OTA co-channel problems

[willie8605]

I live about 45 miles away from all the broadcast towers I am trying to see. Sometimes I have trouble picking up a few of the channels, but they normally have a pretty low signal when they are working. The real trouble is with channel 5.1 ABC (real 7, virtual 5.1), 45 miles away. Nothing shows up for that channel. TVfool.com gives me a co-channel warning and shows me a signal being broadcast on channel 7 (real) that is only 3.5 miles away.

I have been looking into buying a CM7777, but don't know if it is going to help. I don't want to overdrive any of the channels and make my reception worse, but how else would I pick up the ABC channel that I have never gotten?

I have a MNT902W, Philips outdoor antenna, about 30 ft above ground.

 

[mdonnelly]

I'm about 20 miles SW of the KOCO tower, and it's a challenge to get that digital signal here. KOCO-DT suppresses their signal to the SW to protect the Lawton station.

 

[Yes616]

Willie:

Are you saying there are 2 full power stations less than 50 miles away from each other?

That is crazy. What channels (call letters) and locations are they?

 

[hancox]

We have a worse one here...

WCBS in NY (CBS) on 33
WFSB in CT (CBS) on 33

I think someone in Washington hates NYG/NYJ/NE Pats fans

 

[willie8605]

Willie:

Are you saying there are 2 full power stations less than 50 miles away from each other?

That is crazy. What channels (call letters) and locations are they?

Well, The one that is only 3.5 miles away from me has a very small broadcast radius. However, it is located in the same town I am located in. The attached picture from tvfool.com helps explain this.

(I edited the attached pic. My additions are in green.)

:EDIT:
I called the company that owns the small broadcast tower that is close to me and they said they have never heard of this problem before and that I should pick them up loud and clear on channel 7. My dad who lives about 20 miles south of me does not have this problem. Is there something I'm missing here?

 

[willie8605]

I'm about 20 miles SW of the KOCO tower, and it's a challenge to get that digital signal here. KOCO-DT suppresses their signal to the SW to protect the Lawton station.

I am in Stillwater, to the NE of the KOCO tower so this shouldn't be the issue should it? From here, all the major OKC towers are between 206-208 degrees west. I got the antenna pointing as close as I could to 207 degrees using a compass and still no luck, although it did help the other channels signal strength.

 

[mdonnelly]

I am in Stillwater, to the NE of the KOCO tower so this shouldn't be the issue should it? From here, all the major OKC towers are between 206-208 degrees west. I got the antenna pointing as close as I could to 207 degrees using a compass and still no luck, although it did help the other channels signal strength.

Others in Stillwater report problems with KOCO-DT via OTA.
HDTV In Oklahoma » KOCO Files DTV Application to Raise Antenna and Power

 

[willie8605]

Here is a coverage map of the KOCO tower according to tvfool.com. This came from an overlay available at that website that uses google earth. the KOKM tower next to the 'Home' pin is the one that shows up as a 'co-channel warning' with the KOCO tower.

:EDIT:
The KOCO name doesn't show up b/c it is hidden underneath the other tower names around it. I also added the broadcast radius for the 'co-channel warning' tower (KOKM) here in Stillwater.
:END EDIT:

 

[willie8605]

Others in Stillwater report problems with KOCO-DT via OTA.
HDTV In Oklahoma » KOCO Files DTV Application to Raise Antenna and Power

Well it looks like they are going to fix the problem in the near future. For now I guess I will just try to get ABC through my FTA setup on Galaxy 18.

 

[Tower Guy]

I live about 45 miles away from all the broadcast towers I am trying to see. Sometimes I have trouble picking up a few of the channels, but they normally have a pretty low signal when they are working. The real trouble is with channel 5.1 ABC (real 7, virtual 5.1), 45 miles away. Nothing shows up for that channel. TVfool.com gives me a co-channel warning and shows me a signal being broadcast on channel 7 (real) that is only 3.5 miles away.

I have been looking into buying a CM7777, but don't know if it is going to help. I don't want to overdrive any of the channels and make my reception worse, but how else would I pick up the ABC channel that I have never gotten?

I have a MNT902W, Philips outdoor antenna, about 30 ft above ground.

Please post your tvfool report.

 

[willie8605]

Please post your tvfool report.

Which report exactly? If you want the TV Signal Analysis, I posted the results for my location above. As for the coverage maps in my area those are above as well. If you mean something else, let me know and I'll post it.

 

[osu1991]

Check out hdtvok.com too. Dennis the admin of the site is in Stillwater too.

 

[Tower Guy]

Which report exactly? If you want the TV Signal Analysis, I posted the results for my location above. As for the coverage maps in my area those are above as well. If you mean something else, let me know and I'll post it.

Oops, I see it now, sorry.

In many cases LPTV stations were forced off the air when cochannel DTV stations signed on. Yet I don't know if that happened here or not.

 

[Yes616]

We have a worse one here...

WCBS in NY (CBS) on 33
WFSB in CT (CBS) on 33

I think someone in Washington hates NYG/NYJ/NE Pats fans

Yes, I saw that was coming early on and wondered how it would affect Fairfield County people. Especially those in the northeast parts.

Do you have a rotator so you can switch back and forth between Hartford & NYC? I also wonder if this would work well because for many in the area I mention here, the two channel 33's are just about 180° apart from each other. The antenna must be very good at rejecting signals from the rear. Directional antennas probably have an easier time rejecting signals 90° from the direction they are aimed.

I am in Sullivan County, NY high on a hill and was considering an OTA antenna to compliment my Dish service. I wanted to see how everything goes with others first as this would be a big investment for me. I know I would need the best of the best of everything for it to work.

Also in the same boat as you might be folks in NW New Jersey at the PA border near the Delaware Water Gap. The nearby Dingmans Township, PA folks as well. If aimed directly at New York from WPIX 11 the same thing may be happening from WBRE 28 from Wilkes-Barre. Now also on channel 11.

Very similar to the channel 11 situation and in the same area are WNET Newark, NJ and WYOU 22 Scranton, PA. Both now on channel 13.

What do the experts say about all of this?

 

[hancox]

Well, I'm in a rare spot where I could **theoretically** get both of them. Like you say, I would need to put it behind a lead wall to have a chance of it, as one is almost certain to cause problems with the other.

That being said, I'm LOS to WCBS, and not to WFSB, so I'm tempted to just say "impossible"