# OTA HD local question...



## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

I have OTA HD locals with a 622. The signal strength was anywhere from 75 to 95percent depending on the channel. The signal strengths dropped about 10 to 15 percent in the last 2 weeks causing a couple channels to go in and out a little bit. I went up in the attic to adjust my antenna and it had not moved. I tweaked it a little and managed to get the weaker channels to around 65 to 68 percent. I really don't know what has changed. It doesn't appear that anything has changed with my equipment. I live in a rural area so I can rule out an airport or anything like that. The only thing that has really changed is the weather. It is cold now.

Is there a signal booster that could get me about 10 more percent strength of signal or something like that? I can plug it in so it could be powered. I haven't ever used a signal booster so I don't know much about them. Do they really work? I have a large standard regular rooftop antenna in my attic.

Thanks in advance.


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## oljim (Aug 6, 2002)

The ant in the attic can cut signal by %50, anything called a booster would be junk.
What you need is get the ant outside and mabe add a ant preamp like the CM 7777


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Seconded - 

Step 1 - get that antenna outside

Step 2 - look for an appropriate preamp (if necessary).

I think getting your antenna outside will solve 90% of the problem (or more). At the very least - you will get rid of the multipath / attenuation from the attic.


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

Thanks for the info. 

I did some research on the CM 7777 and it looks like it might help me. I have a long run of RG6 from my antenna to my receiver. I think it's about 100'. I made sure it wasn't coiled up or anything. The way that I understand it, the CM 7777 would help reduce noise in this the RG6 from the antenna to my 622 resulting in higher signal strength. 

I have a UHF/VHF antenna. I bought it before you could even get SD locals out of Louiville on Dish. It's been picking up channels fine. In fact, channel 11 is at 90 percent. However channel 3 is hovering in the mid 60's. 

I know having the antenna in the attic reduces signal strength but it has been perfectly fine until about the last 2 weeks. 

If all the channels are anywhere in the 70's, I have no problems whatsoever. 

Do you guys think the CM 7777 will get me the 10 percent I need to get my signal strength form the mid 60's up into the 70's?


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

scooper said:


> Seconded -
> 
> Step 1 - get that antenna outside
> 
> ...


I hear you on putting the antenna outside, but you don't have to live with my wife...lol


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## oljim (Aug 6, 2002)

Move it outside, if she says anything, put her out and she can be a rotor. LOL


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

oljim said:


> Move it outside, if she says anything, put her out and she can be a rotor. LOL


Good Answer, Jim


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## jgurley (Feb 1, 2005)

All the responses are correct, but didn't really address why he lost signal strength over the past couple of weeks. This happens to me also, so I thought the following quote/response helpful. It comes from my local thread on AVSforum.com

Quote:
Originally Posted by darekd View Post
Over the last two weeks signal for WSLS-DT 10-1 has went on my HR20 from 80 to zero today. No other channels are affected and I get them all (HD) including ABC and CW. Anyone else having problem with 10-1?
__________

You are most likely experiencing seasonal changes. It may be hard to believe, but the leaves falling off of the trees can affect digital reception. You may need to re-adjust your antenna to find the right beam heading.

I use two different antennas that are only 10 feet apart, and at the same elevation, but neither one will receive all of the UHF digital channels. One is a VHF / UHF combo that I use for PBS, and the other is a UHF parobolic reflector type with a single Bow Tie type driven element.

I can move the combo as little as 6 inches and loose WFXR. If I move it to receive WFXR, I loose WDBJ. I will say it again, 8 VSB SU_KS.
__________________
FOX TV


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

Interesting...

I didn't have a total loss of signal. However, as soon as it got cold, I lost about 10 points on all channels. 

Again, do you guys think the CM 7777 could get my 10 points back?

Thanks


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## oljim (Aug 6, 2002)

The 7777 will take care of the long cable but it can not help for lack of signal from ant.
Tell us where you are, are your stations UHF, VHF or both, what ant do you have now, 
And why do you have 100 ft of cable for ant inside???


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

I am in Louisville. I have a very large multi directional antenna in the attic. My attic is huge (no trusses) so it would fit. No real reason to have the 100'. That is just what I puchased from monoprice. I have it laid out across the floor of the attic. Not coiled up. I always heard that coiling up exess wire would cause noise in coax. I could probably remove 50' of it or more. 

Channels 3, 32, and 58 are in the mid 60's. Channels 11, 21.1, 21.2 and 41 are in the mid 70's to mid 80's. Anything in the 70's and I have no break up in picture. Which is where I was before the season change.

Do you think removing 50' of the RG6 would make that much of a difference? It would certainly be much cheaper and easier to remove the coax. 

Thanks for the help guys.


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## jgurley (Feb 1, 2005)

First, shortening your cable may help, won't hurt. I have a 100' plus run and have been told it's a bit long, but I need it.

Omni-directional antennas tend to be inferior to bay or yagi types. If it's a Terk, from what I've read they are very much overrated.

Before you buy a new antenna, check the return policy. You may find it doesn't help at all and would want to return it. In a city the size of Louisville you should be able to find a dealer who'll work with you. Also, find the Louisville thread on avsforum.com if you haven't already. You'll find lots of help there. If you'd like to see some technical data on antennas here's a link:

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html

I have an attic mounted CM 3010 uhf/vhf amplified and have tried 3 different brands/types and none worked as well as my CM (it's the first one I mounted)

One reason attic mounting can be tricky is some (maybe all) of your signals are entering through the roofing material and not the gable ends. They have a harder time blasting through asphalt, fiberglass, slate, etc. than they do siding. Makes me wonder if your channels 3,32, and 58 are coming from the same direction and trying to get in through the shingles.

Your specific location may be a problem, but in general consider yourself lucky to live in a large city in the flatlands. I live in the mountains of VA and OTA is truly hit and miss. Five of my locals are located 7 miles away and I can only pick up 3 even though all the network towers are very close to each other. The other two networks are 25 miles in the opposite direction and they give me my strongest signals. Go figure.

I mentioned earlier that I loose some signal strength when the weather turns cold, but only 2 or 3 points not the 10-15% you're experiencing. I'm no expert but that kind of loss seems like too much to be caused only by the change in the weather but it sure seems that way.

Oh, one last thing. Find a friend who'll be willing to set in front of you TV and read signal strengths while you move your antenna around in the attic. Of course you'll probably need a walky-talky or telephone handsets to communicate, but you just may find relocating your antenna a few feet (or inches) does the job. My wife helped me out several times...believe it or not.

Take heart. Your problem is most likely solvable. Good luck.


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

Thanks...

I am lucky to be getting all the locals. I am 40 miles from Louisville in Brandenburg. I am actually on a plateau higher than Louisville so nothing really blocks me. 

The first thing I am going to try is removing the excess coax from the line. If that doesn't do it, I will move the antenna to a different location in the attic and use the wifie walkie talkie method.

I will let you guys know how it goes.


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## jgurley (Feb 1, 2005)

I just checked your zip code at antennaWeb.org and see that all the major networks are in the same direction (32 degrees) and distance. So now I would say you are likely to be better off with a directional antenna. In fact, antennaweb suggest a medium strength, directional amplified. Those are only suggestions and I've found antennaweb to often overstates whats actually needed.


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## JM Anthony (Nov 16, 2003)

I'd suggest checking this thread at our sister site, AVS Forum. See if you can find someone close to you and see what their set up is.

It doesn't make sense to me that you'd have that kind of drop in signal this type of year with nothing else happening on your end. I have a lot of deciduous trees between me and the Seattle towers and my OTA is pretty much consistent year in and year out. I also have my antenna in my attic. Some attenuation, but no metal siding which is the real deal buster.

Good luck


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## Mr.72 (Feb 2, 2007)

FWIW in the past couple of weeks my signal strength has dropped with my 622 on all channels. I wonder if there wasn't a firmware load that caused it.


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

Well I went into the attic this afternoon and took out about 50' of the coax and it did increase my signal by 8 to 10 percent on all channels. 

So my problem is solved because with all of my channels in the 70's or above I will have no drop outs. Thanks for everyone's help. 

JM Anthony I agree that it doesn't seem that change in season would have any effect on my reception. However I'm not sure what would be wrong with my equipment. My antenna is inside and all wires are inside. I realize though that it could be 100 different things but looking at my setup nothing was disturbed. If this is happening to other Dish customers, like Mr. 72, maybe it could be an update. 

Watching my dvr recordings, I can tell that it began last Wed.(Nov. 21st). So maybe that could shed some light on it for someone. 

I'm going to visit the thread you gave me.


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## jgurley (Feb 1, 2005)

So shortening your cable did the trick. Now you've got me interested if doing the same might allow me to pull in my two missing channels. I'll have to be creative and it will take some time but I'm going to give it a try.

It seems like every thread on OTA reception I learn something.


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

Yep. It worked for me. In fact, I scanned again for locals and I picked up 6 KET channels that I didn't get before. 

Keep in mind I removed 50% of my RG6.


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## Donp (May 2, 2006)

I live east of Louisville and my signal strenth dropped on 3 and 11 but not on 32. I went from 80% on 3 to 63% or less and 75% on 11 to no lock (59% or less) and 32 did decrease from 85% to 73-75%. All over the last two weeks and will be that all winter until April then the power will begin to come back up. I have never heard a reasonable answer for this problem. My OTA is inside at the gable end but it will be outside this spring.


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## jgurley (Feb 1, 2005)

For loss of signal strength in the winter months check out this link:

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/glossaryA.html#fading

I'm not especially technical when it comes to this stuff, and the author implies there is more to be said on the topic of "Fading", but the concept may be the answer to our signal dropping in cold weather.


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## Calvin386 (May 23, 2007)

That describes my situation exactly. Thanks for the info jgurley.

Donp, I see we are having the same problem. This is the first winter for me with OTA locals. So I didn't know what the heck was going on.


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## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

Another problem with an attic antenna might be moisture on the roof. Frost and morniig dew will block especially UHF radio waves = reduced signal to the antenna in the attic.


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