[DVW]

Is anybody getting OTA HDTV in Freeport, IL? What antenna are you using?


DVW

 

[VP/Engineering]

Hi, while I'm not in Freeport I am in Rockford (NE side). I am able to get WREX-DT OTA using a small set-top antenna (Silver Sensor by Zenith/Antiference bought at Circuit City) and a Samsung SIR-T151 tuner. Furthermore, believe it or not, I have reliable reception for WISC-DT (CBS), WKOW-DT (ABC), WHA-DT (PBS) and sometimes WMTV-DT (NBC) all from Madison (58 air-miles away)!


I'm the VP for Engineering for the company that owns WIFR, channel 23 in Rockford and we should be up with a DTV signal in within 2 weeks and you should be able to get us as well as WREX. I'm not sure what the story with WTVO channel 17 or WQRF the FOX station is.


By the way, once we are up with WIFR, we will be upconverting our normal programming to 1080i and passing through true HDTV from CBS when it is provided. As you may know, not all CBS programs are available in HD, but if it is...you'll get it.


...OOPS, I just looked at your location and I take it all back! You will not be getting any Rockford, Illinois area HDTV from your location in New York!

 

[dynamohum1]

A big antenna with a rotor would be the ticket in your location, I think some Rockford stations are up, Chicago may be a stretch depending on how high your house is and how high you can mount your antenna, I am not sure about Iowa and Wisconsin stations, try 100,000watts.com and check cities within 60-70 miles or so.

 

[LINDELLTOM]

I think he should have meant Freeport, L.I. not IL

 

[Dan Burgess]

Hmm, he wrote "Freeport, IL" twice, so I'm not sure if it was a typo. Maybe he has a family member in the area.


Thanks to the WIFR engineer for posting here. Many of us are looking forward to the debut of WIFR-DT, and although I'm skeptical about my possible reception of your signal, it will be good just to see more digital stations on the air as the transition continues.


Some of the Chicago stations are really booming from the skyscrapers downtown; you might want to try a tall antenna and a rotor on top of your house to see if you can get them. I'm having fun with mine, although since October my distant reception has disappeared. dynamohum1, are you able to get Chicago or Cedar Rapids anymore?

 

[DVW]

Yes, I did mean Freeport, IL. I'm checking it out for a relative. Thanks for the info.


DVW

 

[kuma]

Quote:

Originally posted by VP/Engineering I'm the VP for Engineering for the company that owns WIFR, channel 23 in Rockford and we should be up with a DTV signal in within 2 weeks and you should be able to get us as well as WREX. I'm not sure what the story with WTVO channel 17 or WQRF the FOX station is.

WTVO channel 17 is digital channel 16 and has been up and running for about a month now.