Digital TV in Central CT

[ansky212]

How is reception of the New Haven digital stations (8,59) in central CT? I picked up a converter box for a relative that lives in Farmington. I put his address into antennaweb.org and it says that he would need a rooftop antenna to get channel 59 and 8. Does that sound reasonable? The analog signal for both of these stations comes in fine.

 

[tripinva]

Use tvfool.com instead, antennaweb is REALLY conservative. It used to be pretty accurate, but they changed the formula a few years back and now it is over-cautious about what you'll receive.

- Trip

 

[KML0224]

Here in the south end of New Britain, WTNH-DT (ABC) is acceptable. However, WCTX-DT (MY) is hit or miss unless I have my set of telescoping roads tilted off the back of the TV just right. A roof antenna is impractical with the house I'm in.

 

[ansky212]

While we're on the topic, do any of the Springfield digitals come in? From Farmington, analog 22 comes in pretty well, 40 is a bit snowy but watchable. 57 is basically non-existent.

 

[KML0224]

I lived in the east end of New Britain back in 1991. Back then channel 22 was almost as clear as channel 30. Channel 40 was a bit snowy, but was still in color and watchable. Channel 57? I don't remember. Coming back to 2008, I've never received even a hint of the Springfield/Holyoke stations in digital. Heck, I can't even get a stable enough signal of WFSB-DT from my own market!

 

[smaug07]

I live about 20 miles west of Worcester, Mass. in an elevated town and I can receive most Connecticut digital stations fairly well. I have no problem receiving WFSB-DT on channel 33, WVIT-DT on channel 35, and WUVN-DT on channel 46. I could not receive WTIC-DT on channel 31 at all with my old digital box, but my new television receives this station regularly. I have no hint of WTNH-DT on channel 10 now, although I have received this station in the past. Springfield reception is very strong here. I'll bet once analog is shut off next year, and digital stations start broadcasting with more power, a lot of you in central CT will be able to get to some Springfield stations. WWLP, channel 22, broadcasts on channel 11 digitally, and I think it is not on full power because of channel 11 in New Hampshire and New York. Its transmitter is just over the border in Feeding Hills, Mass., so when they start broadcasting at full power many of you should be able to get it. WGGB, channel 40, is further north on Mt. Tom in Holyoke, and may be a bit tougher to receive, but when analog gets shut off, and they move to a lower dial position, you may be able to receive them as well. As for WGBY, channel 57, they are broadcasting at their full power, which isn't much, and they transmit from Holyoke as well. I doubt you will be able to get this station even after the digital transition. Even though I'm from Mass, I enjoy watching the CT stations and watch them fairly often. Do any of you from central CT get any digital stations from outside your area, such as New York City or Providence? I doubt anyone would get Boston, but maybe someone in the northeast section of the area might.

 

[tripinva]

Springfield reception is very strong here. I'll bet once analog is shut off next year, and digital stations start broadcasting with more power, a lot of you in central CT will be able to get to some Springfield stations. WWLP, channel 22, broadcasts on channel 11 digitally, and I think it is not on full power because of channel 11 in New Hampshire and New York. Its transmitter is just over the border in Feeding Hills, Mass., so when they start broadcasting at full power many of you should be able to get it. WGGB, channel 40, is further north on Mt. Tom in Holyoke, and may be a bit tougher to receive, but when analog gets shut off, and they move to a lower dial position, you may be able to receive them as well. As for WGBY, channel 57, they are broadcasting at their full power, which isn't much, and they transmit from Holyoke as well. I doubt you will be able to get this station even after the digital transition. Even though I'm from Mass, I enjoy watching the CT stations and watch them fairly often. Do any of you from central CT get any digital stations from outside your area, such as New York City or Providence? I doubt anyone would get Boston, but maybe someone in the northeast section of the area might.

WWLP is already at full power, though they could apply for more power after the FCC lifts their freeze. Their current power is what they'll be doing for the forseeable future.

WGGB will be reducing power slightly but moving up almost 100' which should help improve some reception problems there.

While I'm not in CT, I doubt severely that people in Connecticut can see Boston. A lot of the channels have overlapping frequencies that make such reception difficult (WVIT-30/WBZ-DT 30, WTXX-20, WCVB-DT 20, etc).

I have a feeling that there will be another move of stations before all is said and done. A lot of stations are packed really close together and some of these issues could be resolved with a few frequency shuffles.

- Trip

 

[DJKraze]

I have multiple antennas and a combiner and an amp, and in order to get the various digital stations, I have to pull one off and put another on to switch between being able to get WTNH, WEDN, and WGGB.

I have it currently configured for Option 2 (WGGB), here's what I get:

WFSB 49% - no picture/sound (strange, I usually get it better)
WTNH 39/40% - no picture/sound
WTXX 87%
WHPX 9% - no picture/sound
WVIT 92%
WGGB 59/60% - occasional blocks and choppy audio during daytime peak, other times much stronger signal.
WUVN 89%
WEDN 9% - no picture/sound
WTIC 91%
WWLP 9% - no picture/sound
WCTX 0-9% - no picture/sound (never got this one)
WGBY 9% - no picture/sound

Now the same list with Option 1 (WTNH)I have it currently configured for Option 2 (WGGB), here's what I get:

WFSB 49% - no picture/sound
WTNH 64%
WTXX 77%
WHPX 24% - oddly enough, comes in fine even as low as 17%
WVIT 84%
WGGB 9% - no picture/sound
WUVN 89%
WEDN 56%
WTIC 74% - occasional signal dropouts
WWLP 45% - no picture/sound (needs a retweaking, I can get WWLP on this config)
WCTX 0-9% - no picture/sound (never got this one)
WGBY 0-9% - no picture/sound

WFSB usually has a signal in the 80's with option 2, and I can get WGBY at times during the night and with some antenna tweaking.

 

[smaug07]

Springfield reception is very strong here. I'll bet once analog is shut off next year, and digital stations start broadcasting with more power, a lot of you in central CT will be able to get to some Springfield stations. WWLP, channel 22, broadcasts on channel 11 digitally, and I think it is not on full power because of channel 11 in New Hampshire and New York. Its transmitter is just over the border in Feeding Hills, Mass., so when they start broadcasting at full power many of you should be able to get it. WGGB, channel 40, is further north on Mt. Tom in Holyoke, and may be a bit tougher to receive, but when analog gets shut off, and they move to a lower dial position, you may be able to receive them as well. As for WGBY, channel 57, they are broadcasting at their full power, which isn't much, and they transmit from Holyoke as well. I doubt you will be able to get this station even after the digital transition. Even though I'm from Mass, I enjoy watching the CT stations and watch them fairly often. Do any of you from central CT get any digital stations from outside your area, such as New York City or Providence? I doubt anyone would get Boston, but maybe someone in the northeast section of the area might.

WWLP is already at full power, though they could apply for more power after the FCC lifts their freeze. Their current power is what they'll be doing for the forseeable future.

WGGB will be reducing power slightly but moving up almost 100' which should help improve some reception problems there.

While I'm not in CT, I doubt severely that people in Connecticut can see Boston. A lot of the channels have overlapping frequencies that make such reception difficult (WVIT-30/WBZ-DT 30, WTXX-20, WCVB-DT 20, etc).

I have a feeling that there will be another move of stations before all is said and done. A lot of stations are packed really close together and some of these issues could be resolved with a few frequency shuffles.

- Trip

That's a good point about the overlapping frequencies. It is very bad where I am at because I can receive good reception from both Connecticut and Boston. In fact, digital channel 31 has both FOX 61 out of Hartford and FOX 25 out of Boston allocated for it. What Einstein thought that one up? For a long time I could not receive either FOX station on digital 31; now I can get FOX 61 if I aim my 8-bay roof antenna just right. The overlapping frequencies have made analog reception a joke. I used to receive WVIT, channel 30 very well until WBZ, channel 4 started broadcasting on the frequency for its digital programming; now it is very snowy. And WTXX, channel 20 in Waterbury came in reasonably strong as well, but now I can't get it at all thanks to WCVB in Boston. One would think that the FCC could have drawn this up a bit better so as not to disrupt regular analog reception, but I guess when it comes to greed (i.e., auctioning off the frequency spectrum), they just want their money.

 

[tripinva]

That's a good point about the overlapping frequencies. It is very bad where I am at because I can receive good reception from both Connecticut and Boston. In fact, digital channel 31 has both FOX 61 out of Hartford and FOX 25 out of Boston allocated for it. What Einstein thought that one up? For a long time I could not receive either FOX station on digital 31; now I can get FOX 61 if I aim my 8-bay roof antenna just right. The overlapping frequencies have made analog reception a joke. I used to receive WVIT, channel 30 very well until WBZ, channel 4 started broadcasting on the frequency for its digital programming; now it is very snowy. And WTXX, channel 20 in Waterbury came in reasonably strong as well, but now I can't get it at all thanks to WCVB in Boston. One would think that the FCC could have drawn this up a bit better so as not to disrupt regular analog reception, but I guess when it comes to greed (i.e., auctioning off the frequency spectrum), they just want their money.

Originally, the FCC assigned WTIC to channel 5. Imagine what kind of mess that would have been (low-VHF digitals are awful). WFXT had wanted to revert to 25, probably for that reason, and the FCC denied it (I never figured out why).

The idea was that the interference was supposed to be temporary, with stations abandoning analog channels and whatnot allowing for the interference to be cleared up. That's not how it worked out, and now we're paying for it. The other problem is that originally only channels 60-69 were to be abandoned, so channels on 52-59 would have been allowed to stay put. No such luck now, and it's causing lots of problems.

- Trip

 

[necrat123]

Originally, the FCC assigned WTIC to channel 5. Imagine what kind of mess that would have been (low-VHF digitals are awful). WFXT had wanted to revert to 25, probably for that reason, and the FCC denied it (I never figured out why).

Because the allotment was too short spaced to DTV channel 25 in Granby, QU. They would have to provide protection via a directional antenna and reduced power in order to keep 25. Staying on 31 was a better option.

 

[ansky212]

I was in Farmington today and connected my Zenith DTV converter box.
I get great reception on channels 3, 18, 30, and 61. 20 comes in but only if the antenna is pointed just right. Do they broadcast at full power? Odd to get poor reception because they broadcast from the same tower as 30 and I'm only about 2 miles from that transmitter.
I get no reception at all on channels 8 and 59. Is that to be expected in central CT? Are these stations at full power?

 

[tripinva]

WTXX-DT is on channel 12, so you need a VHF antenna for it.

Actually, you need a VHF antenna for WTNH-DT as well, they're on channel 10. WCTX-DT is co-located with WTNH-DT on channel 39, but both are further south than the rest of the channels. You may need to reorient your antenna.

To the best of my knowledge, all are at full power until the transition. WTXX-DT will move back to 20 and boost power/height at that time and WTIC-DT will boost power/height. They may do it sooner, I don't remember exactly what's in the filing.

EDIT: I think this might help you out some. For the sake of full disclosure, this is a page off my website, but hopefully it will help you. http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?mktid=36

- Trip

 

[KML0224]

WTXX-DT can't be at full power yet. What about WPRI-TV (CBS) channel 12 in Providence?

 

[ansky212]

I'll have to keep playing around with the antenna. I'm using a pair of rabbit ears for VHF with a bowtie attached for UHF. I get WTNH and WCTX in analog very clear so I'm surprised digital is not coming in.

Is WEDH-DT on the air yet? I'm not getting anything on ch 24.

 

[tripinva]

WTNH is at full power with WJAR right there.

WTXX has done all they're going to do on channel 12 as far as I'm aware. Any further construction on the tower will involve new channel 20 equipment. I remember reading that in their filing.

Right now they're doing 19.2 kW from roughly 650 feet. Their construction permit calls for 1.7 kW from almost 1700 feet. They're not planning to build out anything on channel 12 more than they have now. See Exhibit 4:

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws...xt=25&appn=101231351&formid=387&fac_num=14050

So they may not be at full power technically, but since it's as much power as anyone's going to see before 02/17/09, it might as well be.

To the best of my knowledge, WEDH-DT is not yet on the air. You might want to try for WEDN-DT though. As far as I'm aware, WEDN-DT is on channel 45 (where WEDH eventually will be) and doing 200 kW.

- Trip

 

[pqgeorge]

One particular VHF channel is going to be very interesting, post-transition. Channel 11, currently occupied with WWLP-DT in Springfield, MA, will have a lot of company, post-transition. WPIX-DT is going back to Channel 11, so is WENH-DT in Durham, NH and last but not least WBRE-DT in Wilkes-Barre, PA is moving to channel 11 as well (but locally, 'BRE should not be a factor, but it may be a factor for any future improvements down the road) . There's no doubt that WWLP will lose substantial coverage, compared to their super powered analog UHF-22 signal. I do wonder why WWLP did not opt to flash-cut to DTV-22. The DTV coverage would be comparable to the old analog signal and they could use the existing UHF antenna post-2/17/09. But, DTV-22 is going to WGBY (currently on DTV 58). Once the transition to all-digital is complete, WWLP might need a little boost to cover the existing area. But with so many stations firing up on 2/17/09, there might not be enough wiggle room for them to make any improvements. I hope I am wrong. Maybe Mike (NECRAT) might be able to bring this question up to speed. Mike?

73,

Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
Whitman, Massachusetts

 

[ansky212]

Are digital signals more susceptible to interference than analog signals? I still find it odd that I can get WTNH and WCTX analog very clearly, but not even a hint of their digital signal. Any chance it could be a faulty converter box?

 

[oldschooltv]

EDIT: I think this might help you out some. For the sake of full disclosure, this is a page off my website, but hopefully it will help you. http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?mktid=36- Trip

Thanks for the link Trip. I found some very interesting information on your website. Did I see right, that both WCBS and WFSB will be on DT-33?

Unless I'm wrong or confused by this new technology, that is SUCH a horrible idea. Since I'm about equidistant from both stations' transmitters, what would happen if I dropped cable and put up a roof-top antenna one day? I assume all I'll see is a blurry mess as two stations' signals fight it out? Am I right about this? If so, what the heck was the FCC thinking? Or was this something done by Meredith/WFSB to try to block out NYC stations in Western CT? ???

 

[tripinva]

Thanks for the link Trip. I found some very interesting information on your website. Did I see right, that both WCBS and WFSB will be on DT-33?

Unless I'm wrong or confused by this new technology, that is SUCH a horrible idea. Since I'm about equidistant from both stations' transmitters, what would happen if I dropped cable and put up a roof-top antenna one day? I assume all I'll see is a blurry mess as two stations' signals fight it out? Am I right about this? If so, what the heck was the FCC thinking? Or was this something done by Meredith/WFSB to try to block out NYC stations in Western CT? ???

There was really nowhere else for WCBS-DT to go.

And you won't see a blurry mess, you'll just see... nothing.

I'm hoping that one day WCBS is able to move somewhere else (a channel swap with WFTY-DT maybe? Move WCBS-DT to 23, WFTY-DT goes to 32 or 34?) but it's not looking promising.

- Trip