AVS › AVS Forum › HDTV › Local HDTV Info and Reception › Cleveland, OH - HDTV
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Cleveland, OH - HDTV - Page 102

post #3031 of 3455
9/13/12 at 11:08am
The original WAKR 49 transmitting antenna was located on the First Nation Bank building in downtown Akron. Signed on around 1952.
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #3032 of 3455
9/16/12 at 7:49am
Has anyone been having reception issues with WUAB lately? Sometimes it comes in fine with a signal strength equivalent to other Cleveland stations. Other times, the signal strength indicator isn't as high as it should be or the station breaks up every 2 - 8 seconds. This morning, the reception was really bad. I even lost the signal for several seconds. All the other Cleveland stations (even the LP's) come in fine. I guess I could live with the dropouts; after all, WUAB has become another useless channel for me, like WQHS and WDLI.

I also get reception problems from Akron too. That I can understand because my outdoor antenna isn't aimed towards Akron. Usually in the past, one station, 23 for example, would come in fine while the other, 49, would break up every so often. Then several days later, it would be the exact opposite. (49-good, 23-breakups). So far this summer, both 23, 49 (and even 17) have been coming in with very little to no breakups.
Reply
Reply
post #3033 of 3455
9/16/12 at 2:33pm
The only breakups I get are sometimes 49. All others are like a rock all year around.
JJK
Reply
Reply
post #3034 of 3455
9/17/12 at 2:27pm
Hey everyone,

I recently moved to Cambridge Springs, and have had little luck getting more than 66.1 WFXP and 24.1 WJET. I had lived in Edinboro and received about 10 channels. I really just want to get CBS and NBC for NFL games and some prime time shows. I checked on antennaweb.org and saw that it is more difficult to get the CBS affiliate, though I was hoping with a better antenna I could get that (and if by some miracle, Pittsburgh channels, but I'm not getting my hopes up). I don't really understand this stuff, and read as much as I could on antennaweb.org, on this thread, and other sites (I know this thread is for Cleveland, but I saw older posts about Cambridge Springs and the surrounding areas).

Can anyone help me determine the best setup with indoor or outdoor antennas? I rent the bottom of a duplex, so I can't put anything higher than 10 or 15 feet, if that matters. It doesn't need to be super cheap, as I plan for this to be my TV setup for the long run. If there's any other information I should provide, please let me know. Thanks for any help in advance!
Reply
Reply
post #3035 of 3455
9/17/12 at 3:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by snowdog 88 View Post

I believe WMJI is on the WBNX tower located in the West Creek Reservation off of Ridgewood Drive. There's a path that goes past WBNX's tower, and it's like 65 feet away from the tower's base! WLFM 87.7 is also on that tower along with W35AX and WCDN. I'm surprised that WBNX allowed the Metroparks to put the path that close to the tower. You would think that RF hazards would be present. Anyhow, I guess that you could walk down there with a portable radio to analyze any interference, but you would have to wait until the West Creek Reservation construction is complete.
The tower in West Creek is WOIO's , not WBNX. I recall when WOIO first went on the air an article in the PD stated that the WOIO tower was erected in Parma's city dump (which is what West Creek Reservation used to be before a group of dedicated volunteers cleaned up the lot). WBNX's tower is accessed via Camp Corde's drive (as is WQHS). They even have mailboxes at the end of the drive with the addresses 6055 (WBNX) and 6061 (WQHS).

The WBNX tower has almost every LPTV transmitter in the Cleveland market except for WRAP.
Reply
Reply
post #3036 of 3455
9/17/12 at 4:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by banyas View Post

Hey everyone,
I recently moved to Cambridge Springs, and have had little luck getting more than 66.1 WFXP and 24.1 WJET. I had lived in Edinboro and received about 10 channels. I really just want to get CBS and NBC for NFL games and some prime time shows. I checked on antennaweb.org and saw that it is more difficult to get the CBS affiliate, though I was hoping with a better antenna I could get that (and if by some miracle, Pittsburgh channels, but I'm not getting my hopes up). I don't really understand this stuff, and read as much as I could on antennaweb.org, on this thread, and other sites (I know this thread is for Cleveland, but I saw older posts about Cambridge Springs and the surrounding areas).
Can anyone help me determine the best setup with indoor or outdoor antennas? I rent the bottom of a duplex, so I can't put anything higher than 10 or 15 feet, if that matters. It doesn't need to be super cheap, as I plan for this to be my TV setup for the long run. If there's any other information I should provide, please let me know. Thanks for any help in advance!
Where is Cambridge Springs, PA or OH? I had family in Linesville PA that got perfect reception of WJW but got lousy reception form the Erie stations (the DMA they were in). The Erie stations are weak and the terrain makes OTA reception hard to the south of Erie. Edinboro must have been near the top of the ridge that blocks the Erie stations in Crawford County.
Reply
Reply
post #3037 of 3455
9/17/12 at 4:18pm
I looked up Cambridge Springs on Wikipedia. I bet you could get WKBN 27.1 & 27.2 out of Youngstown. It's RF ch 41. They have the tallest tower and a lot of power. 27.1 is CBS and 27.2 is FOX. (CBS HD, FOX SD). FOX HD is on 19.1 RF 19.
For NBC try WFMJ 21.1 & 21.2 (RF 20) also from Youngstown.

Someone in Cambridge Springs used to get WOIO-DT which is miraculous since people in the eastern parts of the Cleveland DMA could not get that signal. The same ridge that blocks Erie also blocks London Ontario which is on WOIO's RF frequency (ch 10).
Reply
Reply
post #3038 of 3455
9/17/12 at 4:29pm
Hell has frozen over today because the Raycom stations (19/43) started presenting their syndicated programs in high definition and/or widescreen. From Maury, Springer, Steve Wilkos and others on 43 to the granddaddy of all syndicated shows Wheel and Jeopardy on 19. Of course we know this move was done largely to avoid any backlash had Wheel and Jeopardy been broadcast in standard definition. Whatever reason, good move on the part of Raycom.
Reply
Reply
post #3039 of 3455
9/17/12 at 7:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael P 2341 View Post

The tower in West Creek is WOIO's , not WBNX. I recall when WOIO first went on the air an article in the PD stated that the WOIO tower was erected in Parma's city dump (which is what West Creek Reservation used to be before a group of dedicated volunteers cleaned up the lot). WBNX's tower is accessed via Camp Corde's drive (as is WQHS). They even have mailboxes at the end of the drive with the addresses 6055 (WBNX) and 6061 (WQHS).
The WBNX tower has almost every LPTV transmitter in the Cleveland market except for WRAP.

Sorry, I wasn't that clear. I meant West Creek Reservation is located off of Ridgewood Drive. I wasn't referring to WOIO's tower as WBNX’s. WBNX is farther back and to the right of WOIO, which is the one I'm referring to. Even though WBNX's tower is accessed from the camp you mentioned, the tower resides in the West Creek Reservation.

BTW, do you know if West Creek is open? I wanted to stop by last fall but saw it was under construction. My uncle and I were there back in 2010, about 2 weeks before WKYC removed their old tower. We walked up to WOIO's access gate by the reservation's parking lot and got a laugh because the chain on the gate had about 5 locks on it, chained together.
Reply
Reply
post #3040 of 3455
9/18/12 at 12:47pm
I'm having some trouble cutting the cord and I was hoping someone here could offer some guidance. I am in the Canton area (44709) and I have been planning my cable escape for some time but keep hitting road blocks. My first antenna try was the Mohu Leaf which performed really well but, unfortunately, missed 2 channels I care about receiving -- Fox WJW at 8.1 (and subchannels) and WIVM at 39.1 (and subchannels). My next try was a purchase from Antennas Direct; they advised me that their Clearstream2 would do the trick but it's not. On both the Leaf and the Clearstream, 8.1 will come in pixelated depending on where I move the Antennas but nothing at all on 39.1.

What I would like advice on is what my next step should be. Is there an antenna I should try AGAIN with? Should I actually mount the Clearstream on my roof to be absolutely sure it won't do the trick? (Right now the most extreme thing I have done is mount it to the end of a long pole to get it within 8 feet or so of where it would be mounted on the roof by sticking it out the 2nd story window. I would have to pay someone to do the mounting and wiring so I don't really want to do that if it's unlikely it will work.

The thing that is giving me hope though is that my neighbor IS able to pull in these 2 problem channels; however, he has an old fashioned big antenna that is on top of a personal tower. I'd really like to avoid THAT if at all possible: it will be a really tough sell to my wife lol. I've attached a picture of my neighbor's antenna that DOES work if that helps at all.

I am placing MY antenna at the top of a two story apartment building that has a relatively clear line of site to the North and Northeast.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Reply
Reply
post #3041 of 3455
9/18/12 at 2:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by snowdog 88 View Post

Sorry, I wasn't that clear. I meant West Creek Reservation is located off of Ridgewood Drive. I wasn't referring to WOIO's tower as WBNX’s. WBNX is farther back and to the right of WOIO, which is the one I'm referring to. Even though WBNX's tower is accessed from the camp you mentioned, the tower resides in the West Creek Reservation.
BTW, do you know if West Creek is open? I wanted to stop by last fall but saw it was under construction. My uncle and I were there back in 2010, about 2 weeks before WKYC removed their old tower. We walked up to WOIO's access gate by the reservation's parking lot and got a laugh because the chain on the gate had about 5 locks on it, chained together.
IIRC The sign says reopening Fall 2012, so I guess any day now it should reopen. Halloween should be a good time for WCR to reopen, they found a dead body behind a construction site a few weeks ago and last year a woman was murdered while walking her dog nearby. Sadly, the place has a spooky reputation.
Reply
Reply
post #3042 of 3455
9/18/12 at 2:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by idkidd View Post

I'm having some trouble cutting the cord and I was hoping someone here could offer some guidance. I am in the Canton area (44709) and I have been planning my cable escape for some time but keep hitting road blocks. My first antenna try was the Mohu Leaf which performed really well but, unfortunately, missed 2 channels I care about receiving -- Fox WJW at 8.1 (and subchannels) and WIVM at 39.1 (and subchannels). My next try was a purchase from Antennas Direct; they advised me that their Clearstream2 would do the trick but it's not. On both the Leaf and the Clearstream, 8.1 will come in pixelated depending on where I move the Antennas but nothing at all on 39.1.
What I would like advice on is what my next step should be. Is there an antenna I should try AGAIN with? Should I actually mount the Clearstream on my roof to be absolutely sure it won't do the trick? (Right now the most extreme thing I have done is mount it to the end of a long pole to get it within 8 feet or so of where it would be mounted on the roof by sticking it out the 2nd story window. I would have to pay someone to do the mounting and wiring so I don't really want to do that if it's unlikely it will work.
The thing that is giving me hope though is that my neighbor IS able to pull in these 2 problem channels; however, he has an old fashioned big antenna that is on top of a personal tower. I'd really like to avoid THAT if at all possible: it will be a really tough sell to my wife lol. I've attached a picture of my neighbor's antenna that DOES work if that helps at all.
I am placing MY antenna at the top of a two story apartment building that has a relatively clear line of site to the North and Northeast.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Are you sure you are within ch 39's coverage area? It's a low power station, no antenna can grab enough signal if they are not putting out enough to reach your area.
https://maps.google.com/?q=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/contourplot.kml%3Fgmap%3D2%26appid%3D1319928%26call%3DWIVM-LD%26freq%3D0.0%26contour%3D51%26city%3DCANTON%26state%3DOH.kml
Reply
Reply
post #3043 of 3455
9/18/12 at 2:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by banyas View Post

Hey everyone,
I recently moved to Cambridge Springs, and have had little luck getting more than 66.1 WFXP and 24.1 WJET. I had lived in Edinboro and received about 10 channels. I really just want to get CBS and NBC for NFL games and some prime time shows. I checked on antennaweb.org and saw that it is more difficult to get the CBS affiliate, though I was hoping with a better antenna I could get that (and if by some miracle, Pittsburgh channels, but I'm not getting my hopes up). I don't really understand this stuff, and read as much as I could on antennaweb.org, on this thread, and other sites (I know this thread is for Cleveland, but I saw older posts about Cambridge Springs and the surrounding areas).
Can anyone help me determine the best setup with indoor or outdoor antennas? I rent the bottom of a duplex, so I can't put anything higher than 10 or 15 feet, if that matters. It doesn't need to be super cheap, as I plan for this to be my TV setup for the long run. If there's any other information I should provide, please let me know. Thanks for any help in advance!
In your case an outdoor antenna is a necessity. As I posted before there is a ridge that blocks most of the Erie stations into Crawford County. If you can't have an outdoor antenna try a Silver Sensor aimed out a window that faces the direction of the stations (North to Erie, West to Cleveland or Southwest to Youngstown). I bet you could get most of the Youngstown stations or even a Cleveland station or two. Linesville got most of the Cleveland VHF stations (8 the best 3 the worst). but that was in the analog days. Youngstown is a lot closer - WKBN should be no problem, which would give you CBS and a SD FOX subchannel (there is an HD LP digital feed of FOX Youngstown on RF 19).

Let us know how it goes.
Reply
Reply
post #3044 of 3455
9/18/12 at 4:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by idkidd View Post

I'm having some trouble cutting the cord and I was hoping someone here could offer some guidance. I am in the Canton area (44709) and I have been planning my cable escape for some time but keep hitting road blocks. My first antenna try was the Mohu Leaf which performed really well but, unfortunately, missed 2 channels I care about receiving -- Fox WJW at 8.1 (and subchannels) and WIVM at 39.1 (and subchannels). My next try was a purchase from Antennas Direct; they advised me that their Clearstream2 would do the trick but it's not. On both the Leaf and the Clearstream, 8.1 will come in pixelated depending on where I move the Antennas but nothing at all on 39.1.
What I would like advice on is what my next step should be. Is there an antenna I should try AGAIN with? Should I actually mount the Clearstream on my roof to be absolutely sure it won't do the trick? (Right now the most extreme thing I have done is mount it to the end of a long pole to get it within 8 feet or so of where it would be mounted on the roof by sticking it out the 2nd story window. I would have to pay someone to do the mounting and wiring so I don't really want to do that if it's unlikely it will work.
The thing that is giving me hope though is that my neighbor IS able to pull in these 2 problem channels; however, he has an old fashioned big antenna that is on top of a personal tower. I'd really like to avoid THAT if at all possible: it will be a really tough sell to my wife lol. I've attached a picture of my neighbor's antenna that DOES work if that helps at all.
I am placing MY antenna at the top of a two story apartment building that has a relatively clear line of site to the North and Northeast.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Many people have been having problems with WJW and WOIO since their RF channels are on VHF. If you are receiving WOIO, you are probably picking up their repeater out of Akron. WJW has been trying to move back to their pre-transition channel, RF 31. But because WBNX is right next door on RF 30, they filed a complaint about possible interference what WJW would create, which is less than what is allowed by the FCC.

Your neighbor has the right kind of setup, which is required in your part of the viewing area. It may be the only way to obtain WJW and WIVM.
Edited by snowdog 88 - 9/18/12 at 4:38pm
Reply
Reply
post #3045 of 3455
9/18/12 at 5:02pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by idkidd View Post

I'm having some trouble cutting the cord and I was hoping someone here could offer some guidance. I am in the Canton area (44709) and I have been planning my cable escape for some time but keep hitting road blocks. My first antenna try was the Mohu Leaf which performed really well but, unfortunately, missed 2 channels I care about receiving -- Fox WJW at 8.1 (and subchannels) and WIVM at 39.1 (and subchannels). My next try was a purchase from Antennas Direct; they advised me that their Clearstream2 would do the trick but it's not. On both the Leaf and the Clearstream, 8.1 will come in pixelated depending on where I move the Antennas but nothing at all on 39.1.
What I would like advice on is what my next step should be. Is there an antenna I should try AGAIN with? Should I actually mount the Clearstream on my roof to be absolutely sure it won't do the trick? (Right now the most extreme thing I have done is mount it to the end of a long pole to get it within 8 feet or so of where it would be mounted on the roof by sticking it out the 2nd story window. I would have to pay someone to do the mounting and wiring so I don't really want to do that if it's unlikely it will work.
The thing that is giving me hope though is that my neighbor IS able to pull in these 2 problem channels; however, he has an old fashioned big antenna that is on top of a personal tower. I'd really like to avoid THAT if at all possible: it will be a really tough sell to my wife lol. I've attached a picture of my neighbor's antenna that DOES work if that helps at all.
I am placing MY antenna at the top of a two story apartment building that has a relatively clear line of site to the North and Northeast.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I don't know exactly where you are in the 44709 area but I would think that WIVM 39.1 should be receivable there. You probably are on higher ground there than I am here in SW Canton and I can receive them using a Samsung amplified antenna on a TV in my second-story bedroom. (I doubt if it's available anymore but it looks kind of like the Silver Sensor but has a built-in amplifier.) Since I usually just use the bedroom TV with a bluray player with internet access for Netflix etc., I have never bothered running a line from my outdoor tower-based antenna. From here, the best direction for reception of WIVM is the same as for WNEO on 45.1. With my 50 ft. tower antenna, (which is similar to your neighbor's), I can also receive their Newcomerstown OH transmitter, WIVN-LD on 29.1, when it's turned in that direction. You don't have to go with a tower like mine or your neighbor's but a sensitive outdoor antenna with a preamplifier near the antenna, as high as possible, is recommended for this area. I personally also would recommend an antenna rotator as it definitely maximizes signals that are arriving from different directions. With digital signals, sometimes even only a slight shift in direction can make all the difference. Also, I can rotate my antenna and receive stations from Cleveland, Youngstown, Steubenville OH, Cambridge OH, Wheeling WV etc. which results in more available programming. Further, a professional antenna installation may cost a little more initially but it is usually the safest and most economical route to go. Hope these comments have been helpful.
Edited by rluyster - 9/18/12 at 7:12pm
Reply
Reply
post #3046 of 3455
9/18/12 at 8:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael P 2341 View Post

Are you sure you are within ch 39's coverage area? It's a low power station, no antenna can grab enough signal if they are not putting out enough to reach your area.
https://maps.google.com/?q=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/contourplot.kml%3Fgmap%3D2%26appid%3D1319928%26call%3DWIVM-LD%26freq%3D0.0%26contour%3D51%26city%3DCANTON%26state%3DOH.kml

I wasn't sure what stations I'd be able to receive here so what I did was plug my portable tv into my neighbors wiring/antenna to see what the scan would find. It picked up all the stations I've been able to PLUS my two problem stations - 39.1 & 8.1. So that's what's given me hope to keep pursuing.
Reply
Reply
post #3047 of 3455
9/18/12 at 8:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by snowdog 88 View Post

Many people have been having problems with WJW and WOIO since their RF channels are on VHF. If you are receiving WOIO, you are probably picking up their repeater out of Akron. WJW has been trying to move back to their pre-transition channel, RF 31. But because WBNX is right next door on RF 30, they filed a complaint about possible interference what WJW would create, which is less than what is allowed by the FCC.
Your neighbor has the right kind of setup, which is required in your part of the viewing area. It may be the only way to obtain WJW and WIVM.

Snowdog 88 thanks for the feedback. I'm a beginner to this, if my neighbor's set up is my only option, can you from that photo tell me exactly what his system IS? If I need to resort to that, I probably will but I really don't know what I am looking at exactly. My research so far has pointed towards the newer, smaller antennas and my neighbor's is just your basic antenna that he's had forever even before the digital transition. If I am to mimic him, what would that setup entail using the modern equipment that's out there? I really just want to make sure I do this "right".

I appreciate your help!
Reply
Reply
post #3048 of 3455
9/18/12 at 8:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rluyster View Post

I don't know exactly where you are in the 44709 area but I would think that WIVM 39.1 should be receivable there. You probably are on higher ground there than I am here in SW Canton and I can receive them using a Samsung amplified antenna on a TV in my second-story bedroom. (I doubt if it's available anymore but it looks kind of like the Silver Sensor but has a built-in amplifier.) Since I usually just use the bedroom TV with a bluray player with internet access for Netflix etc., I have never bothered running a line from my outdoor tower-based antenna. From here, the best direction for reception of WIVM is the same as for WNEO on 45.1. With my 50 ft. tower antenna, (which is similar to your neighbor's), I can also receive their Newcomerstown OH transmitter, WIVN-LD on 29.1, when it's turned in that direction. You don't have to go with a tower like mine or your neighbor's but a sensitive outdoor antenna with a preamplifier near the antenna, as high as possible, is recommended for this area. I personally also would recommend an antenna rotator as it definitely maximizes signals that are arriving from different directions. With digital signals, sometimes even only a slight shift in direction can make all the difference. Also, I can rotate my antenna and receive stations from Cleveland, Youngstown, Steubenville OH, Cambridge OH, Wheeling WV etc. which results in more available programming. Further, a professional antenna installation may cost a little more initially but it is usually the safest and most economical route to go. Hope these comments have been helpful.

Thanks for the info rluyster: that is encouraging! I'm near Woody's Root Beer stand on Fulton just south of the HOF.

You say you don't believe I'd need to go all out and get a tower like my neighbor's; does that mean you envision me getting the more sensitive outdoor antenna and attaching it to my roof along with a rotator? Would that be the ideal set up if I skipped the tower?

I AM willing to have a professional install if need be: I really just want this done "right". Do you know of any one around here that you'd recommend for this kind of thing? Again, I really appreciate the help: I have been wanting to ditch Time Warner for so long.
Reply
Reply
post #3049 of 3455
9/19/12 at 9:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by idkidd View Post

Snowdog 88 thanks for the feedback. I'm a beginner to this, if my neighbor's set up is my only option, can you from that photo tell me exactly what his system IS? If I need to resort to that, I probably will but I really don't know what I am looking at exactly. My research so far has pointed towards the newer, smaller antennas and my neighbor's is just your basic antenna that he's had forever even before the digital transition. If I am to mimic him, what would that setup entail using the modern equipment that's out there? I really just want to make sure I do this "right".
I appreciate your help!
It looks like an eight bay bow-tie UHF antenna at the top and a VHF antenna below that. The antenna near the bottom of the picture looks like an Omni-directional FM antenna, which you don't need for your TV.

I researched the antennas that you have tried in your first post. Both of them only receive UHF, which explains why you are not picking up WJW. Those antennas are also designed for people who live within ~20 miles from the transmitter.

Seeing that WJW was trying to come in on your current UHF antennas, a combination UHF-VHF outdoor antenna, (a big one but probably not as big as your neighbors') mounted on the side of your house or roof would probably be the best way to go. I'm no expert at choosing the right brand name or model number, but I'm sure someone here can recommend a good one.
Reply
Reply
post #3050 of 3455
9/19/12 at 10:04am
Good HiVHF/UHF combo antennas are Winegard 7698 and Antennacraft HBU55. If you need lower VHF and UHF, then consider Winegard 8200 or Channel Master 3671. And possibly a good preamp from Antennacraft or Winegard. Although Kitztech 200 may be better for weak problem channels.
Reply
Reply
post #3051 of 3455
9/20/12 at 1:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by idkidd View Post

Thanks for the info rluyster: that is encouraging! I'm near Woody's Root Beer stand on Fulton just south of the HOF.
You say you don't believe I'd need to go all out and get a tower like my neighbor's; does that mean you envision me getting the more sensitive outdoor antenna and attaching it to my roof along with a rotator? Would that be the ideal set up if I skipped the tower?
I AM willing to have a professional install if need be: I really just want this done "right". Do you know of any one around here that you'd recommend for this kind of thing? Again, I really appreciate the help: I have been wanting to ditch Time Warner for so long.

OK, I have a clearer picture as to where you are in the 44709 area. That area has other areas of higher elevation around it, so I think an antenna setup there should be as high as possible. Now knowing more about exactly where you live, I personally would probably have to suggest a tower to get the best signals. If you were further north where the elevation is higher or if your building roof is high enough, you maybe could get away with a roof top mounting. If you can do a tower, budget and space wise, that's probably the best way to go. Checking our two locations on Google Earth, I see that your general location elevation and mine are pretty much the same, give or take a few feet. The recommendation for my location was/is a 50' tower. I use the Winegard 8500u antenna and the Winegard PS-1503 preamplifier. As tylerSC stated, the 8500u is good for both VHF & UHF. We are in a semi-fringe area here for most stations, so the preamplifier is pretty much a must-have. My rotator is the NTE U-105. (Always be sure that the rotator used has sufficient power to move the size/weight of the antenna you have.)......As for local antenna installation professionals, the only one with which I have had personal experience is: US Electronics, 4033 Hills & Dales Rd. NW...phone is: 330-493-7522. I was satisfied with the work they did for me a few years ago. There are a couple others listed in the yellow pages under "Antennas" but I don't know anything about them personally. You might want to get some estimates from all of them and see what they recommend. One tip...be sure that whomever you might hire uses all the weather boots or covers on all coaxial connections. I had an installation once where this was not done and moisture getting into the coax gradually degraded and finally killed reception. Also, be sure that any rooftop installation is properly grounded. Tower installations are grounded by the base going several feet into the ground. ....Again, hope that this has been of assistance. I am not an expert on all this and only speak from my own experience. smile.gif

My antenna is this one:


Edited by rluyster - 9/20/12 at 2:16pm
Reply
Reply
post #3052 of 3455
9/20/12 at 5:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by idkidd View Post

Thanks for the info rluyster: that is encouraging! I'm near Woody's Root Beer stand on Fulton just south of the HOF.
You say you don't believe I'd need to go all out and get a tower like my neighbor's; does that mean you envision me getting the more sensitive outdoor antenna and attaching it to my roof along with a rotator? Would that be the ideal set up if I skipped the tower?
I AM willing to have a professional install if need be: I really just want this done "right". Do you know of any one around here that you'd recommend for this kind of thing? Again, I really appreciate the help: I have been wanting to ditch Time Warner for so long.

It's hard to tell by the picture for the uhf antenna but he's setup looks like a 8 bay uhf antenna an a seperate deep fringe vhf. You could go with a combined uhf and vhf antenna which might be good for your area but going seperate uhf and vhf is better (like your neighber). I think winegaurd and channel master are the best, and if you need a pre amp to go with the antenna than the channel master 7777 is rated the best. Don't get confuse with people saying it's a HD antenna, new or old it's all the same. Any antenna will give you a HD picture. I like the CM 4228 uhf antenna. The one I have is an older version and the vhf is a old CM which I can't remember the name. I took the old vhf down and just use the uhf. Anyway a good web site that sells the antennas is www.solidsignal.com. and if you dicide to use a tower I have a 40 ft tower with a 3 ft base I want to get rid of and will let it go real real cheep. I also have the brackets for it also.
Reply
Reply
post #3053 of 3455
9/22/12 at 4:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew K View Post

WLFM-LP comes in great everywhere around here, but gets a little spotty around the Copley/Norton area. I swear it has to do with the Akron antenna farm and all the other radio stations that interfere with their blanketing interference. Even south of Akron it comes in better. I know when I drive by the 94.9 WQMX tower, it almost completely obliterates 95.5 The Fish.

I lose this station at the Mentor/Paionesville Twp line on US 20.
Reply
Reply
post #3054 of 3455
9/22/12 at 2:49pm
Hello,

I am located in Massillon, OH near the intersection of Lake Ave. and Wales Rd. (Rt 241). I cut the cable back in May of this year. I have the below listed equipment with the antenna on a chimney mount on the north side of my two story house about 25-30 ft high. I typically can pick up 3, 5, 8, 17, 23, 45, 55 and sometimes Channel 19. My question is that I can usually get no better than about 55% on all of the stations except channel 23 which causes intermittent receptions issues if the signal falls below 50%.

My antenna is rated at 50 miles but I am wondering if I should really have a deep fringe type antenna that is rated at more like 100 miles. According to antennaweb.org I am about 41 miles from most of the Cleveland towers.

Antennacraft HBU-33
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=HBU33

RCA outdoor pre-amp
http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/antennas/?sku=TVPRAMP1R

Antenna mount rotator
http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/antennas/?sku=VH126N

Indoor Splitter/Amp
http://www.buy.com/prod/rca-vh140x-10db-4-way-video-signal-amplifier-splitter/204020398.html

Thanks!
Reply
Reply
post #3055 of 3455
9/22/12 at 2:50pm
Hello,

I am located in Massillon, OH near the intersection of Lake Ave. and Wales Rd. (Rt 241). I cut the cable back in May of this year. I have the below listed equipment with the antenna on a chimney mount on the north side of my two story house about 25-30 ft high. I typically can pick up 3, 5, 8, 17, 23, 45, 55 and sometimes Channel 19. My question is that I can usually get no better than about 55% on all of the stations except channel 23 which causes intermittent receptions issues if the signal falls below 50%.

My antenna is rated at 50 miles but I am wondering if I should really have a deep fringe type antenna that is rated at more like 100 miles. According to antennaweb.org I am about 41 miles from most of the Cleveland towers.

Antennacraft HBU-33
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=HBU33

RCA outdoor pre-amp
http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/antennas/?sku=TVPRAMP1R

Antenna mount rotator
http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/antennas/?sku=VH126N

Indoor Splitter/Amp
http://www.buy.com/prod/rca-vh140x-10db-4-way-video-signal-amplifier-splitter/204020398.html

Thanks!
Reply
Reply
post #3056 of 3455
9/22/12 at 7:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caber Man View Post

Hello,
I am located in Massillon, OH near the intersection of Lake Ave. and Wales Rd. (Rt 241). I cut the cable back in May of this year. I have the below listed equipment with the antenna on a chimney mount on the north side of my two story house about 25-30 ft high. I typically can pick up 3, 5, 8, 17, 23, 45, 55 and sometimes Channel 19. My question is that I can usually get no better than about 55% on all of the stations except channel 23 which causes intermittent receptions issues if the signal falls below 50%.
My antenna is rated at 50 miles but I am wondering if I should really have a deep fringe type antenna that is rated at more like 100 miles. According to antennaweb.org I am about 41 miles from most of the Cleveland towers.
Antennacraft HBU-33
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=HBU33
RCA outdoor pre-amp
http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/antennas/?sku=TVPRAMP1R
Antenna mount rotator
http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/antennas/?sku=VH126N
Indoor Splitter/Amp
http://www.buy.com/prod/rca-vh140x-10db-4-way-video-signal-amplifier-splitter/204020398.html
Thanks!
I would get rid of the indoor amp/splitter. You should only have one pre-amp in your setup. Also, did you use RG-6 grade coaxial cable? RG-59 is the cheap stuff and will cause signal loss, especially if you are 41 miles away from the transmitters.
Reply
Reply
post #3057 of 3455
9/23/12 at 12:32pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by snowdog 88 View Post

I would get rid of the indoor amp/splitter. You should only have one pre-amp in your setup. Also, did you use RG-6 grade coaxial cable? RG-59 is the cheap stuff and will cause signal loss, especially if you are 41 miles away from the transmitters.

Good advice regarding the RG-6 coaxial cable. However, I think the inside amp is of the "distribution" variety for providing adequate signals to multiple TVs and long coax runs rather than the "preamp" type which is the one outdoors amplifying signals at the antenna. If I remember correctly, both can be used in a system as long as they are set up properly. There's some pretty good information on this at: http://dennysantennaservice.com/preamplifiers_distribution_amplifiers.html and other places on the 'Net.
Reply
Reply
post #3058 of 3455
9/23/12 at 5:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rluyster View Post

Good advice regarding the RG-6 coaxial cable. However, I think the inside amp is of the "distribution" variety for providing adequate signals to multiple TVs and long coax runs rather than the "preamp" type which is the one outdoors amplifying signals at the antenna. If I remember correctly, both can be used in a system as long as they are set up properly. There's some pretty good information on this at: http://dennysantennaservice.com/preamplifiers_distribution_amplifiers.html and other places on the 'Net.
True, as splitters usually cause signal loss. I would also advise Caber Man to try another brand, as the RCA brand name is owned by a Chinese company. In my experience, their products are of poor quality.
Reply
Reply
post #3059 of 3455
9/23/12 at 9:54pm
The newer RCA preamp is made by Audiovox and gets decent reviews for low noise specs and dual UHF/VHF inputs. The older RCA dist amp is made by a different manufacturer, and I would not get that one. The similar PCT/Channel Master dist amps are better performers.
Reply
Reply
post #3060 of 3455
9/24/12 at 3:53pm
So, do the folks at Reserve Square realize that 19's channel label says WOIO- D? It has been like that for almost two months.

I would also like to know how long Wheel and Jeopardy are going to last on WOIO. Scripps, owner of WEWS didn't what those shows anymore because they cost too much. So where did these shows go? Over to penny-pinching 19, which by the way, can't put out a reliable signal. I'm sure people who can't receive 19 appreciate the move. smile.gif
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Local HDTV Info and Reception

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › HDTV › Local HDTV Info and Reception › Cleveland, OH - HDTV