Orlando OTA reception

Gotta keep trees and buildings away from your line of sight. Those present
problems with the signals.

Jim
"Bishoop" wrote in message
...

"Jim" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Alan F" wrote in message
news:[email protected]

Don't get too hung up on the 50' number. I have to enter 150' for the
antenna height to get an approximate match of the 17 digital stations I
receive with an Channel Master 4221 in my attic. But a total of two
digital stations is not promising. But Florida is pretty flat, so a
reception at 60 or 70 miles is doable in many cases with a good rooftop
antenna. How far away are you from Orlando? What is your zip code?

Alan F

I will attest to what Alan is saying. I'm in Sebring and in a community
that previously had forbid outside antenna's.

Not sure which antenna I have, but it is about 4 - 6 ft long, less that 1
inch deep and about 4 - 5 inches wide. It is sitting atop a 20 foot pole
with a rotor and amplifier.

I receive all digital channels from Tampa and Fort Myers. Once in a while
the station I'm watching will pixelate but just switch to the same
network in the other town, and all is just fine.

I don't think Orlando is further away from Lady Lake than I am from Ft.
Myers or Tampa.

I am able to receive some Orlando stations but not as well as the other
two cities.

Good Luck!!!!!!!

Jim

I checked the map and Sebring is about 75 miles from both Tampa and
Orlando. I'm located about 45 miles from Orlando.

So it certainly sound doable.

Thanks for the input.

On Sun, 18 Feb 2007 07:31:23 -0500, Bishoop wrote:

I'm located about 45 crow flying miles from Orlando. The zip code is 32159.

45 miles show not present a problem at all with the proper antenna
assuming it's not blocked badly. A channels master 4228 should work fine
for all UHF stations and it might even pick up the one on channel 11, but
I have to use a vhf antenna to get 9 at about 42 miles out.

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Bishoop wrote:

I'm located about 45 crow flying miles from Orlando. The zip code is 32159.


Rather long reply.. :-).

Looking at the map, you are at a somewhat lower elevation, so this
does make long range reception more challenging, but not impossible. You
need to think along the lines of a rooftop long range antenna aimed at
the Orlando stations. Your edited antennaweb.org are (adding 150' for
antenna height, so the color codes are not that accurate) for the
digital stations a

* yellow - uhf WOGX-DT 51.1 FOX OCALA FL 326° 37.8 31
* lt green - uhf WCEU-DT 15.1 PBS NEW SMYRNA BEACH FL 117° 56.4 33
* blue - uhf WOFL-DT 35.1 FOX ORLANDO FL 118° 56.4 22
* blue - uhf WMFE-DT 24.1 PBS ORLANDO FL 118° 56.0 23
* violet - vhf WESH-DT 2.1 NBC DAYTONA BEACH FL 117° 57.7 11
* violet - uhf WKMG-DT 6.1 CBS ORLANDO FL 117° 57.7 58
* violet - uhf WKCF-DT 18.1 CW CLERMONT FL 119° 57.0 17

The last three numbers on each row are direction from magnetic north,
distance in miles, and very important, the actual broadcast channel
(digital broadcasting is currently done on different channels from the
analog because of interference and are mapped to the analog channel by
the ATSC receiver). WESH-DT NBC 2 is broadcasting on VHF 11, so you need
to receive UHF and upper VHF for the digital HD broadcast. For some
reason, the ABC station in Orlando, WFTV-DT 9 (DT 39) does not show up
on the antennaweb list, although it is broadcasting at a maximum 1000 kw
on the digital signal on UHF 39. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WFTV
for a link to the FCC database. With the right antenna, you should be
able to get that station as well.

The best long range UHF antennas available are generally regarded to
be the Channel Master 4229 8 Bay and the AntennasDirect 91XG yagi. See
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ISSUES/erecting_antenna.html for a lot of
useful info. You could get a more conventional very large long range
VHF/UHF antenna, but those get very large because they are designed to
also receive lower VHF 2 to 6 channels, which have much longer 3 to 5
wavelengths than upper VHF (7 to 13) and UHF. None of the stations in
your area will ever use lower VHF 2 to 6 for digital broadcasts. A UHF
antenna is much more compact, so many people who want long range digital
stations have opted for a UHF antenna with good performance for upper
VHF or a UHF antenna combined with a dedicated upper VHF antenna.

The CM 4228 8 Bay has pretty good performance for upper VHF, but does
have a high wind load factor and Florida can get pretty windy at times.
It also probably does not have the pickup you need to to get the NBC
station in Orlando. So one option is to put up a AntennasDirect 91XG on
the roof combined with a Winegard YA-1713 upper VHF antenna. Regardless
of the antenna setup you choose, you probably should have a rotator for
tweaking the aim and maybe trying to get stations in Gainesville.

www.avsforum.com is an invaluable resource for HD TV issues and has a
very active forum of dedicated threads for each region of the country.
The Local HDTV Info and Reception forum is at
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45 and the central FL
Over The Air (OTA) thread goes back over two years and is at
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=406377. If you are
looking for an antenna installer or help with what works in your area,
that thread is a good place to start.

Reputable on-line dealers for antennas include solidsignal.com and
warrenelectronics.com. Lowes & Radio Shack are good local chain stores
to check for mounting gear and accessories (and antennas if you were not
so far away as to not need to heavy guns).

Good luck as you will need some.

Alan F

"Alan F" wrote in message
news:Gv%[email protected]
Bishoop wrote:

I'm located about 45 crow flying miles from Orlando. The zip code is
32159.

Rather long reply.. :-).

Looking at the map, you are at a somewhat lower elevation, so this
does make long range reception more challenging, but not impossible. You
need to think along the lines of a rooftop long range antenna aimed at
the Orlando stations. Your edited antennaweb.org are (adding 150' for
antenna height, so the color codes are not that accurate) for the
digital stations a

* yellow - uhf WOGX-DT 51.1 FOX OCALA FL 326° 37.8 31
* lt green - uhf WCEU-DT 15.1 PBS NEW SMYRNA BEACH FL 117° 56.4 33
* blue - uhf WOFL-DT 35.1 FOX ORLANDO FL 118° 56.4 22
* blue - uhf WMFE-DT 24.1 PBS ORLANDO FL 118° 56.0 23
* violet - vhf WESH-DT 2.1 NBC DAYTONA BEACH FL 117° 57.7 11
* violet - uhf WKMG-DT 6.1 CBS ORLANDO FL 117° 57.7 58
* violet - uhf WKCF-DT 18.1 CW CLERMONT FL 119° 57.0 17

The last three numbers on each row are direction from magnetic north,
distance in miles, and very important, the actual broadcast channel
(digital broadcasting is currently done on different channels from the
analog because of interference and are mapped to the analog channel by
the ATSC receiver). WESH-DT NBC 2 is broadcasting on VHF 11, so you need
to receive UHF and upper VHF for the digital HD broadcast. For some
reason, the ABC station in Orlando, WFTV-DT 9 (DT 39) does not show up
on the antennaweb list, although it is broadcasting at a maximum 1000 kw
on the digital signal on UHF 39. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WFTV
for a link to the FCC database. With the right antenna, you should be
able to get that station as well.

The best long range UHF antennas available are generally regarded to
be the Channel Master 4229 8 Bay and the AntennasDirect 91XG yagi. See
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ISSUES/erecting_antenna.html for a lot of
useful info. You could get a more conventional very large long range
VHF/UHF antenna, but those get very large because they are designed to
also receive lower VHF 2 to 6 channels, which have much longer 3 to 5
wavelengths than upper VHF (7 to 13) and UHF. None of the stations in
your area will ever use lower VHF 2 to 6 for digital broadcasts. A UHF
antenna is much more compact, so many people who want long range digital
stations have opted for a UHF antenna with good performance for upper
VHF or a UHF antenna combined with a dedicated upper VHF antenna.

The CM 4228 8 Bay has pretty good performance for upper VHF, but does
have a high wind load factor and Florida can get pretty windy at times.
It also probably does not have the pickup you need to to get the NBC
station in Orlando. So one option is to put up a AntennasDirect 91XG on
the roof combined with a Winegard YA-1713 upper VHF antenna. Regardless
of the antenna setup you choose, you probably should have a rotator for
tweaking the aim and maybe trying to get stations in Gainesville.

www.avsforum.com is an invaluable resource for HD TV issues and has a
very active forum of dedicated threads for each region of the country.
The Local HDTV Info and Reception forum is at
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45 and the central FL
Over The Air (OTA) thread goes back over two years and is at
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=406377. If you are
looking for an antenna installer or help with what works in your area,
that thread is a good place to start.

Reputable on-line dealers for antennas include solidsignal.com and
warrenelectronics.com. Lowes & Radio Shack are good local chain stores
to check for mounting gear and accessories (and antennas if you were not
so far away as to not need to heavy guns).

Good luck as you will need some.

Alan F


Thanks for the very detailed reply.

Me thinks I'm not going to risk time and money in something that just may
not work. I'll wait a while longer for DishNetwork to finally get Orlando
HD up on their satellites.

I've waited 67 years, what's another year or so.

"Bishoop" wrote in message
...


Thanks for the very detailed reply.

Me thinks I'm not going to risk time and money in something that just may
not work. I'll wait a while longer for DishNetwork to finally get
Orlando HD up on their satellites.

I've waited 67 years, what's another year or so.


I've got two more years on me than you do.

HD is too good to just wait around for.

I also have Dish and haven't been advised of any local HD going to Satellite
and then into the homes except in a few highly populated areas. Think they
will ever put up the HD's from Tampa or Orlando? I know they just increased
the monthly charge, but don't think that has any bearing on programming.

Jim

Jim wrote:

Gotta keep trees and buildings away from your line of sight. Those present
problems with the signals.



That shouldn't be too big a problem in the Lady Lake / Villages area after
the weather they have had in the last couple weeks :-)
They got tore up! Looked like my place after Ivan/Dennis/Katrina mess.

Jim
"Bishoop" wrote in message
m...


"Jim" wrote in message
link.net...


"Alan F" wrote in message
news:[email protected]


Don't get too hung up on the 50' number. I have to enter 150' for the
antenna height to get an approximate match of the 17 digital stations I
receive with an Channel Master 4221 in my attic. But a total of two
digital stations is not promising. But Florida is pretty flat, so a
reception at 60 or 70 miles is doable in many cases with a good rooftop
antenna. How far away are you from Orlando? What is your zip code?

Alan F


I will attest to what Alan is saying. I'm in Sebring and in a community
that previously had forbid outside antenna's.

Not sure which antenna I have, but it is about 4 - 6 ft long, less that 1
inch deep and about 4 - 5 inches wide. It is sitting atop a 20 foot pole
with a rotor and amplifier.

I receive all digital channels from Tampa and Fort Myers. Once in a while
the station I'm watching will pixelate but just switch to the same
network in the other town, and all is just fine.

I don't think Orlando is further away from Lady Lake than I am from Ft.
Myers or Tampa.

I am able to receive some Orlando stations but not as well as the other
two cities.

Good Luck!!!!!!!

Jim


I checked the map and Sebring is about 75 miles from both Tampa and
Orlando. I'm located about 45 miles from Orlando.

So it certainly sound doable.

Thanks for the input.








--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove -SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

Understand that.

Jim (Charlie, Francis, and Ivan)

"RicSeyler" wrote in message
news:[email protected]


Jim wrote:

Gotta keep trees and buildings away from your line of sight. Those present
problems with the signals.


That shouldn't be too big a problem in the Lady Lake / Villages area after
the weather they have had in the last couple weeks :-)
They got tore up! Looked like my place after Ivan/Dennis/Katrina mess.

Jim
"Bishoop" wrote in message
...

"Jim" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Alan F" wrote in message
news:[email protected]

Don't get too hung up on the 50' number. I have to enter 150' for the
antenna height to get an approximate match of the 17 digital stations I
receive with an Channel Master 4221 in my attic. But a total of two
digital stations is not promising. But Florida is pretty flat, so a
reception at 60 or 70 miles is doable in many cases with a good rooftop
antenna. How far away are you from Orlando? What is your zip code?

Alan F

I will attest to what Alan is saying. I'm in Sebring and in a community
that previously had forbid outside antenna's.

Not sure which antenna I have, but it is about 4 - 6 ft long, less that 1
inch deep and about 4 - 5 inches wide. It is sitting atop a 20 foot pole
with a rotor and amplifier.

I receive all digital channels from Tampa and Fort Myers. Once in a while
the station I'm watching will pixelate but just switch to the same
network in the other town, and all is just fine.

I don't think Orlando is further away from Lady Lake than I am from Ft.
Myers or Tampa.

I am able to receive some Orlando stations but not as well as the other
two cities.

Good Luck!!!!!!!

Jim

I checked the map and Sebring is about 75 miles from both Tampa and
Orlando. I'm located about 45 miles from Orlando.

So it certainly sound doable.

Thanks for the input.







--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove -SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

I'm 0.8 miles North from where the storm went thru Lady Lake. If I look
South towards Orlando I can't even tell anything happened. The tornado cut
a very narrow swath thru here.


"RicSeyler" wrote in message
news:[email protected]


Jim wrote:

Gotta keep trees and buildings away from your line of sight. Those present
problems with the signals.


That shouldn't be too big a problem in the Lady Lake / Villages area after
the weather they have had in the last couple weeks :-)
They got tore up! Looked like my place after Ivan/Dennis/Katrina mess.

Jim
"Bishoop" wrote in message
...

"Jim" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Alan F" wrote in message
news:[email protected]

Don't get too hung up on the 50' number. I have to enter 150' for the
antenna height to get an approximate match of the 17 digital stations I
receive with an Channel Master 4221 in my attic. But a total of two
digital stations is not promising. But Florida is pretty flat, so a
reception at 60 or 70 miles is doable in many cases with a good rooftop
antenna. How far away are you from Orlando? What is your zip code?

Alan F

I will attest to what Alan is saying. I'm in Sebring and in a community
that previously had forbid outside antenna's.

Not sure which antenna I have, but it is about 4 - 6 ft long, less that 1
inch deep and about 4 - 5 inches wide. It is sitting atop a 20 foot pole
with a rotor and amplifier.

I receive all digital channels from Tampa and Fort Myers. Once in a while
the station I'm watching will pixelate but just switch to the same
network in the other town, and all is just fine.

I don't think Orlando is further away from Lady Lake than I am from Ft.
Myers or Tampa.

I am able to receive some Orlando stations but not as well as the other
two cities.

Good Luck!!!!!!!

Jim

I checked the map and Sebring is about 75 miles from both Tampa and
Orlando. I'm located about 45 miles from Orlando.

So it certainly sound doable.

Thanks for the input.







--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove -SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson