Quote:
Originally posted by mkingman:
No amount of antenna adjustment can give me a solid signal on 30 anymore. My DTC100 still reports a quality of about 88 when it's locked-on, but I get frequent fluctuations and dropouts.
/Matt
Matt
You are being affected by multipath interference. Your DTC 100 locks on the main signal, and within a few seconds tries to lock onto an echo (the multipath) which is not as strong and is out of sync with the main signal. This confuses the heck out of the receiver.
New England is unique because of the many small hills, and the multipath interference it generates. The problem seems to compound in May, when all the leaves on the trees arrive. Look at the increased reports of dropouts over the past couple of weeks. The leaves contain moisture that scatters the digital signal. Short of importing Rodmanbra to New England to lobby to cut down all the trees, it's something we have to live with.
Making the signal stronger is not necessary. What is needed is a more directional antenna, capable of rejecting the secondary signals. Antenna positioning is key. Not only pointing, but also elevation is just as important. A few feet up or down can make all the difference in the world.
If all else fails, there is Tim's Voodoo. A $10 Radio Shack Attenuator that cuts down on the signal, rather than boosting it up. The theory is to reduce the signal to the point where the DTC 100 can not lock onto the multipath signal. I have had one on the back of my DTC 100 for over a year and it works wonders.
------------------
Nothing difficult ever turns out to be easy
[This message has been edited by Jim_S (edited 05-18-2001).]