It's high up on google when you search for the topic - that's how I found the site initially.

I think people from the area find the site when looking for more imformation.

There's no significant problems here, the reason rotors are so heavily used is we're in an area where you can potentially get stations from two markets. Buffalo, with all of the American networks, and Toronto, with all of the Canadian ones.

The Buffalo stations are pretty strong, so those up in Toronto can pull them in with a decent antenna, in addition to their own. The Toronto stations are in comparison pretty weak, the only one I can get reliably is CBC.

For those in the cities or suburbs looking to get their own market, you don't need much. But when you're trying to get both Toronto and Buffalo stations - and they're in different directions - then a rotor is necessary. And because the distance between the two cities is about 60 miles line-of-sight, and the distance to some transmitters is 70+ miles, a decent setup is needed to get both sets of channels.

Ernie, The Buffalo-Toronto area has always been a big OTA place. I vividly remember in the 70's my father having a rotary antenna installed on top of our house in Buffalo. CBC was the only station for hockey back then as the USA stations and networks pretty much shunned the sport. I would spend hours in front of the TV turning that rotor to see what could be picked up. I remember one night at 4 in the morning when WKBW would go off the air, then suddenly channel 7 from Detroit came in. I sat there amazed watching Madonna's 1st video! I tried for a few weeks thereafter trying to get Detroit again but no dice.. . Also have memories of watching the R rated films that CHCH (Hamilton channel 11) would televise at night. I think 9 (CFTO) did the same thing back then too...


Nowadays I live in an apartment and have to make do with a homemade 4-bay bowtie pointed towards the CN tower. I do have Time Warner here but prefer the OTA channels. It bowtie works great and pulls in CBC at full strength. One day I'm gonna sneak in the attic here and rig up everyones unused 2nd CATV jack with a homemade bowtie of Hoverman... :-)

Hello,

i am posting my reception results of my new CM4221 installation.

My results:
I get "every" channel listed in the toronto / buffalo listing.
My HDTV reception meter gets ~ 40-90% signal for those channels.

Toronto channel comments:
CBC+Fr,CTV, OMNI1+2 all get > %60 reception.
Global and CITY get only %40 - %50.

Hamilton channel comments:
CHCH and SunTV get %50 - %60 reception.

Buffalo/Grand Island channel reception comments:
WNLO, WGRZ, WIVB,WKBW all get %50 - %70 reception.
FOX, PBS, WNYO get amazing %70 - %90 signal.


"Great" results as far as I am concerned.


The setup details.........
1- I live in Niagara falls Ontario, (McLeod area)
2- After experimenting, the antenna is facing North ~ 330'
3- the CM4221 (old model)
4- a radio shack preamp used on cm4221
5- antenna is mounted on my chimney mast ~ 30' up (~ 5' above the roof line).
6- have a OMNI antenna on the same mast,,, ready for VHF.
7- LG 37" HDTV with ASTC/QAM with a reception signal meter.

I tried combining the cm4221 with the OMNI antenna. But, reception is better when not combined. At least I am prepared for those future VHF channels.

What i am very surprised at is,,,, the cm4221's reception of the buffalo stations. I thought this antenna was very directional ? The antenna is now facing north ~N 330'. Considering its facing north, I never thought I would get such good results for those southern buffalo stations.

My hat goes off all for the help I received from RC forum members.


michael

Good results. You'd probably do better with a different preamp - seriously, that Radio Shack stuff often adds more noise than amplification.

Bowtie antennas aren't especially directional compared to yagis.

Hi Daniel,

thx for the reply.

TV Antenna's are very interesting "again" for the consumer.
Although I have tinkered with only a few antenna's, this new CM4221's reception is really pleasing. The performance and cost combination is a real winner!

I had stored that radioshack preamp from a previous setup. I don't know who the real manufacturer of this preamp is. But, so far I am satisfied.

I decided to install an ABC switch to choose either cable, CM4221 or the OMNI antenna. I think this is as good as its going to get with my present hardware.

Combining the cm4221 and the OMNI did not give me good results. But, after listening to a few replies on another thread, I added a switch. Nice!

Michael

Is that Omni designed for UHF as well? That would probably be the problem. Not to mention that I think your 4221 is supposed to have some reception of hi-VHF.

Hi Daniel,




Yes the OMNI is a UHF as well.
This OMNI antenna is a Radioshack model thats about 10yrs old.
But, its really made by Mini-state / Antennacraft.
Link below.

[Link: antennacraft.net]

Yes, tried a few things recommended by most but, the result s were conclusive with the hardware that was present. The signal was best when the cm4221 worked solo with a preamp.

michael

Well, the summertime anomaly has returned again.

For me I can't get WNED on the outdoor antenna, on the HTPC, switching its MDP-130 to Ant2
and using the starter indoor antenna solves the problem.Conversely, in the den on the workstation with its'
identical MyHD I rigged some #20 stranded around the window,tied it to the posts of a 300to75 ohm adapter,
then coupled with a length of coax to the Ant2 input and BINGO it was able to record Tuesday's NOVA.

location,location,location + multipath

:-\

I also proved to myself that I probably didn't need an amplified outdoor in the first place.

I'll stick a "me too" in here as well!


I finally saw that scrolling banner for the changeover to NBC-Universal sports today.

The DX reception seems to be a little weak this year. I did however log Syracuse & Utica (WKTV 29DTV, 235 miles) from my location last weekend. I've yet to pick up any DTV on Ch7-13.

I've always had poor Buffalo reception in warmer weather. Usually from March until October or November. Based on my recent experience, I suspect a newer tuner might help.

Hi Daniel. I have a similar long term weather related OTA experience to your experience. In the winter I can't receive WGRZ at all but as temperatures rise, how often I can get WGRZ also slowly rises until I can receive it almost all the time in late May or early June. At the moment WGRZ is available to me 1/4 to 1/2 the time when I check that station.

However, the situation is reversed with CHCH. I can reliably receive that station in the winter but as soon as the snow is gone, I can't get that station at all.

Daniel,

WNYO has recieved approval to digital transmit on 49 instead of 34! [Link: hraunfoss.fcc.gov]

I pull WNYO-TV on 49 pretty well from analogue but never get a sniff on 34-1 on digital so I have hope here. My question is, what does the new contour and power look like?

Wow, I live just outside of Buffalo and this is the first time I've heard about this. Interesting.. . Thanks for the info alebowgm.

The only downside is that it'll be moving back to the old transmitter site.