WAQP-49 RF36 Question for Trip

[Triride44]

What do YOU do about that issue? Have you tried adding a filter? If so, did it work? If not, I can guarantee that the Channel Master $20 one is as good as it gets, and maybe it would help you.

I stack two CM filters (FM & LTE) at the input to my drop amp. I agree they work, I have strong FM transmitter all around me, and two T-Mobile 5G towers one mile away. One is directly in front of my antenna and the other behind. The filters solved my problems 100%.

 

[primestar31]

I have a guess and a question;

Guess; The problem could be the way the antennas are combined. Can you pick up WAQP with just the antenna aimed in that direction and all others disconnected??
Question; Are your antennas filtered for 4G or 5G? To protect channel 36 you need a 5G filter (600 MHZ), and it must be inside the Televes antenna. The older 4G filters (700 MHz) won't work on 5G. To make it even more confusing, all three of your antennas must have 5G filters, not just the one aimed at WAQP. A SmartKom MIGHT be able to combine two 4G filtered antennas with one 5G filtered model aimed at WAQP .

This post perplexes me, because first:

You quoted and asked a person that's NOT the OP.

I am the OP, and in my posts I clearly stated that the antennas are presently combined with a Televes SmartKom device. Which is as good as it gets when combining multiple antennas. It did help the issue a bit, but didn't fix it completely.

I gave the antenna model numbers, which two are 149884's, (one of which IS the one used for WAQP) absolutely the newest models, with separate FM band and 4g/5g/LTE filters built right into the dipole preamp that start at 608Mhz. The SmartKom itself has a 4g/5g/LTE filter built in that also starts at 608Mhz.

This intermittent issue happened BEFORE I even had the Televes antennas, even when I was using an older antenna. It's been an ongoing problem only ever since WAQP installed a new broadcast repack antenna to move from RF49 to RF36, that new antenna was manufactured faulty and unusable, and was "modified" in some way to fix it.

I've been in contact with the WAQP engineer several years ago with my old antenna system, but he can't find any reason why their signal should have a problem up here by me.

It appears that its GOT to be some sort of localized dynamic multipath, and there likely should be a fix for it. But if so, I haven't discovered one that locks it down 100% as of yet. It's not a station that I can ignore either, because it's packed full of sub-channels.

 

[primestar31]

Here's a pic just for reference showing the location of WSMH rf16, WJRT rf12, and WAQP rf36 towers all close to each other slightly North-East by Chesaning. White line is the "as the crow flies" direct bearing to my Televes antenna.

 

[primestar31]

If you can, give one of them a shot when you have a chance. The Search Map prediction says you should have enough signal for it to work, notwithstanding that predictions can be wrong. I'm just curious if it's something specific to your antenna setup or if it's something more universal, and I'm thinking that might be a way to answer that question.

- Trip

Ok, I have the Antennas Direct C4-CJM UHF antenna aimed straight at WAQP, and hooked up on a separate fresh length of Rg-6 quad-shield directly to my 50" TCL Roku tv set. That has a secret hidden screen I can access with a spectrum analyzer, so I can check S/N, BER, MER and the like when needed. At present, I have a 81% S/N (-46dBm) 27.9 MER and BER is rock solid at 0.00E+00. It's mostly sunny at present, temp is 80f, with an ENE wind about 6 mph, but no leaves are waggling now. Previously when hooked up to the full antenna system a few minutes before the switchover, those readings were: 92% S/N, (-36dBm) MER: 29.1 and BER: 0.00E+00.

Everything else, Tivo Roamio, HDHR 4k Flex, Basement 43" TCL Roku tv, are all still on the original antenna system routed through the SmartKom.

Right now everything is behaving perfectly, but I'll watch it, and when I see it acting up, I'll check the tv set on the C4-CJM and see what that's doing.

 

[primestar31]

Tropo type weather has rolled in, so everything working perfect since I added the new antenna into the mix. Nothing yet to report, as it's working fine. I have noticed on the HDHR 4k Flex tech app, that the SYMBOL % bar has flaked out a few times, even though everything seems normal. That's on the original antenna. Could be reception errors creeping in at random, even with Signal Quality & Strength staying perfect?

 

[Jim5506]

Another idea. Maybe you are too close to the towers and their transmitting antenna is designed to send signal out horizonally and just slightly downward, you may be below their radiation pattern, if not they may be overloading the tuner, two possibilities.

 

[primestar31]

Another idea. Maybe you are too close to the towers and their transmitting antenna is designed to send signal out horizonally and just slightly downward, you may be below their radiation pattern, if not they may be overloading the tuner, two possibilities.

No overload, and they are 37 miles away. It's very intermittent, but has now been perfect for over a week.

I've been trying to figure this out for 3 years, and still can't figure anything solid as to why.

 

[primestar31]

Ok, I have the Antennas Direct C4-CJM UHF antenna aimed straight at WAQP, and hooked up on a separate fresh length of Rg-6 quad-shield directly to my 50" TCL Roku tv set. That has a secret hidden screen I can access with a spectrum analyzer, so I can check S/N, BER, MER and the like when needed. At present, I have a 81% S/N (-46dBm) 27.9 MER and BER is rock solid at 0.00E+00. It's mostly sunny at present, temp is 80f, with an ENE wind about 6 mph, but no leaves are waggling now. Previously when hooked up to the full antenna system a few minutes before the switchover, those readings were: 92% S/N, (-36dBm) MER: 29.1 and BER: 0.00E+00.

Everything else, Tivo Roamio, HDHR 4k Flex, Basement 43" TCL Roku tv, are all still on the original antenna system routed through the SmartKom.

Right now everything is behaving perfectly, but I'll watch it, and when I see it acting up, I'll check the tv set on the C4-CJM and see what that's doing.

Ok, we finally have some action going on. The Antennas Direct C4-CJM is mounted up on the well pipe mast, about 5ft underneath the newest model Televes Dat Boss Mix LR that's the main antenna for my locals. It's on a separate coax I have up there (always run spares!) Anyway, it's really windy/gusty right now 8 - 13MPH winds, leaves are flapping, and a thunderstorm is cranking up. The HDHR 4k Flex, AND my Tivo Roamio are showing that RF36 is cranking up errors, and signal level is jumping up and down heavily.

As for the TCL Roku tv set hooked directly to the AD C4-CJM, it's slightly fluctuating with signal levels, BUT, staying locked solid, with no BER errors, and NOT pixelating at all. Apparently, it's far less sensitive to whatever this multipath is.

This MUST mostly be caused by some sort of complex multipath that the Dat Boss LR can't compensate for. Perhaps it needs to be slightly re-aimed, (to avoid a tree? that's maybe flapping up the signal in certain weather conditions? Perhaps it has too tight of a reception beam. Odd that it only really affects RF36 though) OR I can rearrange things and maybe leave the AD C4-CJM aimed mostly for Rf36, and hook it to the SmartKom to pipe to the entire system.

 

[primestar31]

I climbed up to the top of my tower yesterday 7/23 and strapped in, where I can reach over to the well pipe mast where my main stations tower arc aimed Dat Boss is. I made a mark between the antenna and pole, (like you do when moving a FTA KU dish) loosened the nuts, and moved it about maybe 1/8th inch more in azimuth towards the East, then locked it back down.

WAQP rf36 seems to be far more stable now on that one. Watching it as weather permits, to see if this will hold better. Still got Tropo or something going on with this wacko weather lately, so it'll likely take a while before I know more, since this has been so flaky, for so long. There's been other long periods where its stayed nearly perfect, with me doing nothing.

 

[Trip]

I hope it helps.

- Trip

 

[primestar31]

I climbed up to the top of my tower yesterday 7/23 and strapped in, where I can reach over to the well pipe mast where my main stations tower arc aimed Dat Boss is. I made a mark between the antenna and pole, (like you do when moving a FTA KU dish) loosened the nuts, and moved it about maybe 1/8th inch more in azimuth towards the East, then locked it back down.

WAQP rf36 seems to be far more stable now on that one. Watching it as weather permits, to see if this will hold better. Still got Tropo or something going on with this wacko weather lately, so it'll likely take a while before I know more, since this has been so flaky, for so long. There's been other long periods where its stayed nearly perfect, with me doing nothing.

Well, it held out until today 8/6, it's a bit windy out there right now. Right now it's pixelating badly, and signal quality and symbol quality are oscillating all over. Conversely, the Antennas Direct C4-CJM UHF antenna mounted 5ft under the Televes antenna and hooked only to my tv set on a separate coax, is rock solid on the same channel even though it's aimed through trees. I just can't seem to find a permanent perfect aim for the Televes 149884 that's rock solid on rf36... I really need a 4th input on my SmartKom...