Milwaukee, WI - HDTV

Missing from the above list

CW 18-1 WVTV 1080i

My 24-1 WCGV 720p

So now that I'm totally hooked on HDTV, I've been trying like heck to get FOX - Channel 6 to come in. I do have a conventional antenna that was working OK. Was able to get all the stations except Channel 6.

So I went out and purchased a Zenith "HDTV antenna" from a local Big Box retailer. That helped get me Chaneel 6 but signal still very weak, drops out. Also, I now can not pick up Channel 58. So, I tried using the antennas in parallel. I know bad idea, don't laugh.

I do have a RCA 25dB amplifier to bost the single from the antenna.

BTW, the anteannas are in the garage attic, east side of house. I live Nothwest of the stations, about 20-25 miles. So, antennas have a straight line of sight to TV stations. Area is very flat with no obstructions.

HDTV receiver is the one from DISH network.

Help!!! Thanks!!

I have a mdp-130 HDTV card hooked up to my Big screen and for the longest time I am getting OTA HD broadcast for all channels just fine... Then all of a sudden about 1 week ago nuthing really wants to come in and when I do a new channel scan it only finds Channel 10 WMVS but it is showing that it is Channel 8.1 thru 8.4.

did something change recently? none of my settings or hardware changed including the Antenna.

Please help!

Thanks!

Good news for those in the Milwaukee area. As you know, 6-1 (Digitial ) reception is terrible. I spoke today to someone at the station who said within about a month new equipment will be installed that will greatly improve the reception. In fact, he said the equipment has already arrived. I almost go the impression that the tower will be at the station location itself. Although, I do not have confirmation of this.

I'm glad I found this forum and this thread. I just got a new HD box for my DirectTV setup and have been messing around with my OTA HD using an antenna I had in the attic. I can get all the stations with a very good signal strength.....except 6-1 and 4-1. 4-1 is decent but every once and a while the signal drops down and the picture cuts out for a split second. Most of the time 6-1 is unwatchable. What is the number for the station you called. I would love to contact them again and find out the progress on the tower upgrade.......I NEED 6-1, the packer season is starting shortly and I REALLY want to watch the games is HD. Thanks for the very usefull info.

I just spoke to an engineer at WITI Fox 6 and they said the upgrades will be done by the end of this week!! Just thought I would let you all know.

As of today, WITI-DT has the capability to operate at higher power. Tonight was the first test. While it may go up and down over the next few days while adjustments are being made, it is very near to being ready for full power operation.

Enjoy!

dtv4u

I live in a suburb of Milwaukee and am getting my HDTV delivered tommorrow. Any suggestions on an indoor antenna. The house does not have one outside. Thanks much!

Thanks for your help. I will try that out.

do you know if this will help ch 6 reception for just basic reception as well as HD? i wont have cable/HD for a couple months still so i'm stuck w/ just an indoor antenna for now.

Channel 6's digital high power transmitter is on the air. Reports on the Milwaukee HD site show good reception 50 miles and more out from Milwaukee.

I live in Johnson Creek (34 miles using an attic antenna) and I get reception now.

I'm on Waukegan & got FOX 6 with an 80% signal strength this weekend.

I just got DirecTV HD installed with an Off Air Antenna and I am having trouble getting 18-1 in. I have no idea what kind of antenna it is, its sitting next to the directv dish and it looks like a cake cooling rack LOL with two cross things on it...

I get all other channels but 18-1. Is anyone else having issues? ANything I can try to do to ge this to come in?

THanks,

J

I believe 18-1 and 24-1 are not transmitting at full power yet.

Do you know where I can look up info regarding this on when this will be done, and anything i can do to get the signal in the mean time?

Thanks!

About where are you located?
18-1 & 24-1 will be at full power on or before July 1st, 2006. This is when all stations who are not ABC, NBC, CBS, or FOX need to go full power.

Thanks for your reply!

I live in Oak Creek. Peutz and Howell (Spring Brook Cercle Apartments) ...

I'm directly south from you near Oakwood & Shepard. I currently receive all local channels (18-1 included) but have issues with 6-1 from time to time. I'm currently using a large channelmaster VHF/UHF that I purchased 12 years ago but it's in my garage attic and it needs to get outside on the roof.

It sounds like (from what you described) you have a channelmaster 4221 2 bay antenna. Are you on the south side of the building and don't have a clean shot at the towers to the north? If you drive north on Howell you can see them straight ahead.

I am thinking that my attena is too low perhaps... because there are some trees, in line of sight. however i get 24-1, that is the puzzling thing... i am wondering if i upgrade my antenna perhaps? I am not sure if I can get my antenna higher because of the apartment i live in....

Hi everyone,
I posted this in the Chicago OTA thread and didn't really get a meaningful reply - I am hoping that someone from Milwaukee has tried this from the other side ... share your experience if any!


I hope someone with experience in this can help!

I am moving to Grayslake, IL and I appear to be about 39 miles from Chicago at about 150 Degrees and 50 Miles from Milwaukee at about 10 Degrees.

I am hoping to find a way to receive HDTV from Both markets (UHF Only). I don't want to use a Rotator because I use a Mediacenter PC to record and I don't want to find away to get Mediacenter to move the antenna before channel switches!

I am thinking of trying either a Channel Master 4228 or an AntennasDirect DB8 with the reflector removed. I am hoping that with one of these I can find a way to position the antenna so that both markets are received... I am not hopeful that this will work as even with the Reflector removed, I think I am asking alot !

My second idea is to use 2 4228's or 2 DB8's and a simple splitter to combine the signals ... I realize that there is loss this way ... but again I think it is worth a shot.


I am interested in any ideas or experiences you may have ... I am open to anything ... even a rotor if you've got a good idea on how to get Mediacenter to move it!!


Thanks in Advance!
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SpikeMBA

I live just 8 miles S/SW of Grayslake, use 4228 (rotator), 7775 preamp, RG6 (65 ft run) coax, 10 foot above roofline on a two story home. I also use a 91XG with a 7775 preamp, etc for Rockford & Madison reception

Depending on where in Grayslake you are relocating,(reception in Grayslake dictated by your terrain & antenna height).
- Chicago reception very stable overall with the 4228
- Milwaukee reception 4228 should be very stable (4.1, 6.1, 10.1-7,58.1), somewhat stable (12.1), intermittent (all others).

Easy explanation - there is no way to combine two omnidirectional antenna's, that will not cause undesirable effects. Removing the reflectors will not increase reception in this case, as you are relocating in a deep fringe reception area.

Best install - I'm assuming a large budget and some property/no association - install a 35 foot tower (above treeline) - a 4228 or 91XG on top pointed to Milwaukee - slight dip down - 5 ft below - 4228 or 91XG pointed to Chicago - Preamp both - RG 6 or 11 downleads to wall plate behind media PC (assuming no other TV's in home) equal coax to IR A/B switch with IR flasher installed from media PC. Use a local TV installer, familiar with Grayslake building office & codes you will need their experience.

A long time ago I installed an IR A/B coax switch for an SMATV headend in an apartment complex. You may want to use one, and program the switch code in with your timer functions to switch between both antenna's. Customer supplied unit so I do not recall the manufacturer.

Good Luck

NBC this Fall went from the best HD/SD transition of all networks to second last ahead of FOX.

Before: Picture without distortion on HD. White horizontal line appears on black at bottom of SD frame. Switch is flipped from HD to SD or SD to HD.

Now: Multiple vertical lines in shades of yellow on the visible left overlaying the picture. No more white horizontal line at bottom. No more accurate switching by the local affiliates or equipment.

This change not only has lead to picture destruction it has also worsened the local switching issues with HDTV broadcasts. Bring back the old policy immediately!

CBS on the other hand has moved up to do an even better job than NBC did with the presence/absence of the HD bug on true 16x9 black. ABC places their distortion (green) off the picture and has longer transition periods than NBC so they take 2nd. Fox remains last because their audio always ends up running over the commercial frames.

Where are you viewing from?
Cable?
OTA?
Satellite?

This is seen on both OTA and QAM cable feed.
WTMJ Milwaukee.

However, I have seen it as well on clips from other NBC affiliates as well.

Sounds like a local issue. I'd call and complain...

Also, the NBC-HD signal has been spotty lately because of all the rain on the east coast. There have been quite a few threads on this issue. I've noticed problems on my local affiliate during those times, but other times the picture looks great and my station does a good job on making sure the transitions are good and all that.