Washington, DC / Baltimore, MD - HDTV

[knnirs]

Originally Posted by mdviewer25

Has anyone else noticed fewer QAM channels when doing a scan for Comcast PG? I used to pick up a total of at least 440 channels. The last two I did only gave me 287. I also lost the HD versions of 7, 26, and 66.

Comcast QAM signals change. At the present time, in Beltsville with Basic Comcast I find ABC 720P at 123-701, Weta 720P at 123-704. I don't use 66 so I don't know where to find it. I do seem to have more QAM channels now than a month ago, although most of them are SD copies of normal channels.

[kalnel]

Originally Posted by biker19

^ LOL. I guess he doesn't have FIOS TV yet in the area?

I don't know, but he's checking into it!

[mkfs]

Originally Posted by Marcus Carr

Currently, Verizon is focused on meeting our FiOS deployment commitments in communities where we have video franchises. However, company officials were encouraged to learn that there is enthusiastic support among Council members and their constituents for the company pursuing a video franchise in the City.

i.e.: We're only interested in you if we were able to strongarm your city/county into the deal we want. Meanwhile, we're letting the regulated copper phone plant fall into the sewer.

[mkfs]

Has WMPT raised power/altered its pattern? I note that it's now viable if not robust in Wheaton with 25 yo RG58, and an equally-old roof antenna pointed 90d away... I suspect it's the case the leaves are mostly gone but...

[rkolsen]

In Baltimore County Comcast has added QVC HD, TWC HD, HLN HD, MSNBC HD , CNBC HD + , Fox Business HD, Comedy Central HD, Spike HD, Bravo HD, E! HD, Lifetime HD, WE HD, Travel HD, TruTV HD, ESPN News HD, ESPN U HD, and CBS COllege Sports HD.

[rkolsen]

Originally Posted by rkolsen

In Baltimore County Comcast has added QVC HD, TWC HD, HLN HD, MSNBC HD , CNBC HD + , Fox Business HD, Comedy Central HD, Spike HD, Bravo HD, E! HD, Lifetime HD, WE HD, Travel HD, TruTV HD, ESPN News HD, ESPN U HD, and CBS COllege Sports HD.

Actually all that were listed in a previous page were added, I just didn't notice them at that time.

[mdviewer25]

Originally Posted by knnirs

Comcast QAM signals change. At the present time, in Beltsville with Basic Comcast I find ABC 720P at 123-701, Weta 720P at 123-704. I don't use 66 so I don't know where to find it. I do seem to have more QAM channels now than a month ago, although most of them are SD copies of normal channels.

I had a lot more last week. I don't know what Comcast did but now I'm only picking up even numbered QAM channels. They also remap the locals to their OTA spots so 4.1 - 4.3, 9.1 and 9.2 are there but 7.1 - 7.3 has disappeared along 26.1 - 26.4 since they were on digital 123.

[hsweiss]

Originally Posted by Digital Rules

Anyone notice WUTB-24 harder to get now? Fringe stations are the same or slightly better with the leaves gone, but WUTB is right on the digital edge now?????

Thanks!!

I'm southeast of WUTB in Anne Arundel County. I could sometimes get a lock on them over the summer - some nights good, some nights bad. After the leaves dropped, they dropped off entirely. Repeated scans don't see WUTB at all. If anything I would have expected to gain signal with the leaves dropping. I sent them email asking what was going on - but no response.

On the other hand, I am having lots more problems locking WJZ-13 with the loss of leaves. After their transition to their directional antennas I lost them entirely but not because of lack of signal - in fact just the opposite. They were over driving me. But it turned out that simply moving my converter box around dropped the signal enough to get a decent lock. But now with the loss of leaves, nothing helps. I've even tried using an in-line attenuator - didn't do anything.

When I get a change I might try re-pointing my antenna further toward the West. Maybe I'll drive off axis a bit from WJZ and start picking up WUTB again.

[Digital Rules]

Originally Posted by hsweiss

I'm southeast of WUTB in Anne Arundel County. I could sometimes get a lock on them over the summer - some nights good, some nights bad. After the leaves dropped, they dropped off entirely.

I'm starting to wonder if the stronger signal from WMPT-22 is partly to blame. WUTB-24 came in fine here last winter when WMPT-22 was operating at a lower power level.

[mkfs]

While doing a rescan, my DTX9950 suddenly showed 48-3,4,5 They are duplicates of WRC, but I wonder why these now appear on the RF vice virtual channels?

[systems2000]

WRC is actually transmitting on RF 48. The WRC channel 4 on your CECB is the result of the stupid transition decision to continue letting stations be identified by their previous RF channel #. This is why most members identify stations by their "Call-Letters" instead.

[chamb]

Originally Posted by systems2000

WRC is actually transmitting on RF 48. The WRC channel 4 on your CECB is the result of the stupid transition decision to continue letting stations be identified by their previous RF channel #. This is why most members identify stations by their "Call-Letters" instead.

My Opinion - Stations should now be required to use their ACTUAL channel number and "Get Over" using the old channel numbering. Many people are not sharp enough to understand the need for a VHF or UHF antenna when all of the stations are using false channel numbers. If a station is actually on 48, then they need to identify as 48. No exceptions. This was a political decision to keep people happy, but it sure was a bad bad decision.
It is way past time for the FCC to wise up and give every station a few months to convert all identification over to the real channel number. WRC and all others can use the real channel numbers. WRC is actually better off being on channel 48 than on channel 4. They should just start identifying as WRC - 48 and forget about 4. Get it done.

[systems2000]

Now that the leaves are pretty much gone between me and the transmitters, I've found that my reception has drastically changed and I've been able to identify my most reliable stations for year round viewing.

WMAR	38 (2)	Baltimore	ABC	122.6°
WJLA	7 (7)	D.C.	ABC	152.1°
WTAJ	32 (10)	Altoona	CBS	321.5°
WLYH	23 (15)	Harrisburg	CW	355° (peaked)
WDCA	35 (20)	D.C.	MyN	152.1°
W08EE-D (WNPB)	8 (24)	Martinsburg	WV PBS	215.5°
WHAG	26 (25)	Hagerstown	NBC	226.8°
WWPB	44 (31)	Hagerstown	MD PBS	226.8°
WVPY	21 (42)	Front Royal	VA PBS	208.9°
WPMT	47 (43)	York	FOX	78.1°
WGCB	30 (49)	Red Lion	Ind	86.4°
WNUV	40 (54)	Baltimore	CW	122.5°
WWPX	12 (60)	Martinsburg	iON	215.5°
WJAL	39 (68)	Chambersburg	Ind	279.2°

I'm still waiting for W38AN (WITF - PA PBS) 33 and W51CY (WDCW (LD) - CW) 51 to come on-line.

[Digital Rules]

Originally Posted by systems2000

Now that the leaves are pretty much gone between me and the transmitters, I've found that my reception has drastically changed and I've been able to identify my most reliable stations for year round viewing.

Good to hear!! Do you see an improvement on "all " stations? I thought you were getting WUTB at one point. Any new catches?

[systems2000]

WTTG, WUSA, WJZ, & WUTB are pretty much unwatchable, while WBFF has completely disappeared. I've stopped trying for duplicate stations beyond those that I get or have mentioned.

I'm now setting my sites on peaking and fine tuning the most reliable stations and will see how that affects the others. Anyone have a Spectrum Analyzer that can go down to below -110dBm that they want to lend out?

[Digital Rules]

Originally Posted by Digital Rules

I'm starting to wonder if the stronger signal from WMPT-22 is partly to blame. WUTB-24 came in fine here last winter when WMPT-22 was operating at a lower power level.

It's such an awesome day I couldn't resist tweaking antenna height to hopefully improve WUTB. The much weaker WBOC-16 & WMPB-67 are now better than ever, but WUTB is no better. (Ended up going about 10 inches lower) I'm now thinking WUTB's directional antenna is sending much less power to areas south than TV FOOL has predicted. I have changed my conclusion about WMPT-22 being strong enough here to cause adjacent channel issues with WUTB-24.

[mkfs]

Originally Posted by systems2000

WRC is actually transmitting on RF 48.

Errr.... I know where WRC transmits. My question was: is WRC doing something different so their data stream is decoded both at '4'; and again at 48? The 48 presentation lacked the PSIP data. I thought there was one set of PSIP for all virtual channels on a carrier, but now I'm not sure. It's the first time I've seen this, and it's only true for WRC, not any other stations.

[aaronwt]

I know WRC still wasn't broadcasting the subwoofer channel with the last show I watched from them.

[Trip in VA]

Originally Posted by systems2000

Anyone have a Spectrum Analyzer that can go down to below -110dBm that they want to lend out?

I won't lend it out, but I will be coming up your way again at the end of December. We could try once again to meet up since it didn't work out last year.

I've got a Sencore SLM 1456CM. It won't do measurements in dBm, but I've found it to be reasonably sensitive.

- Trip

[systems2000]

AAHH!! The joy of receiving multiple PBS's from different States. WVPY is showing Frank Sinatra, WWPB is showing André Rieu, while W08EE-D is showing the Celtic Women. I can't wait for W38AN (WITF) and wish I could still get WETA.

[dewster1977]

Originally Posted by systems2000

Now that the leaves are pretty much gone between me and the transmitters, I've found that my reception has drastically changed and I've been able to identify my most reliable stations for year round viewing.

I've given up untill spring. Still most of my stations are out of market.

ABC	WHTM, WJLA and WMAR
NBC	WHAG and WBAL
CBS	WTAJ
PBS	WWPB
ION	WWPX

Still no FOX

[systems2000]

Deleted.

[mkfs]

A friend in 20616 has a rooftop antenna, nothing exotic. It's WAY below the tree line. Cell coverage is miserable.

a) He gets Baltimore WBAL, WMAR, WJZ solidly, but no trace of WMPT.

b) He has no trouble on WJLA, & WUSA, but can barely see WRC.

c) He gets both sets of 30. (1-5 & 6-10)

I could not explain it.

[Hardtimes]

Originally Posted by Hardtimes

...I'm not down in a hole but Edgewood is only 100' above sea level (according to wunderground; where I'm at is probably closer to 60) plus my 20' of antenna elevation probably doesn't help. Also I mistakenly said 1713 when I meant I used a Y5-7-13. I'm thinking I probably should have gotten the 1713. Anyway, I tried all kinds of scenarios - hooked in to the 7777 with my 4228, FM trap in/out, bypassed the amp, had a wire running directly to my computer's tuner in the bedroom with a monitor on the roof for remote tuning. Nothing worked better than my original setup and now my neighbors think I'm nuts.

I finally got some time to install my 1713 to try to get Ch 7 & 9. Got it from SolidSignal, open box special, so I figured why not. Anyway, after much tweaking and experimenting, I'm now able to FINALLY get a pretty reliable Ch 7 @ ~ 65% signal (16-18 db) and Ch. 9 about 3 db lower I still have a few more tweaks to try but hate to mess with a good thing and am happy to have my dual market ABC & CBS back! Thanks again to Robert Forsyth from WJLA for trying to help their viewers.

[jgantert]

Heads up - new RTN 7 programming starts today.

http://www.myretrotv.com/prog_schedules/WJLA.pdf

Peter Gunn
I Spy
Daniel Boone
The Rifleman
Cisco Kid

Gone are Incredible Hulk, Hitchcock Presents, and Night Gallery (and others).

[mkfs]

Originally Posted by jgantert

Heads up - new RTN 7 programming starts today.

http://www.myretrotv.com/prog_schedules/WJLA.pdf

Be nicer if RTN every got their head out of their serial port, and resumed reporting episode data to Times Mirror/Zap2It... It stopped when the coup took place, and we've seen nothing since.

Too bad I Spy isn't on at a better time; I still enjoy it...

[mkfs]

Tonight "Chan 4" has no working EPG.

I still see RF48-3,4,5 & they never did.....

Related?

[jgantert]

Originally Posted by mkfs

Be nicer if RTN every got their head out of their serial port, and resumed reporting episode data to Times Mirror/Zap2It... It stopped when the coup took place, and we've seen nothing since.

Too bad I Spy isn't on at a better time; I still enjoy it...

I know what you mean about the episode info. I still haven't seen two episodes of Night Gallery (Silent Snow Secret Snow and Hell's Bells). Guess I'll have to watch them some other way.

I've never actually watched I Spy, so I'm looking forward to it.

[mkfs]

Originally Posted by jgantert

I've never actually watched I Spy, so I'm looking forward to it.

Their tradecraft stinks, but the repartee between Cosby and Culp makes it all worthwhile.

It was not just the first series with a black lead, it was also the first with no studio. It was filmed all around the world.

[Big J]

Originally Posted by jgantert

Heads up - new RTN 7 programming starts today.

http://www.myretrotv.com/prog_schedules/WJLA.pdf

Peter Gunn
I Spy
Daniel Boone
The Rifleman
Cisco Kid

Gone are Incredible Hulk, Hitchcock Presents, and Night Gallery (and others).

Have they started lobbing the top and bottom off the picture? All of the sudden, I'm only getting 1/2 of their channel symbol in the corner. I don't watch it that often, only an occasional movie, but I just noticed this.
On an unrelated note, what am I getting on channel 1? I haven't identified it yet. I did a rescan, and it popped up.
J