AB - Calgary, Lethbridge, Southern Alberta - OTA - Page 79 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

envirogeek · 2011-08-27, 11:00 AM

msharp,

You will have to scope out your own attic but I think you may be able make a bowtie reflector work for you. Being in Hidden Valley, if your house happened to be two stories high, with vinyl siding, and the gable happened to be more or less oriented towards the south/southwest, your signal loss through the attic might not be too bad.

If you have stucco, or the orientation of your house means the signal must pass through roof shingles, or other houses in the way... you may be in a tough spot. After having a look in your attic, rerun your TV Fool with an estimate of the height above ground level when the antenna is positioned in your attic.

Check out the antenna chart from this forum for bowtie reflectors, UHF only. I have been pleased with my AntennaCraft U4000 and U8000's. In your situation I would look at the best performing antenna that is still physically small enough to get it through your attic hatch.

Baslim · 2011-08-30, 12:24 PM

23 Analog (CBC Fr) in Lethbridge has fixed the lack-of-picture problem that has been extent for over a week. 10 Analog (CBC) on the same tower is now giving a better picture without subsumed roll bars. My location 1 mile from antenna.

CTV 13 analog is still broadcasting. No sign of 13.1 yet.

querty-m4n · 2011-08-30, 02:29 PM

10 is receivable north of Coaldale on my parents farm. In the basement, on a 7" TV! I think that's cool.

23 is still weak here. I don't watch it much just thinking of all the french Canadians living in this area be in University or College. I'm sure that's the only folk who watch CBC French OTA here.

I'm looking forward to CFCN switching to digital. That should get rid of the nasty herringbone pattern I'm seeing on 13.

When I was up in Calgary, I scanned all the channels. Got all digital - aimed it at Broadcast Hill, Artist View. Was in Tuscany near Sobeys.

I am so impressed with digital now. No ghosting, no ugly patterns on my TV and best of all it's CLEAR!

Baslim · 2011-08-30, 02:37 PM

Quote:

That should get rid of the nasty herringbone pattern I'm seeing on 13

You too?

Can't wait for the switch. And, if the tower is already converted, I would think that there would be power savings from the conversion.

querty-m4n · 2011-08-30, 03:55 PM

This double ghosting is annoying me on 13. Plus the noise from the overhead electrical wires behind my apartment. I think that's adding to the herringbone effect.

Phoned the engineer. He said that the transition will occur tonight at 12:01 AM.

Looking forward to re-scanning the channels come Wednesday morning.

Baslim · 2011-08-30, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Phoned the engineer. He said that the transition will occur tonight at 12:01 AM

Excellent news!

tripod · 2011-08-30, 10:50 PM

Its good to know that I'm not the only one with interference. Hopefully CFCN Lethbridge does pull the switch tonight.

querty-m4n · 2011-08-31, 02:30 AM

Channel 13 CFCN-5
Before 12:05 AM: Ghosting, lines throughout picture
After 12:06 AM: Clear, bright picture with correct PSIP

Funny the switch was thrown right after the news.

Receiving 3 nice clear digital OTA stations in my part of town.

Baslim · 2011-08-31, 09:00 AM

Four digital stations received clearly in West Uplands although I only watch three of them.

Report card:

CITY, formerly 2, now 46: Unreceivable before, strongest picture now. 5 stars. 6 miles from tower.

CTV, 13, blurry and snowy before, perfect picture now. 4 stars. 6 miles from tower.

CJIL, 17, snowy (but unghosted) picture before, perfect picture now. 4 stars. 4 miles from tower.

Global, 7, good analog picture before, perfect picture now. 3 stars. 4 miles from tower.

Since no other channels other than CBC Analog (English and French), which I don't expect to go digital, are receivable here, that's it for OTA Digital. So I shall keep my satellite.

An excellent improvement, nevertheless even if the networks had to be dragged kicking and screaming to it.

Added: my "stars" are for report-card purposes only and do not reflect signal strengths.

tripod · 2011-08-31, 10:01 AM

In Magrath with a roof-top I get the same channels as Baslim. Signal ranging from 7-10 bars out of 10 except CJIL, which is 2-3.
Back in July I tested with a UHF antenna indoors and was able to pick up CISA with 3-4 bars.

I also notice that CFCN has PSIP Guide working I'm glad to see someone finally has the proper PSIP.

Baslim · 2011-08-31, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Signal ranging from 7-10 bars out of 10 except CJIL, which is 2-3.

According to RabbitEars CJIL has a figure-8 pattern with nulls north and south:

http://www.rabbitears.info/market.ph...n=cjil#station

I actually get better "strength" on CJIL than on CFCN on the living room set with a large Terk flat, although on the bedroom set with a small Terk flat CFCN, CISA, and CJIL give similar levels. (CKAL is significantly stronger than the others.)

I suspect my living room set signal for CFCN has a higher error rate (and therefore lower "strength") because of multipath of a metal roof a couple of hundred yards southwest.

special k · 2011-09-01, 12:52 PM

I need a little help here. At my uncles place his bell 9242 can pick up global, ctv, citytv, and the religious channel, with a stealth hawk. But in his garage I set him up with a coolsat 8000HD and a separate stealth hawk and can scan in global, ctv, and citytv, but the religious channel does not scan in, but that's ok. Here's the real problem when i go to citytv the coolsat says that information for citytv/ckal has changed (the signal strength and quality bounce from 70% to 90%)? Does any one know the exact frequency in khz that citytv broadcasts from the lethbridge tower, or where i can find information like that????

Mike FM · 2011-09-01, 01:16 PM

It is on RF channel 46 = 662-668 MHz.
The center is 665 MHz. and the 8VSB pilot rides at 663.31 MHz.

poutanen · 2011-09-01, 01:18 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CKAL-TV

If you use TV-fool to look up the stations call letters, Wikipedia usually has lots of info about transmitter location, power, real and virtual channels, etc.

So City TV is broadcast on UHF-46 in lethbridge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Televis...el_frequencies

That chart can be used to tell you what frequency range each channel takes up. Looks like UHF-46 is 662-668 MHz. Not sure if the ATSC carrier freq of 663.31 MHz is what you'd want to design for if you were building a specific antenna.

downbeat · 2011-09-01, 04:42 PM

I'd trust Stampeder's mirror of the Industry Canada database over Wikipedia any day.
http://www.user.dccnet.com/jonleblan...ations/DT.html

2011-08-30, 12:24 PM	#1172
Baslim Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Lethbridge, AB. Posts: 66	23 Analog (CBC Fr) in Lethbridge has fixed the lack-of-picture problem that has been extent for over a week. 10 Analog (CBC) on the same tower is now giving a better picture without subsumed roll bars. My location 1 mile from antenna. CTV 13 analog is still broadcasting. No sign of 13.1 yet. __________________ Sony 55"; Denon AVR 1803; KEF 105.2, Energy C-C1 and Energy RVSS speakers; Bell 6131; Sony BD-S570.

2011-08-31, 09:00 AM	#1179
Baslim Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Lethbridge, AB. Posts: 66	Four digital stations received clearly in West Uplands although I only watch three of them. Report card: CITY, formerly 2, now 46: Unreceivable before, strongest picture now. 5 stars. 6 miles from tower. CTV, 13, blurry and snowy before, perfect picture now. 4 stars. 6 miles from tower. CJIL, 17, snowy (but unghosted) picture before, perfect picture now. 4 stars. 4 miles from tower. Global, 7, good analog picture before, perfect picture now. 3 stars. 4 miles from tower. Since no other channels other than CBC Analog (English and French), which I don't expect to go digital, are receivable here, that's it for OTA Digital. So I shall keep my satellite. An excellent improvement, nevertheless even if the networks had to be dragged kicking and screaming to it. Added: my "stars" are for report-card purposes only and do not reflect signal strengths. __________________ Sony 55"; Denon AVR 1803; KEF 105.2, Energy C-C1 and Energy RVSS speakers; Bell 6131; Sony BD-S570. Last edited by stampeder; 2011-08-31 at 05:39 PM. Reason: fonts fixed

2011-09-01, 01:16 PM	#1183
Mike FM Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Alberta Posts: 176	CKAL-1 Leth Freq It is on RF channel 46 = 662-668 MHz. The center is 665 MHz. and the 8VSB pilot rides at 663.31 MHz.

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2011-08-27, 11:00 AM	#1171
envirogeek Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Calgary - Shaw phone & internet, 4 bay OTA in attic / Pigeon Lake - CCI Wireless, 8 bay OTA on roof Posts: 564	msharp, You will have to scope out your own attic but I think you may be able make a bowtie reflector work for you. Being in Hidden Valley, if your house happened to be two stories high, with vinyl siding, and the gable happened to be more or less oriented towards the south/southwest, your signal loss through the attic might not be too bad. If you have stucco, or the orientation of your house means the signal must pass through roof shingles, or other houses in the way... you may be in a tough spot. After having a look in your attic, rerun your TV Fool with an estimate of the height above ground level when the antenna is positioned in your attic. Check out the antenna chart from this forum for bowtie reflectors, UHF only. I have been pleased with my AntennaCraft U4000 and U8000's. In your situation I would look at the best performing antenna that is still physically small enough to get it through your attic hatch.

2011-08-30, 02:29 PM	#1173
querty-m4n Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lethbridge, Alberta Posts: 316	10 is receivable north of Coaldale on my parents farm. In the basement, on a 7" TV! I think that's cool. 23 is still weak here. I don't watch it much just thinking of all the french Canadians living in this area be in University or College. I'm sure that's the only folk who watch CBC French OTA here. I'm looking forward to CFCN switching to digital. That should get rid of the nasty herringbone pattern I'm seeing on 13. When I was up in Calgary, I scanned all the channels. Got all digital - aimed it at Broadcast Hill, Artist View. Was in Tuscany near Sobeys. I am so impressed with digital now. No ghosting, no ugly patterns on my TV and best of all it's CLEAR!

2011-08-30, 03:55 PM	#1175
querty-m4n Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lethbridge, Alberta Posts: 316	This double ghosting is annoying me on 13. Plus the noise from the overhead electrical wires behind my apartment. I think that's adding to the herringbone effect. Phoned the engineer. He said that the transition will occur tonight at 12:01 AM. Looking forward to re-scanning the channels come Wednesday morning.

2011-08-30, 10:50 PM	#1177
tripod Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 44	Its good to know that I'm not the only one with interference. Hopefully CFCN Lethbridge does pull the switch tonight.

2011-08-31, 02:30 AM	#1178
querty-m4n Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lethbridge, Alberta Posts: 316	Channel 13 CFCN-5 Before 12:05 AM: Ghosting, lines throughout picture After 12:06 AM: Clear, bright picture with correct PSIP Funny the switch was thrown right after the news. Receiving 3 nice clear digital OTA stations in my part of town.

2011-08-31, 10:01 AM	#1180
tripod Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 44	In Magrath with a roof-top I get the same channels as Baslim. Signal ranging from 7-10 bars out of 10 except CJIL, which is 2-3. Back in July I tested with a UHF antenna indoors and was able to pick up CISA with 3-4 bars. I also notice that CFCN has PSIP Guide working I'm glad to see someone finally has the proper PSIP.

2011-09-01, 12:52 PM	#1182
special k Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 101	I need a little help here. At my uncles place his bell 9242 can pick up global, ctv, citytv, and the religious channel, with a stealth hawk. But in his garage I set him up with a coolsat 8000HD and a separate stealth hawk and can scan in global, ctv, and citytv, but the religious channel does not scan in, but that's ok. Here's the real problem when i go to citytv the coolsat says that information for citytv/ckal has changed (the signal strength and quality bounce from 70% to 90%)? Does any one know the exact frequency in khz that citytv broadcasts from the lethbridge tower, or where i can find information like that????

2011-09-01, 01:18 PM	#1184
poutanen Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Calgary Posts: 220	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CKAL-TV If you use TV-fool to look up the stations call letters, Wikipedia usually has lots of info about transmitter location, power, real and virtual channels, etc. So City TV is broadcast on UHF-46 in lethbridge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Televis...el_frequencies That chart can be used to tell you what frequency range each channel takes up. Looks like UHF-46 is 662-668 MHz. Not sure if the ATSC carrier freq of 663.31 MHz is what you'd want to design for if you were building a specific antenna.

2011-09-01, 04:42 PM	#1185
downbeat Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Calgary Posts: 3,589	I'd trust Stampeder's mirror of the Industry Canada database over Wikipedia any day. http://www.user.dccnet.com/jonleblan...ations/DT.html