Pasco County reception

[emmis]

I live around the Hwy41/54 intersection and was wondering what antennas I would need to get all the DT channels. I realize a joiner would probably be required on a separate antenna for CBS. Any recommendations appreciated.

Has anyone tried an omnidirectional (http://www.channelmaster.com/images/3000.jpg)antenna from this area? Do they work well without being connected to a power source?

Local vendors with decent prices?

Thanks for your help!

[lawtyger]

Hi Emmis!

I just found this forum today after reviewing the AVS forum. Unfortunately, I don't have the answers to your questions since I'm brand new to HDTV and find myself in the same situation as you. I'm building a house at 54 and the Veteran's expressway. We are trying to decide whether we should get a Mits with an integrated tuner or not (but don't want to spend the money if we end up not get good OTA signals).

Did you ever get the answers to your questions or get a antenna system set up that works for you? I'd be really interested in knowing since we are heading the HDTV route and I'm also trying to talk my parents into upgrading to an HDTV set (and the also live down the street from you - Lutz Lake Fern & 41 area).

Thanks,
Chris

[emmis]

just posted it. Would love some feedback. good luck with your setup. get the mits with the hd tuner. you wont regret it.

[lawtyger]

just posted it. Would love some feedback. good luck with your setup. get the mits with the hd tuner. you wont regret it.

Emmis. . . this may be a dumb question but where exactly did you post it? :roll:

Thanks.

[gtodd01]

Emmis and Lawtyger...

I think I have the answer for you.... I live in Ivy Lake Estates 54 and Suncoast Parkway also, and I used a Jensen TV 940 antenna, and was able to get pretty much everything, except FOX.... I had to jostle the antenna around a little bit to pick up FOX. I have since changed to cable, because I was having some issues with my DirecTV HD receiver. But the Jensen antenna is the way to go in this area.

[lawtyger]

I think I have the answer for you.... I live in Ivy Lake Estates 54 and Suncoast Parkway also, and I used a Jensen TV 940 antenna, and was able to get pretty much everything, except FOX.... I had to jostle the antenna around a little bit to pick up FOX. I have since changed to cable, because I was having some issues with my DirecTV HD receiver. But the Jensen antenna is the way to go in this area.

To say that I am jumping out of my seat with excitement would be an understatement because you've just given me hope that we will be able to get OTA HD. We are building right now in Ivy Lakes Estates with MI and are due to close sometime in January. It is great news to hear that you are also there and able to pick up HD OTA (other than Fox). We are also going to get BHN but since MI is about to frame the house we were thinking of pre-wiring it for an antenna to get CBS in HD as well as leave the door open for satelite in the future.

Hope you are enjoying Ivy Lakes and hope you are enjoying HDTV.

Chris

[jaymer]

hi chris,
thx for the direct email, but i'm glad you got your Qs answered here as well. be sure to let us know how your custom wiring and final solution works out. you'll certainly have more Qs once you are in there. glad to have you aboard.
jaymer...

[OccamMD]

emmis. I live at 54/41 also, I can give you my configuration if you would like. PM me and let me know whereabouts you are at the intersection.

[emmis]

could you post your config so everyone can benefit from this sharing of information? Thanks.

[tampagirl]

Just to verify, we also have the Jensen, and live at 54 and Collier. We have to move it a bit here and there, but its sleek and looks good, without the expense/trouble of an attic or outdoor antenna.

[jaymer]

Tampagirl...

hi, and welcome to the group.

so you're saying you are at 54, and with the Jensen amplified antenna, you are getting all the Riverview stations, including 3.5 (pbs), 8.1 (nbc) and 12.1 (fox) specifically, and you move your antenna when you want to get CBS, which is also fine.

correct?

thx
jaymer...

[tmfaber]

Just added DirecTV HDTV with the Samsung tuner. They upgraded the dish to the triple LNB and put an antenna in the attic. I'm getting everything I want except 44-1. Not sure what antenna the tech put in the attic -- I plan to check this weekend. He said he thought I'd be lucky to get 1 or 2 channels, but I've got 3, 8, 10, 13 in HD. So I'm picking up Riverview and Holiday. The tech said he had been using a directional antenna, but changed to more of an omnidirectional one. The antenna is laying on top of the insulation in the attic and so I think there may actually be room for improvement.

[lawtyger]

Thanks Tmfaber,

If you can find out the exact type of antenna beging used I would be very interested. I'm going to be living a little farther West than you but the info may prove helpful.

Thanks.

[bdraw]

Just added DirecTV HDTV with the Samsung tuner. They upgraded the dish to the triple LNB and put an antenna in the attic. I'm getting everything I want except 44-1. Not sure what antenna the tech put in the attic -- I plan to check this weekend. He said he thought I'd be lucky to get 1 or 2 channels, but I've got 3, 8, 10, 13 in HD. So I'm picking up Riverview and Holiday. The tech said he had been using a directional antenna, but changed to more of an omnidirectional one. The antenna is laying on top of the insulation in the attic and so I think there may actually be room for improvement.

I find it very odd that you are having trouble picking up 44-1, their transmiter is on the same tower as 3-5 and actually mounted right above it. They also use more power, than almost anyone in the TampaBay area. Maybe you have a multipath issue.

[tmfaber]

I have a sense of what that means, but can you explain "multipath" please? If that is the case, how would I correct it? Thanks...

[bdraw]

I have a sense of what that means, but can you explain "multipath" please? If that is the case, how would I correct it? Thanks...

Multipath happens when you are recieving the same signal twice but at different times. The signal actually bounces off something and you get the original signal and the signal that bounced off. As a result your tuner gets confused and you won't pick it up. If it were an analogue signal you would just see a ghost. I am sorry but I don't know how to fix it.

Try this link, I found it by searching google for multipath uhf

Most indoor and outdoor DTV reception problems I've investigated are caused by a combination of low signal levels and high multipath. This is often a fatal combination. Usually, the fix involves changing to another antenna with higher gain or a more-directional pattern and/or adding a preamp to boost overall signal levels. If a DTV set-top receiver gets a strong signal with a fair amount of multipath, its internal equalizer circuits can often clean up the signal enough to ensure good reception. Similarly, a weak signal with little multipath can also be locked up reliably.

http://www.hometheatermag.com/accessories/156/index3.html

[passedpawn]

If it were an analogue signal you would just see a ghost. I am sorry but I don't know how to fix it.
I did a OTA analog, OTA digital, cable analog faceoff a couple of months ago. In case anyone gets tired of the bad cable picture, try looking at the totally f***ed colors and ghosting on the OTA signals... makes cable look not too bad.

Anyhoo, you can try to get rid of the multipath by simply moving the antenna. If you can, move it about 1/2 the wavelength towards (or away from) the known broadcast antenna. Not so hard, really.

You might remember from physics that the wavelength is equal to the speed of light divided by the frequency, or w = c/f. The speed of light is about a 915 million feet per second. Also, the frequency of channel 44 digital is 743Mhz (million hertz, or millions of cycles per second). So, the wavelength is:

wl = (915,000,000 / 743,000,000) feet, or about 1.23 feet, which is 15 inches.

Try moving your antenna half of this (7-8 inches), towards Riverside. Note that by moving it 15 inches, you will accomplish nothing... gotta move it HALF the wavelength to overcome the affects of multipath. BTW, I have never tried this, or known it to be tried... it just occured to me to make sense. Good luck.

[tmfaber]

Thanks for the multipath answers. I got into the attic this weekend to see what DTV did. They installed a "MetroStar" omnidirectional antenna which was lying upside down on a piece of insulation over a rafter almost directly above the TV in the middle of the house. As that's not exactly an easy place to get to, I simply relocated it. I moved it about 25 feet toward a more convenient attic spot that I can easily reach. I reoriented it face up and elevated it about 4-5 feet higher placing it right below the roof. I'm getting 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 8-1, 10-1, 13-1, 28-1, 32-1, 44-1, 47-1 (Spanish), and 66-1!!! 10-1 is at 100% and nothing else is less than 78%. :lol:

[passedpawn]

Thanks for the multipath answers. I got into the attic this weekend to see what DTV did. They installed a "MetroStar" omnidirectional antenna which was lying upside down on a piece of insulation over a rafter almost directly above the TV in the middle of the house. As that's not exactly an easy place to get to, I simply relocated it. I moved it about 25 feet toward a more convenient attic spot that I can easily reach. I reoriented it face up and elevated it about 4-5 feet higher placing it right below the roof. I'm getting 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 8-1, 10-1, 13-1, 28-1, 32-1, 44-1, 47-1 (Spanish), and 66-1!!! 10-1 is at 100% and nothing else is less than 78%. :lol:

That's pretty impressive with an omnidirectional antenna in the attic in Pasco. As there is always "something more" to try for, channels 12(Fox) and 22 (CTN - Christian TV Network) are still lurking out there. I don't know how you feel about CTN, but I'm sure you will want to try to get Fox.

Here's the whole line-up:
Call Actual Virtual
Letters Channel Channel Network Freq (MHz) Ant. Site
------- ------- ------- ------- ---------- ---------
WFLA-DT 7 8 NBC 177 (VHF) Riverview
WTVT-DT 12 12 FOX 207 (VHF) Riverview
WMOR-DT 19 32 IND 503 (UHF) Riverview
WCLF-DT 21 22 CTN 515 (UHF) Riverview
WTSP-DT 24 10 CBS 533 (UHF) Holiday
WFTS-DT 29 28 ABC 563 (UHF) Riverview
WXPX-DT 42 66 PAX 641 (UHF) Riverview
WEDU-DT 54 3 PBS 713 (UHF) Riverview
WTTA-DT 57 38 WB 731 (UHF) Riverview
WTOG-DT 59 44 UPN 743 (UHF) Riverview
WFTT-DT 47 47 UNI 671 (UHF) Riverview

Call Actual Virtual
Letters Channel Channel Network Freq (MHz) Ant. Site Live Date
------- ------- ------- ------- ---------- --------- ----------

Soon...

WUSF-DT 34 ? PBS 593 (UHF) Riverview May 01 '03

Maybe for folks in St. Petersburg ???...

WWSB-DT 52 ? ABC 701 (UHF) Sarasota Now LIVE!

[RadYOacTiVE]

Looking to pick up a OTA indoor antenna as backup to cable and really just for the hell of it. I'm also in the 54/Suncoast area. I can pick up the Jensen TV940A for pretty cheap on ebay, just looking to see if anyone has any other suggestions since this thread is so old.


Thanks,
Eric

[BlackCatt]

Looking to pick up a OTA indoor antenna as backup to cable and really just for the hell of it. I'm also in the 54/Suncoast area. I can pick up the Jensen TV940A for pretty cheap on ebay, just looking to see if anyone has any other suggestions since this thread is so old.


Thanks,
Eric

I live a mile west of 54/41 and can pick up almost all the OTA channels using an old Radio Shack double bow tie indoor antenna (Thanks to Jaymer). I actually get much better reception at this house with that antenna than my old house located in Westchase.

[bestboy4]

Hello All,

I just heard of this forum, and think it's frickin' awesome. I'm new to the Tampa area. I've been here less that a year. I live in Lake Padgett Estates, about a mile north of the 41 and 54 intersection.

I just bought a Radioshack outdoor antenna. Funny thing is, I get all local channels, even 10, if I point it torwards Tampa, but if I turn it towards the broadcast towers I don't get anything. It seems I have a multipath problem. All channels appear to be bouncing off the scyscrapers in Tampa, and are coming in stonger than any broardcast tower. I'm guessing due to the fact that they are taller than the towers. I have a very senitive Dish Network DVR 942 as my set top box. This multipath problem, for the most part, is not really a problem except for at night. At night I get signal loss, especially in the winter months. I talked with some RF guys I work with, one from Channel 8 News, and they say that I am probably receiveing signals that not only bounce off the buldings in down town Tampa, but also that have bounced off the stratosphere. The change in that stratosphere between day and night also changes the angle of the multipath signal, which inevitably causes me to loose signals at night.

I believe the only answer to my delima is to have two highly focused antennas, like a yagi, pointed toward the broadcast towers. One for channel 10, and one for all the others. This would hopefully cut out the multipath signals, and hone in on the true broadcast signals, which would then be steady and not drop out at night.

Andrew B.

[Bschneider]

Welcome Andrew to the forum.

I believe you are correct that you are having multipath issue. May I suggest one of these antennas: http://www.winegard.com/offair/platinum.htm

I have two myself w/ a jointenna and never have had any problems.

[Dknow]

A channel 24 jointenna is a must in this area.

[bestboy4]

Thanks for the welcome, and the suggestions. Now I have to convence my wife to put another antenna on the roof.

Have any of you ever been thrown off by the Tampa skyline?

[Bschneider]

I personnally haven't had a problem with the skyline but I do know of some that did have problems.

[HDGator]

I live in south central Pasco...using an RCA omni-directional amplified antenna that I just put up in the attic. From what I can tell, I pick up all the digital/HD channels available in the Tampa/St.Pete area. I have seen minor freezing/pixelation issues, but I am hoping that may be due to the heavy storms that were around at the time. My OTA is basically just a back-up to my Bright House cable, but I am very glad that I have it, and may use it mostly during football season.