Chattanooga TN: Got Atlanta But Few Locals

Hello, all:

I've moved into an apartment on the eastern slope of Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga. Not far from the top of the ridge, but on the eastern side.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...4bbaa60ba6c757

My Digitenna DUV-XF is out on the deck, aimed in a southeasterly direction. I get reliable reception out of:

WNGH-33 (18-1) PBS
WSB-39 (2-1) ABC/MeTV
WAGA-27 (5-1) FOX
WGCL-19 (46-1) CBS
WPXA-51 (14-1) ION

(WUPA and WATL are present as well but trampled by local analogs.)

The puzzle to me is that I don't get anything else. Now, I have some partial explanations. I know that I am slightly below the ridge, and I know that the building has some foil-backed insulation in it. I also know that I'm looking through the building at the local signals.

But what's odd is that I have tons of signal from the Chattanooga stations, but nothing decodes. I hooked up my spectrum analyzer and, for example, WELF-16 (23-1) looks pretty strong and very rectangular. Yet my HDHomeRun won't even try to decode it, nor will my analyzer, nor will any of my other tuners. With very careful placement I can often get one or two of them to pop up at a time, but then I lose everything else (except WNGH).

If I go outside and stand at the southwestern corner of the building, all the Chattanooga signals come in fine on my Silver Sensor, even though the signals look essentially the same on the analyzer as they do on the DUV-XF on the deck. On the DUV-XF, I can look at the analyzer and see WSB-39 next to WDSI-40 and see WDSI is about 10 dB stronger (HDHR: 100% strength 0% quality) but fails to decode while WSB is fine (HDHR: 90% strength 75% quality).

I'm really not sure what to do at this point. I've got my Silver Sensor sitting in my bedroom in a position where it gets WFLI, WDSI, and WYHB-LD and nothing else (except WNGH) right now. I'd really like to have the locals available to me without moving the antenna around constantly. I don't mind having a separate aim for Atlanta versus Chattanooga, I just don't want one aim for Atlanta and eight for Chattanooga.

Here's my reception: http://www.rabbitears.info/dxlocation.php?id=265

Anything noted in green I have decoded cleanly in at least one position.

Any thoughts? Any extra information needed?

- Trip

I haven't had any success with it yet, but the DUV-XF isn't a great VHF antenna anyway.


I'm using my Kitztech KT200, but I get the same results whether I have the amp in the line or not, except without it WSB becomes weaker and WAGA/WGCL stop decoding.


Nope. An announcement will be forthcoming.

- Trip

No, that was my first guess. The signals look really good as far as I can tell. They just refuse to decode.

When I find my serial cable in my still-to-be-sorted pile of luggage, I'll try to get some snapshots. Maybe someone else will see something I don't. Fresh pair of eyes and all that.

- Trip

Here's what the spectrum analyzer shows.

http://www.rabbitears.info/specan/chatt/

Out of all of those snapshots, only RF channels 19, 27, 33, 39, and 51 decode.


I thought about overload, but the strongest signal I have is WNGH and it's only 10 dB stronger than my strongest signal was in Virginia. Other than WDNN analog, nothing else is stronger than signals I'm used to seeing.


I may look into a separate VHF but I'm not really looking to spend too much money if I can help it. My VHF bowtie hasn't helped; I tried.


I have thought about it... I'm tempted to leave it alone.

- Trip

Hehe, keep an eye out on eBay, they pop up every now and then for a few hundred dollars.


That's why I posted. I really don't get it.


Mine will do an MER (SNR) calculation, but only if it can successfully decode the signal. So WNGH and WPXA are >36 dB, haven't checked Atlanta, and the rest don't decode so I don't have a number for them.


I would expect them to either knock the signal down a lot, create lots of multipath, or both. I don't see much multipath or much signal being knocked down. As far as the latter, I think it's less than 20 dB worth and still enough for a decode under normal conditions anyway.


I had the UHF section of one tuner die on one of my HDHomeRuns before and had to ship it back under warranty, but this is every tuner I've tried (HDHR both tuners, Aero-M, Pinnacle 800i, WinTV-D), every coax I've tried, and every antenna I've tried (DUV-XF, DUV Vii, Silver Sensor, VHF bowtie, paperclip); all seem to have the same issue.

- Trip

Haha, indeed.


I thought about interference as well and I couldn't figure out what would impact stations from one direction but not another. I thought about cable leaks but I don't see anything on the spectrum analyzer that would indicate cable leaks.


Nothing wrong with covering every possibility, particularly with something this puzzling.


Hehe, nothing wrong with that. I will hope for the same!

The more I think about it, the more I think it has to be something related to the building. I've changed everything else. I'd just like to know what it could be; maybe there's something I could do about it.

I'm considering trying to find a way to run coax to the front porch right near where I tested earlier today and got good reception. I could hide the antenna under the porch perhaps, just not sure what I'd want to put there that could get muddy or whatnot.

- Trip

I left my HDHR sitting on channel 10 while I slept last night and at some point, WXIA did decode. So since it did decode, I'm guessing that might be feasible with the right antenna at some point. Of course, since I watch nothing on NBC, it's down the priority list at the moment.

- Trip

Hey folks,

Sorry for my delayed response. Burned myself out moving furniture and continued unpacking yesterday. More to do today, including additional grocery shopping.


The ones I've met are all on cable. According to the landlord, everyone in the building but me is on Comcast.


I left it on 13 part of the day and 16 part of the day. Nothing decoded on either one.

Meanwhile, I'm looking at WXIA and WUVG right this moment, and WUPA is clean as well. The missing Atlanta stations cannot be that far below decoding if they're this usable before the sun rises.


I didn't have to take it that far, not that I have roof access to do so. If I take it outside to the corner of the building, all of the UHF signals suddenly start decoding. (Silver Sensor, which I used for testing, isn't a VHF antenna.)


The analyzer hasn't shown anything out of place whatever I use. I tested with the paper clip in addition to the actual antennas and haven't observed any odd-looking interference on vacant channels or outside the TV band. Doesn't mean there isn't something there, just that I haven't seen it.


I've done it with a tuner rather than the analyzer. I'll give it a look when I get the chance.


Hello!

I am doing well, and a full update will be forthcoming. I hope that you are also doing well!


Other than my HT, which is stone deaf on AM, I'm not even sure I have a portable AM receiver with me. Not a bad idea though.


I've never personally grounded any coax because I've never had something outside. Might it help with this issue?

73!

- Trip

I don't have terminations but I will attach devices to them which I hope will serve the same purpose.

With some fidgeting on the balcony, I was able to get a call sign out of WGTV-8 (22 kW at 104 miles), and WKSY-LD 21 (0.6 kW at 37 miles). I also managed to get decodes on WTCI, WELF, and WYHB-LD. Brief hints of signal on WDSI and WFLI. All of these were in different positions.

Nothing seems to make WTVC, WDEF, or WRCB decode on the balcony, despite tons and tons of signal. Fought with those for a while.

- Trip

Fascinating. I will definitely investigate this possibility. Where in the chain should I ground it, between the amp and the antenna, or between the amp and the tuner?

- Trip

The line runs from the antenna through about 20 feet of RG-6 to my amp and then there's about 3 feet to the receiver.

Is there an easy way to ground it short of ordering a grounding block?

- Trip

Alright, thanks guys. I have a grounding block on the way. I hope it arrives in the next few days.

In the mean time, I think I only need WAGA (House) and WNGH (Nova), so I'll be okay.

- Trip

Thanks for the links. As far as Nova goes, WNGH is the strongest signal here. I can get it with a paper clip. WAGA is a little more iffy, but I think I found a position that keeps it stable now.


But the signals look good on the spectrum analyzer; I don't see a lot of multipath. Doesn't rule out noise though. http://www.rabbitears.info/specan/chatt/

- Trip