OTA DTV in Oklahoma questions!

[tonyp56]

Hello,

I have some questions but let me first explain what is going on. Note: I will use analog channel numbers in my post to keep it simple. I am not trying to tune DTV stations using the ATV station numbers, I am using the DTV station numbers.

I live approx 40 miles west of Tulsa, and 30 miles east of and about 60 miles north of OKC here in Oklahoma. I purchased a RCA 1250 indoor amplified antenna, that has 45db gain on VHF and 35db gain on UHF. Out of the 20 some DTV stations between OKC and Tulsa all but two are UHF. My question is this, I can receive the CBS, NBC, FOX, WB, PBS, and Pax stations from OKC. (along with 52 and all its sub channels.) But the only station from Tulsa that I can receive is Fox23 (weak in low to mid 60's), why is this. I am twice as far from OKC than I am from Tulsa, but I can receive more OKC channels, and also the most of the ones that I receive have signal strength in the mid to upper 80's (constant, other than a few small jumps down then back up) on my Dish Network 811 receiver.

I've read some information on the web about the ABC affiliate signals in OKC and Tulsa (the two channels that are VHF) to where they've done something to it so that it doesn't interfere with other stations in and around Oklahoma. But even with this, when I try to tune channel 5 (DTV channel 7, ABC OKC) I can get better signal than when I try to tune channel 8 (DTV channel 10, ABC Tulsa). (Tulsa station bounces between 40 and 49% frequently, OKC channel stays at 49% more constant.

The OKC UPN affiliate is still waiting on the FCC, the Tulsa/Muskogee WB affiliate is supposed to go live 03/05. (according to antennaweb.org)

So I can't get either ABC, UPN, from either city. (at least right now) And Fox 23 is weak. If I had it my way I'd like to receive channel 8 (ABC) and UPN41 from Tulsa, along with a more stable signal from Fox 23, and I'd be happy. (as long as I don't lose the OKC channels that I can get now)

Has anyone else in Oklahoma or anywhere had a similar problem, and what did you do about it? What would anyone recommend me to do? Is this problem because the Tulsa stations have weaker signal strength or what?


Any info would be helpful.

Thank you

 

[Kevinw]

Your 49% stations are experiencing multipath. I think you are lucky to get what you do with an indoor antenna at those distances. I guess in regards to television signals it helps to live on flat terrain.
I would suggest an outdoor antenna with a rotor. That way you could dial in the station you want and eleiminate some multipath issues.

 

[tonyp56]

Your 49% stations are experiencing multipath. I think you are lucky to get what you do with an indoor antenna at those distances. I guess in regards to television signals it helps to live on flat terrain.
I would suggest an outdoor antenna with a rotor. That way you could dial in the station you want and eleiminate some multipath issues.

Thanks, I'll have to give it a shot someday, right now I am fairly happy with what I got, and it doesn't warrant spending the $ just to gain three channels. (right now) The other DTV channels in OK. don't interest me that much, and so I will be patient, maybe the TV stations will up their transmit power, and I won't have to worry about it.

It just seemed odd to me that stations twice as far away would come in better and stronger than stations from somewhere less far.

Thanks for the info.