Springfield / Joplin, MO - HDTV - Page 175

They can't add another RF 49 site to the south. KNWA pretty well blocks them (on RF50) from adding any thing further south. Co-Channel spacing is a major issue with that. The only way they can expand on a single RF would be to find a new channel number that doesn't interfere with anyone to the south, and that's going to be darn near impossible.

The only real option KRBK has is to buy KWBM and I don't see that happening.

Anyone, have any contacts at the FCC? KBBL is STILL broadcasting illegally on 56. That thing should have been turned off on Dec 31.

Unfortunately, going by some of their posts on Facebook I'm afraid so.
Edit:
They have said they're looking into ways to extend their signal further south, but no details.

Yes, it would. However, folks down south of Springfield should not think they've been abandoned. Can't say more than that.

In the mean time, a lot of folks in SW MO/NWA should be able to get fox-sd on KFTA-SD, RF 50 (virtual 51-2), by pointing their antennas here:
http://maps.google.com/?q=http://tra...26state=AR.kml

Here's the latest from KRBK.

My audio receiver is showing that ky3 is transmitting 5.1 audio to and through directv. Anyone else? What about OTA?

Yes, I'm seeing (hearing) that too. It's 5.1 now, both OTA and on Dish. Even their local commercials come from the center channel, with a shade of divergence to left & right. I wonder how they are achieving that, somehow I doubt they are posting in 5.1. Maybe using a Neural encoder? Anybody know? Please tell me they aren't using pseudo surround on the network audio, instead of doing a true pass-through :-)

Edit: Golf is on right now, so it's hard to say for sure, but it sounds like a Neural encoder on the network audio too. I only listened for a few minutes, but I'm hearing the same amount of divergence in the front LCR's as the local commercials, and the surrounds have some pumpy/breathy artifacts going on.

Here's info on the Neural:

http://www.daysequerra.com/ViewProdu...M%C2%A0HDRadio

The KY encoder bit the dust a couple weeks ago. KY's engineering department had to put a new one in as far as I know. When I have a little more time, I'll run a TSReader (yes, Trip) and get you some new readings on it.

The encoder though, suddenly died in the middle of the night, knocking them off the air for several hours. When it came back up, 3-2 wasn't there initially.

and something went bonkers the other day knocking them off the air for 15 minutes.

Mediacom to add 41 new HD channels next week

I recently cut the cord and ditched my Dish in favor of Hulu/Netflix + OTA signals. I live in Clever and can get great reception on every station except KOLR10 (using a Terk HDTVa Antenna).

I've got the antenna pointed as close as I can to 60 degrees off north (the direction AntennaWeb.org says the KOLR10 tower is from my location), but I can't even get a weak signal unless I have the dipoles stretched all the way out while I'm standing 2' from the Terk Antenna with my arms spread while standing on one foot. Okay, that's exaggerating a little, but I can't get a signal unless very specific criteria are met.

I moved the antenna to my attic hoping the elevation would help, but still nothing. (I'm also using the powered amplifier that came with the Terk.)

Can anyone offer suggestions on getting reception for KOLR10? Anything from what direction to point the antenna to what's the best orientation for the dipoles. I'm gonna need my CBS come football season!

Edit: Oh, and I'll add that I have an FM Trap that I tried with no luck also. :/

First, you may be too far from the tower farm at Fordland to use an indoor antenna.
Second, try pointing it a little more south from north, say about 75 degrees instead of 60.

Just re-positioned it to 70 degrees and still no signal. I also made the dipoles a more vertical 'V' shape (they were fairly horizontal).

I don't think distance is a factor, I have a no-name indoor directional antenna from Radio Shack (cost about $15) that I just found out will pick up KOLR10 from my bedroom TV with perfect clarity, but not from my living room TV. I tried this antenna in the attic and it wouldn't get KOLR10 on either TV (using a 2-way splitter and about 100' of coax).

Does that sound like I just need a stronger amplifier? Maybe one like this Winegard amplifier?

I know you lose about 5db per 100' of coax and about 3.5db for a 2-way splitter. (If what I read on the internet is true.)

Sounds like your living room is in a dead spot.

Typically, that's what you have to do to get weak VHF channels like kolr10 indoors. Get a real outdoor antenna. The small outdoor RCA ANT751 (made by Winegard) should work well at your location.. Less than $40, including shipping. Scroll down to "GAC Wholesale" for the best price.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...ref=sr_1_2_olp

If the dish is still on the roof, remove the dish antenna from the J-mount and install the antenna in its place. Reuse the dish coax. Easy.

I moved my cheap $15 no-name antenna back into the attic and angled it at 60 degrees (which is where I had it angled in the bedroom) and now I have KOLR10 in my living room just fine.

The bedroom, however, is not pulling it in now that the signal is on a splitter. The living room is amplified and the bedroom is not, though. So it looks like it's an amplifier issue.

Looks like I'll be sending the Terk back and buying another amplifier instead. Turns out more money doesn't always mean better quality.

Thanks for helping me work through this!

The antenna I suggested if installed outdoors, would provide enough signal to split to two TVs without futzing with amps; most of which just add more noise to the signal.

If you think the antenna is going to get better results than an amplifier, then that's what I'll do.

Question: Is the RCA ANT751R basically the same thing? It's $1.00 more from GAC.

Thanks again!

As far as I can tell, yes, they are the same. If you can easily put an outdoor antenna up, I would definitely go the proper antenna route, vs amp. It would be your most stable option.

Is the dish mount still on your roof?

Yeah, the Dish is still up there. I'll have to borrow an extension ladder to get up on the roof, but I went ahead and ordered the ANT751R. Hopefully that does the trick for me.

Surprised that my cheap little indoor antenna can pick up KOLR 10... just can't handle the load of splitting the signal.

Do signal combiners work? If KRBK ever gets their act together I may have to point one antenna at them and one at Fordland. I was thinking having two antennas might just create problems though as the antenna pointed at the Fox tower would still get the Fordland stations, although obviously not as well as the antenna pointed directly at Fordland.

It would probably depend on where you are in relation to the towers...

It'll most likely cause more problems as there's the possibility of introduced multipath. It's always worth a try, but be ready to spend some $$ on notch filters and such. Or save yourself the time and get a rotor. Or, if necessary, an A/B switch. Combining is tricky.

I'm near Ozark so Fordland is northeast and the the KRBK tower is a few degrees west of north. In other words, the antennas are about 45 degrees apart in relation to my position. I must point the antenna at KRBK to get it at all so naturally the other stations are weaker with the antenna pointed so far off optimum for Fordland. This causes problems with some tuners and some stations during storms, especially KOLR.

The problem during storms on kolr is "electrical impulse noise" a problem that mainly affects the VHF band, which unlike all other Springfield stations, kolr refused to vacate. Aiming directly at their tower increases signal strength, which may help mitigate the storm-related problem.... to a point.

Once you've removed the dish from its mounting post and replaced it with the ANT751, you should have hassle-free reception. If there are two coaxes at the dish that go to the locations of your TVs, reuse those. Put the splitter at the antenna. Don't use a splitter with more ports than will be used.

I'm about 20 miles SSE of Fordland, and KOLR has always been (and still is) my strongest station.

Indeed it does. I never had a problem when I could just point at Fordland. However, if I did that I could not get KRBK.

Chuck44, it's the most difficult station to reliably receive in the outer counties of the Springfield DMA. And forget watching it when lightning's anywhere within 100 miles. A/V dropouts make it impossible to follow the programming. Specific VHF antennas have made no difference in the weather-related interference problem. Fortunately for those in NWA, there's an alternative for CBS - KFSM from Winslow and their translator station KXNW in Eureka Springs (tower at Garfield, near the MO border).