Los Angeles, CA - OTA - Page 196

I do have problems occasionally, especially in the evening, with both KSCI and KCET. Both are too weak to provide reliable signals during unfavorable propagation conditions. During normal conditions, both are relatively strong. KCET is much improved since the move, but KSCI is not. Before the move, KSCI always put in an extremely strong signal here on ch 61. It is the only station whose signal became worse for me after the move. I do wonder though if some of those seeming "fade outs" by KSCI might have actually been interference from KUSI, with the receiver unable to lock onto either one.

Channel Master and Zenith/Insignia.

I'll second this. The Channel Master box has the better Program Guide since it goes out farther than the current show and the next show unlike the Zenith/Insignia. The Channel Master has a better looking and feeling remote. Zenith/Insingnia's remote is tiny which seems to be on par with Zenith products. Zenith/Insigna gets the edge for having a slightly better (more sensitive?) tuner for pulling in hard to lock signals. I can get a lock on San Diego KSWB (Fox5) RF-19 pretty regularly.

Interesting that you should say the Zenith has a better tuner then the Channel Master. My best friend and I have found the CM to have the slight edge in the tuner over the Zenith. We were able to test it on signals which one would be badly breaking up and the other would have fewer breakups (or none) And concluded that the CM was the best tuner all around. That said, I love the Zenith box, the menu is great, it is easy to support for those who have grandma's who call and need help and what not! (and I actually liked the remote, not soooo many buttons like every other remote out there)

If anyone is in need of a CECB, these reviews clearly show the Zenith and Channel Master to be the two best boxes, IF you can get them! (the Digital Stream from Radio Shack is actually not too bad either, if someone is in a jam and needs one NOW!)

I'm finding that different tuners are better at different things. The Zenith is a little better at weak signals (KNLA), whereas the Sansonic (not recommended) does slightly better with co-channel rejection (KFLA vs. San Diego). My Channel Master box is not conveniently situated to do direct comparisons, so I don't know where it fits into the scheme of things.

Anyone have any experience with Zip Installation with rooftop antenna installs?

I'm thinking of using them to install an OTA antenna on my condo's roof.

http://www.zipinstallation.com/Produ...PWCCO&CartID=1

-Ed

Doug Lung has posted a coverage map of KNBC, which includes predicted losses due to buildings, in addition to terrain. This can be panned and zoomed out:

http://dtvcoverage.xmtr.com/knbc-dt.html

The full article can be found here:

http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/85186

What's funny is that my address is "in the red" for KNBC according to this map yet KNBC is one of my best stations using the Clearstream 4.

I have two analog TVs and only one converter box. So it was 15 minutes before midnight ET on the 31 of July (8:45 PM PT). I had been told this was the last day to get converter box coupons. So I ordered two. When they come I will get an additional converter box.

I did notice that Wal Mart is carrying the converter boxes again. However I will try to find the Zenith/Insignia as I live in a difficult OTA area.

Rick R

west LA, in the shadow of the 31 story Wachovia building at Wilshire and SV.

This is a very valuable tool because of its level of detail and coverage. I have already found it useful in determining the DTV reception prospects for certain acquaintances in their locations. Presumably it can be assumed to be fairly representative of Mt. Wilson stations as a whole. Still, it would be interesting if Doug could make a few more of these for other stations, especially for some of those troublesome east Mt. Wilson stations like KCET and KTBN.

Those plots may be limited to NBC-owned stations. WNBC (NY) and WRC (DC) are available by substituting calls in the URL.

ADDENDUM: KWHY and KVEA plus KNTV (San Jose) and KNSD are available.

Doug works for NBC, so I doubt he's making any maps for non-NBC stations any time soon.

- Trip

I suspected as much. BTW, the TVFool maps compare very favorably with these plots (shadows and hot spots are in the same places).

Just checkin' in... new OTA'er here in Simi Valley. Just moved out from Las Vegas and brought my antenna with me.

I just placed it in the upper area of the garage of my rental home (I'm not allowed on the roof per my contract) and am happy with the results of all the channels I can get...

...except for 63, which I think is broadcast out of Oxnard. What do you guys SE of Oxnard do to get that channel when your directional antenna is pointing the other way? AFAIK I'm right between the two broadcast locations.

You should be able to pick it up on RF 24 from Mt Wilson, maps to 63.

hmm I'm thinking that might be what I'm already getting weakly

maybe my antenna isnt quite right for getting that

perhaps a more UHF type antenna is in my near future

KBEH/24 is still very weak. They have a construction permit to raise the power eventually, but last I heard other permitting issues needed to be resolved first.

I find it easier to get the new LD station on 33 at only 15kW. So, unless you have to have KBEH, I wouldn't worry about it for now.

What antenna do you have? Las Vegas is more VHF centric than LA, at least as respects the major networks.

Yes, Vegas is very much more VHF than UHF, no doubt about that.

My antenna is very simliar to this one:
...mine is more like an arrow than a T towards the back (hope that makes sense), but it works the same

actually i get just about everything i would want to, its just that 63 comes in very weakly if at all. im not sure how important it is but if i could get it somehow of course that would be ideal

Is there any reason why I am not able to get 5-1, 7-1, 9-1, 11-1, and 13-1; but I'm able to get 2-1, 4-1, 18-1 and up until 56-1?

I live in Gardena and I have a rooftop antenna (I think a winguard). This antenna was new in 2001 and setup by a specialist. I was able to get all OTA channels with no problem for years. About a year ago I got a new DirecTV plan with local channels and no longer used the antenna. Now I have an HDTV using only the the antenna but I can't get the most important channels.

Why did this suddenly happen? And what are some ways I can troubleshoot this?

If you are in a single family residence, then you are allowed to put the antenna up on the roof by federal law, regardless of any contract.

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html

With the exception of 5-1, the channels that you are not getting are all on VHF. Is your antenna a UHF-only model, or do you have something in your feed line, like a preamplifier that does not pass VHF?

I'm not sure but I do know I use to get those channels in crystal clear hidef when I last used this antenna. Is there usually some kind of setting on the antenna itself that could be the culprit? I took a glance up at the antenna just now and I can see a black wire hanging from the top of it.

This is a picture of the wire dangling from my antenna. Is it suppose to be connected to something? Might it have been knocked loose?

While that may be true when you OWN your own home, RENTERS are limited
to patios, balconies and similar areas unless they work a deal with the OWNER,
which might involve hiring a licensed, INSURED and bonded installation
contractor and giving up ownership rights to the installed equipment.

Thanks Edwood, I remember reading something like that before. So far I think it might be fine. It was actually much easier to place the antenna up in the rafters than it would be to mount it on the roof and run the wire. I do recall hearing what holl_ands is saying, where even licensed techs would get approval from the homeowner or landlord. I think I could just call them and ask if it comes down to it.


How long ago was that? Maybe the channel frequencies changed since you last used that antenna (I'm really not sure I'm new to the area).

I stopped using my antenna when I got my DVR from DirecTV, which does not have a dedicated OTA tuner. That would have been about two years ago. The strange thing is I am able to pick up all the channels but not their digital counterpart (anything ending in -1).

Here is another picture of my antenna from the opposite view:

What strikes me as odd is that looks more like a VHF antenna to me, that makes sense for grabbing the old analog channels. I would be quick to blame your antenna if the channels you are not getting were all or mostly UHF...

...but HarrisonS states that the channels you are missing are indeed VHF. Maybe double check the accuracy of his statement at tvfool or antennaweb.

It looks like the balun wires are not connected to the antenna element terminals. There should two terminals with wing nuts that it connects to.

Is there any change to how stations broadcast their signal after the digital cut-off?

Not sure about LA in particular but I know some of the VHF/UHF frequencies changed around so folks were advised to rescan