What is Fox6's current OTA status?

[ButtonPuncher]

Hi,
I just got finished putting up a shiny new Winegard PR-7032 antenna on my parent's roof. I am getting INCREDIBLE signal levels. My average analog signal level is about +29dBmV. (I was freezing so I didn't get the digital levels.) I am currently at 100% on all stations on a MIT MDP-200 STB.

The only station that I can't get is 6. I used antennaweb and found that there is about a 25 degree seperation between all of the normal stations transmitters and 6's. The antenna's specs have a 51 degree beamwidth on channel 33.

Why am I not seeing anything? Are they off the air? What hieght and power level are they transmitting at?

Thanks in advance.

BTW, I will post all of my signal level readings for everone's reference for the New Berlin area.

Later,
Ben

[Gregg Lengling]

They are on the air(maybe) but they have an STA to transmit at extremely low power and from only 125' at their studio tower. Don't feel bad I think there are only a handful of the 500 plus on this site that can receive them. And those people are either in Brown Deer (by the site), southern Mequon or eastern Germantown. They do have the feedline for the main tower...but I wouldn't hold my breath about them getting it up before spring....I don't think it's going to happen.

[ButtonPuncher]

Thanks for the info Gregg. I'm surprised that they are only at 125'. Why did they even bother? Just for testing?

I'll get those signal levels posted in a few...

BTW, this smiley rocks. :rock: LOL!

Later,
Ben

[wxndave]

Ben,

Are you feeding a +29 dbmv to just one STB? You really should pad it down. You really need a 0 dbmv on channel 63 and let the rest fall where they may. You may need 2 band splitters and some pads. I had to do that with my antenna at home in Greenfield. My set up is a Radio Shack VU-190. I had a +19 dbmv on channel 63 at the antenna. I still had enought left over after spliting it to 4 ways. Send me an email with the numbers.

Dave

[John L]

ButtonPuncher Says

Thanks for the info Gregg. I'm surprised that they are only at 125'. Why did they even bother? Just for testing?

To meet the FCC deadline of getting a Digital signal on the air. They would have held off, I'm sure, if they had too. But as long as they got a digital signal on the air, no matter if its 1 watt or 100 kW...to meet the FCC deadline. Same with WVTV and WCGV...the fact they haven't aired anything nor do HD, they concerned themselves to get on the air meeting the FCC demands. But with WCGV and WVTV they were actually late in getting on the air, the FCC was nice to allow them extensions.

-John L.

[ButtonPuncher]

Thanks for the info guys.

I know that the +29 is pretty darn hot. I'm thinking about adding a 10dB pad but I'm worried about loosing 58-DT. I am only getting them at -11.4dBmV. Here's a quick rundown of my levels:

4=+28.4
6=+25.8
8=+15.9
10=+28.0
12=+25.5
18=+28.1
24=+25.7
25=-0.8
28=+18.4
33=-20.3
34=+10.9
35=+10.1
36=+26.1
40=+17.8
41=+10.0
46=-11.4
58=+23.2
61=-1.9
63=+6.7

**edit**These readings are through about 80' of Belden 9116, not directly from the antenna.**edit** All of my readings were taken using a Sadelco DisplayMax 800. The digital readings are an average sweep of the entire channel.


Dave,
I'm at my parent's right now. I'll type them into Excel and send them to you when I get home.


BTW, I hope that everyone is having a good Thanksgiving!

Later,
Ben

[ButtonPuncher]

Dave,
I forgot to ask... Are you having any problems receiving 58 (46) on your HiPix card? My card tunes it in, displays a 84 signal strength but it only shows a black screen. My parent's MDR-200 shows it just fine. All of the other stations come in just fine.

Later,
Ben

[wxndave]

Ben,

I found my signal readings from when I put the antenna up in the spring. I have a Radio Shack VUX-190 and about 50 feet of RG-6 feedline mounted on a 10 foot tripod. Located by Greenfield high school. I added a 2 band splitters and a 12 db pad on the VHF leg. By doing this I reduced channel 4 down to a +19.3dbmv. The antenna was peaked for channel 63.

Yours Mine
4=+28.4 +32.7
6=+25.8 +35.3
7= -12.5
8=+15.9 +13.7
10=+28.0 +25.5
12=+25.5 +28.0
18=+28.1 +23.9
22= -17.7
24=+25.7 +22.2
25=-0.8 -4.6
28=+18.4 +10.7
30= +8.7
33=-20.3 -27.8
34=+10.9 +10.1
35=+10.1
36=+26.1 +24.5
40=+17.8
41=+10.0 +9.4
46=-11.4 -11.25
58=+23.2 +16.2
61=-1.9 -17.5
63=+6.7 -1.3


Dave
HDTV Tweaker

[ButtonPuncher]

Hi Dave,
Wow, those are some nice levels. Especially with a radio shack antenna. ;)

Well, fortunately TWC is changing HD boxes. I have a shiny new Pioneer BD-V3500HD HD Cable Box. I picked it up a couple of weeks ago and found out that it puts out 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i. This is perfect for both my RCA MM36100 and my parent's MM36110. My mom returned the MIT HD OTA deocder as soon as I told her about the TWC box. We can actually get Fox in HD!!! Woohoo!

Later,
Ben

[Joseph S]

My mom returned the MIT HD OTA deocder as soon as I told her about the TWC box.

Why? I don't see the benefit. In just a few months without cable she has a device free of fees. I prefer my HiPix (and MyHD) HD PVRs, but in place of that the MIT STB or the Samsung SIR-Ts are good deals especially compared to the cable money pit. My next HD device will likely be a S-IRT

Unless the newer HD Cable Boxes allow firewire recording I'll be dumping my HD Cable soon due to a lack of HDNET, ESPNHD, fiber CBS connection, HBO P&Sing until the Sopranos starts again. (then I'll probably dump it once more)

They also keep dropping digital stations into the crappy analog band like National Geographic and Disc Health.

I'm not watching Fox anyways due to their status as not being a non-OTA station aside from the 9 volt!!!! The Pats won't be on Fox either for it's not an issue for the playoffs. :D

[ButtonPuncher]

My Mom did it because they already subscribe to the full HBO and Showtime packages. It didn't make sense to pay for a $400 HD OTA STB when the digital cable box that she was already paying for could do the job. Yes, I know that she can't record it and TWC throws bits away on their HD channels, but that's what she wanted.

Also, she has RoadRunner internet service. If she changed over to Dish, TWC would charge her $10/month extra to have the RR service without any cable service. ....friggin crooks.... :mad:

I personally have the 3500 box for viewing 58 and 6 in HD. I can't normally get these over my apartments crappy antenna system. I also have my HiPix for recording.

Dish is a nice idea but I would rather stick $600 into a new cylinder head for my car. ;)

Also, keep in mind that we are only watching a EDTV 480p image. If I had a new $3k set that could actually do 1080i natively, I would probably switch to dish.

Later,
Ben

[Bebop]

Switch over to Earthlink cable and you don't have to pay extra.

[GBK]

The idiots at TWC can't get my HD channels working. They rewired everything from the main line coming into the house and still nothing but drop outs and freezes. Also they don't charge extra for RR they'll just put a filter on a connection so you won't get any channels above 3 from cable. RR works fine.

I cancelled the useless Digital (Mostly Marketing Hype) cable just left the RR. and went with OTA much better except for useless Fox.

[Tom Snyder]

I think that what Button Puncher is referring to is that you get a $10 per month discount on RoadRunner if you subscribe to a cable package above just basic. ISP's like Earthlink and AOL offer high speed cable Internet at a lower rate than TWC but use the TWC cable for their connection. Pretty sure that if you shop around, you may get a rate equal to or lower than TWC RR's discounted rate.

[borghe]

according to their pricing sheet they just sent, and from what I have known, you don't get any such discount... Currently road runner is $45 a month for everyone except for subscribers of the top package (and maybe second from top). They save either $5 or $10 month.. don't remember which, but it might be only $5 (I think they get it for $40).

Earthlink is a better deal all around unless you get the top cable package in which case it is a wash.

Not 100% sure but this is what I remember from the pricing sheet included with my internet bill...

On a ranting note, I finally just got a credit from TWC for my road runner for the last year... It appears that if the price goes up they will automatically adjust your bill, but if the price goes down, apparently YOU are responsible to take care of it, even though they aren't responsible for informing you about it.. needless to say, I just got 12 months credited at the difference plus another month difference credited to boot... arrgghhhh... it sounds good, but it took me three days, 4 CSRs, and two managers to do.. arrgghhh....

[StarvingForHDTV]

I saw the Earthlink price on their sheet with my bill. I hope that price they printed does not come true.

Starving

[mhz40]

Originally posted by GBK
The idiots at TWC can't get my HD channels working. They rewired everything from the main line coming into the house and still nothing but drop outs and freezes. Also they don't charge extra for RR they'll just put a filter on a connection so you won't get any channels above 3 from cable. RR works fine.

I cancelled the useless Digital (Mostly Marketing Hype) cable just left the RR. and went with OTA much better except for useless Fox.
It's too bad about your HD troubles.... How many service calls did you end up with? What did the tech tell you when he left on the last service call? Usually techs should escalate problems to their supervisor or field personnel if the problem is not in the home wiring (#1 problem). Not sure why that didn't happen in your case...