Coverage, What Coverage?

lastone · Post by **lastone** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 6:23 pm

So today's TV is Soooo bad, eh?

How about no coverage past 35 mi next February!

From Broadcast Enginering

http://broadcastengineering.com/hdtv/DT ... s20080212/

Duh....

sportsvoice · Post by **sportsvoice** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 6:27 pm

I'm probably less than 15 miles from the local tower farm, but every time the wind blows the multipath from all the trees in the neighborhood kills my OTA reception of the local DTV signals. This happens even when using a directional outdoor antenna.

Sucks because Dish doesn't have HD Local-into-local yet.

Kitesgot · Post by **Kitesgot** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:43 pm

Channel Master USED to put out a UHF parabolic dish (with aluminum tubing to shape the 'dish'--------and I installed many of them. It's VERY high gain--------probably twice what you could do with a standard UHF antenna.

Trust me on this, that antenna, with the proper 100 dollar pre-amp, and possibly a rotor, will open a new world of television.

genlock · Post by **genlock** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:47 pm

Add a decent, hilltop location to get more than 10 channels or so.

Otherwise, forget it.

Dave Loudin · Post by **Dave Loudin** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:11 am

tvfool.com - Longley-Rice predictions to your home!

I've had pretty good luck with DTV for 60 miles away from DC. Now I see why.

Cameron · Post by **Cameron** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:28 am

Eh, it's content easily-replaceable by what the 700MHz band will deliver a year after the transition.

Bob Campbell · Post by **Bob Campbell** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:12 pm

What's all this shit mean in English?

Arp2 · Post by **Arp2** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:24 pm

Bob Campbell wrote:What's all this shit mean in English?

I'm curious, too.....

I've been hoping the magic of digital is what will free me to go beyond my TV market, if I so choose, by simply putting back up an antenna.

And I don't know nuthin' 'bout that other stuff, either.

Kitesgot · Post by **Kitesgot** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:37 pm

Yes, of course you have to have some signal there to allow that Channel Master Parab to do much----but-----if you have SOMETHING and that's the only place you can install an antenna---THAT thing will get it done. PLUS--it takes VERY LITTLE signal to get a lock on Digital TV. I know it sounds bass-ackwards, but you can get a good lock with very low signal on Digital TV----but if that signal was analog it would be practically un-watchable.
THAT is what I mean about using that parab to get a few more DbMv's out of it.

Kitesgot · Post by **Kitesgot** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:41 pm

AND---- *ahem* to further my point, Channel Master also makes a really good high-gain bow-tie UHF antenna, that is a little less obnoxious than the parab. My best friend put one up near Elkins, and has full run of ALL of the Pittsburgh Digitals and sub-channels, including HD. ONLY one channel is problematic IF it's raining hard or snowing.

THAT-------is a long, long way.

But-----on the field strength meter, if he were trying to pick up analog UHF signals, you wouldn't even mention a possibility of watching them because the signal is too weak------doesn't seem to take much to get a lock in digital.