Champaign, IL - HDTV - Page 103

No, I can only get CW OTA as well...ABC from Peoria is on 102.4. I tried 103.4 and, sure enough, the CBS channel was there. I already had in my shown channels, but I labeled it as PBS so I never went to it. Also, on 95.3 I get the InDemand movies that are listed as channel 104 on Mediacom's guide.
Thanks for the info.

Mel

Thanks for the help Mel. Unfortunately I dont have a box with mediacom so I cant look on the guide to see what is coming on on the ondemand channel. I have caught a couple of movies on there though. Do you have a list of channels? I have tried to work on one but without the guide it is hard to figure out what some of the channels are. Any help would be appreciated. I also noticed that 1.1 was WGN. Do you know if that is ever in HD or not?

Hi there,

I live in Bloomington and I have an indoor antenna in my attic. I get every station (12.1 25.1 31.1 and 43.1) I want except for an ABC affiliate (19.1 or 20.1). I understand they working on 20.1 (Wics Springfield), but anybody knows if there's any problem with WHOI -DT? I get the analog signal but I can'l lock the digital signal... Hope this hasn't been answered before (I couldn't find it on this thread).

Thanks!

I know what you mean sangu, I live in Normal and WICS-DT is off for now. WHOI-DT in Peoria as I understand uses a directional antenna and it is aimed North. It is very difficult to get in the twin cities. I have a roof mounted antenna, and several amps and it only comes in occasionally. 17.1 25.1 43.1 55.1 23.1 and 31.1 all come in for me at around 80%. So until 20.1 is back to full power we just have to wait.

Dont know if your question was answered. But when the tuner is off (yet still plugged in) press the Menu button. Youll then be able to adjust the output.

So, in searching posts at this forum I understand when some say they can view WCIA in HD via cable subscription (Insight Comm.) I also understand that subscribers to WCFN apparently can receive WCIA on channel 48 (or 49.1?) However, I wonder if these are truly WCIA's local news, sports, etc. or simply CBS programming.

But my primary question is whether anyone is actually receiving WCIA HD transmissions OTA on channel 3-1? I get an intermittent noise sound simultaneous with on/off "searching for signal" messages when 'zeroed' onto WCIA's tower, where pitch of the 'noise' changes lower/higher depending on my tweaking of OTA antenna amplifier. On other channels having 'no' signal the "searching for signal" message stays on constantly with black screen -- so I must be receiving 'something' on 3-1, albeit extremely weakly.

I live in 'rural' Tuscola (no cable) about 25 miles south of WCIA tower and have a large VHF-UHF-audio directional roof antenna with rotor (on 12' tower above 2-level home) connected to a Samsung SIR-TS360 HDTV Receiver/Tuner (1080i, DVI-HDMI interface) and 51" widescreen Hitachi HDTV (projection style.) We've really enjoyed this system trouble-free since Aug. 2004 and have received all of the other 'local' digital-HD channels (as -1, -2 and -3 for ch12) for channels 12, 15, 17, 20, 23, 51 and 55, plus DTV's HD package and many other HD programs from DTV -- they are great !!

In my olden days, WCIA had the strongest VHF signal in Central Illinois, where clear viewing (as defined for those times) was obtainable via coat-hangar or a wad of aluminum foil on rabbit ears. Now, their analog signal has been the absolute worst in this entire area for it seems like several years. until they added filters, increased power, or did something sometime within the past ten days or so -- the Superbowl viewing was at least tolerable via analog signal. WCIA's Engineering Mgr did not return my two phone calls in recent months (re: poor analog signal) but one of their Eng. Tech's. told me awhile back that the reason for poor analog reception has been due to a high degree of interferences at the lower end of their bandwidth -- (?)

Can anyone tell me more as to whether others are indeed receiving WCIA's channel 3-1 HD transmission OTA (and, if so, any suggestions for amplifier or other means to help more viewers receive it?) Also, whether Insight Comm and WCFN subscribers are indeed receiving the local news, sports and special programming of WCIA, i.e. the same as what I view on channel 3 analog?

Thanks for any input,
Mac

Mac,

I am in NW Champaign, and receiving WCIA HD via OTA. It is WCIA tried and true, however, if you look through this thread a little, you'll find plenty of discussion as to why you cannot receive in "rural" Tuscola. They have not yet been able to get their high power antenna installed on their tower. As to the why, and discussion of the commitment of WCIA to HD, I again defer to this thread, there are plenty of good facts and opinions on these subjects....

I noticed that the WCIA HD update page is no longer on their web site. The last update I saw was the one saying that they wouldn't have the high-power antenna up in time for the SuperBowl because of the weather. I hope this is not a bad omen, and that the tower crew won't be back until Spring.

WCIA-HD Update link: http://extranet.wcia.com/wcfn/news/HiDef.htm

I hope someone can explain this to me or help me discover what the problem is. I receive 23 at around 90%. On the best day WAND-DT (17) comes in 55%. Last night the signal fluctuated between no signal and 40% so it was unwatchable. Since the towers are so close together, why can I receive one without any problems and not the other? Is the 23 signal so strong it's overwhelming the 17 signal?

In an earlier post I mistyped and indicated I was NE of Decatur. I'm actually NW of Decatur and nearly directly east of both 23 and 17's towers by 20 miles or so. I have a Radio Shack U75 antenna pointed in their direction according to antennaweb.

I usually get 55 at the 90% level, but last night reception was iffy during primetime and the signal varied from no signal to 40%. Again there is a directional UHF antenna pointed at the 55 tower, also around 20 miles away.

I live in the country and there are no obstructions to block any signals.

BBill, I don't see HD Project Update linked from WCIA's primary web site anymore either but it's still at:
http://extranet.wcia.com/wcfn/news/HiDef.htm
The last entry was 1/31/07 where I notice Mediacom also has it (HD.) I have always been impressed by highrise iron workers, especially on cold and windy days (early in my career they enjoyed taking me up in the crane-basket to see if I'd show a twitch) -- and my same great respect for those working on the new WCIA tower/antenna. There's simply gotta be a limit for the safety of those guys. So I can readily wait till Spring if WCIA indeed has no means to increase their power now, and if amplification or other hi-tech means is too much of a stretch. However, I wonder how/why WCIA is so far behind all of their Central Illinois competitors when they used to be 'the' leader by far.

WCIA's 'new' owners (year 2000) may give thought, Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc, found at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nexstar_Broadcasting_Group
that replaced prior local ownership:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WCIA_(TV) .
This link also has a briefing about HD problems and some very interesting external links including some tech-stuff and WCIA history and pic's of the good 'ol days (lots of memories.)

Other pertinent info/news:
Nexstar makes 'large' financial distributions to ' its ' direct parent company, Nexstar Finance Holdings, L.L.C., so yeau, these owners are big and driven by bucks -- the viewers in Central Illinois are miniscule to them. Some insight into Nexstar, scroll down for some interesting info (to me anyway):
http://sec.edgar-online.com/2003/03/...6/Section8.asp

Regards,
Mac

Thanks Laddy and Mac for the new link. I don't have any problem with the tower crew waiting for safer conditions. I know I wouldn't want to be up there under any conditions. My question was whether the crew would be available to finish the job as soon as there was a break in the weather (maybe next week), or if they had moved on to some other jobs for the season.

I'm guessing the weather is hampering WICS's efforts to fix their HD antenna as well.

EVERYONE (both cable & WCFN-DT OTA viewers) get WCIA-DT just like YOU would.

All Insight cable subs (whether Springfield, Decatur or Champaign) get it directly from WCIA studios via fiber, so it doesn't even go through the OTA tower to get to us. We also get the analog signal (on cable ch 3) via the same direct fiber feed.

I believe Mediacom subs get both via a direct feed as well, but I'm not 100% sure on that one.

And yes, us WCFN-DT viewers get EXACTLY the same WCIA-DT signal, on WCFN-DT 53.2. However, WCFN-DT is ALSO on low-power, just as WCIA-DT is. It is strong enough for the most part to get in Springfield, but you pretty much need an outside antenna for reliable reception. (which I have, of course ) Once you get outside of Springfield, it's pretty iffy - I have a client in Girard, with a large Winegard antenna w/pre-amp, & he has never been able to get WCFN-DT to lock in consistantly.
My understanding is that WCFN-DT will NOT go high-powered until at least they finish with WCIA-DT. I don't think WCFN-DT is scheduled to start until much later this year.

Only for you, actually...
WICS-DT is very much on, but just on low-power - Insight cable subs get it fine, since it's direct fed to Insight. In Springfield, you can still get it, but you pretty much need an outside antenna to get it reliably. (I have one & have no problems with WICS-DT now)
They are having transmission line problems & will not be able to fix it, until tower crews can get up the tower, which they can't obviously, due to the weather conditions...

Ok, thanks much, Dishrich, for taking time to respond. That brings us up to speed now on the cable and WCFN status.


With the new antenna(s) needed at top of the tower (800' elevation I believe), it seems there must be a substantial amount of structural reinforcement work left on the tower itself (above the guy wire connections at 500'), which means the remaining work on the 300' section is at the highest level where wind gusts are obviously worst. Then the very heavy cables must be pulled up there carefully and mounted into place (that sounds daunting in itself), and ditto for antenna equipment, plus final tensioning of guy wires and startup tests -- a challenging amount of work it seems to me.

On the good news side:
But, since no further progress has been reported at this update site, it seems likely there has been none. While today's (2/8) weather seems rather nice (I was just out in the timber with my dog for an hour) that's on the ground. While wind may be negligible down here, who knows what it's like 800' higher -- and +16F is not exactly a heat wave, where heavy clothes, headger and gloves are really cumbersome for performing manual work (kinda like an astronaut), and in a rather challenging environment where gravity is #1 enemy whether from taking the wrong step or grasp or losing connection of a heavy cable pull.

Bottom line: I suspect it may be March or even later before final high-power startup. Winds out here on the prairie in late winter and spring can be horrendous as many of us know. My best to the workers, be safe, that's most important. You have no mandate to make up time hurriedly, that management has neglected for 3 years or more.

Regards,
Mac

Yeah, I know they are on very low power now. Before the ice storm it always came in at around 80-90%. Very reliable. WHOI-DT is poor because they have thier antenna aimed North and I am to the East. I was really hoping it would be fixed before Lost came back on but this weather is lousy. Man I hate analog.....

Well you can join the club, because I have a client in Lincoln w/OTA & an HR20. He cannot get either WHOI OR WICS DT OTA. Obviously WICS will be a problem for him, too, but he can't get WHOI, either. But, since I've learned here about how their antenna is aimed North, that explains that.
But, the good news is, (what little it is) at least he CAN get WICS-DT on cable (has basic cable w/modem) but ONLY on his Sony QAM TV - he can't DVR ABC-HD OTA because of all this.

Awwh, c'mon Dishrich and all of your generation, is there really 'that' much difference between analog and digital or HD? Yeah, there is to many (and, yeau, this includes me.) But thinking back after glancing through the following web site, I really wonder about the importance......

http://www.dougquick.com/wciachampaign2.html
Check out the history of WCIA and other local channels if you care.

I remember them all, we didn't even have TV till I was a Junior in High School in the 50's. People would spend their free time discussing what they had watched the prior night, of the 3 channels available + Channel 12 PBS if you could get it OTA, ditto for Channel 20 in Springfield. Reception was virtually non-existent on some nights either due to weather or transmission difficulties.

The best (only) fast food was Steak 'n Shake and it's still the greatest in my book. I recall McDonald's opening at 5-Points in Urbana with 15 cent hamburgers about the size of a silver dollar with all kinds of condiments piled on top inside a miniature bun to hide the (lack of) meat flavor.

We also had a military draft and I served during early Vietnam after college. A very few didn't like it but tolerated without objecting, while most were very willing to serve. How could you object to serving your country for only two years of what seemed would be an everlasting life, while protecting your loved ones and the greatly valued freedom of your countrymen.

Maybe having young people serve in some respect for two years today would be a good idea, for them as well as our country....so they could watch TV in the Orderly Room and compare notes with others around the country, the TV is probably Hi-Def now (to bring this within restricitions of our forum.)

Aw, that's enuff from an old phart.

Regards,
Mac

Please pardon me, Dishrich, my last post should have been addressed to JFKLS1 who was hating analog. Please accept my apologies. I noticed immediately after hitting the Send button.

Sorry, again
Mac

Sorry dish, I don't mean to hate, just once you are used to the HD, it is very hard to revert back. Especially with no widescreen.

JFKLS1,

To hopefully stop this nonsense, I just picked up on your hating analog reception, knowing you really weren't 'hating' anything, but simply meaning you much preferred digital or Hi-Def over analog. I guess I then carried this too far -- but I didn't mean any harm by my comments either, I'm just an old phart rambling on......

Hope y'all understand,
Mac

What the.......? We just flipped to WCIA and have HD on ch 3-1 OTA, with WCFN on ch 3-2. Wonders never cease as the saying goes.

Mac

On a nice cool night like we're having with the weather, atmospheric conditions are ideal for TV distance reception. You didn't get a solid lock on WCIA HD before because their current transmission power is still less than 2kw.

Once WCIA gets their new transmitter installed, they'll be at 1,000kw of radiated power. With that signal strength, you'll have no problem locking 3.1 and 3.2 in all but the worst weather conditions.

Yeau, you're correct mrm. I noticed the 'picture' on both digital channels did not have the usual 'crispness' last night, apparently due to their low powered transmission. And I'm back to receiving quick on/off "searching for signal" messages this morning. But the DTV guide now at least has them listed: 3-1 = WCIADT and 3-2 = WCFN-DT. Their analog signal is also now ultra-clear, almost as good as the digital receptions last night.

Well, I'm a patient guy, they'll get the work done soon enough. We haven't watched much WCIA for a long time anyway due to ultra-poor quality of their analog signal.

Switching subjects, has anyone heard any word about WICS projections for completing repairs to their tower/antenna? We get analog/digital ABC on Champaign's WICD ch15 and 15-1 plus -2 (TUBE...sarcastic Wow!) so having WICS is not so important to us -- getting Champaign local news via WICD suits our Tuscola-Arthur locale better.

Mac

Has anyone noticed the WCIA feed on Directv. I first noticed it Sunday when several of the supers were cut off at the ends. Are they sending a different signal to Directv? One that's made for 16x9? The feed has definitely improved in quality from what it used to be.

Hello, I live in Clinton and subscribe to mediacom. Currently I have the Mediacom box with HD DVR. I also have a coax connected to my sony hdtv through the quam tuner. With this connection I am able to pull in ABC, CBS, NBC HD from Peoria and ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS HD from springfield/champaign/decatur. Very happy about this. However, I was wondering if I cancel my subscription to cable and just go down to the Basic cable package, will I still be able to pull in those channels through my Quam tuner?

Yep, I already asked about this, since this affects ALL D* subs watching WCIA-SD thru the dish: (I asked back on page 96 - go back to see how I asked two questions regarding this )


(I did the bolding, since this is really what the issue is w/D*'s feed)

The New Antenna is coming in early next week, So maybe by the end of next week. Depends alot on the weather.

Dr.

Wow, new antenna. I thought they were just fixing a bay in the old one.