OTA Question

[Wesro]

I have a setup that is driving me crazy. I have a CM4228 about 26 feet up from the ground connected to a 7777 Pre-Amp. Long story short my zip code is 36027. I am trying to get the 'big four'. The antenna used to be only about 20 feet in the air and did not clear the roof. With the old setup I could get WRBL-CBS at 100%, WTVM-ABC at 100%, WXTX-FOX at about 60% and could not get WLTZ-NBC at all. When the DirecTV system was put in the guy installed the dish in front of my 4228. That then knocked out my WXTX-Fox Completely.

So I bought a longer pole that goes from the ground to about 26 feet in the air. It now is above the DirecTV dish and clears the roof. The antenna, of course, is at the top with the Pre-Amp right below. I now still get WRBL-CBS at 100%, WTVM-ABC at 100% and now I get WLTZ-NBC at 50 - 55%, and WXTX-FOX at about 50 - 55%

I ran into a problem last night. I noticed yesterday the pole was not level. The top of the pole was leaning left and the bottom was leaning right. So, the antenna was not level, it was badly leaning to the left. So I dug the pole up moved it out towards me and added an extra brace at the bottom of it. Now the pole is level and the antenna is also. Ever since I did that yesterday I cannot get WXTX-FOX to come in at all. I have moved the antenna small steps at a time and cannot get it to come back in no matter where I move it.

The odd thing is that all of my stations transmitters are pretty much grouped together about 10 - 15 miles apart from each other. 2 station transmitters are side by side and the other two are about 15 miles south grouped together. The thing that gets me is that if you wiki the stations WTVM's power is 302 Kw which I get at 100%. WLTZ's power is 50Kw which I get at about 50 - 55%. Now the part that I can't understand WXTX's power is 500Kw that as of now I can't get at all. WLGA-CW power is at 100Kw in the same direction that I cannot pick up at all. It is just odd to me that the lower power WLTZ comes in pretty well but the higher power WXTX is hard for me to get and I have NEVER gotten WLGA.

This is my first OTA setup so I am very new at this. I am sorry for the book I wrote but any advice to get these stations to work properly would be appreciated. DirecTV doesn't offer locals in my area and as I am sure many of you are aware waivers make you want to pull your hair out.

 

[charper1]

What heading is your antenna pointed at now?

 

[Wesro]

It is pointing at a heading of 32. I got out there yesterday after I noticed I lost WXTX and moved it very slowly back and forth and would wait for a signal and could never get any signal back. Now I did noticed I could move it a good ways and WRBL and WTVM would still come in strong but as soon as I started moving it at all WLTZ would drop.

 

[charper1]

What do you get aimed at about 37 / 38 deg? And you did say this is above the roof line? Is anything else close in the line of sight? What is the topography of the area? And silly quest, but the antenna is facing correctly? (I hated even typing that)

 

[Wesro]

At 37/38 I would get WRBL and WTVM at about 90 or more and WLTZ and WXTX would be 0%. It is above the roof line, there are some pretty tall trees about 100 - 150 yards in front of it. The odd thing is I got WXTX very well before they put the DirecTV dish up in front of it. Then when I put it on the higher pole a couple of days ago WXTX came in great that night, I watched the baseball game. After I leveled the antenna and pole WXTX just kinda started hating me. The antenna is pointed correctly , don't feel bad I am in the computer business and even the most simplest questions have given me the answer.

 

[Jim5506]

Before you leveled the pole the antenna may have been pointed slightly upward and you were getting better signal quality, try putting it back un-level.

 

[Wesro]

I just don't want it to come off of the house. If I put it back like it was that would mean I would have to take off the bracket at the bottom of the pole. The only brackets holding then would be two eave mount brackets. The pole is an decent pole at 1 5/8 inch. You think I would be ok with just two eave mounts?

 

[Jim5506]

All of your reception is over one horizon edge and signals like that can be layered.

I would try moving the antenna up and down the mast until I find the sweet spot.

NBC and FOX are the two weakest stations, so concentrate on them and the other two will probably work also.

 

[Wesro]

I went out today and un-leveled the pole like it was before. Now ABC and CBS are coming in at 100% like always. NBC and Fox are coming in at about 40%. Sometimes I can watch it and sometimes I can't. I guess it is better than nothing though. I tried moving the antenna up and down the pole and couldn't get any better signal. I moved the pole back and forth left and right and 40% is really the best I could do on NBC and Fox. Maybe, after the digital transition they will boost there power and it will come in better. That sounds like wishfull thinking on my part though.

 

[No Static At All]

Have you ever tested your analog reception for ghosting? The 4228 does not tolerate multipath(ghosting)well.

The TV FOOL profile that charper posted indicates sufficient signal strengths for reliable reception of the "big four". You should be able to receive 7-8 stations reliably with the right setup. (According to the zip code supplied; an exact address would be better)

You may need to reconsider your antenna choice anyway since WTVM-DT-9 is moving back to VHF 9 after Feb 17.

 

[Wesro]

Thanks for the advice. The address you can try is between 150 - 175 Cottonhill Road in Eufaula Alabama. Keeps me from putting my exact address on here. Hopefully that helps. Also, about the CM4228 this was my first antenna purchase so I really wasn't sure which one to get. Let me know what you think.

 

[No Static At All]

Hey Wesro,

I punched in 162 Cottonhill Rd and I am seeing more terrain issues than before. There are some obstructions between you and the transmitters; but the signal strengths are still favorable for 7-9 stations.

Is it possible to test your analog reception? This is usually an excellent parameter of how your system will perform with digital reception. Look for multiple images(ghosts) or other kinds of interference.

 

[Wesro]

Sure I can check the analog. I will let you know what I find out shortly.

 

[voomvoom]

Wesro, I can't say what you need or not, as I'm no expert. So, I'll stay out of that and hope the best results for you. I live @ Lizella, near Macon Georgia. I get WRBL very good, day and/or night. It's one of the strongest stations I can get. I get WTVM most of the time, usually in the daytime and always at night. I usually get WXTX after dark, but not always. I hardly ever get WLTZ, but on occasion after dark. WLGA was one of the first DTV stations I received, but never get it any more. I know this isn't much help to you, but maybe it will let you know what others are getting. I use a Winegard VHF/UHF/FM deep fringe antenna (don't remember the model #, but it was the biggest they had, and it's no longer made) with a Winegard Distribution Amplifier and get great results from it. I also have a Channel Master Rotor to turn the antenna with. Good Luck on getting your signals together..!

 

[Wesro]

Ok, so here is my results through analog. The channels I receive through analog is as follows: 3 - WRBL - CBS, 9 - WTVM - ABC, 12 - WSFA - NBC, 18 - WDHN - ABC, 20 - WCOV - FOX, 25 - WACS - PBS, 28 - WJSP - PBS, 30 - W30BD - Trinity, 38 - WLTZ - NBC, 43 - WGIQ - PBS, 54 - WXTX - FOX, 66 - WLGA - CW.

So it is quite a bit more analog than I get digital. Most of them come in where I can watch them pretty good but all do have a decent bit of static. I can tell you though most have ghosting to the right. WGIQ which is the closest to me comes in well and has the most ghosting, actually it is so bad that it is almost unwatchable.

One other quick thing. WRBL and WTVM signals never really move on the meter they stay around 95% - 100%. WXTX and WLTZ will go from 0% to 45% all the time they constantly jump.

Thanks for all the help. Just let me know what you think.

 

[No Static At All]

It sounds like you are suffering from multipath. You may want to try the Radio Shack U-75R antenna, and see what happens.($30.00) If it doesn't help, you can easily return it. You've already got an excellent pre-amp for your area.

Yagi style antennas have worked best for me in a severe multipath environment. I did try a 4228 here and it performed poorly. I installed the same 4228 70 miles west of here, and it works great.

 

[Wesro]

So, I need to take the 4228 down and just have the U-75R up there? Since it is UHF only am I going to have a problem next year?

 

[No Static At All]

It won't get VHF, but it will be an inexpensive way to see if this helps eliminate the multipath interference. If your ghosting is as bad as you say it is, then this antenna should help alleviate it.(I'm assuming you have checked all of your connections) Try orienting it to about 30 degrees (NE) and you should hopefully bring in all the Columbus, GA stations. If it doesn't work, just take it back.

Are there any other close by obstructions that are in the signal path once the antenna clears the roofline?

 

[Jim5506]

If you have Google Earth installed, find your house and see what they report as the lon and lat co-ordinates and punch those numbers into TVFool.

 

[Wesro]

There are a line of trees about 100 yards from me. That's about it. All the connections are fine. I will try and see if the Radio Shack antenna will work.