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ON/MI - Windsor, Detroit, Sarnia, Leamington, Chatham - OTA

541946 Views 1600 Replies 230 Participants Last post by  Gibsons
This thread is a one-stop-shopping location for info on receiving Over The Air High Definition and Digital broadcasts as experienced by Digital Home Canada members. This thread is for people who are in Southwestern Ontario.
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Detroit TVfan here......login prob.

Good to see you again Tec stack......sorry man cant help you with rf33 or 35. East end ford test track, we dont get Global only with occasional tropo.Must be null for Detroit.Wish they would vacate rf33 just to get some open ch. for dxing.

Are you still able to get CHCH on rf14 again??? and WUPW rf26???

looks like WUDT daystar rf23 isnt going to leave.They should have been on rf8 by now.That would open WNWO Toledo in our direction.

Also a couple more new channels to reprt .....Newsy added to WPXD 31.7 and WTOL Toledo adds GetTV to 11.6, now we can view GET on 11.6 or 31.6. Nice evening lineup with Kojack added in oct, starsky and hutch, charlies angels and hart to hart then all in the family.

cut the cord folks, cancel cogeco/bell GO OTA!!!!
Nope on 51.1; I haven't seen it since the last leg of the changeover was completed in 2020. Very strange; I don't see any reason for co-channel interference, but something caused it to disapprear! I can still get 36 from Toledo at nights, and during the day sometimes......I'm still hoping that Covid has delayed Daystar 23 from Detroit from moving to it's new home. Only problem with that, is that we'll lose 8 from Cleveland, and Cleveland will be completely shut out from Windsor/Essex reception. I can get it sometimes during Summer tropo, but not very much; always been much weaker than good 'ol WEWS-5! We'll see!
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If these stations in question are RF 30-36 and you don't have an LTE filter, it's a cheap thing to try and send back to Amazon if it doesn't work. Just make sure you get the Channel Master one and not a knockoff.

I'm in central Windsor and couldn't get Ch 50 without one... Lots of LTE interference at my location.
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@tecstack.....Im betting the CHCH issue is co channel with WLNS Lansing rf14.Bc before CHCH moved off rf51 to rf14 I was rec. WLNS alot and strong.After nada....very rare now.

As for WJW8, I put up a CM3018 thinking WJW would be a no brainer at the cottage near Colchester, couldnt get it like I thought. Im thinking WLIO Lima also on rf8 is giving me issues for WJW. My strongest regular visitors out there are WBNX55 rf17 and a much weaker WEWS. Getting all of Toledo though even low power WMNT rf36 but blocks WQHS rf36 even when pointed at Clev. You cant win with this short band now.....

My dream antenna for out there is a Stellar Labs deep fringe vhf with the DB8e and maybe CM7778 instead of my LNA200.

@Gibbons.....thumbs up on that LTE filter I would also like to get one and try it out both in Windsor and lake erie to see what diff it makes.
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Lansing 6 and 53 come in basically every time there is tropo for me... about 75 miles away. I also get 25 sometimes from the Flint area if the Tropo is really strong.

I just don't point down the Canadian way as there's much better things in Michigan... unless I put up a 2 antenna setup, they are in opposite directions. If I had a 2 antenna setup, I'd probably point one to Toledo, for that matter.
@streetcore............your right in picking the DB8e and 7777amp. That antenna is your best bet in locking the Detroit full power stations. The only other antenna might be the 91XG but it is a big antenna.Remember Port Huron is still listed as part of the Detroit tv market so they do send quite a bit of signal up your way.The DB8e is UHF only so you wont get Fox2 on rf7 vhf but you should get 4,7,20,31,38,56 with 38WADL being the closest to you its in Mt Clemens. 50/62 might be iffy but it will be interesting to see what you get.

Plz keep us posted.....Det tv fan
Thanks for the info. I've been reading that good quality coax cable is important too. I was at my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore yesterday and they had a big box of Belden RG-6 cable for $20. Would this be considered good quality cable? If not, can someone recommend something better?

Thanks.

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RG-6 Quad Shield is the standard today. Don't know how old or what that exactly is up there but I'd use it. 30yr old RG6 still works.

RG-6 Quad is about $40 for 100ft, don't know why anyone would skimp on it. Just buy a set of cutter/crimper/RG6 connectors on Amazon for about $20 and you got what you need to run it to your proper length.
Hello friends,

I am in the process of purchasing a home on the eastern shore of point pelee. Do you guys have any recs for antenna installers? I'm thinking about getting a tower. Thanks!
Hello friends,

I am in the process of purchasing a home on the eastern shore of point pelee. Do you guys have any recs for antenna installers? I'm thinking about getting a tower. Thanks!
Not really. Had issues finding anyone willing to work on a tower anymore... there was someone who fell to their death from one recently as well. If you find someone, get ready to open your wallet very wide and make sure you and especially - They, are insured.

I see some "free antenna and tower" ads in Essex/Kent County, but you have to take them down. Seems like liability issues to me, if you hurt yourself or harm their house while taking it down.

Point Pelee is a good location for a Large Amplified Antenna with rotator though... You will get Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland and possibly Erie, PA if you are lucky (and high enough).



Had a school trip to Pelee Island way back when, you should have seen the stations they were picking up with rabbit ears. It was crazy. Transmissions travel very well over bodies of water.
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Damn, my Ch 50 is fading and pixelating (20.7 Miles away). Once it got colder my signal strength dropped to 60%... Bowtie w/preamp/LTE filter and I'm losing the station. Looks like I'm going to have to go higher o_O
I'm basically talking to myself at this point, but 50.6 is on the air out of the blue, QVC. Go buy some crap you don't need!
Hello All !!!!

Finally have a bit of news to share.......
Looks like WUDT rf23 isnt moving to the proposed repack channel of rf8 as we were told.They have been granted a longer stay on rf23 even though they are co channeling with very close full power rf23 WNWO NBC Toledo.
The reason given was possible interference due to short spacing between rf7 Fox2 and rf9 CBC.So unless your in the county or far west Windsor and have a good directional to null low power WUDT, looks like your SOL.Good news for folks that can pick up WJW Clev on rf8 in the east parts of Essex County.

Other news isnt good either for Windsor/Essex ota viewers.....WHNE LD vhf low ch3 was asking the FCC to be allowed to move to rf30 from low vhf but has also been told no as a station in Lima Ohio has been issued the channel and wants to move their antenna closer to Toledo.If you all remember before the repack WHNE LD was on rf20 as CH14 and strong into Windsor with its 12 subchannels. But going to low vhf ch3 has put Windsor in the null with no reception.
Were lucky a few of us asked for GetTV to come back to a full power channel from WHNE and they finally did on rf24 WPXD and rf11 WTOL Toledo.

Spring is coming get your antenna projects for ota ready folks!!!! CUT THE CORD WINDSOR!!!!
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Pretty strong Tropo tonight, my Ch 50 is pixelating and 31 is gonzo... I'm picking up 22 Global and that weird station from Leamington from the back of the antenna.

I know some people like Tropo to get far away stations but when you are watching something and it starts pixelating your locals, I'd prefer to not have it.
Anyone in the Windsor/Essex area and have lower Signal Strength on Fox 2 from Detroit? I'm down about 15%, so is my buddy in South Windsor.
Hi All
Wondering if anyone knows what has happened to WBSF 46.3 Charge? At my location, it is rarely active, yet at times, it magically appears? 46.1 CW is always there so it is odd with Charge. Has anyone else noticed this?
46-3 is on the WSMH transmitter, while 46-1 is on the WEYI transmitter.

- Trip
Hi All
Wondering if anyone knows what has happened to WBSF 46.3 Charge? At my location, it is rarely active, yet at times, it magically appears? 46.1 CW is always there so it is odd with Charge. Has anyone else noticed this?
Where do you live to get Flint/Bay City stations regularly? I can only get them on tropo a few times a year in central Windsor.

You must live close to Lake St. Clair to get it over the water or up near Sarnia, I would imagine.
Hi Gibsons
I'm in Bayfield Ontario.
I have good luck across the water. I do have a 76' tower as well which makes a difference
Does anyone still work on towers or do they all charge you a Tower Climbing fee or refuse to climb it, nowadays?

Getting kind of tired of my issues, would rather have a new antenna, preamp and wiring on my existing 30ft Tower.
Hello all, just a head's up to all. Channel 24 from Toledo, WNWO, is now accessible again in Windsor/Essex, as WUDT from Detroit has moved to real channel 8. The full Toledo lineup is now back, and 24 seems to be more powerful than it was before the repack. I remember reading that they raised their broadcast tower higher, and were approved for a power increase. It's still weaker than 11, 13 and 30, but it comes in most of the time here in Tecumseh. The further west and south of here into Windsor, Lasalle, Amherstburg, Kingsville and Essex will be all the better. The only bad thing, is that with all these changes, we can no longer access 3, 5 or 8 out of Cleveland during tropo episodes. Turn your antennas south-southwest and try a re-scan!
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