Northern CA Voomers

[tandclewis]

I live in Vacaville,CA (38.395172N -121.983682W and Declination 14*57').

When I go to the VOOM channel line up it shows that I should receive the following OTA Channels (However, I only receive the ones marked **):

2.1
3.1**
3.2**
4.1
4.2
5.1
6.1**
6.2**
6.3**
6.4**
7.1
7.2
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
10.1**
10.2**
13.1**
13.2**
14.1
19.1**
19.2**
20.1
22.1
22.2
22.3
26.1
31.1**
36.1
38.1
40.1**
40.2**
42.1
43.1
43.2
43.3
44.1
48.1
48.2
50.1
54.1
58.1**
65.1
66.1
68.1

Incidently the ones that I receive are all Sacramento channels, I cannot receive the rest, most of which are from the Bay Area. I asked one of the Installs Inc guys (on one of their many visits to my house--many problems with the receiver locking up and needing to be rebooted) about it and was told that the FCC only allowed me to be mapped to one area. Is this true?

 

[Sean Mota]

Are the ones that you cannot receive in your Program Guide (PG)? If not, have you used the scanning function? Are the Bay Area towels (OTA) in the same direction as the Sacramento? If not go to www.antennaweb.org and find out the direction by putting your address and selecting digital only. It will be good to know what type of antenna you have as well. If it is a directional one, it can only pick up channels when it is pointed in one direction.

 

[tandclewis]

The ones I cannot receive are from Voom's see-it page: http://www.voom.com/see_it/programming.shtml and then "Today's Schedule" upper right hand corner. They are not listed in the Voom program guide on the TV.

The Bay Bay Area towers are in a different direction (approx 190 to 195 degrees from my house) than those in Sacramento ( 92 to 96 degrees). I'm not sure, but I must have a single direction attenna. I'll try to figure out what brand it is.

I just checked out www.antennaweb.org and found all the stations for my zip code. The Bay Area station were listed, BUT when I put in my specific address and then reorientated the map to our exact location most if not all of the Bay Area stations disappeared. Must be some hills or something in the way!!

Thanks for your time Sean.

 

[Sean Mota]

You can try this if you feel up to it. If you have access to the roof where your antenna is, you may rotate the antenna to the direction of the bay area and then use the scan function under the "installation wizard" to see if you are able to pick them up. If you are it will mean that you will probably need a rotor or omnidirectional antenna. The omndirectional antenna has its own problems as well and may not pick up everything. I will strongly suggest a rotor if you are able to pick up OTA channels from the bay area.

 

[PONCH]

Immediately when I got my HDTV, I hooked up the existing and very old 75 Ohm antenna that has been sitting perched high on a 15 foot mast for god only knows how long. Did a station scan, and came up with 31 digitals being broadcast from Sutro Towers on Twin Peaks in SF. The HDTV content is extensive, but I was immediately in the market for more. I'd been a E* customer since Holyfield/Tyson I, and thought I was going to have to settle for their 7 channels of programming. Then I saw the banner ad on the MS homepage back in October. I didn't even know their was another DBS besides E* and D*. I did the comparison and decided the programming was unique enough to go for the change while still getting the programming I'm used to. I dumped E* and have been happy with VOOM ever since. I have little trouble with OTA except channel 7 from SF every now and then. I think luckily all the broadcasting comes from SF unless I want to get it from Salinas. What surprises me is the old fashioned antenna. I kept it because I refused to pay E* for my locals. I've seen VOOMERS from Rocklin and from Santa Rosa on these boards that might have some input.

 

[unoquatrouno]

In Sacto receiving some Bay Area Station

I live in Sacramento, right by Arco. I receive some Bay Area stations, after a manual scan only. On a good day, I pick up most of the Bay Area stations. I just hope the SuperDMA is rolled out to this area. Any chance in making that happen?

-141