BC - Victoria, The Island, Sunshine Coast, BC Interior, BC North - OTA

[GearGuyBC]

Hey all,

So I used the TVFool.com mapping tool and entered in the coordinates of my home. Now I know that it is based upon US data, but it seems to be encouraging that there may be a very large selection of digital channels available to capture after the June conversion. The majority of the stations are US sources anyhow with a smattering of Victoria area Digitals I should be able to get with relative ease.

I had posted on this forum about 18 months ago, but had to pull down our antenna as we had our roof replaced, and have not put it back up since. With this new channel lineup coming and the fact that I have the antenna already, I might give it another shot.

Here is the list of potential stations that I might get. I have a Winegard 8800 and a pre-amp along with an older ATSC tuner. Depending upon how my next experiment goes, I may pick up an HDHomeRun tuner and incorporate it with my SageTV setup. I recognize that the last half dozen or so at the bottom will be next to impossible to get. I've had some decent success with the SeaTac stations in the past with a crappy tuner so hoping a new one will be better. I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.

Callsign Chan Network Dist(mi) Path NM(dB)
CIVI-TV 40 (53.1) 3.3 LOS 78.3
CHEK-DT 43 (13.1) 22.6 LOS 60.6
CKVU-TV 47 (10.1) 22.7 LOS 57.8
CIYV-TV-2 54 3.3 LOS 53.3
CHEK-TV 49 (13.1) 22.6 LOS 50.3
CKVU-TV 10 (10.1) 22.7 LOS 41.6
CHNU-TV-1 21 13.1 LOS 39.9
CBC 15 15.3 OS 29.0
K62FS 11 (62.1) 34.6 LOS 28.9
CHNM-TV-129 (29.1) 13.1 1Edge 27.4
CHAN-TV 22 (8.1) 64.3 1Edge 24.1
CBUT 58 (2.1) 63.9 1Edge 20.0
KHCV-DT 44 (45.1) Ind 89.3 1Edge 18.2
KUNS-TV 50 (51.1) 89.3 1Edge 18.0
KWDK-DT 42 (56.1) Ind 89.3 1Edge 16.5
CBUFT 16 (26.1) 63.9 1Edge 14.9
KBCB-DT 19 (24.1) Ind 25.4 1Edge 14.2
KVOS-DT 35 (12.1) Ind 25.7 1Edge 13.6
KWPX-DT 33 (33.1) ION 89.3 1Edge 13.4
K30FL 30 (30.1) 24.8 LOS 11.7
CBUFT 26 (26.1) 63.9 1Edge 11.5
CHNM-TV 20 (42.1) 63.9 1Edge 9.7
CIVI-TV-2 17 (17.1) 64.0 1Edge 9.5
KMYQ 25 (22.1) MyN 73.4 2Edge 9.0
CBUT 43 (2.1) 63.9 1Edge 9.0
CHAN-TV 8 (8.1) 64.3 1Edge 8.3
CIVT-TV 32 (32.1) 64.3 1Edge 7.6
KCTS-DT 9 (9.1) PBS 73.4 2Edge 5.8
KOMO-DT 38 (4.1) ABC 71.3 2Edge 5.7
HDTV 18 63.9 1Edge 3.3
KING-DT 48 (5.1) NBC 71.3 2Edge 2.3
KIRO-DT 39 (7.1) CBS 71.1 2Edge -0.4
KSTW 11 (11.1) CW 73.4 2Edge -2.0
KONG-DT 31 (16.1) Ind 71.3 2Edge -3.4
KCPQ-DT 13 (13.1) Fox 66.6 2Edge -5.4
CKVU-TV-1 5 111.7 2Edge -10.2
K29ED 29 (29.1) 62.5 2Edge -18.1
KTBW-DT 14 (20.1) Ind 66.9 2Edge -19.8

Here's the link to the results: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...7f14a106d7eeef

[dtvinvictoria]

Just so you know channels like CHEK-DT and CIVT-DT are not online yet and are not expected to be on in the near future.

[Bdoc]

Has anyone experienced the digital antennae in the southern Okanagan, and with what kind of receptions and what channels? Thank you.

[dtvinvictoria]

Don't think there are any DTV channels available in the Okanagan yet.

[stampeder]

Bdoc, have a look through the BC listings here for Okanagan TV stations, but unfortunately there aren't any in DTV at present:

http://www.user.dccnet.com/jonleblan...a_TV_Stations/

[mike.b]

I live on the south tip of Vancouver Island, with sight of Port Angeles. I am wondering if it's worth building an antenna to get OTA stations, and should I expect to receive any Seattle stations and/or Vancouver?

[dtvinvictoria]

With a decent rooftop antenna you can expect to receive CTV-HD, CBC-HD, and Global-HD from Vancouver as well as KVOS-DT from Bellingham. Seattle might be possible for you although I find it is hit and miss a lot of the time.

[stampeder]

My only caution about the southern tip of Victoria is that SeaTac stations might be impossible since your antenna can't "see around" the Olympic Mountains, but you should be fine for the stations mentioned by dtvinvictoria.

[GearGuyBC]

Hey Mike,

I live by Ten Mile Point and have relatively clear line of site down to SeaTac. I had a Winegard 8800 mounted on my roof and was using the ATSC tuner on my ExpressVu STB (which is an early generation tuner). I was able to pick up some of the SeaTac and Bellingham stations along with our Victoria locals.

You might have a knife-edge view down the corridor depending upon how far along you are located. I've found if you use the terrain view in Google Maps on TVFool you can get an idea of any obstructions between you and the transmission towers -- not perfect but it will show you whether the Olympics are going to block the signal. I would think your reception results will be similar to mine as it sounds like we are relatively close. The transmission towers on Trial Island might cause you some issues as they will be very close and powerful.

[mike.b]

Thanks! I am currently right in Sooke, but we are in the process of moving a bit north and higher up in elevation. There's a few rolling hills through East Sooke and Metchosin between us and Seattle, but I imagine the sightline from 10 Mile Pt won't be horribly different.

I'm kinda tired of paying Shaw so much money for the amount of TV we watch. I think as long as I can get hockey in the winter, and my wife can get Young & Restless and Batchelor/ette we should be good.

Has anyone had any successes building their own antenna? And so far as buying one where is good in the Victoria area? How much can I expect to spend to buy one/build my own?

[stampeder]

Originally Posted by mike.h

Has anyone had any successes building their own antenna?

Our site is home to the world famous Gray-Hoverman, the best DIY antenna you can build. See Post #12 in the OTA FAQ

Originally Posted by mike.h

so far as buying one where is good in the Victoria area?

Post #18 in the OTA FAQ

[Bumblefist]

I just recently started using my new digital tuner box and built myself an antenna. I live in north Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. I get good reception most of the time on all the local channels from the mainland, but I've noticed three nights in a row that between 6 and 6:30pm, I loose CBC. If I tune back in later around 7pm, it's back at a strong signal again.

Does anyone know if this is a result of the sun's angle causing interferance? I find it hard to believe that it's just a coincidence that the signal drops at the same time each evening.

[stampeder]

Bumblefist, the angle of the sun has no direct effect on OTA TV.

What kind of antenna did you build, and how many days/weeks have you been seeing this dropout happen? Does your tuner box have a signal meter in it? If so, what are the readings before, during, and after? Also do you see any drop in Global's or CTV's digital signals when CBC's is dropping.

[sputnik]

Living in Nanaimo also I sometimes expericence simallar pixalation on channels from time to time, typically on a hot day as it begins to cool in the evening.

During the day warm air tends flow over cooler bodies of water then at night as the land cool the revers happens. My non-scientific hunch is that during these transition times air mass over the Strait of Geogria is somewhat unstable and creates varing densities of air that cause signal to fade in and out. Anyways that my unproven theory.

I should add that I live in westwood lake area and can see the lights on the northshore mountains at night. Lights that also flicker do to air density differnces.

[stampeder]

Originally Posted by sputnik

My non-scientific hunch is that during these transition times air mass over the Strait of Geogria is somewhat unstable and creates varing densities of air that cause signal to fade in and out.

I was guessing the same thing - I think you're onto something since people along Lk. Ontario report experiencing some similar late day events with signals from across the lake.

Some members from out there even call it the "Lake Effect" so maybe you're describing BC's own "Straight Effect".

Anyone else on the Island experiencing something similar during this heat wave?