How to use 2150.com to show OTA channels in your area

[videobruce]

Though the link was provided elsewhere, this is a complete 'HowTo':
I've done this many times for individuals that are having issues receiving stations or have no idea what/where they are or even if they are within range.

It's too bad AntennaWeb always gets referenced. It's no doubt for it's 'simplified' interface. I find it VERY lacking and with those 3rd grade color charts, I also feel that most that come to a forum as this are not your average 'joe sixpack' and can comprehend something better than AntennaWeb.

Just a few initial steps are all that is needed to have a far superior list for your local stations. It does include Canada, when that 'other' site doesn't seem to know the country exists.

Step 1; You need to find your latitude and longitude. This might be of some use in the GTA. The extream left side of the page will have the lat. & long. of the center of the map. You can 'zoom in' on where you want.;
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/ima...X=24&Y=188&W=3

Step 2; Do a copy/paste of the latitude and longitude watching exactly what you copy. Include the '-' in the longitude with no spaces before either number and then go here;
http://www.2150.com/broadcast/default.asp

Step 3; Select how you want the search to configure by distance, by direction etc. Also choose the mileage you want to cover and if you want analog stations to be included. It was suggested to try checking the "Construction permits" as it might show upcomming changes to already established stations.

step 4 (optional); To be really accruate, you need to find the magnetic declination of you location. Toronto is 9 degrees.

Step 5; Click on "Compute Declination" and copy that number down in the space provided at the 2150 site (default is -13.25) and click on "Show Stations".

Step 6; If you are satisfied with the results you can 'save' this list as a bookmark by clicking on the "Bookmark this link to save this report" link which will bring up another window. This way all you have to do is refer back to the bookmark and all your data is there.

Special notes to interpert what you see;

Column 3; Channel, the first is the actual digital channel, the one in () is the orginal analog number.
Column 19; HAAT (Height Above Average Terrain) this is rarely the tower height since it takes into account the surronding terrain.
Column 11; The circle with the dot in the center is the transmitter location, NOT your location! Where that red line meets the outer circle is YOU!
Aim your antenna at the center.

The site will update on a regular basis.
Hope this helps................

[videobruce]

As example of a search, here is one done using the CN tower as the starting point;

http://www.2150.com/broadcast/defaul...=Show+Stations

Notice, the Canadian listings don't have a map or Licensee listed.
If anyone has a better source for latitude anf longitude for Canada please PM me and I will add/change the link.

[Titanium48]

It doesn't include all of Canada. I tried a search for Edmonton (lat 53.5, long -113.5) and got nothing north of Red Deer.

[videobruce]

If you or anyone has a better site for similar information (without all the leagal mumbo-jumbo), please feel free to post a URL.

Updated site for Canadian latitude & longitude (thanks to Formula500);
http://www.bcca.org/misc/qiblih/latlong_ca.html

[videobruce]

Update. The server issue is a thing of the past. The site owner corrected the issue and has updated the listings for MyHD and CW.

There are issues with the retrival of the data from the FCC (no surprise considering it is the FCC) so there are ommissions in some areas.

[rpr]

A much better way of getting your lat/long is using maps.google.ca. Once you have your location mapped accurately, click on 'link to this page', and in the link will be a string: ll=44.689522,-76.634257. This is your latitude and longitude. I couldn't even get close with the Microsoft Terraserver thing...

[videobruce]

I'm glad you explained that since it surely isn't apparent.
Nice if they didn't 'hide' the lat. & long. in the address where you have to really hunt for it.

Something as this?;
http://maps.google.ca/?ie=UTF8&z=12&...,0.318604&om=1

[rpr]

I'm assuming that was aimed at me.

Yes, in that URL the latitude is 43.610228 and the longitude is -79.50943. I don't think they are 'hiding' it so much, but most people don't really care about it, so why make it obvious?

Tom

[Kevin S]

If my magnetic declination shows as 10 degrees - does this mean I would aim my antenna 10 degrees clockwise of magnetic north (as viewed on a compass) to be aimed at true north?

[stampeder]

Since the TV station's broadcast antenna is stationary and your home antenna is stationary, it is best to calculate the correct bearing from a map that uses meridians (north-south lines that go from the cartographic poles) rather than relying on a magnetic compass and trying to get the deviation right due to the moving magnetic pole.

Also don't forget that the ultimate fine-tuning aiming device is a signal strength meter.

[Kevin S]

Sounds good - was I interpreting the concept of magnetic declination correctly though? And yes, final fine tuning would be by testing for max signal, but I would like to match the 2150 headings as much as possible and have a good reference point.

[99gecko]

My experience is that theoretical aiming is no match for empirical field aiming. If you are using a fixed position antenna, you are going to aim (or compromise) for maximum signal strength on all desired signals which will likely be propagating from various directions anyway. If you are using a rotor, you will set your direction points again based on signal strength.

Another point that must be made is that a compass can be deviated by local magnetic influences. In my case I had a difficult time mounting a BEV dish onto an existing BUD pole in my backyard because of ferromagnetic effect (due to iron content)in the pole itself. It influenced on my compass for about a 10' surrounding radius. These local influences could might from unexpected sources - a support girder or lintel hidden inside of a wall, possibly a chimney liner, or even jewelry on your hand.

Magnetic declination should be reported as +ve (or East), or -ve (or West). Kevin S, your location is actual a -ve (West) value. Therefore if you wish to aim at True North or True South you would aim at 10' or 190' respectively on your compass.
For more info or to get a general idea of where to aim taking declination into account using the tools in this thread read this:
http://www.thecompassstore.com/howtouseyour.html

cheers
99gecko

[videobruce]

Anyone east of the '0' line is considered + and anyone west is considered -?

[99gecko]

thanks videobruce for pointing out my mistake. For our purposes, (in North America), it is actually the opposite! Although for other locations around the globe (see this map)it is not so simple.

Sorry, I can see where what I wrote in post #12 is misleading.
What I should have written is:

Magnetic declination should be reported as +ve (or as degrees East), or -ve (or as degrees West). Kevin S, your location is actual a -ve ( or as degrees West) value.
Either of the follow are correct nominclature:
1) Declination for Ridgeway is 10 degrees West
2) Declination for Ridgeway is -10 degrees.

I find option #2 less confusing and easier to use for calculating bearings, because in quadrants 2 and 3 on the compass (90' to 270'), using the terms East or West to describe declination are misleading.

[Kevin S]

The link gave me this:
Declination = 10° 30' W changing by 0° 0' E/year

...and I can see that now translates to -10 since it is west. Thanks for the clarification guys, that makes a big difference in my bearings on 2050.com.