[NYota1]

Preamps are for weak signal areas, but the problem with them is they overload easily. Being in a large urban area, there are plenty of signals that can overload them including FM stations for starters.

I've heard you speak unfavorably about pre-amps in the past, but my experience has been pretty positive. I live 11 miles from 90% of the transmitters in this area, and use a Winegard preamp because I have two antennas, and use one of them to pick up a station that's 30 miles to the west, while the others are south. I can't get that station without the preamp, and having doesn't cause any issues with the stronger locals.

So, whereas part of your advice is probably solid, that's been my experience.

 

[videobruce]

From my experience that's why I have my reservations about using them. No way would they work here. The only way a DA will work is with single channel traps (pads).
Apparently, you are not in a high signal area (other than TV), so that doesn't apply. Rotterdam is a much smaller area business wise (far less RF) then here.

Why you need a preamp for stations 11 miles out is beyond me. You have some other issue(s) somewhere. Are you feeding a high number of taps (more than 3)?
Are those the only stations you want to receive? If so, you aren't in a mixed signal area (very strong & weak to very weak)

 

[NYota1]

The amount of area RF I'm sure is a factor.... and yes we probably have a bit less here. I'm running to 2 TV's. Yes, the stations I'm getting are (for the most part) the only ones available. OTA reception is very simple here, and most local viewers can get away with an indoor antenna because they only care about the Albany stations. I however, like to get whatever I can. So I'd consider this area to be strong/weak. We also have a VHF local (on RF13) that's quite weak...which only gives a 60% signal. I forgot to add I also have a VHF-high antenna, since we have 4 of them!

 

[videobruce]

Signal levels from a plus 46dBi to a minus 15 (and sometimes -20) w/o traps, any amp won't work here since the noise floor goes thru the roof from the overload. I'm 7 miles from 4 xmitters (one is low power, not that it matters).

 

[zhenya01]

Funny observation... My parents live 2 km from me (Etobicoke). We both have identical setups (original 4228 through 7777 amplifier plus a rotor). They have older Sony TV, I had older Panasonic plasma. They got 51.x channels solid, I didn't, but I had all 12 56.x channels, and they didn't. We just bought a brand new Sony 4K LED TV, and guess what - no 56, but solid 51. 56 channels located with a scanner, appear in TV Guide, but I guess the signal is too weak. I have not played with a rotor yet to get 56 back though.

 

[videobruce]

I can't believe you can even remote pickup that LP station. You are one of the 1st to even mention that station (other than myself).
One of the worst PQ in WNY even on their main channel, thou that news service that WNED is carrying now comes in a close 2nd.

Hey, what's going on with CIII, CJMT & CFMT & probably CITY (which I can't get anyway) from a few weeks ago all being on low power (off the CN tower)??

 

[zhenya01]

I'm all about getting as many channels as I can lol, independent of video quality. I experimented a lot with combining different antennas, and with multiple (even "exotic" one-off) amplifiers with my roof setup. I had DUAL 4228 vertically stacked, I had 4228 stacked with a medium-sized Winegard Yagi. Added benefits of stacking at my location were negligible, just added way too much weight to the mast for my comfort level. I tried multiple amps - 7777, 7778, Winegard AP-something, some special amp with very low noise floor from the States. At the end of the day, I just went back to 4228 and 7777 at both, my and my parents' roof setups.
Note that I run a single TV with no splitters to minimize signal loss between antenna and the TV (although I have an active splitter installed between theater room and upstairs, just bypassed it).


I never had any problems receiving CIII, CJMT and CFMT (41-1, 40-1 and 47-1). My problematic channels are generally 49.x (sometimes when I am lazy to rotate antenna a bit), 51.x and 56.x. I'm surprised you are getting flaky CIII, being 100kW transmitter power, but we don't really know their radiating power. CJMT, CFMT and CITY are definitely weaker stations, so I'm not surprised that you can't get them in Buffalo.

CITY-TV got flaky a little lately, I don't know what's going on with them. Again, having a rotor, all I have to do is rotate 10-20 degrees towards Toronto to receive it on main lobe rather than on side lobe to get it rock solid.

Auto-programming new Sony TV at my 'default/lazy' antenna location yielded 54 channels - that includes 12 56.x channels, which don't want to work right now. For some reason, 67.x never appeared on the scan (that's 4 more channels that I can get). I'll play with the rotor on the weekend to see if I can get 56.x back.

 

[videobruce]

CIII, CICA, CBLT & CBLFT all come in around the same signal strength until a few weeks ago. Elsewhere it was suggested those stations I mentioned previously probably moved to FCP temporary due to work being done.

 

[NYota1]

CIII, CICA, CBLT & CBLFT all come in around the same signal strength until a few weeks ago. Elsewhere it was suggested those stations I mentioned previously probably moved to FCP temporary due to work being done.

I can't verify if anything has changed, since I'm at home in Rotterdam.....but when staying with my niece (in Toronto) for a few days....the week BEFORE Christmas, I noticed something very odd; they weren't picking up CIII at ALL! My recollection was that 40, 47, & 57 were there, but not 41! It tuned, since it was already scanned in the available channels, but received no signal. They used to get WUTV frequently as well, but can't any longer. Strangely, their set tuned CITS (36) on 29's RF channel, in ADDITION to 36's RF channel!

Anyway, it was the omission of CIII which was more odd than anything else I encountered on their TV.

BTW, they only use a non-rotating Clearstream-2V. Besides WNED, the only Buffalo channel they get 100% of the time consistently, is Ch 2.

 

[zhenya01]

I can't verify this since I'm at home in Rotterdam.....but when staying with my niece (in Toronto) for a few days....the week BEFORE Christmas, I noticed something very odd; they weren't picking up CIII at ALL! My recollection was that 40, 47, & 57 were there, but not 41! It tuned, since it was already scanned in the available channels, but received no signal. They used to get WUTV frequently as well, but can't any longer. Strangely, their set tuned CITS (36) on 29's RF channel, in ADDITION to 36's RF channel!

Anyway, it was the omission of CIII which was more odd than anything else I encountered on their TV.

BTW, they only use a non-rotating Clearstream-2V. Besides WNED, the only Buffalo channel they get 100% of the time consistently, is Ch 2.

I wouldn't expect much more from 2-bay antenna... Strange that they lost FOX (WNED), since it's a 1KW transmitter...


(I am getting no luck with WBXZ and new Sony TV - even though Guide is still updating all the info for those channels. Tried rotation rotor by a lot in both directions - nothing... Oh well. 42 channel is still "good enough").

 

[NYota1]

I just recalled something else. They were picking up ch. 27 which I believe was tuning as CIII...but I didn't think anything of it, because of the black screen on 41.

 

[NYota1]

Strange that they lost FOX (WNED), since it's a 1KW transmitter...

You mean WUTV... WNED is PBS.

 

[zhenya01]

You mean WUTV... WNED is PBS.

Yes, WUTV, my bad.

 

[zhenya01]

I just recalled something else. They were picking up ch. 27 which I believe was tuning as CIII...but I didn't think anything of it, because of the black screen on 41.

Some older TVs are strange and somehow manage to assign really interesting numbers when picking up channels. I remember seeing channel 27-1 on my parents' 9-year-old Sony TV. Sometimes that TV would lock to a channel and give it its real channel number, sometimes a virtual channel number and rarely a weird number.

 

[NYota1]

Some older TVs are strange and somehow manage to assign really interesting numbers when picking up channels. I remember seeing channel 27-1 on my parents' 9-year-old Sony TV. Sometimes that TV would lock to a channel and give it its real channel number, sometimes a virtual channel number and rarely a weird number.

That could be what's happening with my relatives TV. They have a Panasonic which has GOT to be at least 8-10 yrs old.

I was trying to rescan for channels, and managed to get WIVB back...since it seemed they hadn't scanned it since it switched RF channels again.

They're right in the center of the city and trying to watch the US channels is very frustrating. WGRZ is the only steady one. 23 and the 49's are rarely there, and although the 51's are more consistent now, it "jumps" all over the place. Another thing I noticed when scanning....it showed a reasonable signal for the 56's...but ZERO "quality"
Their signals pass through a DVR, and I'll bet if they disconnected it things would be better!

 

[zhenya01]

That could be what's happening with my relatives TV. They have a Panasonic which has GOT to be at least 8-10 yrs old.

I was trying to rescan for channels, and managed to get WIVB back...since it seemed they hadn't scanned it since it switched RF channels again.

They're right in the center of the city and trying to watch the US channels is very frustrating. WGRZ is the only steady one. 23 and the 49's are rarely there, and although the 51's are more consistent now, it "jumps" all over the place. Another thing I noticed when scanning....it showed a reasonable signal for the 56's...but ZERO "quality"
Their signals pass through a DVR, and I'll bet if they disconnected it things would be better!

Any "extra" passive connection introduces at least 2dB loss, plus whatever processing DVR does. Some of these channels are so marginal in terms of signal strength that such little "extras" make a big difference.
What I am confused about is that my 2010 Panasonic G-series plasma had 56.x locked in solid, but no 51.x channels. 2011 and 2019 Sony TVs have 51.x locked in solid, but no 56.x. I think I just read on how to check signal strength on my new Sony TV, so I will check dB level of 56.x when I'll get home.

 

[Trawnna]

Hello folks, I know its been a while since there's been anything on this tread but - quick question. Is Star Ray still functional, or am I searching for a lost relic.

I heard about the legend of a strange pirate TV station in East York, and Rabbitears.info says it should come in for me, but I've never picked up a sniff of a signal on RF22, even when I lived on the 19th floor and could look out and see East York in the distance.

Just a case of the transmitter being too low, low powered, and me being too far out of the core? Or is it no more?

 

[NYota1]

Hello folks, I know its been a while since there's been anything on this tread but - quick question. Is Star Ray still functional, or am I searching for a lost relic.

I heard about the legend of a strange pirate TV station in East York, and Rabbitears.info says it should come in for me, but I've never picked up a sniff of a signal on RF22, even when I lived on the 19th floor and could look out and see East York in the distance.

Just a case of the transmitter being too low, low powered, and me being too far out of the core? Or is it no more?

Forgive me! I don't live there (anymore) and hopefully you'll get the answer you want from someone who does. But, is that the station which was known as ch.15? Last time I visited my niece's family (just north of Yonge & Bloor) which was "pre-repack" they picked it up fine from their rooftop Clearstream. As I remember it was showing old movies late-night. Interesting little station!

 

[Trawnna]

Yes it's allegedly virtual channel 15.1 broadcasting on RF22, but I'm not picking anything up sadly.

 

[dhett]

Did some research; Star Ray TV posted a towercam shot dated 2 Apr 2021, so there's a pretty good chance it's still up and running. You'd need to be within the coverage area to pick them up, and it's pretty restricted, so it might be that you're too far away. I thought the CRTC shut them down years ago, but it looks like Jan Pachul has continued operating on RF 22, virtual 15.1, despite the CRTC's refusal to grant him a licence. I sure wish him all the luck in the world.