of the tower in the ground with a couple bags of cement or buy the triangle mounting plate and bury it.

The added benefit is that the lower you can go into the earth, the better the grounding protection against lightning strikes. Also if the tower is to be self-supporting (no guy wires) most of the literature I've seen talks about putting the base into a cubic yard (3x3x3 foot) pit for a 20 footer, with another cubic yard of concrete for every 20 feet of height, so that's pretty close to your suggestion. If you can rig guy wires to the mast instead, that will prevent having to dig such a big pit. When in doubt, ask the Nutech folks or check out a local HAM radio club to see what experiences those folks have with their heavy rigs.

I was looking at a 60 foot self supporting tower for my house amid the huge trees here and the literature called for AT LEAST 3 cubic yards of concrete, so I would have had to actually buy more than 60 feet of tower to include what needed to be below ground/concrete.

Crispy · 2005-08-22, 08:36 AM

Stampeder,

Most also put the tower next to their house so they can also attach it to their soffit.

Crispy

jbracing24 · 2005-08-22, 11:30 AM

Update:
I have located an installer this morning who will provide the tower, mast and house brackets etc and install on Friday morning.
I purchased the CM4228 and the 9521A rotator with cable from Solid Signal online and had them shipped to a relative south of Buffalo. The shipping wasn't cheap (gas prices?) so, the parts cost me $195 CND including shipping, on my Visa.
The installer wants $450 plus tax, about what I expected. Crispy, thanks, but relax man, I won't ask for your help...this time!

stampeder · 2005-08-22, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbracing24

Update:
I have located an installer this morning who will provide the tower, mast and house brackets etc and install on Friday morning.

Any chance we could see some photos of the whole process?

jbracing24 · 2005-08-22, 08:25 PM

I will try Stampeder.
Now, a question about splitters and signal loss. I have read the threads from Yaamon about this subject. I did read your comments in "Can I split from a CM 4228?" in one of the threads.
My present attic antennas mostly feed analogue to three TV's, split 3 ways in the middle of the house and resplit for VCR's, run through satellite receivers and the whole bit. To compensate, I have a 20db line amp just before the first splitter, otherwise there is nothing on the TV's. So all these splitters eat up 3db each time? Plus the roof db loss...wow, wonder how I get a DT signal with all that going on.
With a dedicated tower for DT, I was wondering about running the line from the antenna to the middle of the house only, add a joiner to another cable to the HT room. That way, when I replace the TV upstairs with one with an ATSC tuner, I can add a splitter to feed it. Since that may be a while away, will a joiner add much signal loss? Should I keep it one run all the way? . Is the DT signal that sensitive?

2005-07-13, 04:25 PM	#34
HydrogenCyanide Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Welland, ON Posts: 270	Ridgeway/Fort Erie questions About to move to Ridgeway/Fort Erie about half a block from Lake Erie. I would imagine that Buffalo will not be a problem to pull in OTA. What do you guys think abou anything coming from Toronto. Buffalo will be almost straight west of me while Toronto would be directly North. What antennae would you guys recommend? I would like to have it go into my attic. __________________ Yamaha 5660, Samsung 50" DLP, Paradigm Monitor Series, Bev 6000, Dishnet 501 PVR

2005-08-16, 03:45 AM	#37
jbracing24 Veteran Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Thorold Ontario Posts: 2,265	Antenna mast installation in Thorold, ON I have previously documented DT reception results from here using an attic antenna. Well, I'm about to embark on building an outdoor antenna system. I have recently purchased the Channel Master 4228 antenna and 9521A rotator kit from the US and now comes the job of selecting a competent installer. I want him to put up a tower unit behind my bi-level semi (basement has full windows). The area is reasonably free of large trees, the closest being at the front of the house and at least three backyards away. Asthetically, I don't want a monster tower, but the goal is to get a steady signal from Toronto, CBC-DT & CFTO-DT which are tentative with a stationary attic antenna. I would appreciate comments on tower installations, height suggestions ( I realize every location has its own requirements), and any other help so that when I approach an installer, I don't look too much like a dummy. Some of the links posted on this forum have already proved invaluable in understanding various problems, i.e. roof installs, tree problems, line of sight, antenna selection, etc. Thank you DHCer's. Last edited by jbracing24; 2005-08-16 at 05:52 AM.

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2005-07-07, 06:50 AM	#31
Crispy Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Welland, Ontario Posts: 529	Hijumper, as a SS-2000 owner; if going with a directional antenna you will not find one with better results than the SS-2000. I am receiving every channel that I should be receiving based on my location. I am even receiving some fringe channels that I should not be receiving as well as I do. Crispy

2005-07-07, 09:47 AM	#32
thenewdc Veteran Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,309	Can you report on all the channels you receive in the Welland area please?

2005-08-16, 08:54 AM	#38
Crispy Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Welland, Ontario Posts: 529	jbracing24, Goto Nutech electronics in St. Catharines on Nielson and buy a 30 foot tower. It comes in 3 sections and I beleive is $33 per section. While there, ask him about installers. If all else fails install it yourself; no biggy really just either bury a few feet of the tower in the ground with a couple bags of cement or buy the triangle mounting plate and bury it. Crispy

2005-08-16, 07:10 PM	#40
HDTV101 Veteran Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,000	Crispy you're not that far from Thorold.... maybe go help this guy out with the tower... sounds like you know what your doing

2005-08-22, 08:36 AM	#42
Crispy Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Welland, Ontario Posts: 529	Stampeder, Most also put the tower next to their house so they can also attach it to their soffit. Crispy

2005-08-22, 11:30 AM	#43
jbracing24 Veteran Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Thorold Ontario Posts: 2,265	Update: I have located an installer this morning who will provide the tower, mast and house brackets etc and install on Friday morning. I purchased the CM4228 and the 9521A rotator with cable from Solid Signal online and had them shipped to a relative south of Buffalo. The shipping wasn't cheap (gas prices?) so, the parts cost me $195 CND including shipping, on my Visa. The installer wants $450 plus tax, about what I expected. Crispy, thanks, but relax man, I won't ask for your help...this time!

2005-08-22, 08:25 PM	#45
jbracing24 Veteran Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Thorold Ontario Posts: 2,265	I will try Stampeder. Now, a question about splitters and signal loss. I have read the threads from Yaamon about this subject. I did read your comments in "Can I split from a CM 4228?" in one of the threads. My present attic antennas mostly feed analogue to three TV's, split 3 ways in the middle of the house and resplit for VCR's, run through satellite receivers and the whole bit. To compensate, I have a 20db line amp just before the first splitter, otherwise there is nothing on the TV's. So all these splitters eat up 3db each time? Plus the roof db loss...wow, wonder how I get a DT signal with all that going on. With a dedicated tower for DT, I was wondering about running the line from the antenna to the middle of the house only, add a joiner to another cable to the HT room. That way, when I replace the TV upstairs with one with an ATSC tuner, I can add a splitter to feed it. Since that may be a while away, will a joiner add much signal loss? Should I keep it one run all the way? . Is the DT signal that sensitive?