LTE filters and the current repack

Yup, don't know if I actually need one of these filters, but, I've got several cell towers within a mile and a half of where I live so what the heck!! That and I've pissed away way more than $20 on other stuff I've purchased before. ;-) And I'm still having problems receiving "several" stations after the September 2019 repack!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Larry1
Channel Master has assured me that the filter will pass channel 36 with no more than insertion loss. I will probably be ordering one soon.
That's good news, as I also have a channel broadcasting on RF36.

Ok, I just tried the new LTE filter on the back of my 2013 LG tv set after a PM I received from another person that mentioned trying it that way. It did NOT drop signal or quality level on WAQP-49, which broadcasts on RF36. Checking all my other receivable channels, it didn't affect any of them adversely as far as I can tell, and the two low powered ones WFFC & WFKB seemed to have come UP a couple points. It only took me about a minute to screw the filter on, so atmospheric changes shouldn't have affected anything that quickly.

So, that at least gives me hope that once I can install it at the output of my actual antenna, and before the Kitztech KT-200 preamp, that I don't have to worry about it killing WAQP's signal, or even dropping it enough to cause issues with reception. I can't as of yet get on my roof, due to snow and ice up there.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: FTA4PA
Well, there's still some snow and ice on my garage roof, but there's an area around the outer edges where it's melted off a bit. Just enough that I can sidestep enough of it to get to my antenna mast device connection box at the eves peak line. I just went up there and installed the new model Channel Master LTE filter inline between my HDB91x UHF antenna, and the Kitztech KT-200 preamp.

Everything working just as before, and seems to have actually brought signal levels UP a little bit all around!

So all in all, it appears to have been a well-spent $19 total (Free shipping).
 
Is there any particular reason why you'd get a better signal due to having one installed? Does the cell phone signal somehow overload the antenna or something? I'd heard from some sources in the forum here that the current stock of UHF antennas aren't tuned exactly to the lower end of the band that's left over following the repack and that the antennas are in tune more with the higher end of the band instead.
 
Is there any particular reason why you'd get a better signal due to having one installed? Does the cell phone signal somehow overload the antenna or something? I'd heard from some sources in the forum here that the current stock of UHF antennas aren't tuned exactly to the lower end of the band that's left over following the repack and that the antennas are in tune more with the higher end of the band instead.

I'm running a Kitztech KT-200-Coax preamp as all my towers are a minimum of 35 miles to 55 miles away, and it's the older version with no filtering. I'm only 2.5 miles away from a higher powered mobile tower, have a channel running on RF36, AND I have to pretty much aim right through it to get my two lower powered towers.

The Kitztech preamps are known for being overwhelmed by LTE if it's close enough, and strong enough. I'd say other preamps would be just as susceptible at a minimum. My issues weren't that bad, and I'm sure there's others that would be closer to their towers, and have a lot more problems. But, I can't resist buying new toys and trying them out, lol.

Most UHF antenna's are tuned to have strongest DBi around channel 40. We need a manufacturer to get them re-tuned for the latest spectrum, which ends on RF36. That's not too likely to happen, so filtering is the best way to handle it for now. $19 is cheap to try this filter.
 
Thanks for the response. I didn't know about the signals overwhelming pre-amps. What about set top ATSC receivers? Would a strong cell signal overwhelm and cause issues with them? I know there's a cell tower within a mile of me due West, but I don't see anything nearest to my location due North or South of me, which is where most of my signals come from. The only channel I get due West is on RF 2, so I would think that's so low on the spectrum that a 700MHz LTE tower wouldn't have much of an effect.
 
Thanks for the response. I didn't know about the signals overwhelming pre-amps. What about set top ATSC receivers? Would a strong cell signal overwhelm and cause issues with them? I know there's a cell tower within a mile of me due West, but I don't see anything nearest to my location due North or South of me, which is where most of my signals come from. The only channel I get due West is on RF 2, so I would think that's so low on the spectrum that a 700MHz LTE tower wouldn't have much of an effect.

You can only try one and see what happens. If you are within a mile, I'd be a little concerned. Though IF you receive all your stations fine already, I wouldn't worry about it.
[automerge]1581427219[/automerge]
I’m curious if they have updated the LTE filters in their newer amplifiers that have them built in?

You'd have to ask them, but I'd think it's very unlikely. If so, they would mention it on the specs for that amp, as it's an important sales point.
 
One thing to keep in mind is your own cell phone is going to regularly ping the tower whether you're using it or not as long as it's turned on. This is especially true if Data and/or GPS is enabled as well as apps that regularly update such as a weather app for instance. So, it's not necessarily your neighbor or a drive-by/walk-by that's causing interference but your own phone. I can tell you my phone (on the AT&T net but not AT&T) pings every 5 minutes. I initially discovered this one night when I turned on my nightime sound machine and heard a blip from it every 5 minutes. I found out by removing the phone from the room the blip stopped and by bringing it back in the blip returned. So distance to the tower is irrelevant, it's how close by a cell phone is and while these filters may help with neighborhood interference being picked up by the antenna I'm not so sure it will do anything for the phone(s) right there in the house. I have installed one though so we'll see how it plays out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Captain Midnight
It also depends on who your carrier is. Of the big carriers, only T-Mobile is using 600 MHz. Verizon, AT&T, and in some areas T-Mobile and US Cellular use 700 MHz. If you're a Sprint customer like me, the lowest spectrum they use is in 800 MHz. The further away from the desired frequencies you are, the less likely your receiver will be impacted, though it's certainly not impossible.

And don't forget that the closer the cell tower is to you, the less transmit power your phone uses.

- Trip
 
It also depends on who your carrier is. Of the big carriers, only T-Mobile is using 600 MHz. Verizon, AT&T, and in some areas T-Mobile and US Cellular use 700 MHz. If you're a Sprint customer like me, the lowest spectrum they use is in 800 MHz. The further away from the desired frequencies you are, the less likely your receiver will be impacted, though it's certainly not impossible.

And don't forget that the closer the cell tower is to you, the less transmit power your phone uses.

- Trip
Unless the interfering frequency is on a harmonic of a channel's frequency you want to receive. And the fact that the cell interference can overload a pre-amp makes a filter standard equipment in my eyes
 
Here is what I have one mile from my house when I look at Baltimore. The taller water tower is loaded with cellular antennas. When they went active in 2013/2014 it destroyed WNUV(40), WBFF(46) and WDCW(50). WDCW looked like a scrambled porn cable channel form the 90’s. The LTE filter fixed me up, originally from radio Shack, now Channel Master.
Baltimore LTE.png
 
I tried the new Channel Master LTE filter. Post repack my highest desired channel in Detroit will be RF34. The filter passes RF 34 and lower with no noticeable signal degradation. I will definitely be installing it permanently after 3/13. Picture actually seemed better with it.
 
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)