Acceptable registrations in the queue through March 16 at 11:00a ET have now been activated. Enjoy! -M.W.

Terms of Use have been amended effective October 6, 2019. Make sure you are aware of the new rules! Please visit this thread for details: https://www.mibuzzboard.com/phpBB3/view ... 16&t=48619

Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

The technical side of broadcasting. Think IBOC is a sham? Talk about it here! How about HDTV? Post DX reports here as well.
User avatar
SolarMax
Posts: 702
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 5:59 pm
Location: 313

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by SolarMax » Mon Jul 01, 2019 8:53 am

RingtailedFox wrote:
Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:24 pm
WHNE-LD is a low-powered digital station broadcasting from WMYD (My TV 20)'s tower in Oak Park on UHF 20. they're sandwiched between WUDL-LD (at the Renaissance Center) on UHF 19 and WMYD's former location (and WWJ-TV's future home) at UHF 21. WHNE-LD is moving to VHF 3 in the very near future, so... if she's having trouble picking up WJBK Fox 2 (with its rather beefy 27.2 kW transmitter), she's not going to have a snowball's chance in hell of picking up WHNE, even if it runs at a respectable 3 kW.
WWJ-TV's "future home"???
Nope. What gave you that idea?
CBS erected that tower (now owned by American Tower) in 1999 to hold WWJ-TV. Its old and new transmitters remain there, not going anywhere. Same tower still site for WMYD and WTVS, and WHNE.



CK-722
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:53 pm

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by CK-722 » Mon Jul 01, 2019 9:50 am

I think he was referring to WWJ-TV's inverse fourth dimension (1/t) location as their "home", not their (x,y,z) location. Apparently, from 44 (easy to remember because the old WWJ-TV was 4) to 21.


Is THAT where they got the idea for the 486-SX?

Same (x, y, z), different (t)

Your bullet missed my trial balloon.

RTN Price. Not guaranteed. As of 12:30, 157.71 Down 0.22.

Artificial Intelligence is a Child that needs a Parent to guide it through.

User avatar
RingtailedFox
Posts: 229
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 3:11 pm
Location: Windsor, Ontario
Contact:

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by RingtailedFox » Mon Jul 01, 2019 10:23 am

no, i mean becuase of the re-pack, WWJ-TV (CBS 62) is moving to UHF 21. :)


~ The Legendary Raccoon-Fox has spoken!

User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11873
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by MWmetalhead » Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:06 pm

Try the cheap RCA antenna you can get at many big box stores for $10 to $15. Try positioning it in about 10 to 15 spots; even a few inch change in orientation or placement can make a world of difference as far as DTV reception goes!

I also think the amazon.com antenna to which I linked earlier would work quite well, especially if placed in or near a north facing window.



CK-722
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:53 pm

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by CK-722 » Mon Jul 01, 2019 5:29 pm

There's a reason for calling the signal F(L,T). The signal varies with time as well as location. You may find a good spot, but that good spot actually moves around unless you are in a solid standing wave environment. So the good spot constantly moves around. Outside its the same thing. Only if you have a signal that is 10-20 dB stronger to begin with, the variation with location and particularly time, will be less significant.


Is THAT where they got the idea for the 486-SX?

Same (x, y, z), different (t)

Your bullet missed my trial balloon.

RTN Price. Not guaranteed. As of 12:30, 157.71 Down 0.22.

Artificial Intelligence is a Child that needs a Parent to guide it through.

User avatar
Splouge
Posts: 373
Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2015 2:34 pm

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by Splouge » Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:24 am

I'm having trouble with WJBK now too, must be a problem on their end.


"Wanna watch some syndicated slop with very little budget or entertainment value? You got it buddy!"

-Byron "The Broadcast Butcher" Allen

CK-722
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:53 pm

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by CK-722 » Wed Jul 03, 2019 1:32 pm

Even if it is on their end, like running at 1/2 or even 1/10 ERP, if you have an extra 10 dB of noise free gain, it may not be a problem. FM Exciters are on the order of a few tens of watts, and fed into the antenna, are receivable for 20 miles or so. And if you have an outside antenna, 30 or more miles. So don't be dependent on the station running at full ERP. Put the noise free gain where you are in control of it.


Is THAT where they got the idea for the 486-SX?

Same (x, y, z), different (t)

Your bullet missed my trial balloon.

RTN Price. Not guaranteed. As of 12:30, 157.71 Down 0.22.

Artificial Intelligence is a Child that needs a Parent to guide it through.

User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11873
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:06 pm

Menards in Bloomfield Hills starting July 7 has a cheap flat panel indoor antenna on sale for $1.99!!! Regular price is $4.99. It's a grand opening special; not sure if other Metro Detroit stores will have it on sale for that price.



User avatar
mtburb
Posts: 293
Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2015 12:28 pm
Location: Wyandotte, 17 miles from Southfield, 38 miles from Oregon

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by mtburb » Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:38 pm

I have a finishing update: Susan fooled around with her antenna today and got WJBK to come in again! She doesn't know if it will last or not. She announced this two hours ago.


My furthest DTV tropo: KDKA Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 202 miles for three days in January 2017 and a night in September 2017 with only an Antennas Direct C2V!

Current setup: Antennas Direct C2Max (2018-present)

CK-722
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:53 pm

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by CK-722 » Thu Jul 04, 2019 1:46 am

Man, you have to be desperate to fool around with an antenna! :rollin


Is THAT where they got the idea for the 486-SX?

Same (x, y, z), different (t)

Your bullet missed my trial balloon.

RTN Price. Not guaranteed. As of 12:30, 157.71 Down 0.22.

Artificial Intelligence is a Child that needs a Parent to guide it through.

User avatar
SolarMax
Posts: 702
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 5:59 pm
Location: 313

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by SolarMax » Thu Jul 04, 2019 10:17 am

RingtailedFox wrote:
Mon Jul 01, 2019 10:23 am
no, i mean becuase of the re-pack, WWJ-TV (CBS 62) is moving to UHF 21. :)
Duh. Right. :lol



User avatar
mtburb
Posts: 293
Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2015 12:28 pm
Location: Wyandotte, 17 miles from Southfield, 38 miles from Oregon

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by mtburb » Sun Aug 04, 2019 6:52 pm

Surprisingly, there's a new update, disappointing at first but it gets better.

Susan's reception of WJBK had disappeared again, and WDIV and WXYZ had begun messing up as well. Her son came over yesterday and decided to try aluminum foil "like we used to do in the old days." All three channels began coming in again afterward.


My furthest DTV tropo: KDKA Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 202 miles for three days in January 2017 and a night in September 2017 with only an Antennas Direct C2V!

Current setup: Antennas Direct C2Max (2018-present)

User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11873
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by MWmetalhead » Sun Aug 04, 2019 9:15 pm

There has been a lot of tropo inversion activity lately.

There are multiple decent indoor antenna options to be had for under $20 if one lives within 20 or 25 miles of the major TV station towers.

Contrary to popular opinion, the ultra-thin flat indoor antennas seem to work every bit as well as regular rabbit ears for VHF channels 7 to 13, and they work remarkably well for UHF reception.

My worst performing indoor antenna? An amplified UHF loop / telescoping rabbit ears combo from Radio Shack. Bought it in 2006.

Recently tested it against my $1.99 Menards antenna (flat panel style), my $10 GE passive rabbit ears/loop antenna, and my $20 Amazon antenna (flat panel style). It easily was the poorest performer of the four, even with the amplifier on low or medium (it won't work at all if the amplifier is turned off). I actually tossed it in the garbage a couple weeks ago.

Of that group, the Amazon antenna is best.



CK-722
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:53 pm

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by CK-722 » Sun Aug 04, 2019 11:42 pm

Such a small antenna would need a LOT of low noise amplification to outperform a larger similar indoor antenna. One surge will destroy those low noise transistors. Better plug it in to a very high end surge and static protector. It can't possibly outperform a full size decent outdoor rooftop antenna. You're getting into violating the Laws of Physics if you think that can happen.

This article exposes the scams, but I'm not sure if they are substituting one scam for another.

https://stopthecap.com/2018/07/10/misle ... -are-back/


Is THAT where they got the idea for the 486-SX?

Same (x, y, z), different (t)

Your bullet missed my trial balloon.

RTN Price. Not guaranteed. As of 12:30, 157.71 Down 0.22.

Artificial Intelligence is a Child that needs a Parent to guide it through.

User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11873
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: Helping someone get WJBK OTA in SW Wyandotte

Post by MWmetalhead » Mon Aug 05, 2019 7:02 am

The only antenna of the three I kept that comes with an amplifier is the $20 Amazon antenna. In urban areas, it functions better without the amplifier. I've never used it with the amplifier.

BTW, the Amazon antenna has nearly triple the surface area of the $1.99 Menards antenna.



Post Reply Previous topicNext topic