In what location can you receive the most "Over the air' channels?

[schmave]

Toronto has to be one the most unique situations in the broadcasting world, other than some European countries, where not only do they get their own local broadcast fare but stations from another country. From what I can read, signals from Buffalo can reach that city without much difficulty, save for the Batavia ION station. In some areas, people have trouble receiving the local NBC and FOX stations. With tropo, Torontonians could receive stations from Erie, Cleveland, Syracuse, Rochester and even from places like Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Detroit. Compared with them, Montreal and Vancouver don't enjoy nearly as much access to American stations because of topography and signal strength.

This is what I see as the Toronto OTA lineup:

WGRZ (NBC) Buffalo - 2.1, 2.2 (Universal Sports) and 2.3 (RTN)

WIVB (CBS) Buffalo - 4.1, no subchannels, obviously

CBLT (CBC) Toronto - 5.1, also has analog 5 until 8/2011

WKBW (ABC) Buffalo - 7.1, no subchannels

CFTO (CTV) Toronto - 9.1, analog 9 until 8/2011

CHCH Hamilton - 11.1, analog 11 until 8/2011

WNED (PBS) Buffalo - 17.1, 17.2 (PBS-SD), 17.3 (Thinkbright)

CICA (TVO) Toronto - 19 analog, will switch to digital in 2011

WNLO (CW) Buffalo - 23.1, no subchannels

CBLFT (SRC) Toronto - 25.1, analog 25 until 8/2011

WNYB (TCT) Jamestown - 26.1, 26.2 (TCT-HD)

WUTV (Fox) Buffalo - 29.1, supposedly TheCoolTV will be on 29.2 soon

CIII-TV-41 (Global) Toronto - 41.1, 41 analog until 8/2011

CFMT (Omni) Toronto - 47.1, 47 analog until 8/2011

WNYO (MNTV) Buffalo - 49.1, 49.2 (MNTV-SD)

CKXT (Sun TV) Toronto - 52.1, 52 analog until 8/2011

CITY (CityTV) Toronto - 57.1, 57 analog until 8/2011

CJMT (Omni-2) Toronto - 69.1, 69 analog until 8/2011

I'm not including the ION station in Batavia, which is Tropo-only for Toronto, the low-power stations nor WNGS, which is still in the middle of sorting itself out.

Some Canadians even prefer watching American stations over the air because of the programming choices and no simsubbing.

Windsor is even in more of a weird situation because all the stations from Detroit and Toledo blast into the area and there are only a few Canadian stations available.

Someone from Windsor or who knows about the area please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe at one time cable in that area offered stations from Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland in addition to Windsor locals. The last time I looked, they had all Windsor and Detroit stations and a lot of the U.S. stations Canadians get across the board (i.e. the local WGN, Peachtree TV) but I don't remember seeing much from Toledo or Cleveland.
I think the Toledo and Cleveland stations are carried in other areas along the north shore of Lake Erie. Especially from Windsor, it's not a long hop ... Toledo's towers are only about 40 miles across the Lake and Cleveland's are maybe 110?

 

[Robnoxious]

Trip is correct.
Latest scan on my set in the Los Ageles DMA shows a total of 95 (this includes subs)

Holy Cow. 95 channels for free. That's incredible. You Win!

Before we give him the prize, are there any spots where you can get both LA and San Diego stations? I make those two cities 111 miles apart, so some theoretical mid point would be 55 miles or so from each.

I know nothing about the intervening terrain (I'm British)

Well, I suppose people in South Orange County (Irvine to San Clemente) with a very good and tall outdoor aerial on a rotor could technically receive both LA and San Diego/TJ. There is a small mountain range south of Irvine that makes reception in Mission Viejo/San Juan Capistano difficult from the North AND the South (that would be pretty close to dead middle distance wise).

In the analog days, the Summer inversion layer would allow San Diego to come booming in as clear as a local for me in Long Beach. Since the digital switch, I haven't received a whisper of the San Diego VHF's (8 & 10) that used to appear quite frequently. I have received Fox 5 KSWB (RF 19) a couple of times but the antenna array is so vastly different to the Mt. Wilson towers that nothing else but it would come in so it's not worth the effort for me. San Diego also doesn't have the advantage of having all the towers in one spot like the tower farm on Mt. Wilson so a rotor would imperative to get a signal lock on the 3 different San Diego blowtorch locations including LA in the opposite direction. Just read the San Diego HDTV reception threads on avsforum.com, even the locals are having a bear of a time getting all of their locals in SanD.

And again, while 95 stations is quite large, 75% of that number are foreign language subs that I do not speak/understand. Some channels are redundant (KXLA, KJLA, KVMD are sister stations that carry each other on one of their subchannels). The rest fall into a hodgepodge of 24/7 informercial barker channels and Godcasters which don't float my boat. Strictly English speaking commercial (and PBS) channels puts the "real" number at around 27.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

Let's mix this up a bit and talk about locations not in large markets like Los Angeles, but in areas where you can get stations from a number of markets.

There are places around here that you can - with a reasonably modest antenna - get stations from the Cleveland, Youngstown and even Pittsburgh markets, with a side of Erie PA.

 

[kenrayc]

Several areas between San Francisco and Sacramento including Vallejo, Fairfield, Pittsburg, Vacaville, and Santa Rosa where all San Francisco/San Jose and Sacramento/Stockton/ Modesto stations are all receivable with an outdoor antenna.

 

[David67]

My parking lot at work in Chattanooga in good,I can hear stations from Knoxville,Nashville,Birmingham and Atlanta.

 

[Smoke Talker]

I did a re-scan on 6 July 10 at 0730MT & I came up with 31 (including sub-ch's) channels, which also had KCDO in the bunch (FINALLY!!) but may be short-lived due to tropospheric ducting between my location in North Denver & the XMTR location near Ft. Morgan, some 60 miles away. I believe it was PAT COOK who in an earlier posting, posted a link to the "O T A HDTV" Page (then dated 6APR10) on my Web Site: www.RMRondyNews.com I have since updated (6 July 10) the Page to include the info provided by TRIPINVA on ch's 28.1 thru 28.5 & KETD-DT 53.1 & 53.2 -- thanks much!! The info on KDEO-LP 23.1 thru 23.4 is correct verified thru the station GM.

 

[JackBauer112]

Several areas between San Francisco and Sacramento including Vallejo, Fairfield, Pittsburg, Vacaville, and Santa Rosa where all San Francisco/San Jose and Sacramento/Stockton/ Modesto stations are all receivable with an outdoor antenna.

I lived in Patterson from 2005-2010, and with my OTA, I could pick up stations from Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto along with Fresno/Visalia Merced, 1 station from Salinas/Monterey (KSBW 8), and before the analog shutoff, I was able to recieve KNVN, KHSL, KGET and KUVI from both Redding and Bakersfield. However, it's a bit hard,so basically I would only get stations from Sacto and Fresno since that time. Works but now I live up in Western Washington now and I do get stuff as translators of Seattle and some Portland stations (KGW, KATU, KPTV, KPDX) but it doesn't really matter since I get Comcast in the mountain ranges in Western Washington but they are mainly translators of KING, KOMO, KIRO, KCPQ, KMYQ, KSTW, KGW, KATU, KPTV and KPDX.

 

[JeeperOne]

Dude, Pat, I run a website for this stuff, you should give it a look some time.

If you post the URL, I'm sure everyone will take a look at it

Channel 28 is KLPD-LD.

This must be one I'm not even aware of.

Channel 53 runs Estrella TV on 53-1 and LeSEA on 53-2.

Noticed that as I was rummaging though the Comcast provided channel guide. That said though, it is weird. I wonder why KWHD is run like that. Putting Latin programming on over English programming? Either they were losing $$$ as an English Indie or they're showing guts for choosing Latin programming over English programming.

How can KMGH not be right? I guarantee it is.

I don't doubt that KZCO is available as one of their HD subchannels (They do promote the station in the credits after each of their newscasts). But what I don't get is why they simply don't have NewsChannel 247 on 7.2 (Or elsewhere in the HD lineup for that matter) since Comcast has it along with the subchannels of the other stations. That's what I was getting at.

Cheers

 

[JeeperOne]

For Pat Cook in Colorado: Who exactly is KCDO-DT channel 3? Is it the old KTVS-TV from Sterling, CO?

Yes. KCDO is the old KTVS 3 from Sterling, CO & (After a cup of coffee with America One) is now an affiliate of the RetroTV (RTV) Network.

The station is owned by the same company who owns KGWN 5 (CBS) in Cheyenne, WY (Who produces the 10:00 PM news after receiving it from an anchor team in - Of ALL places - IA!! I'm thinking Cedar Rapids, IA but am not sure on that).

Cheers

 

[JeeperOne]

I did a re-scan on 6 July 10 at 0730MT & I came up with 31 (including sub-ch's) channels, which also had KCDO in the bunch (FINALLY!!) but may be short-lived due to tropospheric ducting between my location in North Denver & the XMTR location near Ft. Morgan, some 60 miles away.

It should also be noted that KCDO is carried on Comcast & DirecTV here in Denver for all to enjoy though I have little doubt that some in the Northern suburbs can also receive it OTA as well.

JFYI.....

Cheers

 

[rjoc]

How about the top of Mount Washington?

Theoretically, you would be able to receive the Portland, Burlington, Boston, Bangor, Sherbrooke (Canada), and Montreal stations with a large, amplified, roof mounted antenna. However, there would be a good deal of signal overlap.

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=9fbe185bc1da28

As a side note, here in RI, I get the Boston and Providence stations for a total of 16.

That large amplified roof mounted antenna wouldn't last long atop 6,288-foot high Mount Washington..But I bet the crews at the Weather observatory there get pretty good reception with an indoor antenna up there. And without any interference from the old Analog WMTW Channel 8.

 

[Apollo7979]

Richmond, Indiana was always a pretty good spot for picking up full-power stations from the Indianapolis, Dayton, and Cincinnati areas. The last time I checked reception from that area was in the era of analog television. Someone else would have to fill you in on how many subchannels can be received and whether their reception in Richmond carried over to digital.

WDTN 2 (NBC) Dayton

WAVE 3 (NBC) Louisville, KY –came in a good portion of the time due to the low dial position. Probably non-existent in Richmond now.

WTTV 4 (CW) Bloomington/Indianapolis

WLWT 5 (NBC) Cincinnati

WRTV 6 (ABC) Indianapolis

WHIO 7 (CBS) Dayton

WISH 8 (CBS) Indianapolis

WCPO 9 (ABC) Cincinnati

WKRC 12 (CBS) Cincinnati

WTHR 13 (NBC) Indianapolis

WPTO 14 (PBS) Oxford, OH—had spotty reception even though the transmitter was 25 miles away. Tower moved to Cincinnati when the station went digital. WPTD's sister station.

WPTD 16 (PBS) Dayton

WXIX 19 (Fox) Cincinnati

WFYI 20 (PBS) Indianapolis

WKEF 22 (ABC) Dayton

WNDY 23 (My) Indianapolis

WBDT 26 (CW) Dayton

WTTK 29 (CW) Kokomo, IN--a satellite of WTTV used to fill the coverage gap in the northern portion of the Indy TV market. From what I understand, this station's transmitter is now in the tower farm on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

WLIO 35 (NBC) Lima, OH

WHMB 40 (Religious) Indianapolis

WKOI 43 (TBN) Richmond

WTLW 44 (Religious) Lima, OH—came in most of the time

WRGT 45 (Fox) Dayton

WCET 48 (PBS) Cincinnati

WIPB 49 (PBS) Muncie, IN

WXIN 59 (Fox) Indianapolis

WSTR 64 (My) Cincinnati

 

[schmave]

Richmond, Indiana was always a pretty good spot for picking up full-power stations from the Indianapolis, Dayton, and Cincinnati areas. The last time I checked reception from that area was in the era of analog television. Someone else would have to fill you in on how many subchannels can be received and whether their reception in Richmond carried over to digital.

WDTN 2 (NBC) Dayton

WAVE 3 (NBC) Louisville, KY –came in a good portion of the time due to the low dial position. Probably non-existent in Richmond now.

WTTV 4 (CW) Bloomington/Indianapolis

WLWT 5 (NBC) Cincinnati

WRTV 6 (ABC) Indianapolis

WHIO 7 (CBS) Dayton

WISH 8 (CBS) Indianapolis

WCPO 9 (ABC) Cincinnati

WKRC 12 (CBS) Cincinnati

WTHR 13 (NBC) Indianapolis

WPTO 14 (PBS) Oxford, OH—had spotty reception even though the transmitter was 25 miles away. Tower moved to Cincinnati when the station went digital. WPTD's sister station.

WPTD 16 (PBS) Dayton

WXIX 19 (Fox) Cincinnati

WFYI 20 (PBS) Indianapolis

WKEF 22 (ABC) Dayton

WNDY 23 (My) Indianapolis

WBDT 26 (CW) Dayton

WTTK 29 (CW) Kokomo, IN--a satellite of WTTV used to fill the coverage gap in the northern portion of the Indy TV market. From what I understand, this station's transmitter is now in the tower farm on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

WLIO 35 (NBC) Lima, OH

WHMB 40 (Religious) Indianapolis

WKOI 43 (TBN) Richmond

WTLW 44 (Religious) Lima, OH—came in most of the time

WRGT 45 (Fox) Dayton

WCET 48 (PBS) Cincinnati

WIPB 49 (PBS) Muncie, IN

WXIN 59 (Fox) Indianapolis

WSTR 64 (My) Cincinnati

By this token, Wilmington, Ohio would be an interesting location too - about 50 miles from both Cincinnati and Columbus and only 30 or so miles from Dayton. I believe the Columbus stations get the short end of the stick as far as carriage in that area.

 

[dhett]

Channel 53 runs Estrella TV on 53-1 and LeSEA on 53-2.

Noticed that as I was rummaging though the Comcast provided channel guide. That said though, it is weird. I wonder why KWHD is run like that. Putting Latin programming on over English programming? Either they were losing $$$ as an English Indie or they're showing guts for choosing Latin programming over English programming.

There is no KWHD. Last month, Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association (LeSEA) sold the station to Liberman Broadcasting, who renamed it to KETD. Liberman created and operates Estrella TV, making KETD a network O&O, so it is a logical move. LeSEA scores a bonus for keeping their network on a secondary subchannel.