# Question about OTA Signals



## Rakul (Sep 3, 2007)

I currently have this RadioShack Antenna which is an amplified directional outdoor antenna, mounted about 15' or so in the air on a pool. Lately since the weather has cooled off here in VA the NBC station (WWBT) has been flakey, I checked the signal levels on both my HR20 and via my Sammy LCD and they litterally flucuate before my eyes from 0 to 75 and everywhere in between.

As you can imagine this causes huge pixelation problems for me, I'm just wondering if wild variances like that would be more likely because of my antenna going bad (well the amplifier) or the station it self (I am about 35 miles from the station, zipcode 23024) would be a more likely culprit?

Thanks for any ideas you may have.


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## Tower Guy (Jul 27, 2005)

Rakul said:


> Lately since the weather has cooled off here in VA the NBC station (WWBT) has been flakey.
> 
> Thanks for any ideas you may have.


The Radio Sh!+ antenna is really too small for your location. Next, WWBT recently applied to the FCC to reduce their digital power by 50 %. Finally, WWBT will return to channel 12 in February 2009.

I'd try a larger antenna with VHF capability.


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## Rakul (Sep 3, 2007)

Tower Guy said:


> The Radio Sh!+ antenna is really too small for your location. Next, WWBT recently applied to the FCC to reduce their digital power by 50 %. Finally, WWBT will return to channel 12 in February 2009.
> 
> I'd try a larger antenna with VHF capability.


Perfect just what I was looking for, question though and maybe this is normal, why would a station want to cut their power?


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## oljim (Aug 6, 2002)

Rakul said:


> Perfect just what I was looking for, question though and maybe this is normal, why would a station want to cut their power?


$$$$$$$$$


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## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

Did you make sure the feedline b/w the antenna and TV/IRD is properly connected and no shorts at the F-connectors? The outer braid of RG-6 can sometimes have a single piece of very thin wire shorting the OD and ID of the coax. That is what I was bet is the problem since it happens through the IRD's ATSC tuner and the TV's ATSC tuner.


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## Rakul (Sep 3, 2007)

n3ntj said:


> Did you make sure the feedline b/w the antenna and TV/IRD is properly connected and no shorts at the F-connectors? The outer braid of RG-6 can sometimes have a single piece of very thin wire shorting the OD and ID of the coax. That is what I was bet is the problem since it happens through the IRD's ATSC tuner and the TV's ATSC tuner.


Yes, I had some extra RG-6 so I swapped wires out, it would make sense if WWBT really dropped their power it would be the cause, I get 100% on our Fox Station, I might just turn my extra antenna towards Charlottesville and get their NBC station for HD until D* offers the Richmond DMA in HD.


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