Which Station In Your Area Has the Worst Singal In Your Area??

[landtuna]

In Phoenix, the worst is KSAZ/10, although all the VHFs (it, plus KAET/8 and KPNX/12) have issues occasionally. Even at my location, 5 miles SE of the South Mountain tower farm, 10 cuts out more often than the others. They use sister-station KUTP as an SD quasi-translator on 45.2 (or 10.2, depending on your TV) for a reason.

I'm just a few miles east of KeithE4 and my worst is 8 followed closely by 10. 12 never has been a problem. All of the English-language UHF's have problems from time to time but in general they are more reliable than the VHF's.

 

[fybush]

Pre-digital, it was WTTE-Fox 28 without a contest. I didn't realize how bad it was until I saw Fox programming in another market, and it looked like every other network. Here, it was grainy and dull. Nowadays, Fox looks great.

The advent of DTV allowed for networks to much more closely control the video and audio quality of what their affiliates sent out. Some of the networks (Fox and NBC, for sure) have affiliate contracts that pretty much obligate the affiliate to pass through the network bitstream intact. Fox provides a "splicer" that allows affiliates to insert their logo/ID bug into the network bitstream, but other than that, what comes out of quality control in New York or LA should be exactly what's seen over the air, whether it's in Butte or Miami or Honolulu.

 

[dhett]

In Phoenix, the worst is KSAZ/10, although all the VHFs (it, plus KAET/8 and KPNX/12) have issues occasionally. Even at my location, 5 miles SE of the South Mountain tower farm, 10 cuts out more often than the others. They use sister-station KUTP as an SD quasi-translator on 45.2 (or 10.2, depending on your TV) for a reason.

I'm just a few miles east of KeithE4 and my worst is 8 followed closely by 10. 12 never has been a problem. All of the English-language UHF's have problems from time to time but in general they are more reliable than the VHF's.

And I live between KeithE4 and landtuna, and, using a batwing indoor antenna hung in the attic, the only station I ever have a problem with is the LPTV Unimas station KFPH-CD, broadcasting on RF channel 35. Go figure.

 

[KeithE4]

In Phoenix, the worst is KSAZ/10, although all the VHFs (it, plus KAET/8 and KPNX/12) have issues occasionally. Even at my location, 5 miles SE of the South Mountain tower farm, 10 cuts out more often than the others. They use sister-station KUTP as an SD quasi-translator on 45.2 (or 10.2, depending on your TV) for a reason.

I'm just a few miles east of KeithE4 and my worst is 8 followed closely by 10. 12 never has been a problem. All of the English-language UHF's have problems from time to time but in general they are more reliable than the VHF's.

And I live between KeithE4 and landtuna, and, using a batwing indoor antenna hung in the attic, the only station I ever have a problem with is the LPTV Unimas station KFPH-CD, broadcasting on RF channel 35. Go figure.

The main problem I have is that I live in a 2nd-floor apartment that faces away from South Mountain, and there is one other apartment in the path. There is enough attenuation (at least 20 dB as a rough guess) from the grounded chicken-wire lath on the outside walls on VHF and below to affect reception. The antenna is a Terk unit with a good UHF log-periodic section but the usual rabbit ears for VHF. Shortening the VHF elements to about 14" each (1/4 wavelength at Channel 10) helps.

The only Phoenix UHF station I can't get at all is KFPH-CD/35, but I don't watch it anyway. Some of the other LPs are iffy but viewable with some cutting out. The Tucson UHFs come in with varying signal strengths, KTTU/18 being the best.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Where I live (Norwood, Massachusetts' some 14 miles southwest of Boston), the worst signal is WWDP-46 which both in it's analog and digital days suffered/suffers from low power and a short tower.

 

[Kent]

KRCG cannot be picked up in Columbia, MO with just rabbit ears

I live in Holts Summit and have no trouble (except during electrical storms) with KOMU-8, which is about as far from my house as KRCG is from most of Columbia. However, I had to put my antenna in the foyer at my house, which is upstairs. I live in a condo, and there's another condo above mine. So, you go in the front door and down the stairs to get to my living room.

Another friend of mine had trouble with KRCG in Columbia, but, upon putting the antenna in the attic, he got it just fine. The only station I can't get is KQFX, which is either low-power or class A, and contour maps indicate I should get it. I also have to adjust the antenna sometimes when changing channels, especially if I'm trying to watch KMOS-6 (DT-15).

 

[willdav713]

Here in Houston KHOU 11 CBS has the worst signal it is so bad I can not even get it most of the time no bars I am only like 10 miles away from the station. I get crappy religious sub channels with better signal

In Houston, KPRC Cable Channel 2:

Warner cable always had problems with KPRC Channel 2 in Southwest Houston. We lived within walking distance to their studios on Southwest Freeway in Sharpstown and ever since Warner Cable did away with Converter vs. Cable Ready channels and combined the Cable Ready channels to the Converter Channels it hasn't been the same since. Since I left in late 2005, Warner then Time Warner spun off to Comcast, and maybe they fixed it.

In Austin KBVO-DT:

Unless you live in South Austin the signal is non existent.
Runner up would be KTFO-CD, followed by KNVA

For Cable TV only:

Channel 10 PACT1 which has been off the air in my neighborhood since the end of March. I am missing the Alex Jones show and the Trailer Park Show.
I will be in contact Fox 7 Lauren Petrowski a reporter who I met a Austin City Hall about this issue. I don't think Time Warner would like me educating them about Texas Open Meetings Act, and Public Access Act of 1984 Cable Act

 

[landtuna]

I'm just a few miles east of KeithE4 and my worst is 8 followed closely by 10. 12 never has been a problem.

I had a feeling that as soon as I bragged about RF12 I would get bitten in the butt and sure enough about a week ago 12 went to hell in a handbag. It is now absolutely unwatchable most hours of the day but especially at mid-day. It also depends on people moving around my kitchen (the indoor antenna sits on top of the big screen and points to the towers through the kitchen). I don't know why it has been good for so long (but then I seldom watch 12) and suddenly turned to crap.

 

[EricStein]

I'm just a few miles east of KeithE4 and my worst is 8 followed closely by 10. 12 never has been a problem.

I had a feeling that as soon as I bragged about RF12 I would get bitten in the butt and sure enough about a week ago 12 went to hell in a handbag. It is now absolutely unwatchable most hours of the day but especially at mid-day. It also depends on people moving around my kitchen (the indoor antenna sits on top of the big screen and points to the towers through the kitchen). I don't know why it has been good for so long (but then I seldom watch 12) and suddenly turned to crap.

Some work must be getting done on the South Mountain towers. Many of the stations usually power down (or completely off) when a crew is working on them. For example, when KPHO has to work on its tower, KAZT-CD (on the same tower) has to shut down.

 

[alg2468]

I agree with Joseph Gallant, the worst signal in the Boston/Providence area is by far WWDP-DT 46, the Shop NBC station from Norwell, MA. It has a short tower, low power (5 Kw), is very directional, and broadcasts on VHF RF 10.

 

[Morgan Wick]

In Austin KBVO-DT:

Unless you live in South Austin the signal is non existent.
Runner up would be KTFO-CD, followed by KNVA

I believe KBVO was originally a satellite of the NBC station for the outlying part of the market before LIN turned it into a MyNet "affiliate" for the Austin market. I believe it has a low-power repeater to serve Austin proper.

 

[tripinva]

I agree with Joseph Gallant, the worst signal in the Boston/Providence area is by far WWDP-DT 46, the Shop NBC station from Norwell, MA. It has a short tower, low power (5 Kw), is very directional, and broadcasts on VHF RF 10.

If by "very directional" you mean "not directional at all," then that statement is accurate.

- Trip

 

[vchimpanzee]

In Charlotte, for some reason the PBS station is VHF-Hi and operates on hamster power.

Fortunately I have cable. The station used to consider itself local but then tried to cover the entire area, even though we have a UNC station. Curious choice if they didn't want to stay local.

 

[willdav713]

In Austin KBVO-DT:

Unless you live in South Austin the signal is non existent.
Runner up would be KTFO-CD, followed by KNVA

I believe KBVO was originally a satellite of the NBC station for the outlying part of the market before LIN turned it into a MyNet "affiliate" for the Austin market. I believe it has a low-power repeater to serve Austin proper.

As in Ultra Low Power repeater for only the southside or creedmoor. Us North West Siders can't get KBVO unless we have Cable and a Tuning Adapter.