Digital OTA signal strength (is antenna web accurate?)

[carpedesign]

I am about 30 mi from the philadelphia broadcast tower, antenna web says that I'll get no stations, at all. Hence, the installer did not want to mount any antenna. Shouldn't an antenna w/preamp be able to pickup the signal for that distance?

I am also about 50mi away from NYC tower, as they are listed in antenna web for my zip, 08848.

So am I the unlucky 0.01% that cannot receive a digital signal?
Should I even attempt to try and install and antenna myself?

Please help, I need locals.

 

[miked]

Have them still install the antenna and be persistent. Antennaweb does not show any digital in my area. I live in 08865 and wanted local channels. First I had to get my mapping fixed to show the Philadelphia channels. Then the installer upgraded the antenna and got the approval for a rotor. I now have ABC, NBC and CBS from Philadelphia. I also receive a couple other channels. Not bad for being about 35 miles away from the towers.

 

[Ken F]

I am about 30 mi from the philadelphia broadcast tower, antenna web says that I'll get no stations, at all. Hence, the installer did not want to mount any antenna. Shouldn't an antenna w/preamp be able to pickup the signal for that distance?

I think this is a problem with the revised version of AntennaWeb. It now seems to list only the digital stations for your primary market, as determined by your zip code. The primary market stations are not necessarily those that you have the best chance to receive -- that sounds like it's true in your case.

At 30-40 miles, I think you have a good chance of receiving the Philly stations with an antenna like the CM4221 or CM4228 (CM 777x preamp if necessary) . If no stations are listed in the guide, or if the NY stations are listed in the guide, you will need to send an email to wilth at optonline.net and ask that your locals be remapped to the Philly market.

The next software update (coming soon) will include an OTA scanning feature, but until that's available, you need VOOM to map the locals you want to the guide.

 

[Conjuror]

Antennaweb should only be used as a guideline and that's it. You reception depends on many factors which antennaweb cannot know.
For example, according to the antennaweb I should not receive a single local digital channel. I am 60 miles from most towers and I'm not getting just one digital channel out of about 15.
Here is what you should do:
Call them back and request the largest directional antenna. Those antennas can get a signal from 60+ miles. And yes, it is still free, you just have to ask for it.
It'll come with an amplifier but you don't really need one for digital TV. It may help with analog signal but it'll do nothing with digital signal. You either get digital signal or not - the amplifier cannot improve it. Therefore, even with a low but reliable digital signal level you get perfect picture, as it was produced in studio.

 

[MicSli]

Antennaweb is not very accurate at predicting OTA reception, but it is good for finding the right orientation to point your antenna. I was listed as not being able to receive any digital channels. With the Stealth antenna and no amp I receive one channel 95% of the time, and a second about 25% of the time. The installers do not want to install an upgraded antenna because of their results from Antennaweb. After numerous service calls to Voom, one of their customer service reps finally let the cat out of the bag. Voom gives all their installers the Antennaweb address for pointing antennas, but Voom has a second more accurate website that they use themselves for predicting OTA reception. It has me listed as being able to receive five channels instead of none. My new antenna should be arriving any day now. I was not able to get the name or address of the second website, but I am sure somebody will post it. Tell Voom that you have friends receiving their locals with a CM4228 and you would like the installer to bring one with them. Otherwise you will be playing games with these installers forever.

 

[Lobstah]

Ditto what's been posted. They're great for getting the right direction to the towers and the station name/numbers, but other than that, fugedaboudit.

My zip calls for some monster thing on the roof with preamps. I use the $22 RatShack UHF antenna, and pull everything in just fine.

Lob

 

[snathanb]

It'll come with an amplifier but you don't really need one for digital TV. It may help with analog signal but it'll do nothing with digital signal. You either get digital signal or not - the amplifier cannot improve it. Therefore, even with a low but reliable digital signal level you get perfect picture, as it was produced in studio.

You really need to quit posting this little tidbit of incorrect information.

Digital TV is carried on an analog carrier.

 

[jimboeau]

It'll come with an amplifier but you don't really need one for digital TV. It may help with analog signal but it'll do nothing with digital signal. You either get digital signal or not - the amplifier cannot improve it. Therefore, even with a low but reliable digital signal level you get perfect picture, as it was produced in studio.

Unbelieveable......... go over to AVS Forum "Local HDTV Info and Reception" there are literally 100's of antenna stories and much valuable information regarding using pre-amps to help out with OTA reception. Please don't misinform the readers of this forum.

 

[carpedesign]

Thanks for the advice, I am going to request the CM4228 to be installed. Will this thing work in the attic? I'd hate to have another lightning atractor, you know what I mean?