Losing a channel during bad weather (heavy rain)

[andy_horton]

Without getting too technical, normally WDSI Chattanooga TN comes in fine except moderate to heavy rain. I must use a pre-amp for all UHF stations as without it I get a very weak signal on all UHF stations. Use a 4 bay UHF outdoor about 10 ft up. I know it's not the best antenna for fringe, and WDSI is the weakest. I even get ALL VHF-HI and all UHF stations with no trouble from this antenna, no matter what type of weather. Is this rain fade due to heavy rain? No other station has this problem. Thanks

 

[harshness]

Could be fade or it could be some manner of reflection causing multipath.

You situation is nothing short of awful (made worse by your aversion to a mast of appropriate height and use of wimpy antennas) as I recall so you should probably be happy for anything you get.

I have to say that I'm puzzled by your sixth sentence that you have no trouble "no matter what type of weather" but you wonder if your experiencing rain fade.

 

[Horsepower]

Had the same thing happen tonight. Not at my house. Clear NBC watching Olympics, dropped out, never came back.

All other stations no problem.

 

[harshness]

Clear NBC watching Olympics, dropped out, never came back.

Was this WWBT or some other NBC affiliate?

 

[Larry1]

Weather plays a big part of TV reception. Most of my channels are in extreme fringe and I loose channels in the winter, but they return in the spring. With extreme fringe, height is an important factor in reception and the highest gain antenna is required. You need a signal before you can amplify it. The signal can be blocked due to weather conditions, trees, etc.

 

[Horsepower]

Was this WWBT or some other NBC affiliate?

Yes. WWBT CH. 12.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I loose channels in the winter, but they return in the spring.

I tend to have the opposite problem; I gain channels in the winter when the leaves fall off the trees. Hot summer weather also seems to keep signal strength and quality down in this area. I get my best reception after dark when temps go down.

 

[Horsepower]

Me too comfortably__numb. Colder, at night the better.

 

[Horsepower]

Using a $30 eBay cheapo antenna, I have pulled in TV stations well in excess of the 150 mile range they claim. At night, cold. Reliable? Not at all. But always at night and cold.

 

[navychop]

Tropospheric.

 

[Tampa8]

Airplanes disturb the Channel 13 (Actual 12) signal mostly in the morning but can happen in the afternoon and have ever since going to digital. WWSB is a "fringe" station but really more because it isn't where all the other towers are so I am receiving it off the side of the antenna. Summer nights I receive it quite reliably 6PM or so till 10AM or so. Winter (such as it is here) is more hit and miss.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I live on the Kansas City Southern Railway mainline. Whenever a train passes by it can disturb OTA signal too. OTA is a fickle animal!

 

[FTA4PA]

Airplanes disturb the Channel 13 (Actual 12) signal mostly in the morning but can happen in the afternoon and have ever since going to digital. WWSB is a "fringe" station but really more because it isn't where all the other towers are so I am receiving it off the side of the antenna. Summer nights I receive it quite reliably 6PM or so till 10AM or so. Winter (such as it is here) is more hit and miss.

This happens to us here in Central PA on WNEP 16 (rf channel 50) and WVIA 44 (since they are now using WNEP's facilities) whenever the local Life Flight helicopter passes by.

 

[ejb1980]

I experience "rain fade" on the Montreal channels that are fringe for me. They also come in much better in the winter than the summer. When 18 wheelers go by (not too often, a few a week) they disturb the OTA signal of any channel I am watching.

 

[spongella]

Interesting posts, have to check for rain fade at this location. In general, and having used several different antennas since the switch to digital my experience is that reception is better in winter when trees have shed their foliage. Stations that usually have a strong signal strength are not affected as much as those more distant and weaker.

 

[andy_horton]

Thanks for all the great feedback and posts, with exception of "wimpy" outdoor antenna. I'm using the recommended antenna with appropriate preamp for the UHF only stations, and WDSI is the weakest of them all, not to mention all physical HI-VHF seem to come in fine on a UHF only antenna, 9,12,13(Real 3.1.) (Won't even bother to run a tvfool report, many are still missing from newer model runs being inaccurate.) That being said, and having actually spoken with the chief engineer for that station, it does seem to be rain fade as I also am in a fringe area. Lol, you wouldn't think so only being 35 miles from the towers, but obviously in N GA with many rolling hills, the channel for WDSI was changed awhile back, after everything was digital. It was WDSI Fox 61, now simply on VHF-HI 9.2 WTVC. This t.v. now populates 61.1, with Comet on 61.2. Again, thanks to everyone for the great feedback and posts!!--Andy