How is your DTV reception after the transition?

[edDV]

WCBS 2-1 even though they broadcast now on UHF channel 33.

Speaking of all this uhf/vhf stuff reminds me - anyone here remember the WEIRD AL movie UHF??? Great stuff - the evil station owner saying "we don't care about a non affiliated UHF station" ok paraphrasing but hilarious

Exactly! ABC was the poor sister third network and had to move out to upper VHF staking Ch7 in most major markets. It was like being on the wrong side of the tracks. The ABC old guard is beaming now as ABC stays put on VHF Ch7.

UHF was considered 3rd tier low rent until the 80's. This was mainly because different antennas were required for reception. Cable solved that problem.

[edDV]

There is more to this story. CBS wasn't the first station. Others including RCA (NBC) did the experimentation first. There was a Channel 1 but that was removed due to interference with other services. WCBS ended up with Channel 2. WNBC ended up on Channel 4 due to channel spacing rules. Dumont and other early networks held tight hold of channels 5 or 6. ABC had to enter on channel 7 which was higher frequency and less desirable in those days.

[lordsmurf]

My address doesn't show an obstacle path.
An outdoor antenna is more cost and work than I'm willing to make.

[Ai Haibara]

I'm probably not reading the tvfool data correctly or going to the wrong section, then. I interpreted the circle graph as simply which direction each signal is originating from (toward me at the center), and the channel listing as primarily a strength/antenna gauge (how strong an antenna you'd need, etc. I don't remember the information headers for that graph/list, though, so I know I've left out a lot...)

(wonders if that $100 antenna I saw at Best Buy several months ago really WOULD work...)

[edDV]

Post the plot so we can figure it out. You need to enter your exact address but it doesn't display it in the plot.

Most likely anything you find in Best Buy won't work unless you can see the transmitter antenna with a telescope.

[Ai Haibara]

I've had it bookmarked.

(Edit: argh - clicked the Submit button by accident. Okay, here goes...)

[edDV]

Man Dixon-Fairfield is a sweet spot. You can get SF Sutro and Sacramento Walnut Grove.

Problem is the fog layer in winter that can block both.

Your strongest signals are from Walnut Grove @ 123 degrees and 22 miles.

Sutro is 58 miles away and seems to be over a hill.

So tell me your problems.... I'm listening (not Frasier).

[Ai Haibara]

For the moment, I'm mainly just wondering what the best direction would be to aim our antennas. I get an average of about 20 channels on most scans, and most of them still aren't guaranteed to come in correctly (3, 6, 10, 13, 29, 31, 40, 58). Not that those are the only channels I receive, but those are the ones we're watching out of the bunch.

Of course, more channels would be nice, too.

I used to get 2, 20, 26, 44, 50 on UHF, and each of them once or twice on DTV (along with 4), but can't seem to find them, now.

[edDV]

For the moment, I'm mainly just wondering what the best direction would be to aim our antennas. I get an average of about 20 channels on most scans, and most of them still aren't guaranteed to come in correctly (3, 6, 10, 13, 29, 31, 40, 58). Not that those are the only channels I receive, but those are the ones we're watching out of the bunch.

Of course, more channels would be nice, too.

I used to get 2, 20, 26, 44, 50 on UHF, and each of them once or twice on DTV (along with 4), but can't seem to find them, now.

Do you have an ASTC tuner or ASTC converter box? Analog tuners no longer work.

(3, 6, 10, 13, 29, 31, 40, 58 ) These are all Sacramento (Walnut Grove) analog stations that were shut down last Friday.

New ATSC stations (point antenna 123 degrees)

03 is now digital 35
06 is now digital 09
10 is now digital 10
13 is now digital 25
29 is now digital 48
31 is now digital 21
40 is now digital 40
58 is now digital 46

(2, 4, 20, 26, 44) These are all SF (Sutro) analog stations that were shut down last Friday.

New ATSC stations (Point antenna 214 degrees)

02 is now digital 44
04 is now digital 38
20 is now digital 19
26 is now digital 27
44 is now digital 45

50 Santa Rosa is now digital 32

There are many more.

[Ai Haibara]

I have a couple of converter boxes (one so I can still record with a VCR), and HDTVs with digital tuners. Thing is, they're all still scanning the same station numbers (the 3, 6, 10... set, for example). I was expecting them to change numbers, but they don't seem to have done that with my equipment.

[edDV]

I have a couple of converter boxes (one so I can still record with a VCR), and HDTVs with digital tuners. Thing is, they're all still scanning the same station numbers (the 3, 6, 10... set, for example). I was expecting them to change numbers, but they don't seem to have done that with my equipment.

The numbers above are the true RF channels. Your converter box and TV are reporting so called "virtual" channel numbers that relate to the old analog number. You will see multiple subchannels now like 3-1 (primary) and 3-2 (weather subchannel).

Some TV tuners or converter boxes report the true RF channel.

The virtual numbers allow retention of channel branding (e.g. KTVU Fox2 or KCRA 3). These numbers don't relate to the actual RF channel or the type of antenna required.

[Ai Haibara]

Ah, okay. You had me concerned, for a moment.

[bmwracer]

I'm in SoCal (Torrance, to be exact) and my reception seems to have tanked after the transition on Friday: I previously could receive stations between 11 (FOX) and 56 (KDOC) and now a majority of them have disappeared despite daily channel scans... Don't know if our gloomy, windy weather is affecting it somehow, but it's getting rather frustrating.

EDIT: I've got an attic-mounted Yagi-Uda antenna with a distribution amplifier attached.

[edDV]

I ran 90501 for Torrence, CA through anteneweb.org

You are in a difficult area and need a VHF/UHF antenna (RED Zone)

VHF channels are KABC-DT 7, KCAL-DT 9, KTTV-DT 11, KCOP-DT 13
Note the RF channel is the real transmission channel.

[bmwracer]

Thanks for the reply, but my zip code is 90503 and my antenna is in the second story attic.

That said, I need to re-check my antenna orientation when I get home tonight......

[edDV]

That looks better than 90501.

Antenna needs to be pointed 15 degrees. Most all LA transmitters are on Mt Wilson.

[bmwracer]

That looks better than 90501

Yup... Thus my inexplicable reception problem. *scratches head*

[edDV]

between 11 (FOX) and 56 (KDOC)

14-51 is the remaining UHF TV band. Your Yagi is probably optimal only for upper VHF.

[bmwracer]

between 11 (FOX) and 56 (KDOC)

14-51 is the remaining UHF TV band. Your Yagi is probably optimal only for upper VHF.

I see.

Would that explain why the DTV stations that I had been receiving with no problems have suddenly gone away as of this past Friday?

I wouldn't have expected all those DTV stations to have shifted into a spectrum that my antenna wouldn't receive or receive weakly.

[edDV]

between 11 (FOX) and 56 (KDOC)

14-51 is the remaining UHF TV band. Your Yagi is probably optimal only for upper VHF.

I see.

Would that explain why the DTV stations that I had been receiving with no problems have suddenly gone away as of this past Friday?

I wouldn't have expected all those DTV stations to have shifted into a spectrum that my antenna wouldn't receive or receive weakly.

Do you have a model number for your antenna?

Which ATSC tuner are you using?

[bmwracer]

between 11 (FOX) and 56 (KDOC)

14-51 is the remaining UHF TV band. Your Yagi is probably optimal only for upper VHF.

I see.

Would that explain why the DTV stations that I had been receiving with no problems have suddenly gone away as of this past Friday?

I wouldn't have expected all those DTV stations to have shifted into a spectrum that my antenna wouldn't receive or receive weakly.

Do you have a model number for your antenna?

Which ATSC tuner are you using?

I'm not sure if I have the info on the antenna... I'll check when I get home in an hour.

ATSC tuner? If you mean DTV boxes, I've got one from RCA and one from Insignia (Best Buy)... If you mean the specific tuner inside those boxes, I'd have to check the manual, but I'm not sure if they list the tuner type...

[freebird73717]

I think he means model number such as rca DTA800B1L

[bmwracer]

^ Doh, that makes sense... I'll check when I get home.

[edDV]

Some tuner boxes report only virtual channel numbers. You can't tell which is UHF vs. VHF.

The antennaweb chart above shows both. The RF Channel is the real transmission channel and indicates the type of antenna needed.

[bmwracer]

Problem fixed: faulty/intermittent 75-ohm coaxial cable connector from the antenna to the preamplifier... I cut the connector off and installed a new one and everything looks okay.

Thanks for all your help. *thumbs up*

[edDV]

Good to hear.

[bmwracer]

^ What's bizarre is that the problem showed itself right on the day of the DTV transition......

Rod Serling must be smiling somewhere.

[PHX Tide]

I have an RCA ANT 525 (a very crappy indoor antenna) as well as a Zenith DTT901 and live in downtown Phoenix (85004 to be precise). All my signals come in strong except for PBS, FOX, and NBC (8, 10, and 12 respectively) which do not come in at all. From reading the previous posts, these are VHF signals (I admittedly had no clue there was difference before reading this). According to a few reviews I found, the antenna should pick-up both UHF and VHF.

Is my tuner somehow the problem or are the reviews inaccurate in its ability to receive VHF? Or is the antenna is so awful it does not pick channels that should have high signal strengths for my location?

I have my antenna pointed due south (180 degrees).

[edDV]

I have an RCA ANT 525 (a very crappy indoor antenna) as well as a Zenith DTT901 and live in downtown Phoenix (85004 to be precise). All my signals come in strong except for PBS, FOX, and NBC (8, 10, and 12 respectively) which do not come in at all. From reading the previous posts, these are VHF signals (I admittedly had no clue there was difference before reading this). According to a few reviews I found, the antenna should pick-up both UHF and VHF.

Is my tuner somehow the problem or are the reviews inaccurate in its ability to receive VHF? Or is the antenna is so awful it does not pick channels that should have high signal strengths for my location?

I have my antenna pointed due south (180 degrees).

At 8 miles you should be getting those VHF stations. It isn't the Zenith tuner.

Try a simple rabbit eats. It might be the signals are too strong.

Do you have line of sight to the transmitters on South Mountains?

[freebird73717]

If your antenna is amplified that could be the problem. I had an amplifier installed and could not get a channel that was broadcast vhf. When I turned off the amp the station came in just fine. The amp was causing problems for me.

edit
yep just googled your antenna and it is amplified. If there is any way to turn off the amp you might try that. Otherwise try what edDV suggested and use a set of cheap rabbit ears.