I miss DX'ing TV stations

[Mr Tony]

well today was a weird day......it seemed like Minneapolis was non existent but Rochester, Mason City, LaCrosse were next door

Couldnt get much Minneapolis today but due to the cold front moving south I was able to grab all the Rochester/Mason City/Albert Lea/Austin stations

42 (3) KIMT CBS
36 (6) KAAL ABC
10 (10) KTTC NBC <---this was on my VHF antenna which is facing NW for KCCW....Rochester is SE of here
20 (15) KSMQ PBS
18 (24) KDIN PBS
46 (47) KXLT FOX
All of these (except 10) were almost pegging the meter

Also got most LaCrosse and Eau Claire with ease....but once the front went through...NADA

 

[Mr Tony]

also grabbed a translator of Iowa Public TV which is 239.43 miles. Its a 15kw translator
25 (21) KTIN Ft Dodge, IA (PBS)..248 miles

and with my HBU22 aimed SW grabbed KEYC Mankato CBS (172 miles). No pic as I was on the roof with a 7" TV and converter box

Also got to try out my new antenna. Solid SIgnal's version of the 91XG. Got it on special

 

[primestar31]

I've owned the original version of the 91xg years ago, and I now own 2 HDB91x's (SS's clone) and as far as I can tell, they work just as well if not better than the 91xg.

I picked up Detroit stations the other night like they were next door, and a couple Canadian stations even further away (Hamilton). I even picked up an analog translator from somewhere, but could only see some shadows moving around.

 

[Eddie_T]

I've owned the original version of the 91xg years ago, and I now own 2 HDB91x's (SS's clone) and as far as I can tell, they work just as well if not better than the 91xg.

I picked up Detroit stations the other night like they were next door, and a couple Canadian stations even further away (Hamilton). I even picked up an analog translator from somewhere, but could only see some shadows moving around.

Better price too!

 

[Mr Tony]

I've owned the original version of the 91xg years ago, and I now own 2 HDB91x's (SS's clone) and as far as I can tell, they work just as well if not better than the 91xg.

I picked up Detroit stations the other night like they were next door, and a couple Canadian stations even further away (Hamilton). I even picked up an analog translator from somewhere, but could only see some shadows moving around.

The one thing I noticed on this antenna versus the 8 bay or a smaller YAGI is the beamwidth (I think that is what its called)
My 8 bay I could get Ion (which is 60 miles SW of me) most of the day with the 8 bay facing west (for my FOX translator)
This antenna I lose it most of the day and it comes in at night.
On the positive is I gained a few points on the meter for FOX. And when you're 28 miles away and its only 2600 watts...you need all the signal you can get

 

[primestar31]

The one thing I noticed on this antenna versus the 8 bay or a smaller YAGI is the beamwidth (I think that is what its called)
My 8 bay I could get Ion (which is 60 miles SW of me) most of the day with the 8 bay facing west (for my FOX translator)
This antenna I lose it most of the day and it comes in at night.
On the positive is I gained a few points on the meter for FOX. And when you're 28 miles away and its only 2600 watts...you need all the signal you can get

The HDB91x appears to have about a 45 - 60~ degree forward main beamwidth from what I'm seeing, but also has some interesting sidelobes. I'm at 50ft, and aimed at 143 degrees magnetic, (center of my main stations, average is 40 miles away, but I have a heavy treeline I have to aim through) and that allows me to pick up the UHF stations in my dma from 162 degrees, to 116 degrees with very high levels. I also pick up 14 WCMU solid, which is at 279 degrees.

My antenna is also tilted UP about 5 degrees, and that makes a big difference for me.

 

[Mr Tony]

hmmm interesting.