TV Reception From An Antenna

[CB]

Have you ever wondered why some channels come in clear on an antenna and others (which you thought were in the same city) don't? The transmitting towers are all over the place.

I found these places that sort of tells you where the towers are located in relation to where YOU are located. It will make it easier to set up an antenna and get away from cable.

The new digital signals are awesome, if you can get them.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/

http://www.antennapoint.com/

http://tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29

How To Guide to make your own antenna.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw

[CB]

I found these two places that detail how to make a UHF Antenna for next to nothing. I don't know if this really works, and I haven't tried it yet, but when I do I will post the results.

FYI: Don't fall for the garbage salesmen spew about needing a HD TV Antenna. There is no such thing as an HD TV Antenna. Digital broadcasts, with the exception of a very few, are in the UHF range (Ultra High Frequency). Therefore, any good UHF Antenna will work. Some are better than others. If this thing works, it could put a hurting on cable and dish providers.

http://uhfhdtvantenna.blogspot.com/

I used this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw

[CB]

Well, I made myself an antenna!

It's right pretty too - not.

I made the equivalent of a CM 4221 or a DB 4, whatever you might want to call it.

I also have an old 15db cable amplifier that I bought years ago.

I had the antenna sitting on top of my TV and was pulling in four stations (WHKY, WBTV, WCNC, WJZY), as well as a couple PBS stations. The PBS stations were breaking up, so I wouldn't call that placement a success.

Ron gave me a long cable today and I lugged the antenna and amplifier up to my bedroom window. The same four stations showed up, but the PBS stations now looked pretty good.

I moved the antenna to the spare room and all the signals went down. It was a bit depressing at first as I thought I was going to have to be satisfied with four channels plus the PBS stuff.

Not one to give up hope that easily, I turned the antenna to the left about six inches.

Success!

I can now pick up:

WBTV - CBS
WCNC - NBC
WSOC - ABC
WCCB - FOX
WJZY - UPN
WHKY - IND

PBS - Six Channels (same thing on three channels times two)

I also get a few sub-channels from the network stations, and a couple low powered VHF stations that will not be going digital right now.

If I could just pick up WMYT and WAXN, life would be good. I will have to work on those two.

I am thinking that with a shorter cable run and an attic mount on a rotor will be even better.

I will take one it step at a time though. I am happy with what I have right now and hope the signal stays this strong.

This will save me $21 a month! I refuse to pay Charter anymore for something that I can get for nothing. I don't watch much TV anyway, so the stations I can receive over the air are just fine with me.

[CB]

I have now unhooked my cable and am watching TV by way of my home-made antenna.

I still can't pick up WAXN or WMYT, but the others come in really good.

I will be cancelling my Charter Cable TV as soon as the contract runs out.

[CB]

At times, I can pick up WTVI in Charlotte. It's pretty cool. I can also pick up (fuzzy but watchable) MTN in Lenoir (analog).

I miss WAXN and WMYT. I have been emailing a fellow at WMYT-WJZY about the problem and he is trying to help me figure it out.

It is aggravating. I can actually pick up WMTY on the analog station (Channel 55) really well, but the digital signal is almost non-existent.

I hope that we can get it figured out. I am still wondering about an attic mount. I would definitely have to get someone to help me do it as the old back is sort of shot. I am not sure if this would make a difference or not.

[CB]

WMYT is just not going to come in. I believe the WHKY tower is interfering with the signal, or I am just in a place that the signal will not reach.

On another note: I am officially sick of hearing about the transition to digital TV. If folks lose their signals in February, it will be because they are too trifling or stupid to do what they have to do to keep it.

I just read that stations have some options to boost their signals after the transition. I sure hope that WMYT and WAXN do something. If I could just pick up these two additional channels, I would be a happy camper.

If WMYT could change digital channels, there would not be a problem with WHKY interference. They are only one channel apart and WHKY's signal is really strong in this area.

And that's another thing: Why doesn't WHKY offer any decent programs? All you see there is sales crap and religious programming. They need to get hooked up as a My Network TV station. That would truly kick ass as WHKY is broadcasting with a 600 kw signal only a couple miles from my home.

[CB]

Well that was pretty cool.

For some reason unknown to me, WAXN came in clear as a bell last night!

It probably has something to do with the weather as it is not locking in today.

[CB]

The February change to digital TV is headed for a delay. Some members of our great and oft times ignorant government think people have not had time to do the change over with the boxes. Christ. There are less than 20% of us who watch TV over the air anymore. Change already!

This change to digital has been drummed into our heads for the past few years now. Are there actually people out there who are so stupid they didn't see this coming? I can't believe it. I know that it is true, but I still can't believe it.

Change to digital and the next day there will be a multitude of people raising hell about the loss of their signal. Screw them. If some of them watched the news once in a while instead of crap like extreme wrestling every hour of every day they would have seen the warnings of the impending change.

I'm ready! Change it today for all I care.

They are now saying that we need to rescan for channels on Feb, 18th. This announcement just started a couple weeks ago. If they move a couple of the channels away from each other, I might be able to pick them up. On the other hand, if they move something back to the VHF spectrum, my antenna will not be able to receive the signal.

Just do it already so we can see what we need to do.

[CB]

OK. I got some information from Ted Hand at WSOC in Charlotte.

He says that all Charlotte stations will remain on the UHF band so my little antenna should suffice.

He also said that WAXN will be increasing power around mid-May of this year. That might help with that channel.

What he said that really made me happy is that WTVI is building a booster station in Hickory! Boo Yah! I love WTVI.  

I was also told by John Bishop in an earlier email that WMYT would be increasing their signal strength a little bit. I hope that helps overcome the interference by the WHKY tower. (John seems to think that is what the problem is.)

[CB]

Well it looks like I was celebrating a bit too soon. The WAXN power upgrade is only from 50 to 150kw. I don't know if that will be enough to lock it in with my converter.

I learned today that WHKY will be going from 600 to 950kw. In my opinion, that is a waste of money and a waste of everything else. WHKY is beyond a doubt the worst station on the air around here. I hate to say that as it is OUR station, but it is true. The only things that seem to make it on the air at this station are religious programming and sales pitches.

Why can't the owners of this station get something that will make them competitive? They could get a MyNetworkTV connection or ANYTHING besides what they currently have. It is a waste.

On a more positive note: I also learned that the WHKY tower is going to be moved to Baker's Mountain at some point (if the information I received is correct). That just might be enough to keep it from interfering with the WMYT signal.

As for the WTVI news mentioned, I was disheartened to learn that they will be on a VHF channel and I do not think that I will be able to pick it up with my antenna. That sucks. Ted Hand from WSOC says that I should be able to pick it up after the transition, even though it is going to be on channel 11. I hope so. I will have to just wait and see if it comes in once they get the booster station operating in Hickory.

So there you go. If anyone is reading this, Let hope that WTVI moves to a UHF channel and/or increases their power so that we can receive it in this area. People who do not watch public television do not know what they are missing.

[CB]

I really do not watch enough television to justify cable or a satellite receiver. Even if I could afford it, I don't think I could bring myself to pay for a bunch of channels that I am not going to watch. Once I had the extended basic turned off a few years ago, I went through withdrawal for a couple months before I realized that I spent most of the time looking for something to watch and not actually watching much at all.
 
Now, if they would let me pick and choose what I want for a decent price, I might do it.
 
For instance: Why does the satellite companies charge $5 extra for local channels but Charter charges $21? Charter is always harping about how they do not charge for local channels. Bullshit. They charge $21 a month for basic cable which is made up of local channels and a bunch of crap that people do not ever look at.
 
If I can get some more channels with my antenna, I will be thrilled. If not, there is plenty of stuff to watch on network TV. You guys with all those channels do not know what you are missing.
 
All I need are three more channels and I will be happier than a duck in a pond - WAXN, WMYT, and WTVI.
 
Now if Dish Network would let me hook up and get all the channels I now have, plus the three mentioned above, for only $5 a month, I might be tempted.

That is if my antenna is never able to pull them in. Otherwise, I will save the money and spend it eating out once in a while. That's more satisfying.

[CB]

Well the big change to digital has been delayed. It seems that there are a lot of people who are just not ready. God forbid that they heed the warnings of the past several years about the change. Now many folks say they don't have a box, can't hook a box up, or any number of other stupid reasons.

This change to digital has been pounded into our heads for many years now. Delaying it like this is not going to help the lazy among us. Come June 12th, they will start crying again. "I don't have a box!" Well, buy one doofus. Cancel your frigging cable and take the money you save and buy a damn box and an antenna. I have been without cable tv now for four months and have saved four months of money that would have been going to the cable company. Take away the $20 that I paid for a box (I got a better box that actually cost a few dollars.) and I have still saved almost $70.

I built my antenna myself and it cost next to nothing. Get off your lazy asses and do something for yourselves.

Sometimes I can't even manage to get out of bed because of various aches and pains. If I can be ready for this, everyone else can.

I'm sorry, but this just pisses me off.  

I'm done now. (Breath)

On another note, WTVI is set to go digital on the 17th of February as planned. I will contact Mr. Hand to see when the booster station is supposed to be finished. I do hope that I can pick up WTVI. The UNC stations are really good, but I have always liked WTVI too.

We will see.

[CB]

I don't know what has happened, but WMYT is now coming in pretty good through my Insignia box. I am a happy man - for now!

I had heard that their signal was going to be increased so I am wondering if this is what happened. It would be cool if they have not increased the signal yet and I can already pick it up. That way, when they DO increase the signal it woud be even better.

For the most part, the picture comes in pretty good most of the time. I get dropouts every now and then, but it has been watchable.

I only started picking it up a few days ago so I don't know if the stronger signal is an aberration or if it is here to stay.

My Channel Lineup is Now
ABC - WSOC
CBS - WBTV
FOX - WCCB
NBC - WCNC
CW  - WJZY
PBS - UNC-TV - 3 Different Channels
IND - WHKY
IND - WMYT - 2 Different Channels

Two more stations to go and I will have all the programs that I can possibly watch in one lifetime.
PBS - WTVI - Building a booster station in Hickory - 3 Different Channels
IND - WAXN - Increasing their signal strength in May

If these last two stations come through with their signals, I will have 15 channels plus several weather channels to watch. Jeez. That beats Charter Cable's basic package something bad.

Now if the stations would actually use their sub-stations to broadcast something other than what they have on the main channel, the number of stations that I receive should increase to around 26.

But I will be happy if WMYT, keeps coming in good and WTVI and WAXN start coming in at all.

Free TV guys. I had forgot that we didn't have to pay for this stuff all these years. My digital signals are kicking ass right now. I wish I could figure out a way to get channel 24 - Mountain TV - to come in better. I can pick it up, but it is low powered analog and very fuzzy. It's good to listen to though. I might try and figure out a place for another antenna one of these days so that I can pick up a few more stations like this one.

That's it for now. I can't wait until that booster station is done and that wattage is increased!

[CB]

Crap.  

It seems that my exuberance for the WMYT signal was a bit premature. It lasted a couple days before it started breaking up really bad.

I am not sure what caused it to come in so well for a couple days, but I was really excited about it. Now the problems of a crappy signal pop up again. Arrrrgggggggg!

It was the same that one night that WAXN came in so well. I was all "Hell Yea!". And then the next day - nothing.

I love digital TV. The picture is great, if you can get it. That's what is so aggravating about this. WMYT comes in dang near perfect on the analog channel, but sucks on the digital channel. Personally I would rather receive a 90% perfect analog signal than a constantly breaking up or nothing digital. Heck, I would take a slightly fuzzy analog channel over a breaking up digital channel any day.

I am just aggravated tonight. Maybe one of these days all the signals will be boosted and this whole post will be moot.

[CB]

I think I have the WMYT mystery figured out.

When it starts raining steadily, the signal is strong. When the rain starts slacking off, the signal starts breaking up. The less rain, the worse the signal.

Now that's just weird. It seems that bad weather would make the signal worse.

I suppose I can just hope that we have an abundance of rain from now on. 

I wonder what's going to pop up next.

[CB]

Oh good Lord. Watch what you hope for!

I don't think it is ever going to stop raining. We had more than twice the normal rainfall in May.

For now, I have given up on WAXN, WMYT, and WTVI. I would love to be able to pick them up, but there is plenty of programs on the other channels to keep me happy for now. One of these days, i will try moving it into the attic to see if that helps.

Once again, we are closing in on the digital change over date (June 12). I wonder if the government is going to wimp out and change it again. I hope not. I am getting tired of seeing those stupid commercials warning people that the change date is almost here

[CB]

I may have given up too fast on WAXN. The translator in Connelly Springs has been turned on.

WAXN and WSOC have an excellent signal from there. For some reason though, the WAXN picture isn't showing up even though the signal is reading strong. I hope that they are working out the bugs.

WMYT and WCCB need to build a translator station around here too. The signal from WCCB comes in most of the time real good, but it still has signal loss sometimes. I would say that it comes in 95% of the time. 100% of the time would be better.

I am still waiting on WTVI to get going in Hickory.

[CB]

My Channel Lineup is Now
ABC - WSOC
CBS - WBTV
FOX - WCCB
NBC - WCNC
CW  - WJZY
PBS - UNC-TV - 3 Channels
IND - WHKY
IND - WAXN

I am told that the problem with WAXN is going to be corrected so that it will not keep cutting out. The translator station in Connelly Springs is working pretty good. WSOC is coming in much stronger on channel 6.1 than 34.

I am not a greedy person. If I can just find a way to pick up WMYT and WTVI, I will be happy.

[CB]

I have been advised by Ted Hand (WSOC) that I will get better reception if I put my antenna in the attic. He says that wood has less attenuation than brick. I'll take his word for it as he is the expert at this stuff.

I appreciate the advice from everyone on avsforum.com.

I may move the antenna up to the attic just to see if anything else will come in.

Once I get it pointed in the right direction, it won't be moved again so I shouldn't have to crawl back up there.

It would be pretty cool if I COULD manage to pick up a couple more stations and get a stronger signal on the ones I get now.

I will probably wait until it gets cool again as it would be too hot to go up there right now.

[CB]

A few nights ago, in addition to receiving my regular channels:

ABC - WSOC
CBS - WBTV
FOX - WCCB
NBC - WCNC
CW - WJZY
PBS - UNC-TV - 3 Different Channels
IND - WAXN
IND - WHKY

I also was able to receive several more for a few hours (atmospheric reasons I suppose). I think these (except WAXN) are from the Greensboro area. They all came in perfectly for a few hours (until it started to clear up a bit).

WAXN - on 50
ETV
WCWG
WMYV
WFMY
WGHP
WKLV

[CB]

There is good news coming our way.

I got on the avsforum tonight and read about WCCB maybe putting in a translator on the same tower as the WSOC and WAXN stations in Valdese.

I have problems at times picking up WCCB so this would probably solve that.

If WMTY and WTVI would put in some sort of booster, over the air viewers in this area would be happy.

[CB]

I get several more channels than I have listed here, but they are redundant channels, or in the case of PBS, the same thing from a different station.

My "Unique" Channel Lineup Is Now:

CBS -   3.1 - WBTV
ABC -   6.1 - WSOC
ABC -   9.2 - Weather and the occasional ball game
FOX - 18.1 - WCCB
NBC - 36.1 - WCNC
NBC - 36.2 - Weather
CW  - 46.1 - WJZY
PBS - 58.1 - UNC-TV
PBS - 58.2 - UNC-KD
PBS - 58.3 - UNC-EX
IND -   6.2 - WAXN
IND - 14.1 - WHKY
IND - 14.2 - RTV

I am still trying to figure out how to get WMYT and WTVI.

WTVI will have a translator in Hickory one of these days, I hope.

One of these days I will get around to putting the antenna in the attic to see if the reception will be better.

[CB]

Kudos to WHKY for trying something different with Retro TV! I hope they get enough viewers to make it worth it for them.

I know that I have been watching it for the past few days! I love that old stuff. It's free from all the special effects that ruin today's programming.

On another note: Now I am hearing about how Broadcast TV will not be around in a few years. It seems a massive waste of money to do this digital thing if they are going to go to cable instead of over the air.

If the over the air signal goes away, I may just give up on TV programming. I can hook a computer up to the TV and watch plenty of things over the internet. If I have to start paying for cable or satellite TV, I may just give it up altogether.

But, I figure the disappearance of Broadcast TV is a good ways down the road still so I will enjoy free TV while I can!

[CB]

It just keeps getting better!

My "Unique" Channel Lineup Is Now:

CBS - 3.1 - WBTV
IND -  3.2 - thisTV
ABC -  6.1 - WSOC
IND -  6.2 - WAXN
ABC -  9.2 - Weather and the occasional ball game
IND - 14.1 - WHKY
IND - 14.2 - RTV
IND - 14.3 - Tuff TV
IND - 14.4 - Family programming. - Don't know the name of it yet.
PBS - 17.1 - UNC-TV
PBS - 17.2 - UNC-EX
PBS - 17.3 - UNC-KD
FOX - 18.1 - WCCB
FOX - 18.3 - Weather
NBC - 36.1 - WCNC
NBC - 36.2 - Weather
CW  - 46.1 - WJZY

Yea, yea, yea, I know. Some people say they can pickup a gazillion channels. But a great number of those channels are the same thing (If you can get one CBS or NBC, etc. you don't need three more.). I can get a lot more channels myself, but the ones I have listed here are the channels that I count.

I am still trying to figure out how to get WMYT and WTVI.

Hopefully, WTVI will soon have a booster in Hickory (Within the next few weeks?). I don't know if it will only send out a signal for one of the sub-stations, or all of them. I am hoping for all of them.

[CB]

Let's add another one!
WHKY seems to be going all out to take advantage of the sub-channels available to them. They just started broadcasting Tuff TV on 14.3.

My "Unique" Channel Lineup Is Now:

CBS - 3.1 - WBTV
IND -  3.2 - thisTV
ABC -  6.1 - WSOC
IND -  6.2 - WAXN
ABC -  9.2 - Weather and the occasional ball game
IND - 14.1 - WHKY
IND - 14.2 - RTV
IND - 14.3 - Tuff TV
PBS - 17.1 - UNC-TV
PBS - 17.2 - UNC-EX
PBS - 17.3 - UNC-KD
FOX - 18.1 - WCCB
FOX - 18.3 - Weather
NBC - 36.1 - WCNC
NBC - 36.2 - Weather
CW  - 46.1 - WJZY

Still not receiving WMYT and WTVI.