I was messing around and found some web sites about these guys who pull in TV signals from FAR FAR away. Anyone here ever mess around with doing that? What kind of equipment did you use? Just wondering. sounds like an interesting hobby.
HD DXing
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Well, I've played around a little in this area. Where I live it is flat, and use a Channel Master antenna and preamp (CM4228 & CM7777) and have very good success in pulling in KWWL, KCGR and KGAN out of Waterloo/Cedar Rapids, IA. These are 100 miles from my house. Also, their towers are 1729, 1909 and 1919 HAAT (Height Above Average Terrain). These come in at night but not during the day. I use a spreadsheet from (www) dxfm.com called DTV USA. It lets you put in your longitude and latitude and then sort by distance.
I mainly use these to watch their 24 hour weather programming or The Tube. Otherwise I watch my local affiliates for OTA TV. The only exception is ABC, the only shows we watch (was) MNF and LOST. My local ABC affiliate does not broadcast in HDTV, only digital.
Oh, because the CM4228 is approximately a 4x3 foot antenna, my wife only permits it to be in the attic. So I think if it was on the top of my roof my results would be better. But as luck would have it, I pull in these channels about 70% of the time.
I have had success going to the east (La Crosse, WI) and north (Twin Cities) but found the reliability would be 20% at best. I originally started using a HD TV tuner card in my PC (same card the guy on dxfm used). However, I pulled this out and have a DVB-S card in my PC instead (from the same manufacture) and use my HD receiver in my family room. I am not impressed with my HD receiver in this area and hope to replace it in the future with a better brand and model.
I mainly use these to watch their 24 hour weather programming or The Tube. Otherwise I watch my local affiliates for OTA TV. The only exception is ABC, the only shows we watch (was) MNF and LOST. My local ABC affiliate does not broadcast in HDTV, only digital.
Oh, because the CM4228 is approximately a 4x3 foot antenna, my wife only permits it to be in the attic. So I think if it was on the top of my roof my results would be better. But as luck would have it, I pull in these channels about 70% of the time.
I have had success going to the east (La Crosse, WI) and north (Twin Cities) but found the reliability would be 20% at best. I originally started using a HD TV tuner card in my PC (same card the guy on dxfm used). However, I pulled this out and have a DVB-S card in my PC instead (from the same manufacture) and use my HD receiver in my family room. I am not impressed with my HD receiver in this area and hope to replace it in the future with a better brand and model.
I have had success at this
I basicly only do UHF digital ducting.
All of the following is from Milwaukee rooftop antenna.
I get all Madison and Milwaukee channels great. 70 miles
These channels have come in one than once:
WLUK, WBAY, WACY, WFRV, WFLD, WMAQ, WLS, WGN, WGBO, WPWR, WNDU, WZZM, WTVO, WXMI (IF YOU DIDN'T RECONIZE A CALL LETTER - Chicago, GreenBay, GrandRapids, Rockford, SouthBend)
Furthest Channels - Other Markets
WXOW
WTVO
KDSM
WXXM
WKBT
WQOW
KTTC
WHWC
WBPN
KCCI
KWWL
KEYC
My record is 417 miles (670 km) (362 nautical miles) from KMEG TV analoge
I basicly only do UHF digital ducting.
All of the following is from Milwaukee rooftop antenna.
I get all Madison and Milwaukee channels great. 70 miles
These channels have come in one than once:
WLUK, WBAY, WACY, WFRV, WFLD, WMAQ, WLS, WGN, WGBO, WPWR, WNDU, WZZM, WTVO, WXMI (IF YOU DIDN'T RECONIZE A CALL LETTER - Chicago, GreenBay, GrandRapids, Rockford, SouthBend)
Furthest Channels - Other Markets
WXOW
WTVO
KDSM
WXXM
WKBT
WQOW
KTTC
WHWC
WBPN
KCCI
KWWL
KEYC
My record is 417 miles (670 km) (362 nautical miles) from KMEG TV analoge
i4tas said:
Nice! Someday when I live in a house (Not a stupid condo with trees and hills everywhere) I hope to install an outdoor antenna and experiment with this. Or convince my brother to let me mess around at his place!
I got the 91XG as well and a CM7775 preamp. What amp do you use? Do you receive any VHF channels with your setup?i4tas said:
I have the Radio Shack flying wedge on my roof as it outperforms everything else I have tried. I won't go into the furtherest NTSC/Analog channel, but will tell you about some ATSC experiences - especially as with ATSC its either there or its not.....
When the wind is blowing right, I get the ATSC signals from Ft. Myers/Naples (125 Miles) and Orlando (100 miles). On rarer occasions I have picked up the ATSC signals from Tallahassee (about 200 Miles away).
On vary rare occassions I have picked up the ATSC signals from Pensacola/Mobile (around 325 miles over the water).
I had a really strange thing happen while watching on skip. I had the local channel 3 NTSC (so virtual 3 on ATSC, physical Channel 57) and another channel 3 NTSC (virtual 3 on ATSC, physical Channel 17) at the same time - thus I had 2 sets of Virtual Channel 3s at the same time.
I was really interested to see how the tuner would react with 2 sets of Virtual Channel 3s, but to my surprise, instead of ignoring one (as I suspected might happen) it listed both sets of Virtual Channel 3s, complete with the Multicasting.
It appears that this unique technical occurance was either 1) planned for or 2) I just got lucky.
When the wind is blowing right, I get the ATSC signals from Ft. Myers/Naples (125 Miles) and Orlando (100 miles). On rarer occasions I have picked up the ATSC signals from Tallahassee (about 200 Miles away).
On vary rare occassions I have picked up the ATSC signals from Pensacola/Mobile (around 325 miles over the water).
I had a really strange thing happen while watching on skip. I had the local channel 3 NTSC (so virtual 3 on ATSC, physical Channel 57) and another channel 3 NTSC (virtual 3 on ATSC, physical Channel 17) at the same time - thus I had 2 sets of Virtual Channel 3s at the same time.
I was really interested to see how the tuner would react with 2 sets of Virtual Channel 3s, but to my surprise, instead of ignoring one (as I suspected might happen) it listed both sets of Virtual Channel 3s, complete with the Multicasting.
It appears that this unique technical occurance was either 1) planned for or 2) I just got lucky.
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Crazy floridian putting an antenna on your roof. 
We live in the southern part of florida around the broward/palm beach boarder and we get channels from the furthest miami (50 or so miles away) w/ 89-94 on the meter and I pick up port saint lucie (60-70 or so miles away) w/ about 70 on the meter. I don't get orlando but that's 200+ miles away. My anntenna is in the attic, because I'd hate to buy a new one every hurricane season.
We live in the southern part of florida around the broward/palm beach boarder and we get channels from the furthest miami (50 or so miles away) w/ 89-94 on the meter and I pick up port saint lucie (60-70 or so miles away) w/ about 70 on the meter. I don't get orlando but that's 200+ miles away. My anntenna is in the attic, because I'd hate to buy a new one every hurricane season.
wantogetstarted said:
I usually get my channels from the south from Jan/Feb until Aug/Sept (where May through July is the most reliable). Outside of the May to July time frame, my signals last from 7PM to 10PM. I think the Waterloo/CR DMA increase their ERP during prime time hours. May to July, from 7PM or 8PM well into 1AM to 3AM hours. Also, during May to July, I tend to get Des Moines (120 to 130 miles) channels. These don't last long. All this is with keeping the CM4228 stationary at 150 degrees.
I'm trying to figure out if I should rig up a rotor setup or buy another one or two CM4228. I've seen some really cool ideas where they "stack" CM4228 antennas to improve their performance.
ralfyguy said:
Sorry for the delay, I usa a 25db ASKA AM-125 UHF/VHF/FM HDTV ANTENNA AMPLIFIER. I also bought the uhf only preamp from antennas direct, but didn't like it. My ASKA amp works great, My antenna seems to never need a preamp, not to far of a cable run.
As for VHF, Milwaukee has PBS on 8, this channel comes in great and doesn't depend on direction. Otherwise i have never received anything else. I would say the VHF distance is 20 miles max.
Tv DXING
I tv dx all the time usually on the weekends during the summer. I usually can get milwaukee 90 miles north of me 70% of the time, Last week I was pulling in DT ch 2 , 5 and 11 out of green bay 200 miles to the north of me, I can get south bend In every once in awhile and have pulled in quad cities iowa before.
I have dxed analog now for over 15 years withg various stuff I could find. I now own my own place and have a winegard hd8200p with the ap8275 preamp with 29 db of gain across the spectrum, I also have a radio shack rotor I bought 10 years ago.
I tv dx all the time usually on the weekends during the summer. I usually can get milwaukee 90 miles north of me 70% of the time, Last week I was pulling in DT ch 2 , 5 and 11 out of green bay 200 miles to the north of me, I can get south bend In every once in awhile and have pulled in quad cities iowa before.
I have dxed analog now for over 15 years withg various stuff I could find. I now own my own place and have a winegard hd8200p with the ap8275 preamp with 29 db of gain across the spectrum, I also have a radio shack rotor I bought 10 years ago.
Attachments
Using an Antennacraft CS600 VHF and a CM4228 UHF with
a CM7777 pre-amp outside. My longest which was pretty
damn lucky was from here in Corpus Christi,TX to
New Orleans,LA, for 2 days strait early in the morning
6AM to almost 2PM both days. Like a week after Katrina.
a CM7777 pre-amp outside. My longest which was pretty
damn lucky was from here in Corpus Christi,TX to
New Orleans,LA, for 2 days strait early in the morning
6AM to almost 2PM both days. Like a week after Katrina.
wantogetstarted said:
Depends on the storms/temp inversion.
I have watched markets all night.
Other times it can be 15-30 minutes.
Obviously for ATSC you have to scan to find them, so its not like you spot them all that often.
Dumb question? ATSC is analog right?
I remember as a kid we once got channels from Florida. (I lived North of Pittsburgh) If I remember right they lasted for a while. They were not clear but you could watch them. Never thought much about it until I stumbled on these web sites about guys trying to pick up channels like that.
I would think getting digital signals like this would be harder. At least with analog you can watch it a little if the signal isn't strong.
I remember as a kid we once got channels from Florida. (I lived North of Pittsburgh) If I remember right they lasted for a while. They were not clear but you could watch them. Never thought much about it until I stumbled on these web sites about guys trying to pick up channels like that.
I would think getting digital signals like this would be harder. At least with analog you can watch it a little if the signal isn't strong.
OK, I live in Oklahoma--almost flat, though we do have hills--and I pick up OKC DTV stations better than I do Tulsa DTV stations--Only get three Tulsa stations 60-73 power on my Dish 811, but get all of the OKC stations with 70-96 power on Dish 811--analog stations come in about the same. The thing is, I live 40 miles away from Tulsa, but around 70 miles from OKC. (though I think that has more to do with the 811 than anything else, but don't have another DTV receiver to test my theory.)
And to top it off, i do it with a $39 amplified set-top antenna from Wal-Mart.
Anyways, with this same setup, I've picked up analog stations from Missouri, Texas, and Kansas, for me at least I've found that this happens more often early morning with fog or light clouds. During fall time seems to be the best time for me with this setup to pick up stations from far away.
And to top it off, i do it with a $39 amplified set-top antenna from Wal-Mart.
Anyways, with this same setup, I've picked up analog stations from Missouri, Texas, and Kansas, for me at least I've found that this happens more often early morning with fog or light clouds. During fall time seems to be the best time for me with this setup to pick up stations from far away.
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I live in McAlester, and I get Almost all Tulsa stations, except KTUL and I get KTEN from Ada. But no OKC stations, unless with severe ducting. But to get Tulsa, I need an UHF Yagi with the highest gain money can buy, and one of the strongest and best preamps money can buy. I don't know how you do 70 miles with rabbit ears. This is a riddle to me.tonyp56 said:
Also to mention, that there's no rain fade with OTA reception, at least not for me. The "better" the weather with sunshine and warm temperatures the more cut-outs I have. OTH the harder it rains the better the signal. I NEVER lost a signal in bad weather! I do lose signal in summer heat.
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