Does anyone get reliable 78 mile DTV OTA reception?

[Bill_KY]

Does anyone get reliable 78 mile DTV OTA reception?

Here is my situation, the Bengals are blacked out yet again. But WLKY 32 out of Louisville will be showing them and Cincinnati and Dayton will not. I have a large fringe VHF/UHF antenna I can put up with the 25 db mast mounted amp that I use now with the U-75 Radio Shack Antenna.

I can go 20 feet above the house and the terrain is relatively flat. My ASL is about 900 feet. Right now I can pick up most Dayton stations consistently at 52 miles with the U-75 and the mast mounted amp. Would it be worth putting up the larger antenna with the mast mounted amp with a higher mast. Or will I be wasting my time?

Thanks in advance

TV Fool

[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"][h=4]WLKY-DT (Digital)[/h] [/TD]

[TH="align: right"] Channel: [/TH]
[TD="align: left"] 26 (32.1) [/TD]

[TH="align: right"] Network: [/TH]
[TD="align: left"] CBS [/TD]

[TH="align: right"] Max ERP: [/TH]
[TD="align: left"] 600 KW [/TD]

[TH="align: right"] Coordinates: [/TH]
[TD="align: left"] 38.368956, -85.829965 (WGS84) [/TD]

[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]
[/TD]

 

[boba]

Well what did you do seeing you had no responses?

 

[sergei]

Does anyone get reliable 78 mile DTV OTA reception?

Years ago when I lived in Greenwood Indiana which was 91 miles from the tower I would get the station all the time with the same type UHF antenna which I have installed today. Unfortunately the antenna is no longer made and the only way now is locating a used one, but they are expense now. The web site Channel Master 4251 Tribute Page has at times listed used ones for sale. I'm sure if you could find one that it would more than do the job for you.

 

[Bill_KY]

Thanks for the information on the Channel Master Parabolic antenna. I think with that I would get constant reception from Louisville. Too bad no one makes a parabolic UHF anymore, I think it is needed now more than ever. I'll try do a followup on the results (if any) on the "Bengals Blackout project" antenna quest. If anyone else wishes to add to this, please do.

 

[Fumbles]

OTA

I use the below antenna on a rotator from the lakes region of New Hampshier to receive Boston channels in HD, plus Maine. Boston is more than 80 miles. I am over 1000 ft above sea level which helps.
Channel Master 4228HD 8-bay HDTV/UHF TV Antenna


Jack

 

[Dah-Henny]

The best UHF deep fringe antenna known to man
Antennas Direct 91XG UHF TV Antenna (91XG) from Solid Signal

 

[pamajestic]

Run a TV Fool address report with the height set at 20 feet and post the results. The 91XG is your best bet but if my not be worth the time and money spent if you do not have enough signal at your location.

 

[Bill_KY]

I just ran another TV fool report, this time using the airport as the reference. I just noticed that WBDT 26 Dayton Ohio (52 miles) is really on channel 26 which is the same as WLKY 32 Louisville KY (78 miles) Co channel interference might be more of problem than just the distance. I'm going to try that larger antenna that I have in the shed and see if that can bring at least one Louisville station, then there is some hope.

This whole thing stems from having the Bengals being blacked out yet again in Cincinnati, but Louisville 32 and Columbus 10 and Huntington WV 13 are showing it. But Louisville is the closest.

I didn't want to spend any additional money on this unless I thought it would work. I'm not sure how many more games the Bengals will play at home that will be blacked out. The antennas that were mentioned in the comments all look promising, wish I could try them out before buying...(its only a wish)...lol

I could travel 50 miles South of here to watch the game, at another location. I was just hoping maybe something would work here. I'll be back....

Using the airport as a nearby reference at 920 ASL TV Fool

 

[pamajestic]

Using the airport as a nearby reference at 920 ASL TV Fool

This report is for the airport at 500 feet. Why don't you run a report for your location at 20 feet?

 

[sergei]

Unfortunately there's just no guarantee that whatever you put up will get you the channels your wanting as there's just too many things that could affect the signals especially with digital

You do the research and spend the money then hope for the best.

 

[Bill_KY]

Well, there is hope..but there is going to be a lot of work involved. I need to raise it up another 10 feet, replace the coax and see where I can go from here.

As you can see from the pictures, I do get WDRB 41 Louisville KY at 78 miles. It is not viewable or reliable, however there is a constant weak signal there. I had a few brief blips of it coming up for a second or two with a picture.

The reason I put in 900 feet in TV Fool (It only takes 500 feet) because that is my elevation..a bit over 900 ASL. Thank you for your helpful comments and suggestions. This is going to be a work in progress. I will try to update again soon in the near future.

Thanks

.

 

[Mr Tony]

I can get a VHF station 72 miles away 98% of the time...UHF is a different story though

 

[Mr Tony]

Well what did you do seeing you had no responses?

boy yet another insightful post Bob
You're just full of them lately

seriously...why even bother posting if all you're going to do is post crap like that or "why dont you call 800-333-3474 since you dont know what your doing?"

 

[Bill_KY]

Well here is another update. WDRB 41 Louisville KY is coming in nicely, not fading out much ...pretty watchable at 78 miles. We boosted the antenna up another 12 feet and got a 33 db mast mounted amp and replaced the coax.

The only problem is...41 Louisville is the only Louisville we can get and non of this makes sense...unless Fox 41 is in a different location from the other Louisville stations or running higher power than the other Louisville's.

Well then again, this is what they call experimenting. I have to look at TV Fool again and see if Fox 41 is transmitting from a closer location, different from the other transmitters...or ...if it is just a case of tropospheric ducting tonight (it is 49 degrees right now and has been in the 50's for quite awhile).


EDIT: When I tried this 'experiment' with the (ATSC to Analog) Insignia 'converter box', it was only with the Insignia that I was able to get fairly good reception on WDRB 41 from Louisville. The Sanyo ATSC CRT TV, the tuner did NOT get reliable reception.

The Insignia $49 converter is one hot receiver and it scans fast too. Regardless despite numerous tries, 3, 11 and most wanted WLKY 32 did not come in or even map. And from what I seen on the TV Fool map...they are all from the same direction. WDRB 41 which I got and WAVE 3 are both 1000 kw, but only WDRB 41 mapped and was received. WLKY 32 is only 600 kw and probably is the reason it will be impossible here.



As they say...stay tuned...

 

[No Static At All]

The atmosphere is alive in much of the east with the warm high pressure system in control. Extraordinary reception will be around for a couple more days, so it's tough to draw any long term conclusions until things are back to normal.

 

[boba]

boy yet another insightful post Bob
You're just full of them lately

seriously...why even bother posting if all you're going to do is post crap like that or "why dont you call 800-333-3474 since you dont know what your doing?"

Gee Ice with posts like this it is a good thing you are a moderator!

 

[Mr Tony]

why? Because I actually try and help people and not post the same comments over and over and over?

Oh wait...you're using the "He is a mod so he can't post comments like that" line....if you dont like the post, report it.

 

[Mr Tony]

for the OP...is it working today?

 

[Bill_KY]

for the OP...is it working today?

We threw in the towel on it. Could not get a peep out of WLKY 32 , (which we wanted) , but only got WDRB Fox 41 choppy in the rain which wasn't what we wanted to get the Bengals game. I am confident if I had the right antenna (like a parabolic UHF) with a quality mast mounted amp with the antenna up about 50 feet on a rotator it could be possible to get needed WLKY 32. Unfortunately WLKY is one of Louisville weakest regular network stations.

Suffice to say, just listening to the game on radio. But I do appreciate your help as well as other helpful comments that were posted here.

 

[Tampa8]

I think it is possible but a little more research may be involved.

First, using a compass, and the FOOL site, see exactly where the antenna has to face to be directly at the station's antenna. Magnetic North may come into play some.

Second, what is the terrain between you and the TV's antenna site. Any mountains or cities with tall buildings in the way. (I'm guessing no tall buildings in your case)

Third, the channel you really want, see what the radiating power is compared especially to the one you can get with the converter. If the power is the same or more continue to go for it.

Fourth, If you think there is no real obstruction get a very good UHF antenna as high as you can. You already have a mast mounted AMP which would be my other suggestion.

Fifth is a little harder to do. I have alot of experience helping to install TV and years ago CB antennas. It may not make sense, but trying from a different spot may work. Another words if you have been trying from the west side of the house, try from the east side. That's how I get the Springfield MA UHF channel 40 at my house. Same height same everything but on one side of the house no signal, the other a useable signal, and I have seen that before.

It appears you covered many of these, hope it works out somehow for you.