ON - City of Toronto Metro Area <OUTDOOR Antennas Only> - OTA

[46FD04]

To Bent Toronto
Did you keep the 4-bay 4221HD?

If so, re-install it.

Point the 4-bay at Toronto, point the 8-bay at Buffalo, connect the two with a signal combiner, and you'll get all the channels.

I did this in Ajax in summer 2011.

Amazing results.

[El Gran Chico]

Conditions where good this morning to play a bit with my A-D C5. I was able to receive WHAM (Rochester RF 13) and WHEC (Rochester RF 10) but still not able to get WBBZ strong enough for a lock. Oddly at the same time I was only able to get 1 of the 3 Rochester UHF channels (WROC RF 45), so I guess the conditions were just good (and not great).

Looks like I will need great conditions (at least) to haul in WBBZ with a C5 mounted 16' AGL.

[johnner]

Ok so its been a while since i've posted questions or issues and i wanted to update for those in my area (manning and dupont)

I tried the CS2, CM4221HD and now the DB4e, with and without a pre-amp (the 7778). My goal and issues was getting cbs, nbc and pbs (well abc too sometimes but i dont care about it)

I have pointed the antennas everywhich way and right now I am getting the most channels i ever had with the db4e (mast mounted) and guess where I am pointing it? NNW!! I am aiming it somewhere between the retirement building on the est side of christie more towards the middle of the brown buildings on the east side of christie) (sorry i didnt have my compass up there at the time)

Any experienced OTA could you perhaps explain why I get better results doing this then aiming it south? (its basically exactly 180 degrees from how I would expect to be pointing it?

i have pretty good line of site, really only one Big tree in the way and thats pretty far from me?

Thanks

[Goldielover]

You're getting your signals bounced off a nearby building. Lots of us do that if we don't have direct line of sight to the tower. I am on the tenth floor facing west, and have my C2V on the balcony, aiming at an apartment building directly to the north west of me. I get 24 regular channels that way. I don't count 2.1 WGRZ as a regular channel, as it isn't reliable for me, but of the Buffalo channels I do get 4.1 WIVB, 7.1 WKBW, 17.1 WNED-HD, 17.2 WNED-SD, 17.3 WNED-TH, 23.1 WNLO, 26.1 WNBY-SD, 26.2 WNYB-HD, 26.3 WNYBSD2, 26.4 WNYBSD3, 29.1 WUTV and 29.2 TCN reliably year round.

[johnner]

oh ok thanks. I guess i wonder though why I cant get them as well pointing directly since i've got pretty good line of site. Anyway as long as its sustainable I am happy with it. cbs crackles a little but and FOX is actually worse than before (I always got fox no matter what i did)

do you think adding the VHF add on to the CS2 would make it perhaps better than what i am getting now with the DB4e?

thanks!!

OH and for those of you with a TIVO, I am getting the channels ON the TIVO also!!! which is really quite amazing but the solution I found that worked best was adding in a splitter on the line before the distribution amp. without it, the quality was worse on the tivo.

[Goldielover]

The VHF add-on for the CS2 is mainly handy for CHCH Hamilton, which is moving to UHF 15 in the not too distant future anyways. You should be picking up our other local VHF channel, CFTO with no problems because it is so close, but I know some people do have problems with CHCH if they only have a UHF antenna. If you enjoy some summer DXing, then the VHF add-on may help you grab some distant VHF signals. My C2V picked up the VHF channel WBBZ Buffalo the other day, although it wasn't really watchable, and I've also snagged CFPL, a VHF channel from London, which actually was watchable for awhile. I've never picked up CKVR Barrie, (also VHF), but that may be because it is blocked by a building to my immediate north west. I know others in the GTA have picked it up, but its not an easy one. I'm hoping I'll be able to pick up the Hamilton repeater on UHF 35 for that one when it goes live.

[bigcam406]

i have my terk hdtva aimed northeast at a building approx a quarter mile away and i get 20 stations reliably,more during the summer tropo season.signal deflection is a good thing.

[haar]

hi, i can receive the follow channels using the antennas direct C2V antenna that is feed into a hauppage 1800 PC card. i have connected the supplied RG6 cable (30 feet) to the UHF antenna bypassing the VHF antenna. I bypassed VHF antenna because it didn't seem too do much good, and removing the combiner increased the signal level.

antenna installed, approx 12 feet up, to house, in corner. (aimed at buffalo, approx 153 degrees magn north)

the signal levels are from the signal strength meter of the 1800's signal strength app.
approx 9:48 Am.
2.1 WGRZ-HD NBC (SNR 21.8-20) (low of about 20) no correct errors
4.1 WIVB-HD CBS (SNR 22.2-21.5) (low of about 20) no correct errors
7.1 WKBW-HD ABC (SNR 21.8-20) (low of about 17 midday) 7 corr err 64ms
29.1 WUTV-HD FOX (SNR 24.5) no correct errors
2.2 WGRZ-AT (SNR 21.5) 2 corr err 64ms
5.1 CBLT-DT. (SNR 22.5) 2 corr err 64ms
9.1 CFTO. (SNR 21.7) 2 corr err 64ms
17.1 WNED-HD.(SNR 24.7-24.3) 2 corr err 64ms
17.2 WNED-HD.(SNR 24.7-24.3) 2 corr err 64ms
17.3 WNED-HD.(SNR 24.7-24.3) 2 corr err 64ms
19.1 TVO. (SNR 21.1-20) 2-6 corr err 64ms
23.1 WNLO-HD. CW (SNR 24-23) no corr err
25.1 CBLT-D CBC. (SNR 17-21) antenna aim issues... so pic drop-outs)
29.2 TCN (the country network) (SNR 24.5)
36.1 CITS-HD (SNR 18.6-19.5) 2 corr err 64ms
41.1 CIII-HD (SNR 23.5) no corr err
41.2 CIII-SD (SNR 23.5) no corr err
47.1 CFMT (SNR 19.1-21.5 cycle) 2 corr err 64 ms
49.1 WNYO-HD (SNR 23)
49.2 Cool.TV (SNR 23)
57.1 CITYTV (SNR 23)
69.1 CJMT OMNI (snr 18-20) antenna aiming issues - (uncorrectable errors)

[HWP]

Haar,

Welcome to OTA and welcome to the forum.

Please give us the nearest intersection to your home and a TV Fool report if you can.

Good results!

[hsnider]

hi all, I live in Toronto getting about 25 channels HD OTA except CBS and FOX, which are either off (mostly no signal) or sometimes great (seldom).
I looked at Google maps for
- my home
- CN Tower
- Buffalo
and held up a ruler to the three points ..... almost a perfect line

Now, I don't know exactly where the CBS and Fox Broadcast towers are, but is it possible the CN tower is in the way?

I get NBC (2.1 and 2.2) ABC, PBS (17.1, 17.2, 17.3) perfectly, plus some other US channels

I have an Antenna Direct DB4e on a mast with a Rotor, a pre amp and only one TV connected so far

[BOUVAL]

H Snider,

Use this simple tool here: http://tvfool.com/index.php?option=c...pper&Itemid=29

and then with a compass you'll know where to aim your antenna. Using magnetic degrees naturally.
.

[Pro gunner]

HSNIDER - TVFOOL will give you everything you're looking for, but if you're really interested in killing a great deal of time exploring this:

1. Install Google Earth
2. Download the appropriate .KMZ file (I assume the Buffalo one) from post #94 in the thread ON - Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Malton - OTA
3. Open Google Earth
4. Open the .KMZ file within Google Earth
5. Find your house
6. Find the appropriate transmitter
7. Draw a line between your house and the transmitter (Tools, Ruler, Click your house, move mouse to transmitter, click again) for distance and bearing

My instructions should have saved you a considerable amount of time - but, if you're like me, you'll still kill hours looking and playing with it. Enjoy!

Yours truly,
Fred.

[softball44]

Hi, all. First post after lengthy lurking. I am taking the OTA plunge. I want to pick up local and Buffalo stations. Here is my TVFool:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...13495e0601a282

I am a determined DIY'er and not afraid of the roof. Eventually, from what I have read so far, the best option (?) seems to be a dual antenna set up with one aimed at CN Tower and one at Buffalo but I want to get my feet wet first with a single antenna. My question is which one to start with? Which one would be best for local and which one for Buffalo stations? I'll skip the preamp and rotator for now but will likely want a distribution amp to run 3 tv's.

Additional details: a chimney mount would place the antenna about 30+ feet up. I seem to have a clear view SE to Buffalo. There is a line of trees SW between me and CN Tower. The chimney mount should put me just above the trees but extra height later shouldn't be a problem.

So, in short, what would be the best antenna to try for (1) the local stations and (2) the Buffalo stations. I have considered the CM4221, the AD CS2 and the AD DB4 and 8 but get a bit confused with the 4 Bay/8 bay issues, etc. Any help appreciated just so I can make a quick decision on an antenna and start to play around since knowledge and info tends not to stick with me until I start to get my hands dirty. TIA

[kooguy]

Softball44,

Welcome to OTA... Based on your tvfool result, you are in good location.

I would suggest a db4e but if you are adventurous, you can follow DHCer HWP's (just see his profile) setup, you will get just about everything including the hard to get 'WBBZ'!

[HWP]

Your TVFool score for WBBZ is better than mine so if you got a good vhf high antenna (Winegard ya1713) and a pre-amp (Winegard 269) you might be able to get the four extra channels that WBBZ gives.

But if you don't care to get WBBZ, then I would start with an Antennas Direct DB4e pointed at Buffalo (WGRZ or a tiny bit east of it). Consider adding a Winegard 269 pre-amp, or use the distribution amp as you indicated.

I'd start with one antenna. Get another one if you need it. But you won't need it. People farther east of us benefit from two antennas.

Good luck!