WCGV 24-1 and WTMJ 4-1 Lower Signal Strength?

[AA9VI]

WCGV 24-1 is coming in very poorly at my home in Northbrook, IL.  It used to come in the second best (second only to WMVT 36-1) of any Milwaukee digital station and was 95% watchable.  Has something happened to the transmit power, antenna, etc? I'm lucky if it comes in 15% of the time now.  I don't think it's a foliage thing since channel 36's digital signal is rock solid as ever.

I am also getting a weaker signal from WTMJ-DT than the past too.  Both stations have been like this for weeks.

Any guesses why? Has anyone else seen this?

[troyriley]

One possibility is that you're receiving interference from other stations on those frequencies. WTMJ-DT is on 28 and WCGV-DT is on 25. This time of year, there are many times I can pick up stations from across the lake due to atmospheric conditions. I sometimes have a lower than average signal strength on WTMJ because South Bend has an analog station on 28. As for anything else broadcast on 25, I'm not sure. With you being so close to the lake, and not much but waves to stop South Bend signals, that's a theory.

However, when signals from across the lake interfere with our own, it's not for an extended period of time. It's usually only certain times of the day, and is certainly not a daily issue. Double-check all of your connections (which you probably have already done), because you should regularly receive a reliable signal from Northbrook.

[EmuZombie]

One possibility is that you're receiving interference from other stations on those frequencies. WTMJ-DT is on 28 and WCGV-DT is on 25. This time of year, there are many times I can pick up stations from across the lake due to atmospheric conditions. I sometimes have a lower than average signal strength on WTMJ because South Bend has an analog station on 28. As for anything else broadcast on 25, I'm not sure. With you being so close to the lake, and not much but waves to stop South Bend signals, that's a theory.

This is exactly the problem we have in Racine with FM radio on a yearly basis. Every late August - September in the morning hours it can be difficult to tune in several stations due to interference from across the lake. The best example I can come up with is 102.9.  There are mornings where I can't get anything at all and other morning where I hear nothing but South Bend radio on that frequency.

[AA9VI]

Well, it figures that the day I post this that all of the stations are coming in very well due to tropospheric enhancement.  I was just curious if there were any hardware failures or changes.  Any station engineers on board that can answer?

[troyriley]

How was your reception tonight (Wednesday night)? While watching the Brewer game on WMLW (58.2- 46 digital), I was experiencing some dropouts with my Dish 722 receiver (my TV's better tuner was fine). South Bend was coming in strong all night. I discovered they have an analog station on 46. This was also another night WTMJ was weaker than normal for me because of South Bend's analog 28.

[AA9VI]

How was your reception tonight (Wednesday night)? While watching the Brewer game on WMLW (58.2- 46 digital), I was experiencing some dropouts with my Dish 722 receiver (my TV's better tuner was fine). South Bend was coming in strong all night. I discovered they have an analog station on 46. This was also another night WTMJ was weaker than normal for me because of South Bend's analog 28.

Well, WTMJ-DT's signal was pretty bad.  I have a very directive antenna pointed at 352 deg azimuth from my location and WSJV is off the broadside (about 110 deg), so this should shield me from the analog interference.  I didn't see WSJV coming in at all in analog, either.