Need OTA help

[Chinatown]

I have a roof top antenna, with a rotor. It is hooked to a Dish VIP 622. I get the Milwaukee locals Crystal Clear. I live in West Allis. The Radio Shack antenna will capture signals up to 75 miles. Shouldn't I be able rotate and get Madison Channels?

[troyriley]

The mileage antenna manufacturers give is usually over perfectly flat terrain, no interference, etc. Also, they can advertise any mileage they want. There are so many factors with the antenna range, such as station distance, power, terrain, etc.

I have the RS u75-r as well. I'm about 72 miles from the Madison transmitters, which are a little west of Madison. I'm able to receive 15 and 57 analog, and occasionally a few digital, but not reliably. It helps me that I'm out in the middle of nowhere with little interference around. Being in West Allis, you have more interference from local Milwaukee transmitters. I might recommend an amplifier with your antenna, but I worry it would also just amplify those stations that are overpowering your tuner and not help receive Madison stations.

Also, I have the Dish Network 722 and have found that my TV's tuner is far superior. You may want to try a different tuner, if possible.

[antennaguy]

I have a roof top antenna, with a rotor. It is hooked to a Dish VIP 622. I get the Milwaukee locals Crystal Clear. I live in West Allis. The Radio Shack antenna will capture signals up to 75 miles. Shouldn't I be able rotate and get Madison Channels?

I looked up West Allis on antennapoint.com. troyriley is right about an amplifier overloading some of the Milwaukee stations that are broadcasting at 1000 kW from only 7 miles away. The Madison stations are all UHF, as are the Milwaukee stations. Is your antenna a UHF only antenna?

He's also right about the tuner. You might try an A/B switch instead of sending the signal through the 622 to use the tuner in your TV set.

You might also try a better antenna. While Antennas can't tell the difference between analog and digital signals, there are definitely certain models which have higher DTV batting averages than others. Not all antennas are equally suited for DTV. A percentage of viewers will require something a little more tailored for DTV reception.

Antennas Direct (antennasdirect.com) has just released their newest line of antennas called the ClearStream. They are an efficient, powerful antenna in a smaller form. And Antennas Direct offers a no fault, 90 day guarantee. If the Antenna  they send you doesn't knock your socks off, return it for a full refund.

[Bebop]

Milwaukee HD stations used to be all UHF until until PBS switched their HD programming from 36-1 to 10-1.

[John L]

Milwaukee HD stations used to be all UHF until until PBS switched their HD programming from 36-1 to 10-1.

Well, yeah thats true.  I hope you know that there is a difference between HD and DTV.  Oh yeah PBS network out of New York did not switch their HD programming from 36-1 to 10-1. I believe it was MPTV (Milwaukee Public TV) that did the switch.

[John L]

... about an amplifier overloading some of the Milwaukee stations that are broadcasting at 1000 kW from only 7 miles away.

Is amp overloading still a problem with DTV?

I know for a fact with analog it would produce images. I would find WTMJ-4 and WITI-6 is various parts of the UHF band when using a amp.  With a DTV receiver, is it still apparent? I would almost think in a digital sense it would cancel it out.  I would love to use an amp to try and receive distant stations as I am a TV DXer and get excited over special weather conditions causing brief signals to places like Kentucky.   But when you have images it makes it unpleasent seeing a local's image on a open frequency because in reality it is not there, your amp creates it because it is being overpowered by the station's signal.

Gee, I remember back in 1979 getting an NBC station on ch. 18 from Louiseville, KY. In those days WVTV-18 did not operate in the morning hours.

-John L.

[Bebop]

Well, yeah thats true.  I hope you know that there is a difference between HD and DTV.  Oh yeah PBS network out of New York did not switch their HD programming from 36-1 to 10-1. I believe it was MPTV (Milwaukee Public TV) that did the switch.

Probably not, that's why I specify 36-1 to 10-1 and that all Milwaukee HD stations are no longer on UHF.

[John L]

Probably not, that's why I specify 36-1 to 10-1 and that all Milwaukee HD stations are no longer on UHF.

Stop picking on me Bebop!  Most Milwaukee TV stations are now all UHF except 10-1 and 41-1. VHF band will probably be open for any future broadcast companies wishing to setup a new TV station in Milwaukee, even thou we have a enough TV stations already.  Someone could come along and set up a new TV station and transmit their signal on ch. 4's old analog frequency and map themselves as 1-1. Provinding, that is if the old frequency is assigned to Milwaukee. I am sure the FCC will be updating another TV Table Allocation of Assignments, as they always update it.