WHDH-DT Now Simulcasting (recep problems for digital)

WHDH-TV ^ | 06/16/09 | Jim Shultis

[raccoonradio]

FYI- WE ARE NOW UP ON CH 42- PLEASE LET OUR VIEWERS KNOW

We received your recent e-mail regarding our digital channel. We are now simulcasting our digital signal on Channel 7 and on Channel 42 (our pre-transition digital channel). In order to see us on Channel 42, you will need to rescan again. To rescan, press "menu" on your remote. Then choose "auto-scan" or "installation." This begins the rescan process---it may take several minutes to complete this process. Like a number of other stations in cities across the country, WHDH is experiencing signal difficulties following the transition that took place on June 12.

The signal difficulties we are experiencing are a result of post-transition power allocation assigned by the FCC that is not sufficient to maintain the signal strength that we had prior to the transition. We are petitioning the FCC to adjust the technical parameters so that we will be able to improve reception. In the meantime, we will continue to simulcast on Channel 42 so that viewers will be able to receive our signal. We appreciate your patience as we resolve this matter.

[raccoonradio]

Some TV stations across the country are getting complaints about reception—and with digital TV “you either get the signal or you don’t”, no “snow”. Ch 7, the NBC affiliate in
Boston (recently in the news for their decision, since
rescinded, to NOT carry Jay Leno’s new show) lost some viewers who don’t have cable or sat., and couldn’t pick up their new signal.

Before the switch, they were on digital ch. 42. When the switch was made, they shut off the analog signal on Ch 7
and moved the digital signal there. But they had many people who couldn’t pick it up! Supposedly stations like
WPVI/6 in Phila. and WRGB/6 in Schenectedy had problems too.

So, if you got wabbit ears or a rooftop antenna and are
using a conveter or new digital set and can’t get CH 7,
you can rescan and hopefully pick it up on Ch 42.

more info

http://www.rabbitears.info

[netmilsmom]

I’m having problems getting Fox2 downstairs in my kitchen but it’s fine upstairs in the bedroom.

Our channel 50 is fine in the kitchen and gone upstairs.

[fso301]

I love DTV. Probably what I like the most is the way signals from very distant stations can be received over very long distances via tropospheric ducting.

I've received signals from stations 500 miles away. The fun usually begins about 10:00pm each night and ends just after daybreak.

[raccoonradio]

Interesting—someone on a radio board mentioned that.

Years ago I would get some ducting TV reception here north of Boston—stations from Indianapolis or Florida on Ch 2...
the PBS station from the Maine coast would over-ride the Ch 10 (NBC) station from Providence...stations like Ch 41 in
Vermont or Ch 21 NYC/LI would come in, etc.

[netmilsmom]

HOW??????

How do you get those signals? Our freakin’ locals are busted up. We even bought a new 90.00 rooftop antenna!

[raccoonradio]

well I don’t know where I saw the post from someone on a radio board about the digital signals..the ones I mentioned were many years ago, before I even had cable (early 80s?)
and yes it would be weird if people pick up distant signals
(only during certain times of yr and certain time of day)
but local signals couldn’t come in

Almost like an AM station in Boston—due to conditions,
people could pick it up in Finland...but not in certain
parts of Boston! yikes.

[Ptarmigan]

You can make a cloth hanger antenna for much less and get good reception. It works really well for me. Have not had any problems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw

[Ptarmigan]

Same here and also at night. It also depends on the weather condition. If it is clear with low humidity you will get pick up distant signals. Cool stuff.

[OCCASparky]

Now ya’ll are beginning to feel the pain I’ve dealt with in dealing with microwave systems for the last 20 years. Ain’t so friggin easy after all, is it?? Muahahahahahaha...

[netmilsmom]

WOW!!!!!

I grew up in Cleveland and loved when we could get stations from Canada. But those really weren’t too far away.

[BallandPowder]

Reception issues with Digital are related to signal strength. UHF signals don’t propogate as far as VHF.

If you want to try and fix things go here for all things high def television.

http://www.wowvision.tv/

[netmilsmom]

That works?!

With the DTV?
We used to get in stations from Detroit, Flint and Windsor.

Now it’s bad.

[libertarian27]

[Ptarmigan]

Yes, it does work with DTV. Been using it and there is no turning back.

[netmilsmom]

Do you know why that works better than an antenna that we bought?

Just wondering.

[Ptarmigan]

My guess is that it uses a lot of metal, which picks up signals. This is just a guess.

[netmilsmom]

Thanks!

[fso301]

How do you get those signals? Our freakin’ locals are busted up. We even bought a new 90.00 rooftop antenna!

First of all, in the following steps, when I say DTV, I mean standard definition DTV and HDTV. An antenna that picks up one will pick up the other. The DTV signals are broadcast within a band. Most are in the VHF band but some are still in the higher frequencies of the VHF band.

When I say VHF/UHF antenna, I mean an antenna tuned to the upper frequencies of the VHF band and all of the UHF band. By tuning to just the upper portion of the VHF band, the longest element of a "fishbone style" antenna will be about 1 meter. If you already have a full VHF/UHF antenna fine, it will just have considerably longer elements.

Fishbone style antennas are directional and must be aimed with elements horizontal to the ground toward the station. The shorter elements are the front of the antenna and the longer elements are the rear. The front (shorter elements) should point toward the station.

My experience is that the increased gain provided by a directional "fishbone style" exterior antenna will still receive any signals from the side and rear that an omnidirectional antenna will receive.

With that having having been said, let's get on with it!

1. Make sure your TV is capable of displaying the DTV signals. Older sets will need a converter box. I have two boxes. One is an Insignia box from Best Buy and the other is a Dish Networks box. I prefer the Dish Networks box because it has a more ergonomic remote and the menu system is more intuitive. The price was about $50 each.

   An additional thing I like about the Dish Networks converter box is that it remembers all channels it has ever locked onto. At first, this can be confusing because when changing channels, you will see screens appear with station info but no station. What this means is the box has seen a signal there in the past, just not right now. These tend to be the distant stations you only receive at night when atmospherics are right.

2. Determine where to point your antenna by going to www.antennaweb.org Click the "Choose an antenna" button on the main page and fill out the form.

   You don't need to fill out everything in the forms. Just give it your street address and select the housing type, "single or multistory". A color coded list will appear of stations available at your address. Each station will broadcast between 2 to 5 channels. So, if you see four stations listed, figure on easily receiving about a dozen channels broadcast by those four stations.

   The colors correspond to the type antenna you will need. I have found this to be a very conservative list as I easily receive the stations listed as violet and I also receive more stations than are shown in the list for my address.

   My $50 "fishbone style" attic mounted antenna only receives the upper VHF band and all the UHF. It easily picks up even the violet coded stations. The reason I went with a partial VHF is because the DTV signals still in the VHF band are located in the upper portion (higher frequencies) of the VHF band meaning you only need VHF antenna elements about 1 meter long to pick them up. This helps keep the antenna size small wich was important for my attic mount.

3. You will want to point your antenna toward the largest cluster of stations.
4. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TYPE ANTENNA. VHF only antenna's that used to work fine for analog channels probably won't work as most but not all DTV/HDTV channels are now in the UHF band.

   Depending on where you are, you may still have a DTV/HDTV signal located in the upper portion of the VHF band. Since you already have a 90' tower, get a UHF/VHF antenna or if you are confident there is nothing in the VHF band (FM radio is in the middle of the VHF band) of interest to you, get a UHF only. A decent antenna costs about $50. Later, if you get really enthused about DTV, you can add to your system.

5. While testing, stick with a pair of rabbit ears used inside with about 6' of cable. Once you find a signal, then you can switch to your tower system. Depending on how far you are away from the nearest station, you may also need a $50 pre-amp on your tower.

   I don't need a preamp for my main antenna cluster which is 50 miles away using a VHF/UHF antenna mounted inside a third floor attic with 100' of RG-6 cable.

   The signals are rock solid, very strong and stunningly clear. Better than cable signals! Even with aircraft flying directly overhead the signal is rock solid!

   Since you have a 90' tower, cable loss may be a concern but for the moment let's not concern ourselves with that as we just want to get a channel displayed on your set. later we can fine tune it.

6. Click the "Show Map" button on the antennaweb.org page that provided the color coded list of stations to get a graphical representation of where the main station clusters and corresponding antenna headings are.
7. Make sure you have your antenna properly connected to the TV or, in case of a converter box, make sure the antenna is properly connected to the converter box and that the converter box is properly connected to the tv.
8. Make sure you have fresh batteries in the remote
9. Turn on the TV and converter box.
10. A menu should appear on screen.Navigate through the menu until you see something like "Find channels" or, "Search for channels".
11. Select the "Search for channels" option. This may take a minute or two as the box has to scan all available channels.
12. At this point, you should be good to go.
13. If you are in a hilly or mountainous area, don't expect to receive as many stations as people in flatter terrain. I'm in relatively flat terrain and during the day receive 40 stations. At night that can double.

Reply if you need further assistance.

[netmilsmom]

Did you get that info at the Antenna Web site?

We got a 90.00 round, flat antenna from the antenna manufacturer they recommended. We were supposed to be able to split that antenna between our plasma (HD/DTV ready) set and our older model regular tv with the converter box. When my DH tried to do this, the signal was too weak to get any stations on both tvs.

Now that’s on the plasma, and we have sucky rabbit ears for the other.

What do you suggest?