BC - Delta, Richmond, Surrey, White Rock - OTA

[stampeder]

This thread is a one-stop-shopping location for info on receiving Over The Air High Definition and Digital broadcasts in the GVRD not including the cities of Vancouver, North Vancouver, and West Vancouver as experienced by Digital Home Canada members. Use the British Columbia thread for all other BC areas. In your posts please specify:

1. Your Location (city, town, locale, on a high rise, in a valley, etc...)
2. Receiver and Antenna Brand/Model
3. Stations Received with their Picture Quality (excellent, pixellated, etc...)
4. Other helpful info...

Here's a template for posting: http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/for...40&postcount=2

Here are some web resources on OTA stations:

http://www.user.dccnet.com/jonleblan...a_TV_Stations/ for the Industry Canada listings of all OTA stations in Canada

http://members.shaw.ca/nwbroadcasters/ for the BC Lower Mainland and Southern Vancouver Island, including U.S. stations

http://www.mcquarrieweb.ca/canada/ for Cable and Satellite station listings

[stampeder]

North Delta in high spot in northernmost end

BEV 6100 receiver

Channel Master 4228 8-bay UHF (non VHF) antenna with Winegard 8275 PreAmp

Antenna is not mounted on mast yet, just propped up on side of house facing south, so that makes my results pretty interesting. I'm optimistic.

Stations:

18 KCPQ-DT Tacoma WA no digital lock, but activity on receiver's meter

19 (mapped to 24.1) KBCB-DT Bellingham WA clear with a bit of pixellation, few dropouts, but fluctuating signal strength

35 KVOS-DT Bellingham WA no digital lock, but activity on receiver's meter

38 KOMO-DT Seattle WA no digital lock, but activity on receiver's meter

39 KIRO-DT Seattle WA no digital lock, but activity on receiver's meter

48 KING-DT Seattle WA no digital lock, but activity on receiver's meter

Other notes:

I get lots of analog stations, including Q13 from Tacoma very weakly and sometimes KONG in Everett on 16 and a bunch of religious and shopping channels from the SeaTac area too, all very weak, grainy, or snowy. CBC-HD will be on 58 in autumn, SRC-HD on 16.

I will properly mount the antenna some time soon but I expect multipath and pixellation problems from the tall cedars and firs on my property.

cheers,
stampeder

[stampeder]

May 14, 2005

North Delta in northernmost end near Scott and 96th

BEV 6100 receiver (LG LST4200A Receiver is being shipped to me from U.S.)

Channel Master 4228 8-bay UHF antenna with Winegard 8275 Preamp

Channel Master Quantum 1111 VHF/FM antenna with CM0094 Preamp

UHF antenna is not mounted on mast yet, just propped up on side of house facing south, with its back to aluminum siding facing a house with aluminum shingles, and with large cedars and firs all over my property. It sounds like it would be hell for TV signals, and thats what makes my results pretty interesting so far. Unfortunately I might have to put up a tower ($$$!!!) to get SeaTac signals from over the trees on the south property line. I'd be very interested to see how other Lower Mainland people do with SeaTac DTV signals.

DT Station Results:

18 KCPQ-DT Tacoma WA (FOX) - rare digital lock remaps to 13.1, but irregular activity on receiver's meter

19 KBCB-DT Bellingham WA (IND) remaps to 24.1, clear with rare pixellation, rare dropouts, but fluctuating high signal strength

31 KONG-DT Everett WA (IND) no digital lock, but slight and irregular activity on receiver's meter

33 CIVT-DT (CTV Vancouver) clear with a bit of pixellation, few dropouts, but fluctuating high signal strength - very sensitive to antenna aim - PQ, AQ are superior to satellite or cable

35 KVOS-DT Bellingham WA (IND) no digital lock, but slight and irregular activity on receiver's meter (see my post about KVOS-DT in this forum)

36 KSTW-DT Tacoma WA (UPN) no digital lock, but slight and irregular activity on receiver's meter

38 KOMO-DT Seattle WA (ABC) no digital lock, but slight and irregular activity on receiver's meter

39 KIRO-DT Seattle WA (CBS) no digital lock, but slight and irregular activity on receiver's meter

41 KCTS-DT Seattle WA (PBS) no digital lock, but slight and irregular activity on receiver's meter

48 KING-DT Seattle WA (NBC) no digital lock, but slight and irregular activity on receiver's meter

Other notes:

I get lots of analog stations, including Q13 from Tacoma very weakly and sometimes KONG in Everett on 16 and a bunch of religious and shopping channels from the SeaTac area too, all very weak, grainy, or snowy.

Occasionally I DX the DTV channels to see what's out there, but haven't seen anyhing else interesting at this point since I don't shop at home or need my soul saved.

CBC-HD will be on 58 in September, SRC-HD on 16. Global's CHAN-DT license has been granted for Channel 22 but no sign of signal on it so far.

I will properly mount the antenna some time soon but I expect multipath and pixellation problems from the tall cedars and firs on my property.

cheers,
stampeder

[stampeder]

Originally Posted by Sarke

Wow, I haven't made any changes to the antenna but all of a sudden I'm getting a stable picture from KCPQ-DT Tacoma at about 52%!

We had bigtime skip conditions the last few days so I'll fire up my system and see if its still happening.

[ryans]

Originally Posted by stampeder

We had bigtime skip conditions the last few days so I'll fire up my system and see if its still happening.

Hey stampeder, I was just thinking...in the "wintertime" (not really familiar with BC Geography), do the leaves not fall of the trees that would allow you an unobstructed view to the South instead of looking at those beautifully tall trees?

Just curious as to see how your setup might work in wintertime vs. the summer and the full bloom trees and whatnot. If it doesn't "winter" where you are and the trees remain in bloom, I guess its all for not, but just thought I'd remind you..even though we are in the middle of July.

[4DTV HD]

Originally Posted by Sarke

KIRO showed some activity with 4%-12% just now, but I think there's a bit of skip right now.

Looks like your best opportunity for skip this week will be
friday July 8th or thereabouts.

[stampeder]

Originally Posted by ryans

Just curious as to see how your setup might work in wintertime vs. the summer and the full bloom trees and whatnot. If it doesn't "winter" where you are and the trees remain in bloom, I guess its all for not, but just thought I'd remind you..even though we are in the middle of July.

Well, these firs and red cedars do shed quite a bit of deadfall over the winter but they're evergreens so they don't lose the vast majority of their bulk. Here's some photos I posted to another thread:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/for...3&postcount=22

Back in the winter when I was first discussing with Tigerbangs the nutty idea of using that giant fir tree as an antenna mast and putting my gear up on top of it I could see all sorts of great places to mount that stuff. Now in the high summer its obvious to me that many of those same spots are obscured by birches that have grown up alongside it and the cedars. Now I need to consider the idea of a tower. Thanks for your ideas though!

[The Rang]

Where can the CN4228 and pre-amp, Winegard or otherwise, be purchased locally.

I'm in Ladner, pretty low out here. What are my chances of getting a decent signal?

[Sarke]

Originally Posted by The Rang

Where can the CN4228 and pre-amp, Winegard or otherwise, be purchased locally.

I'm in Ladner, pretty low out here. What are my chances of getting a decent signal?

PM 4DTV HD, he's very helpful.

[stampeder]

Originally Posted by The Rang

Where can the CN4228 and pre-amp, Winegard or otherwise, be purchased locally.

I'm in Ladner, pretty low out here. What are my chances of getting a decent signal?

I think you'll do fine in Ladner if you can get the antenna up on the roof or up high. Sarke's got a good point: 4DTV_HD is a professional and can give you the heads up on expectations or assessing your location.

[ericlee5]

Originally Posted by stampeder

I think you'll do fine in Ladner if you can get the antenna up on the roof or up high. Sarke's got a good point: 4DTV_HD is a professional and can give you the heads up on expectations or assessing your location.

I also agree, 4D is very knowledgeable and helpful and answered all of my questions. Highly recommended!

Eric.

[DaveyJ]

Hi -I'm new to this forum. I just picked up a Panasonic TU-HDS20 DTV / DirectTV receiver cable of OTA, and I'm trying to recieve the new CTV hd signal with it. I have a monster Radio Shack 13' long combination UHF/VHF antenna 30 feet in the air and it has an antenna rotator. ....but no luck so far... my first questions are:

1. Is CTV broadcasting their HD signal in 8VSB ? ( hope so!)
2. If I have a mast-mounted amplifier ( Radio Shack "Archer" UHF/VHF) will that block/screw up the HD signal ?

...any comments/advice greatly appreciated... :-)
Thanks! ...Dave

[DaveyJ]

Hey - I picked up a channel which came up as "24-1" called "KBC_"... is this the bellingham station's DTV feed ? It is showing "ANT: SD" on the on-screen display. I also get this same channel's video as channel "24" (some cooking show right now... as of 1:40 pm saturday afternoon). DJ

[tomcollins]

I've spent hours reading the posts in this forum for the last month or so.

And we've finally made the decision on a new TV so this has come to a head: can we get OTA reception. Well, here's an overhead view of our house with the trees in darker.

Obviously, we've got tree issues. All but 3 are deciduous and most are full height (I don't have a clinometer but I'd guess 60+ feet thanks to some trig and a shaky measurement with a ruler & protractor).

I've read people saying "$33 for a 10foot length" and then I've looked on the net and found these for example which scare me a bit (if my trees are 70feet and I want to go self supporting then ... yikes!

Who do I talk to locally (BC lower mainland) for accurate pricing about towers ? Or can someone give me ideas about what they've paid and where they've found things?

[jbracing24]

The 30 ft tower that I had put up cost me $300 for materials (not including antenna and rotator) and $150 for installation. But I am relatively free of trees.
I would suggest that if you do not have good line of sight for a satellite signal, then forget about a tower. Perhaps the only option maybe cable.

Stampeder will be the man to give you the most help since he lives out there and would likely understand what signals would be available in your area.