Atlanta, GA - OTA - Page 95

I have suddenly lost NBC. I had it fine for months and it's now got no signal. I don't think there is anything wrong with my setup. Is anyone aware of changes at the tower?

NBC all but dropped out for me about two months ago. It has started to come in a little bit better the last week or so. I think I remember the same thing happening last year in June - August, but i did not care that much because it was coming back in good by the fall when football started - which is the only reason I really watch NBC. I don't know if it has to do with heat/atmosphere/leaves on trees or whatever, but if it doesn't get consistently better, I will have to drag myself on the roof and reinstall my VHF antenna from the attic onto the roof with my UHF antenna.

Does anyone know if the Channel 2 translator operating on ch 31 is off the air because of technical problems, or some other reason? When this translator went on the air several months ago, shows as 2.5 & 2.6, it was booming into my location. Today, they are not there...I am hoping it is just a fuse or something..... and they will be back soon.

Ok, can anyone help. I live in Rome, GA and am trying to get the major networks through a HDTV antenna. I bought a LAVA HD-2605 and bought into the advertising of receiving what I wanted. I get two stations ION and PBS with 3 feeds each. Is there an antenna that may help me get more stations?

We are looking at getting a antenna for the house and was wondering if anyone around us had any suggestions. We live in Dawsonville, about 5 miles from the square off Hwy. 53, going towards Jasper.
Thanks!

heyblue,

unfortunately, a lot of those types of antennas are just all advertising hype. I can't tell you exactly what to get, but I can tell you what I have and what works for me. I live in Monroe, about 35 miles east of the Atlanta transmitters, I know you'll be on the other side, about the same distance from the transmitters, maybe a bit more.

I use a Clearstream 4 for the UHF channels and an antennacraft y5-7-13 for the VHF channels (NBC and PBS). The clearstream is on the roof and the antennacraft is in the attic. They are joined together by a vhf/uhf joiner. The vhf antenna has a preamp attached. I point both to the east toward the transmitters. The uhf channels are pretty solid; the VHF ones are not; they used to be, but I think that I need to put the antenna outside on the roof and I do not know if PBS and NBC are really worth the hassle at this time. As far as ION goes, you should be able to pick it up without a problem since the transmitter is in/near Rome. I used to get it before the digital switch, but I no longer get it in Monroe.

With your distance, you will likely need separate uhf and a vhf antennas although many people have good results with a large expensive vhf/uhf antenna on their roof. I went a cheaper route and was trying to keep a low profile on my roof. I paid about $120 for my setup, which is like two monthly cable bills.

Hope this helps. If you have not already, go to tvfool.com and plug in your address to see what the signal strengths are at your address.

Google tells me that the LAVA HD-2605 is a smaller antenna with a rotator.

First, you don't need a rotator. You are so far out that everything is pretty much in the same direction for you.

Second, size matters. Get a bigger antenna, and I also recommend separate UHF and VHF antennas like snake said. Now, if large size is a problem, consider a Clearstream 2 or Clearstream 4. In addition to snake's experience with the CS4 above, I have a friend who stunned me with his success with a CS2.

This pretty much applies to Dawsonville, too. See also the FAQ, linked below. Check out TVFool, etc.

To those of you with "too much" signal strength - count your blessings. Imagine what I get with this terrain in the way.... :^)
This is about 20-22 miles from most of the Atlanta stations.

Hi from Marietta. I read today that MBC (Korean-language network) is now broadcasting HD signal OTA. The newspaper article showed a map of the area with a circled broadcast area that barely reached Marietta. OK cool, so I'll try to receive it. I'm between Marietta and Powder Springs, off Dallas Hwy. Do any of you experienced fellows have any advice as to an acceptable antenna? I hope I can get away with the indoor variety. Have any of you been successful in pulling in this MBC channel? Please advise and many thanks.

There are two low-power stations in Atlanta that have Korean programming. From www.RabbitEars.info :

WKTB/47
47-1 47.1 480i DD2.0 KTN47-1 Telemundo
47-2 47.2 480i DD2.0 KTN47-2 KBS World
47-3 47.3 480i DD2.0 KTN47-3 Arirang
47-4 47.4 480i DD2.0 KTN47-4 SkD TV

WSKC/22
22-1 22.1 480i DD2.0 MBC America

There's a guy in Cleveland GA who has posted here about being able to receive WSKC. You can do a search of this thread to see mentions of WSKC and WKTB.

I've wanted to pull in those signals here in Little Five Points / Decatur ever since I heard of them, but have been unable to with my DB2 in the attic.

Does anyone know if either of these have boosted power in the past year or so? If so I'll try again

Nobody's actually confirmed for me what WSKC is airing. I heard a single unconfirmed report of MBC America and went with it. If they have subchannels, I don't know what's on them.

- Trip

In the late 90's from my then Smyrna home, I watched WSKC analog air Korean programming. I found a number of programs that were enjoyable and entertaining.

Looks like 480i stretched. Not HD.

Please do reduce that picture size in the post above; click the edit button at the bottom of the post to change the text. If you can't edit / replace the picture above, then edit the posted to delete the code that includes the picture. Thanks.

The WSB 31 translator retuned a day after my post, and is now providing a good signal again. I haven't seen any "construction permits" for the other translators they have permission to build... I guess they are still thinking about it... I do appreciate the ch 31 signal, as 39 does not serve me...

My week of experimenting: (I live in West Cobb) I bought a Philips SDV2730/27 from MicroCenter. $34.99. Stuck it on top of the TV and pulled in all locals, including Peachtree TV, a kids' station (forgot the name) and a couple of Spanish-language channels, one of the Univision, and GPTV. Not bad, about 12 channels in all. But I'm only interested in the Korean-language MBC. So I returned the Philips and today I got the Clearstream 2 at Costco. $67.00. Same results, even moving the antenna around the room, and outside, pointing in the general direction as Duluth. Zero Korean. I guess it's not meant to be, huh? Anybody else have the Clearstream 2? I'd love to hear some advice, even if it's to hang it up! Thanks.

First off, did you rescan when you swapped antennas and when you tried different locations and aiming? If not, you must do so since the tuner doesn't automatically pick up new signals.

Assuming you're trying to get WKTB (you weren't specific) your desired aiming point is along I-85 just north-east of I-485. Try to place the C2 in a window that has clear line of sight in that direction when you re-scan. FWIW, The C2 is about the best UHF antenna you can get for indoor usage without an antenna that is overly large. Still, it is a technical requirement that the signal actually get to the antenna (any antenna) so that you have a chance to get it. If yo try the antenna is a proper location and it is properly aime but you can't pick up the desired channel, the odds are great that the signal either isn't there or that has been destroyed by multi-path on its way to your location, usually by hills, buildings, trees, or other physical obstacles.

You might want to post a link to your exact address TVFool analysis so we can see if you actually have a shot at getting that particular channel.

I did all of that. I'm confident that I'm simply too far/obstructed, not to mention unwilling to go the outdoor pole-mounted antenna route.

Thank you for your reply. I do appreciate the information.

By the way, here's the TV FOOL signal chart for my address. Doesn't look good for Channel 22, does it?

Nope. Ain't gonna to happen with an indoor antenna at your location. If the C2 was mounted up on the roof and was in a location so that its view in channel 22's direction were unobstructed, you'd have a slight chance.

I'm currently working in Cumberland on weekends, and I have a little TV to help pass the time.

I'm able to pick up 32.1 (the guide channel), but I get 'No Signal' on the subchannels since late Friday. I have re-scanned, and I don't believe it's a tuner issue... but is anyone else able to pick up the subchannels?

They work fine for me right now, and I think they were working Saturday morning.

As it turns out, it may be my tuner after all. I tried a HD tuner USB stick, and had no issues with the subchannels. I still have trouble getting anything but the program giude channel on 32. I have an Artec T28A, which has an LG chipset.

My USB tuner isn't compatible with TSReader (I tried every hardware option), but could it be a PSIP issue? I'm unable to check with my USB tuner.

Most USB receivers should use the ATSCBDASource or ATSCBDASourceNS driver. Did you try both of those?

- Trip

Good news: the ATSCBDASourceNS driver worked.

Bad news: When I went to go try and record WANN, it was off the air. Maybe tomorrow.

Thanks for your reply! I bought a YA-1713 from Amazon (a hassle - first antenna missing parts, second attempt missing less parts but salvagable) and joined it and my CM 4220 with a Pico Macom UVSJ combiner. The CM 4220 is on the top of my roof and the YA-1713 is in the attic. Channel 8 now comes in crystal clear; 14 not so good-may be weather related. I really do appreciate everyone's help - I am glad to be free of cable!

I run my OTA Tivo hooked up to an Antennas Direct DB2. Set up outside my house on a pole attached to my fence, 10-12 feet above the ground. I have a pretty clear northern view, south is blocked by my house. I live well within the city limits, close to most of these antennas.

I get decent reception on most major channels. The occasional dropout on NBC/FOX, but totally bearable. But ABC has gotten horrible. Signal strength goes from zero - about 60% based on Tivo's strength meter.

What would help me most? More height? Bigger antenna? I can't understand the ABC thing at all, I'm 2.4 miles from the antenna. Could I be getting too strong a signal?

Perhaps. Add something to intentionally attenuate the signal such a long length of coax or a splitter (the more outputs, the better).

So called "signal strength" meters usually don't tell you how much power is in the signal, they usually are an indication of the quality or the ability to decode without error of the received signal.

Otherwise, you might be getting a strong multi-path reflection on your ABC signal.

I'm about the same distance from WSB (ABC) to the east and it overloads for me too. I have my DB2 aimed away from it on purpose.

You could also "delete" thier signal from ch 39... and try their ch 31 that is located near Winder. Shows 2.5 & 2.6.

another "recommend me an antenna" post. Here is my antenna web info...


I am looking at the Channel Master CM-2016 because I can get it at a decent price locally and it seems to fit what i need. Antenna web calls for multi directional but all the stations a care about are within a 30 degree field. Originally I was looking at the 4228. Size isn't really an issue but if I can get a smaller, cheaper antenna then I will. I do want VHF and UHF on the same antenna since I don't have anything right now. Anybody have any other recommendations or input on the 2016 for my location?