tigerbangs prescription for deep fringe reception

Midwest Dxer

If you're willing to spend the bucks,I have some spare ultra-high gain antennas that are optimized for the channels you're looking for,except KRXI DT-44 which throws all their signal to the North.Nothing you could put in the air would ever pick them up unless they change their pattern.The rest look do-able.Your 30ft mast will have to be strong enough to carry a 5sq ft windload.

Funke PSP.1922 VHF 7-13
Triax Unix100A UHF 14-38

Pics:

Both antennas in stock form are pictured here:

http://www./avs-vb/attac...chmentid=35151

http://community-2.webtv.net/GregBar...TowerAntennas/

Let me know if you're interested.

JonsZX2SR

Damn I'm glad to have found this forum. The problems I have date to a Motorola HDT101 digital tuner malfunctioning and replacing it with a cheap RJ-TECH tuner. (I also have an older Hughes NTSC + ATSC unit with limited sensitivity.) Motorola is not interested in repairing the HDT101 even for a fee. 9It died about 2 weeks after the 1 year warantee period.)

1) Apparently the Motorola was pretty sensitive because I can no longer get a couple of fringe stations:

19.1, 19.2 (WCDC-DT, Adams, MA Channel 36 WTEN-DT rebroadcast)
27.1 (WUNI-DT, Worcester, MA, Channel 29)

In particular, I liked being able to watch the weather from Albany, NY on 19.2 since I lived in that area before moving to CT.

2) Recommendations for my next ATSC tuner ?? Is the Samsung 451 one of the better units out there ??

3) I get a "scrambled video" message when trying to view 8.2, 8.3 or 8.4 on WTNH-DT. Does anyone know if WTNH-DT is planning to broadcast a subscription for fee service on these subchannels ??

4) Does anyone know when WEDH-DT is going to finally start broadcasting on 24.1 (Channel 32) so i don't have to rely on 53.1 from Norwich ??

5) I get decent reception of analog sinals on Chan 7 (WHDH, Boston) 19 (WCDC, N. Adams, MA) 27 (WUNI, Worchester, MA) and 47 (WYDN, Worcester) but can't lock any of the digital transmissions. I'm wondering if things will get better when the analog stations go off the air.

6) the present ATSC tuner has identified but doesn't lock onto a number of digital stations (13. 19, 36, 42, 49, 51...) I'm wondering what is out there just beyond my receiving area ??

7) I can see a poor analog Ch 6 (WLNE, New Bedford, MA) signal but cannot see Ch 10 (WJAR, providence) and CH 12 (WPRI, Providence.) In the distant past i was able to get fuzzy reception of these stations, but nothing recently. Does anyone know if the transmitters were moved in the past 5-7 years ??

I shouldn't complain because I in general have great reception...

3.1- 3.3 (WFSB-DT, Hartford, CT, Channel 33)
8.1 - 8.4 (WTNH-DT, New Haven, CT, Channel 10)
18.1, 18.2 (WUVN-DT, Hartford, CT, Channel 46)
20.1, 20.2 (WTXX-DT, Waterbury, CT, Channel 12)
22.1 (WWLP-DT, Springfield, MA, Channel 11)
26.1 - 26.4 (WHPX-DT, New London, CT, Channel 34)
30.1, 30.2 (WVIT-DT, New Britain, CT, Channel 35)
40.1 (WGGB-DT, Springfield, MA, Channel 55)
53.1 - 53.6 (WEDN-DT, Norwich, CT, Channel 45)
57.1 - 57.4 (WGBY-DT, Springfield, MA, Channel 46)
59.1, 59.2 (WCTX-DT, New haven, CT, Channle 39)
61.1 (WTIC-DT, Hartford, CT, Channel 31)
69.1 - 69.4 (WPQX -DT, Block Island, RI, Channel 17)

Location is at the top of a ridge line on the South Windsor-Vernon town line overlooking the Hokanum river valley in CT. Setup includes a mast, rotor and guy wires at the roof peak that puts the antenna approx. 42 feet above the ground. Antenna is a Channel Master 3018 with an extended UHF section built with parts from a Channel Master 4248 UHF antenna. Amplifier is an Antennacraft 10G212 mounted on the pole.

Thanks for info that anyone can provide...

DeerHunter

Hang tight...TIGERBANGS will reply eventually.

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ColevilleBob

Just a couple follow-up questions to my earlier post (#316, above):

If I use the CM-4228, will that get all of my channels, or will I also need the Wade-Delhi VHF receiver? If so, where can I get one? I have looked all over the web, with a spectacular lack of success.

Also, my local stations are 60-80 miles away, and separated by about 8 degrees. Will I need a rotator for this application, or are the stations in a tight enough grouping that I can pick them all up with a fixed antenna?

Thanks in advance for any and all information.

Bob

DeerHunter

Bob,

What's the terrain like between you and the towers? In as much detail as possible!

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ColevilleBob

Most of the transmitters are located on Mt. Rose, about 60 miles north of us. One transmitter is on Peavine Peak, close to 80 miles north. I don't know where the remaining transmitter is located.

Mt. Rose has an elevation of 10,800 feet, and Peavine Peak has an elevation of 8,266 feet. I do not know precisely where on either mountain the transmitters are located, but I assume they are near the summits.

Our house is on a hillside at 5,600 feet elevationat the south end of a valley, and has an excellent north exposure. There are no trees or structures blocking any signals. We have direct line of site to Mt. Rose, with a clear view of almost all of the upper mountain. We have no direct view of Peavine Peak.

We are located on the Eastern fringe of the Sierra Nevada range, right on the border of California and Nevada. At the north end of our valley there are a series of rolling hills, on both sides of our view towards Mt. Rose, in the 7,000-8,000 foot range, heading to Gardnerville and Caron City, NV. The closest of these hills is about 15 miles. North of Carson City the view is of the eastern slope of the Sierra, which Mt. Rose is a part of.

I hope this description is what you need. If it would be helpful, I can post a digital photo of our view, with a description of what you are seeing.

Thank you again for your assistance.

Rick0725

bob when you are in a situation like yours it is hard to tell what exactly you will receive till you try.

you take your chances with the best antennas available with a cm7777 preamp and rotor to fine tune reception.


these are the digital stations in the area.
uhf KRXI-DT 11.1 FOX RENO NV 327° 90.3 44
vhf KTVN-DT 2.1 CBS RENO NV 324° 71.7 13
vhf KOLO-DT 8.1 ABC RENO NV 324° 71.6 9
vhf KRNV-DT 4.1 NBC RENO NV 324° 71.7 7
uhf KREN-DT 26.1 CW RENO NV 324° 71.5 26

the Funke PSP.1922 VHF 7-13 suggested earlier is about as good as it gets for ch 7-13. the next step down and it's a big step would be a winegard ya1713. your stations are green so this may not be an issue but it may for the staion not green.

if you desire/need ch 2-13 vip 306 or vip 307 for vhf.

blue - vhf KTVN 2 CBS RENO NV 330° 52.7 2 for example,

uhf looks like more of a challenge for you. for uhf the cm4228 is great but more difficult to stack if you decide to go that route. it is heavy and presents windload. I prefer the 91xg and Funke has a antenna similar. using yagi style antennas allows you to use a shorter mast, stacked the perferred distance apart... 4'.

DeerHunter

Bob,

Wow! I just Google Earthed your zip & the towers, along with a FCC database overlay of the stations in that area. You've got a pretty good shot towards the towers. Most of the stations are in the VHF realm, unlike in most markets, so I'd concentrate getting just the VHF stations. ABC, CBS, NBC are all high band VHF, the FOX is UHF.

Having said that you'll need a good VHF antenna. MidWestDxer above has got some good FUNKE antennas that maybe just the ticket you need. High band VHF's w/ 13db gain!

Depending on their output power, it looks as if all of the stations ABC, CBS, NBC from Reno are certainly doable with a good high gain, high band VHF antenna like the FUNKE mentioned earlier, along with a good pre-amp like a Channel Master 7777.

If you look at the attached pic you'll see at the top right the left most little green marks are the towers your shooting for. I don't know your exact street location, so I just went off you zip code. Hopefully your a little to the right of the 96107 mark I used?


I'm receiving a Albany, NY vhf station nearly 78 miles away that is only at 9.1 kw ERP! So, I certainly think you could get the three I mentioned above, but no guarantee. Looks as if you'll be shooting straight up the 395!

And it's like Rick said, you won't know til you try!

RENO.jpg

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Tower Guy

The Providence analog stations have not moved. WLNE-DT is not in Tiverton, RI. They built a DTV facility on WJAR's tower in Rehoboth, MA.

electrictroy

That is cool!!! Can you do a map for me? About 10 miles south of zipcode 17602.

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TV Band/whitespace Devices will block my Baltimore/Philly stations. No more channels 2,3,6,10,11,12,13,17,35,45,57,61,65

DeerHunter

What market are you shooting for? Philly? If you look at the second pic, you can actually see the shadows of some of the towers!

Pay no attention to the coordinates and elevation at the bottom left as those are where my pointer was when it last left the screen. Also, some of the station call letters may not be in view as some are on the same towers, and it depends on exactly which way your viewing as to whether or not the stations calls appear.

Philly 1.jpg

Philly 2.jpg

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electrictroy

The dots on the far left of Image 1 are probably Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Okay.

Me want. ;-)

What program are you using to generate these maps? Those are cool. There are little green dots all over the place! No wonder I can get 30+ channels where I live.

Can you do another map pointing towards Baltimore & Washington?
Can you do a top-down view of 120 mile radius around 17602?

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TV Band/whitespace Devices will block my Baltimore/Philly stations. No more channels 2,3,6,10,11,12,13,17,35,45,57,61,65

DeerHunter

PM me your email address. I'd give my left nut to be able to get that many stations!

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ColevilleBob

DeerHunter-

You are correct, I live about 1 1/2 miles east (right) of the google image you got. Little-known fact: On the 7th day, this is where God came to rest .

I realize that separate antennas may be the preferred solution, but I am having a tough time convincing the "boss" that we need 2 antennas to get our locals in HD. I do need the Fox station for NASCAR telecasts, and ABC for college football. If I am forced to go the single antenna route, what would be my best option:

1) UHF antenna and hope it will pick up VHF
2) VHF antenna and hope it will pick up UHF
3) A UHF/VHF combo, with a good preamp

Also, do you have a recommendation for what model antenna will work best for your suggested solution, and approximate price? I have been unable to find the funke or wade-delhi antennas anywhere.

Finally, a note of thanks. People like you, tigerbangs, Rick0725, and all others like you are doing a great service for technodummies like me.

Bob

DeerHunter

Bob,

Definitely some gorgeous country you're in!

The problem lies in the fact that an all-in-one antenna something like the Winegard HD8200P, a VHF/UHF antenna is that by being an all in one antenna, you sacrifice the needed gain you'll be needing at your distance.

Your best solution for the VHF stations is a high gain VHF, like the FUNKE or a WADE-DELHI VIP 307SR...(HUGE ANTENNA) along with a Channel Master 7777 pre-amp. As for the single UHF-FOX station, I don't see much of anything being able to pick it up. You could try a 91XG, but even with it high gain, it's the sheer distance that you're up against. You can get the 91XG for $80 bucks at Solidsignal.com. Let's put it this way, it'll be an an additional $80 experiment to see if you can actually pull in the FOX station.

I'd start off the CM 7777 pre-amp, the FUNKE 1922, & see what you can pull in as far as the VHF stations are concerned. Then if you're feeling lucky and have $80 to fool around with, try adding the 91XG to your repitoire and pray that GOD is still hanging around those parts and likes NASCAR as well!!!!

Oh, check a few pages back for a post by MIDWESTDX'r and pm him for details on how to get the FUNKE 1922.

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