Charlotte, NC - OTA - Page 178

WHKY must have had a return to it's early October problem because when they came back on the air, I notice they are back to showing RTVs national feed instead of the one suggested by WKHY's schedule for it.

Sat problem with the feed. Should be back to normal now.

Are you guys going to stay with the national schedule or move back to your customized one? As of last night, what was being shown doesn't match the schedule data or the schedule posted on the whky website.

Have anybody notice that the Signal for the WMYT 55 channel 46 sister station it got a stronger signal.now.

i'm getting a strong signal for that station now. from my indoor amp rabbit ears.

That is probably due to atmospheric conditions. But I get a strong signal from 55 normally with an outdoor antenna and preamp in the attic. Most of the time 10 bars and 100%. And I am in Greenville between Woodruff Rd. and 385. I think their side mounted antenna pattern favors to the southwest, because their power level is much lower than WBTV and WJZY, but I still get 100% from all 3 channels.

It been like that for few weeks now way back before Thanksgiving.

WMYT has updated 55.2 to say that Soul of the South will begin on Jan 21.

Could you let us know if somethjng changes? I have accidentally found what might be called "ground ducts" that allow reception that might otherwise be inexplicable. There is plenty unknown, and, I want to know it all.

I have not noticed any changes with the WMYT signal. As I said, with an attic antenna and preamp, I get 55 at 100% signal strength and 10 bars here in northern Greenville County, SC. Despite being only 250kw power vs. WBTV and WJZY at 1000kw. I think the changes noticed with an indoor antenna may have been due to weather conditions, but I am not sure. But no change at my end here.

I
It is the "I'm not sure" that is critical. The so called "ground duct" would be limited and narrow. Science does not satisfy in such a case. My imagining is that it would be something like a surface reflection, that would be in one place and a few meters away, nonexistent.

I gave up on WMYT. The signal comes in great for a few weeks a year, then it's gone again. My brother in law lives almost 20 miles away in Alexander and receives it just fine. I am assuming that the place I live is too close to being in line with WHKY's signal. know it doesn't take much for these digital signals to get a little flaky. Their old analog signal came in really strong.

I know I can't be the only person who can't get this station. It looks like SOMEBODY would figure something out.

Of course, if there aren't that many of us who can't get it, it would not be worth it to put out money for a fix. If that is the case, just tell us we are S.O.L. and we will be done with it.

Given that the FCC doesn't care a bit about your reception, you will have to give up, or, try some adventurous ploys.
If you want an adventure, try this: Set up a (single) bowtie . It would have a 300 Ohm twinlead terminated by a balun before being connected to your receiver. Aim the bowtie at the transmitter in Gaston County. Punch up WMYT on your TV. Wrap an inch wide strip of aluminum foil around the twinlead half way between the antenna and the balun.. Move the foil up toward the antenna in increments. If you get lucky, you will find a "sweet spot", and reception. If not, try a two inch foil strip and repeat. If not successful, turn the antenna slightly, and start again.An adventure in patience, but might work for you.. If you lose patience, stop. There is another ploy, which I will describe if you like.

As has been said before, there is likely cochannel interference from RF40 affecting RF39 in Catawba County. If WMYT could increase power, it might prevent the interference from WHKY.

I am sure since WHKY is closer to you your receiver is having issues with the stronger local signal. That being said I have personally been on Sauratown Mountain where WXII and WUNL are on adjacent channels. One is on RF 31 and the other on RF 32 as I recall. You should see the signals on a true spectrum analyzer. It is amazing how tight the mask filters are on the output of these newer DTV transmitters. How they get a signal to skirt off as fast as they do is simply amazing. A couple of things you might try are to put a very high Q notch filter inline that is tuned to notch the WHKY frequency while at the same time passing the WMYT frequency. Some of the notch cavities on the used market could be used for this purpose. You could also use a High Q pass cavity or cavities to build up a preselector. This would only allow a fixed passband of frequency to pass into your receiver. Just be sure that the passband of the cavities for either application are not so tight that they do not allow the entire signal through.

For some reason, I am having problems with WCCB's over-the-air channel on my HDTV. If I tune to 18-1 or 18-2, it plays for a couple of seconds and then the audio and video freeze. However, Me-TV on 18-3 plays just fine. I have also picked up the translator from Valdese, and all three subchannels play fine. I also get the main channel and Me-TV through QAM from Charter, and they play fine as well. Has anyone else had this problem?

I can offer one explanation.
A slightly inadequate signal can cause what you describe.
Over time, I have noted that with a multiplexed DTV signal, an HD program with be more a problem to decode and display than an SD program. 18.1 and 18.2 use the same HD stream, while 18.3 uses a SD stream. 18.3 might well display fine even if the signal is not quite up to the other two programs. Cable systems would not likely have this problem, and, the signal you received from the translator may have been better than from the main transmitter.
You might be on the edge of the "digital cliff" with the main transmitter. You might have enough signal for your TV to decode, but not quite enough for seamless display.

I haven't seen any problems at all with OTA 18 or 18.3. I'm picking it OTA from their transmitter in E. CLT. I do receive a very strong signal from them. It doesn't flinch even when there are storms outside.

I do not receive WCCB at my location, but I am having interference problems with WJZY-46 and WYCW-62 after installing a new TV. Same antenna and preamp, but now major pixelation and audio/video dropouts on RF47 and RF45. New TV is Samsung 51E7000 plasma; no previous problems on other Samsung and Panasonic TVs. Apparently this TV is more subject to amplification. or it generates more noise that affects these particular channels. Not sure, but very frustrating as I now have no CW or Antenna TV. Very nice pic quality, but the new TV may go into the bonus room and the old Samsung may return to the bedroom. Searching for a solution.

No PSIP program info on WBTV for the past 2 days. I guess somebody is still on Christmas vacation.

I actually receive the main channel better than the Valdese translator, so that's probably not the reason. But, I appreciate your explanation anyway. I'm just glad I can receive WCCB's HD signal through Charter.

Do you have consistent, regular, reception from the translator?

I only receive it occasionally now. However, I did receive it regularly during the late Spring and early Summer. What's odd is that the main signal from Charlotte also came in reguarly during that time, but I only receive it occasionally now as well. I just receive it more often than the Valdese translator.

If reception is dependent on foliage, atmospherics, etc, then any glitches would be unremarkable. What sort of antenna are you using?

Have you tried taking the preamp out of the loop?

Not yet because I need to take the ladder into the attic which I will probably do on my day off Monday. But it is strange that the preamp has caused no problems on 2 other Samsung TVs and a Panasonic. It seems to be something interfering with RF45 and RF47, as all other channels are strong including GSP locals and WMYT, WCNC, and WBTV. Even the weak WSOC translator comes in most of the time. I wonder if the wireless smart hub or web browser could be causing the problem. I unplugged the wireless router and that was not the problem. Although I think the preamp may be overloading the tuner from RF45 and it could be spilling over onto RF47 which is WJZY. Or vice versa, since the antenna is pointed towards WJZY and away from WYCW. But still strange since this problem did not occur on the other Samsung TVs. They must have changed something in the tuner.

Tonight the signal on WJZY has totally disappeared, but it is a full 10 bars on the other Samsung TV. So somehow it must be an overload issue with the preamp, but just not sure why it only affects this new TV and the others are fine. Must be a different tuner. Will have to work with the preamp and splitters on Mon.

I am using an RCA ANT751R antenna, but I use it inside because I can't install it outside. I forgot to mention that I also have a Zinwell ZAT-970A converter box, and WCCB plays fine on it.

I wouldn't go into it assuming anything. The pre-amp is a possibility. only. Are there any strong FM signals close by?

That antenna is OK, but not really better than OK. Spotty reception is about all that can be expected. on WCCB. under the conditions. A single bowtie with a rear reflector might work better for receiving that station. Given it will be indoors, you can make the reflector out of a cardboard box covered with foil.

 

What benefit does a reflector provide? Does it vary from channel to channel, and should a reflector be removable or permanently attached?