How far away can you pick up HD?

[Innova]

I know that will depend on the power of the station and the antenna used but....

I live in Central WI.  Our local NBC affiliate isn't boradcasting HD yet.  I want to watch the Daytona 500 in HD.  WEAU-DT out of Eau Claire (63.8 miles west of me) is broadcasting in HD.  I have a 90" UHF/VHF antenna from radio shack.  

Do you think that I could pick up WEAU-DT?

I am asking before I try, because I don't want to climb up on our steep, snowy roof if there is now chance

Thanks.

[Tom Snyder]

Go to http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx and enter your address. It will show you what signals are receiveable with the proper antenna.

[Innova]

Unfortunately antennaweb doesn't list WEAU-DT.  They have the analog station, but not the digital.

I know that WEAU-DT is broadcasting because I looked at their site http://www.weau.com.

However, can I just assume that the analog signal is just as easy to receive as the digital or vice versa?

[Gregg Lengling]

As you can see below WEAU-DT is operating under an STA and are running 500kW ERP...their full license is for 982kW ERP...so basically they are running half of their full legal power.  This is going to make it a marginal signal.   This is on UHF channel 39, whereas their analog is on Channel 13 with 316kW ERP.  Channel 13 (VHF) will propogate better over long distances thand channel 39 (UHF).  This is why they usually license UHF stations for around 1000 kW ERP (1 MegaWatt ERP).  I'd say you're probably going to be marginal, even with a high gain antenna and preamp...and this depends on the terrain between you and WEAU.

I'm a weenie...I wouldn't go up on the roof for an iffy proposition this time of year.


WEAU-TV       WI  EAU CLAIRE                     USA        (Digital)

  Licensee: GRAY TELEVISION LICENSEE, INC.
  Service Designation: DS  Special Temporary Authority (STA) (digital)

  Channel 39 (620-626 MHz)  Special Tem                                                                                        
  File No.: BDSTA -20020409AAS     Facility ID No: 7893      
  CDBS Application ID No.: 600247    


  44 ° 39' 50.00"  Latitude                   Zone:  
  90 ° 57' 40.00"  Longitude (NAD27)          Frequency Offset: None      
  Effective Radiated Power (ERP):              500.  kW ERP
  Ant. Height Above Average Terrain (HAAT):    585.1 meters HAAT  
  Ant. Radiation Center Above Mean Sea Level:  902.0 meters RCAMSL
  Ant. Radiation Center Above Ground Level:          meters RCAGL

[Innova]

Thanks for the information!

I think that I was able to get 13 marginally.  I currently am using Voom, but I might cancel that, and switch to Dish.  Maybe when the installer is up on the roof removing the Stealth antenna from Voom, I can have him play with getting channel 39

Thanks again.

[GADGET71]

INNOVA-

Any reason why you are thinking of cancelling voom, what are the pros and cons, as I have been looking into it myself?
________
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[Innova]

Pros:  
Excellent picture/sound quality.
Most HD anywhere.


Cons:
Still have bugs in the box.
High starting cost ($750, when Dish is free for new subs).
Still missing some big channels, both SD and HD (ESPN, Noggin (2 yr old), Sci-Fi, HBO-HD, INHD, HDNET, etc)
Locals are mapped instead of scanned for.

I would keep it until my money back garuntee is up (end of Mar), but I could get the dish installer to test for Eau Claire NBC while he is removing voom, and installing Dish.  So I might cancel before the Daytona 500.

There are rumors that Early Subscribers (I was the first in WI :bow:  ) might get a free HD-PVR this summer.  That would be worth holding on for.  Although if I go with the free Dish plan, I might be able to get the 921 for $750 by this summer too....

Check out the end of this thread if you want to see screenshots from Voom:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=356371