Reno, NV - HDTV - Page 4

What a pleasant surpirse, my Moxi has 3.2 now.

Can anyone recommend a professional installer for a VHF antenna? I tried to move my antenna from my attic to my roof this weekend only to run into trouble. I assembled everything only to find I could not climb up to the peak of my roof holding the antenna. I have a fairly steep metal roof, which can be climbed on all fours, but some type of roof climbing equipment is needed to hold the antenna and climb at the same time.

The only pro installer I know is Dan Paradise w/Starvision and he's pretty good. Had him install my complete system while building my house. Don't know if he does small jobs. I had a similar problem and I'm a wheelchair traveler so no roof for me no matter what the pitch but I had a able bodied friend climb my roof with a rope in hand and then I would tie a bucket on to the other end with tools, etc. He pulled it up and did the same with the antenna/mast. Worked ok. Give Dan a call, he's a good guy and lives just down the Mt. Rose Hiway below Galena Forest. 775-831-4000.

I was able to get the antenna up using a friend's rock climbing harness and a few friends in a rooftop line passing the antenna up one to another. I am now able to lock the big three stations (ABC, CBS, NBC). The signal meter readings are still less than stellar, 57-64. I will have to wait for a variety of weather conditions to really know how good this is.

Before I put the antenna up on the roof, I tried holding it on the mast from the ground, which gave me signal meter readings between 60-71. If the meter is accurate, higher is not always better. To test the signal strength on the roof, I tried putting in splitters until I got pixelation on the weakest station (ABC). This happened after two splitters were inserted, lines connected output to output. Since each output is marked 4db, I believe my total attenuation was 16db. I do not use a pre-amp. I do not have LOS to Slide, so I pointed the antenna to the top of Incline Valley (about 10 degrees elevation using the signal meter for pointing guidance) . The pine trees are so thick, there was no mounting location that was not at least partially blocked by trees. I have the Funke PSP.1922 antenna 8 feet above my two story house and the E 942 receiver. I wonder if the trees/houses block random bouncing signals when the antenna is on the ground accounting the signal meter difference. I cannot see the signal being stronger form the ground?

I've done the same experimenting with antenna postion and found the same predicament that higher is not always better but I'm not savy enough to know what's going on or how to explain it. It's a matter of guess work for me and find a placement that works all around. I would guess that closer is better (assuming no LOS) and go from there. The best solution for me to get local HD is from Charter and has been a ASTC tuner w/a basic cable feed and integrating it into my home system. I've done that with relative success to this point. I can at least get the major four networks that have HD in Reno for the price of the basic cable feed ($16.29). That will work until D* gets the local HD channels up in two yrs or so. Not as seemless w/my system as I would like (I have a 84 yr old mother that works the remote) but it will do for now.

I called Fox 11 Reno to get an update to their plans for a transmitter on Slide. The good news is they plan to have the transmitter up and running sometime this summer. The bad news is this will be low power signal booster rather than a signal translator. It will boost the 44 signal farther south. For those of us without LOS, the high frequency of 44 will not bend around obstructions as much as the current vhf transmissions off Slide. The high frequency also means another antenna for me, that is if I can get enough signal strength. The antenna will be directional toward the South West to prevent interference with Fox's current transmission, so it will not help anyone North of Slide. The new antenna seems to be geared toward people in Carson and Tahoe City. I would have preferred an omni-directional vhf-hi transmission off Slide, but I guess I am in the minority? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to get a lock on Fox.

Bear,

Glad you had some success with the outdoor antenna. If you still have occasional video dropouts, I would try a mast mounted pre-amp to see if that helps improve the signal quality. Using a Channel Master 7775 (UHF only) pre-amp in SoCal made a big difference for me. Because of your station frequencies, you may need the VHF/UHF Channel Master 7777 pre-amp for your location. Here is a url:

http://www.solidsignal.com/search_re...&SiteREF=SSCOM

Installation of the pre-amp with the same outdoor antenna allowed me to receive two more stations in my location.

If this doesn't help, I would suggest calling a pro installer that has a portable RF Spectrum Analyzer. These are battery operated devices that use a small hand held antenna to look at signal strengths as you move the antenna and unit around your property; multiple stations can be seen at the same time.

By just various locations on your property (roof and ground areas) he may well find a "sweet spot" for the antenna, based on your desired stations and the surrounding terrain. I recently had an installer use one of these at my house. I was amazed at how much difference in signal quality there was on some hard to receive stations with small (10-30 feet) changes in location on my roof.
Like you, my reception situation is based on reflected signals, as I have no line of sight shots to either of the two tranmission towers in my area.

Good luck!

It has always annoyed me that STB manufactures do not provide a signal strength measurement. Instead, they provide their interpretation of signal quality. Sometimes, like antenna pointing, I want to know the absolute signal strength. I can see why a spectrum analyzer would be helpful.

One of the advantages to VHF is it takes a much longer cable run before an amplifier becomes necessary. I think it will be a while before I put up a UHF antenna. I guess I will need an amp at that time for Fox. With so few broadcasters in Reno, I am disappointed that they cannot all agree to put all UHF on one mountain top and all VHF on another.

Hopefully it will be more than 500w, which is what channel 27's digital output is from Slide. I am 21 miles south of Slide, with a direct view, and can't get a lock for 27's digital.
Channel 11 told me last Nov that they were waiting for FCC approval to install a digital translator on Slide. It seems they keep changing their story.

You can read the approval letter here:
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...ility_id=48360

I started some transmitter placement/frequency selection discussion in the general forum.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=550359

Am I the only one seeing NBC HDTV look like stretched SDTV?

The NBC Reno hd channel does look stretched compared to their sd channel. I have my LG3510A hd receiver's picture size set to "by program". This gives me a 4:3 picture on the 4-2 channel and 16:9 on the 4-1 channel.

The good news, as I just found out, is the the 4-1 channel is sending DD5.1
CBS, 2-1, was also sending DD5.1, but would drop back to PLIIx during commercials. They are the first of the Reno channels to pass DD5.1

I should qualify that last statement; that is of the HD channels I can get. At this time I can't get hd channels for PBS, WB or UPN

I can get HDTV from PBS (5.2, not 5.1) and UPN (21.1). WB is still SDTV (27.1) and the signal is very weak and hardly ever get a signal.

27.1 is using a temp antenna, which only has an output of 500w. I've been told that they will be putting a full power antenna up on Slide this summer.

The other channels that I can't get are on Peavine and being I'm in Carson Valley, that means that Slide is in between.

Concur on NBC being Streched HD on Sunday PM programming.

Yesterday when watching Law & Order: Criminal Intent on NBC it was stretched SD. And at certain points it looked like they tried to switch to HD but the sound turned into horrible static until they would switch back to SD a minute later.

This is what www.renohdtv.com said about Reno NBC (KRNV):

"KRNV is trying to broadcast DD5.1, but it comes across as a high-pitched squealing noise instead. They're also taking more bandwidth away from HD to broadcast full-motion video on their weather feed (unlike KTVN which is broadcasting low res stills) in addition to a digital SD feed. Audio on the KRNV digital feeds is effectively broken. "

I can't believe they would sacrifice HDTV (ch. 4.1) by adding a stupid weather channel on channel 4.3. That's what weather.com is for!

Peter

Everyone on Charter shuold claim a refund for the channel guide that is messed up for NBC Reno. What good is a Moxi if you can not record programs such as the Nascar Pepsi 400 due to an incorrect guide. While NBC Reno may be sucking up bandwidth it is Charter's job to have a correct channel guide. Tell the CSR you need a refund for the Moxi box since you cannot record certain shows. This seems to be the only way to get them(Charter) to react.

4DHD,

Where abouts in Carson Valley, anybody else in Carson Valley? I'm in Genoa Lakes Golf Course. I tried to get OTA HD last year to no avail, but I was using a Winegard Squareshooter that worked great in Arizona, but no dice here. Actually, I didn't believe I could get anything, even though antennaweb indicated I should receive 4 hd stations. I even emailed all the local stations in Reno, and they did not give me much hope, but perhaps there are wiser people out there who have a solution for my area, I wish?

TIA,

Rich

sytyguy,
I'm in the Johnson Lane area, so I have a direct view of Slide Mtn. W/o a view of Slide, which I'm sure you don't have in Genoa, there is no way of getting HD channels.
I don't know how they figure 4 channels tho, 2,4,8 are on Slide, but 27 which is also on Slide is only 500w at this time. But even with a direct view, I can't receive 27. And none of us in CV can pick up Fox 11 HD, being they're on Peavine Mtn, which is in NW Reno, which puts Slide Mtn right in the path.

4DHD,

Thanks for the reply. Actually, antennaweb shows 2,8,7, 26, and slew of SD channels. However, I certainly did not hold out much hope. Heck, all I see around me are mountains

Where in the heck is Slide Mtn. in relation to Johnson Ln.? Is it at the north end of Carson City?

Thanks,

Rich

As you drive north thru Washoe Valley, Slide is on the left, at the north end. You can see the antennas on top when you're about 1/2 way thru Washoe. Mtn Rose is behind Slide.
26 is really 27, which as I said before, is only doing 500w at this time.
The local cable in Carson Valley is supposed to be getting HD, but no time frame has been mentioned yet.

4DHD,

Thanks again for the reply, but I thought you could see Slide from you home, that's why I asked, "in relation to Johnson Ln.".

Again, thanks for the reply,

Rich

Slide is NW of my house, about 21 miles. But unfortunely, I'm about 1/2 mile too far east to be able to see the mtn along the northern Carson City line, where there are other antennas, PBS for one, I think.

4DHD,

Thanks John.

Rich

The lower the channel number the better it curves around mountains. If you are blocked by mountains, antenna web will list the lowest channel (easiest to receive) at the top of the list. antennaweb is fairly conservative when it calculates the amount the signal curves. If antennaweb shows a you can pickup HD OTA, there is a very good chance that you will be able to.

The Squareshooter is a UHF antenna. You will need a VHF-HI antenna to receive the three major networks. The stations in Arizona where probably UHF, not needing to bend around any mountains. Since antennaweb shows you can receive 26, you must be pretty close to line-of-sight. If you were farther behind a mountain, antennaweb would only show 7 (lowest-digital). You can either get a single broadband antenna to get all channels off of Slide or separate vhf-hi (7,9,13) and UHF (soon 26, 44).

the_bear89451,

Thanks for the info, I will attempt with another antenna. However, the SquareShooter is a HDtv antenna that receives VHF Ch. 2-6, VHF Ch. 7-13 and UHF Ch. 14-69. I received all the locals both in SD and HD with this antenna in Arizona.

But, you have given me some confidence in another attempt.

Thanks again for the info, it just dawned on me that I have another HD antenna....I will report any success or failure with it.

Regards,

Rich

Here is a chart that shows a set of rabbit ears is much better for 7-13 than the Squareshooter:
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

Digital signals are not as forgiving as analog. With the antennas I currently have, a 10 year old VHF and a 3 year old UHF, I can pick up all but two analog channels that antennaweb sez I should get.
On the other hand, the digital channels, of which there are less locally, I can't get 26, even tho the signal path is straight and 21 miles. As I've said before, its only 500w at this time. Antenna web does not show that I can get Fox DT 44, and I can't. And that's because 44 it transmitting from Peavine and for those of us in Carson Valley, Slide is right in the signal path. So NO, if its digital signal you need pretty much a straight shot.

That depends on what you consider watchable. While it is easier to get something on analog, the picture is usually poor. For those of us with occasional breakups on 9, tuning to 8 makes me think about calling Charter. Currently, 26 and 27 are not a good comparison because antennaweb bases the calculation for 26 on 100KW. Once 26 goes full power, it is also likely 26 will be more watchable. If Fox was broadcasting on 2 instead of 44, the signal would easily curve around Slide to reach Carson. This is why I have been complaining that Fox has not fought hard enough to get lower on the dial.