Receive Chicago OTA in Milwaukee

[js6751]

I live in zip 53219. I want to receive Chicago locals via OTA for HD local news. Dish Network installed a Winegard Squareshooter antenna on my roof a few months ago. Here's the link to the antenna: http://winegard.com/offair/squareshooter.htm  
So would this antenna do the job, or do I need something more powerful? If Madison or Green Bay have any local news in HD,  and it's easier to get, it would suffice. Thanks!

[gparris]

Now, I would be amazed IF you got OTA in HD from Chicago in your location, so do you?
Did you try to get them at all by aiming it towards the south?

The "square shooter" antenna in the link has a 50 mile maximum range for UHF, so you are sort of stretching its ability I would think, from that zipcode.
Chicagoland local network stations are the most likely to have local HD broadcasts, as most are O&O network stations, too, IMO.
So it is my understanding is that at least one of them actually does, but I forget which one.
We in Kenosha County with TWC service get only the awful analogue stations from Chicago on cable, a waste of cable bandwidth allocation, IMHO.
These TWC cable channels come in really bad and since we cannot get Directv's 5-HD locals instead, it seems to be a bad "grandfathering" and conflict of interest
(to still get these analogue channels, still).

[AndrewP]

You can try get it with ChannelMaster 4228 and Titan 7777 amplifier. That is what I have use from Muskego, 70 miles from Sears and Hancock towers.
First, calculate angle from your house (antennaweb.org) and try aim your SS antenna. If al least you will get some signal with SS, then 4228 will do the job. Howeever, if nothing will come up, then most likely you are out of luck. Try the strongest Chicago station FOX 32 (digital 31). Channel 50 is also very strong.

gparris: Chicago ABC has local news in HD. The very good use of Chicago OTA is during the Milwaukee local weather breaks to SD. Chicago stations never break HD feed and they show for several seconds not abusive weather message over the HD signal.

[jkane]

Just got my 722 this weekend.  At first, I got zero channels when the installer left.  Went up and took the antenna connections apart.  Brass wire brushed everything, rescanned and saw about 15 channels.  Had a problem with the transformer from 300 to 75 ohms on the roof/antenna.  Replaced it late yesterday (boy was it corroded inside), and did a scan for channels.  I saw about 25 last night.  Can't recall exactly which, but WGN (9) is one of them.  Only about 50-60 signal strentgh.  Watched it for a couple minutes and it cut in and out.  I am in Thiensville, so if you are farther south, it might work for you.

Amazingly, I get Channel 5 (Green Bay I think) off the back side with a 60+ signal.  It's feed was exactly the same as 4.1 and 4.2.

[gparris]

You can try get it with ChannelMaster 4228 and Titan 7777 amplifier. That is what I have use from Muskego, 70 miles from Sears and Hancock towers.
First, calculate angle from your house (antennaweb.org) and try aim your SS antenna. If al least you will get some signal with SS, then 4228 will do the job. Howeever, if nothing will come up, then most likely you are out of luck. Try the strongest Chicago station FOX 32 (digital 31). Channel 50 is also very strong.

gparris: Chicago ABC has local news in HD. The very good use of Chicago OTA is during the Milwaukee local weather breaks to SD. Chicago stations never break HD feed and they show for several seconds not abusive weather message over the HD signal.

Thanks for the information as I will pass it along to my neighbours, many of whom have moved here from the Chicagoland area to buy less expensive homes.
None of them want to watch Milwaukee locals much anyway out of habit.
The fact that HD locals coming from Chicago never mess up the HD signal for a storm warning by breaking up the HD to SD is an example as to why Chicagoland stations are (possibly) better for HD delivery:
Milwaukeeland locals take note (get your "HD act" together)!

[jkane]

Turns out that channel 5 I was getting is Chicago also!  However, last night, they all got too weak to recieve any more.  Must have been good propogation Sunday when I was testing.

[ArgMeMatey]

I am in 53211 and I am wondering about experiences & equipment of anyone nearby who's consistently getting Chicago, Madison or Green Bay digital stations.

I only live a mile or two from Estabrook Park and I can get all of the Milwaukee stations with rabbit ears.  I will probably do an attic antenna eventually, but I am wondering if it's worth experimenting with a big rooftop antenna.  

I looked at tvfool.com and the propagation maps on some other site and it seems possible.  

Thanks.

[ArgMeMatey]

Is anybody in Milwaukee, especially north shore, getting Chicago stations OTA?

I am thinking about experimenting a bit, but I think my path to the Sears Tower and probably Hancock are obstructed by UWM Sandburg Towers and maybe trees.  Based on TV Fool I would aim at 175 degrees magnetic.  

What are my chances?  Good or bad?  


Looking due south:


Looking southeast:

[Gilbert]

Is anybody in Milwaukee, especially north shore, getting Chicago stations OTA?

I am thinking about experimenting a bit, but I think my path to the Sears Tower and probably Hancock are obstructed by UWM Sandburg Towers and maybe trees.  Based on TV Fool I would aim at 175 degrees magnetic.  

What are my chances?  Good or bad?  

North shore is no longer line of sight, so I doubt it. Certainly not consistently. That's a 90 mile trip, and line of sight is 60 miles here.