DTV reception report and questions-SW Fla.

[vibe]

I have a small seasonal home in Englewood FL and cable is not a reasonale option. My living room setup consists of a 2003 or so Sony flat screen, 27" but VG sound. I have a converter box and a 50 cent indoor RCA antenna from the 80's. The antenna sits atop an inverted waste basket and a 3 foot box about 10 ft above ground level in a N facing window.
With that setup (and w/o moving the antenna) i get the 7 majors from Ft. Myers-about 36 mi SW all the time. Or a total of 16 channels.
But I also get a number of Tampa stations (from 60 mi) in up until 9-10 AM and after 5PM or so including virtual channels 28 ABC, 62, Spanish, (100% of time ) as well as 38 (MY TV) and ABC 40 (about 50-60% of the time). I also get PBS 16 about 30-50 % of the time but strong enough to enjoy an occasional program.

But my questions are:
1. Why no VHF stations such as NBC 8, CBS 10 and Fox 13? Are the VHF's THAT bad? Or is it my rabbit ears?
2. Why no other but similar strength stations such as 22,32, and 44 the latter 2 occasionally lock on for most of 1 night but not the next?
3. Other than the 2 reliable Tampa channels (28 and 62) are the other Tampa stations and ABC 40 from Sarasota considered some form of "tropo lite" reception?
4. Why absolutely no tropo?
Putting a large VHF antenna on the roof dosen't seem to make much sense as I may or may not get the Tampa VHF's. So I'm stuck with a weird but somewhat reliable "system."
But input is more than welcome. Happy Holidays-vibe

 

[cd637299]

Sure. Well I'd say that Englewood/Sarasota is that awkward area----you really need an outdoor antenna, I'd say, to get consistent Ft. Myers and/or Tampa reception.

I own a Channel master CM 3020 & amp CM 7777 that I ordered from www.solidsignal.com . I do think that although the antenna is generally great on all channels (I think it's the best out there as far as covering the whole spectrum), it does seem to me that the VHF channels (RF that is) don't seem to have quite the pull that the UHF's get.

It is possible that because sooooooo many DTV stations now are on UHF, the newer antennas may stress the UHF part more. I don't know.

I have received Texas UHF's across the Gulf from South FL, but I think that my farthest Tropo catches are 8 WFXI NC, 11 WTVD NC & 11 WYES New Orleans.

cd

 

[EJ204]

My family has a lakeside summer cottage about 100 miles north of Boston. What you describe is what we also experience. We get ABC, NBC and CBS reliably from Portland ME, plus ABC Manchester NH and the NH PBS and Ion stations.

But when it comes to Boston stations, some nights many come in, even a couple from Providence, some nights only CBS and NBC come in, some nights none can be seen. And when I say night, I really mean an hour or two after sunset to an hour or two after sunrise. I don't know why it takes a while after sunset to get Boston or why, after the sun is up, I still get Boston till 8 or even 9am.

You're right that VHF stations just don't carry like UHF stations in the post-digital era. For a while the NBC station in Boston was on both Channel 7 and Channel 42. I was able to get both but the reception on 42 was better. They eventually got the FCC to let them cancel 7 and stay only on 42.

You're lucky that in Englewood FL, pointing your antenna roughly north gets you the Fort Myers stations around the clock and the Tampa stations at night. You don't have to do a lot of antenna adjusting. But I'm amazed at how precisely we have to adjust our antenna. Just pointing to the general area doesn't cut it for some stations. Being an inch or two off is the difference between getting a great signal and no signal.

Luckily the previous owner invested in a good rooftop antenna and rotor from the days when cable or satellite were not options. Like you, we just don't use the place enough to warrent year-round cable or satellite. Plus we don't want to watch that much TV anyway... just a show or two at night and some news is enough.

As for tropo, in analog days, we got channels from Memphis, Norfolk and other Southern cities for a short time, especially when there were thunderstorms to our south. But I think tropo only goes from south to north. And so far in the digital age, I haven't seen anything that far away.

 

[EJ204]

Correction... I thought Englewood was near Naples. Actually you are halfway between Fort Myers to the Southeast and Tampa to the North. So if you installed a rooftop antenna, you'd also need a rotor or you'd lose your Tampa stations.

 

[gar hi]

I'm in Tampa and even I sometimes have problems keeping a steady picture on our DTV channels.

I have one of those flat made for DTV antennas with a plug in booster.

When there's rain in the area, the channels break up, go away, and come back constantly.

But I think tropo only goes from south to north.

Not at all. My best tropo catches from here have been Houston and Brownsville, Texas.

 

[cd637299]

Well, as I have stated on this board in other ways----

We can be glad that there are no full power VHF stations in FL on the lowband channels 2 to 6!!* With rare exceptions, I don't think that there is one DTV station that is happy to be on one of those channels!

WPVI in Philly wants off of DT 6 so badly, but there is no other channel to move to. WTVF Nashville recently moved from 5 to 25, although they still run a 5 at low power to serve some areas. WMC Memphis is on 5, but I understand that DT 17 will be their home in the future. WRGB Schenectady moved from 6 to 39. Anyway I am sure that there are more examples.

WTSP in St Pete/Tampa is supposed to have a translator on DT 4, to serve areas that DT 10 no longer serves, after their tower move.

[* WSBS DT 3 in Key West FL had a license for full power, but it has not come to pass. It is possible that the CP has lapsed. 3 is indeed on the air in Key West, but at flea power.]

cd

 

[vibe]

Thanks for all the replies, I'm afraid that if I installed a rooftop antenna, I still might not get the Tampa VHF"s on CBS,NBC, and Fox. Plus it would be overkill since the Fort Myers ones are completely reliable 24/7. Plus ABC Tampa on 28 is always reliable for Tampa news at dinnertime.
The only purpose of a rooftop setup and rotor would be to DX and to have a few more Tampa UHF's all the time. Or if I change TV's and the new one (w/o a converter box) doesn't have the same pulling power.
VHF may work in some areas but I haven't heard of any.