Tampa Area OTA Reception/Driving Me Nuts!

[smthsaln]

Okay, so it's a short drive! Trying to get the Tampa HD station OTA, I can get all but the NBC signal, which is located at the same location as some of the other network transmitters, which are only 2.1 miles away. I tweaked, tweaked, and tweaked some more, any suggestions? Here is the info from antennaweb:

* yellow - uhf WUSF-DT 16.1 PBS TAMPA FL 183° 1.6 34
* yellow - uhf WTTA-DT 38.1 WB ST. PETERSBURG FL 182° 2.1 57
* yellow - vhf WTVT-DT 12.1 FOX TAMPA FL 163° 3.9 12
* yellow - uhf WTOG-DT 44.1 UPN ST. PETERSBURG FL 183° 1.6 59
* yellow - uhf WEDU-DT 3.1 PBS TAMPA FL 183° 1.6 54
* yellow - vhf WFLA-DT 8.1 NBC TAMPA FL 182° 2.1 7
* yellow - uhf WCLF-DT 22.1 CTN CLEARWATER FL 181° 3.6 21
* yellow - uhf WFTT-DT 50.1 TFA TAMPA FL 182° 2.1 47
* yellow - uhf WMOR-DT 32.1 IND LAKELAND FL 181° 3.6 19
* yellow - uhf WFTS-DT 28.1 ABC TAMPA FL 182° 2.1 29
* yellow - uhf WXPX-DT 66.1 PAX BRADENTON FL 181° 3.6 42
* green - uhf WVEA-DT 25.1 UNI VENICE FL 181° 3.6 25
* lt green - uhf WWSB-DT 52.1 ABC SARASOTA FL 200° 22.6 52
* red - uhf WTSP-DT 10.1 CBS ST. PETERSBURG FL 310° 37.2 24
Note:

[mjones73]

What are you using for an antenna? I'd guess it's VHF only...

[smthsaln]

Well, I had a squareshooter that wasn't working worth a damn, a friend picked up a cheap UHF only antenna from Radio Shack (15-2160) that works great at his house on his Sony HD receiver, mine is a Dish Network 811 HD receiver. So I'm now trying the Radio Shack antenna, everything but NBC on 8.1.

[mjones73]

My mistake, I misread the first post that you were only getting NBC. You are using a UHF only antenna, NBC is broadcast on VHF channel 7, you most likely need a UHF/VHF combo antenna. At 2.1 miles, a basic indoor combo should work just fine...

[smthsaln]

Then why am I able to get this with my UHF antenna:

WTVT-DT 12.1 FOX TAMPA FL 163° 3.9 12

but not this:

WFLA-DT 8.1 NBC TAMPA FL 182° 2.1 7

Both show VHF

[smthsaln]

I was under the impression that the digital broadcasts are always transmitted in UHF, am I wrong?

[Ratman]

The higher the VHF band, the better possibility using a UHF antenna (in some cases).

You can probably combine this antenna with the UHF only antenna:

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F003%5F001%5F001%5F000&product%5Fid=15%2D236

[Ratman]

I was under the impression that the digital broadcasts are always transmitted in UHF, am I wrong?

I many cases that's true, but not all. It's not mandantory.

[smthsaln]

What's contributing to me pulling out my hair is my friend gets the station with the exact same antenna! If anything would think it would come in with the Squareshooter.

[Ratman]

Sometimes... that's just the way it is.

I do agree, the SqS should work, as long as it wasn't the SqS2000 (amplified model).

[smthsaln]

No ratman, it's the non-amplified model, I think it's the 1000, I've been trying it in the attic, (where my friends works just fine) maybe I need to get it outside.

[mjones73]

The SS is UHF only just like your RS antenna. Most UHF antenna's can pick up the higher VHF band stations which is most likley why your getting 12 and not 7...

[smthsaln]

Thanks guy's, appreciate the responses, I'll try to either add a VHF antenna or replace it with a UHF/VHF model.

[Ratman]

The SS is UHF only .. .

Nope... it's VHF/UHF.

SqS = Square Shooter
SvS = Silver Sensor


http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?main_cat=03&CAT=&PROD=SS-1000#MORE

[smthsaln]

This is why, like R.E.M. says, I'm Losing my Religion! I know being up in the attic I'm going to lose some of the effectiveness of the antenna, but all the damn towers are extremely close together, within a few miles. I'd sure rather not mount the antenna outside!

[Ratman]

You shouldn't have to go outdoors unless you have a metal roof/siding, which may mess with your reception.

Otherwise... try the simple/cheap dipole as suggested and see shat happens (for your VHF channels).

[mjones73]

Ratman, let me clarify, it's a high band VHF/UHF antenna. The low band VHF reception is supposed to be horrible on it. It should be able to get 7 though, maybe he needs to experiment with moving it around his attic a bit...

[Ratman]

Agreed that although the VHF reception is poor with the SqS, at 2 miles... tweezers should work.

smthsaln:
Note the last paragraph in the link below:
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/SquareShooter.html

[tigerbangs]

The tip-off here, fellows, is that's he's in Florida, AKA God's Waiting Room, where much of the home construction is concrete block and stucco. Stucco uses a wire mesh to hold the stucco to the wall, and that wire mesh plays havoc with TV and radio reception. Additionally, concrete has a much higher water content to it than does wood construction, like we use in the Northeast. Concrete tile roofs have a similar effect. The combination of these elements will foil just about any reception, even stations as close as two miles away: VHF stations, especially low-band stations 2-6 are especially badly affected by CBS type construction. Any indoor antenna is going to have one hell of a time doing anything with a TV signal under those conditions. The solution? An antenna mounted outdoors and aimed at the transmitters. As we all became cable TV consumers over the last 30 years, we have often forgotten the limitations of OTA TV signals

[Ratman]

The solution? An antenna mounted outdoors and aimed at the transmitters.

As always... no arguement. Just working the way "up the ladder".

[telacomes]

You may want to try this RCA antenna also, it is pretty cheap at Wally Word and Target and does both VHF/UHF just fine for me. http://www.rca.com/product/viewdetail/0,2588,PI700447-CI209,00.html?