Wvtv 18.1 (61d) ??

[dlhoppe]

Can someone tell me if 18.1 is off the air?  My signal strength has been showing zero lately.

[Tom Snyder]

I can get a signal for 18-1, but it's so weak and spotty, I was wondering of they've been running at a reduced power...

[Jimboy]

I can get a signal for 18-1, but it's so weak and spotty, I was wondering of they've been running at a reduced power...

18-1 is currently normal and at full power.

[dlhoppe]

Well, it sure seems like something has changed recently.  I have a large Winegard on a tower. I can get everything else with tons of signal strength, but recently 18.1 seems to have just gone away.  I've got multiple receivers in the house that all agree on this. I wonder if I have some kind of strange interference going on that only causes issues with 61D?  Any thoughts?


Edited:

Ok, I decided to try tweaking my antenna direction to either side of my current position for Milwaukee stations. Turns out that I can get 18.1 with reasonable signal strength if I rotate my antenna about 10 degrees towards the west (I'm in the West Bend area). I have to give up a little signal strength on all the other stations, but it's not enough to cause any issues. I've had this antenna setup for about three years now, and the direction I've been using for Milwaukee stations has always worked great for all channels including 18.1.  That's kind of strange, but I guess the problem is solved.

[TheSpecialist]

18-1 comes in fine for me with the same strength it's always had.  However, I'm only 5 miles from the transmitter so I might not notice a subtle change in their signal.

[Gilbert]

Well, it sure seems like something has changed recently.  I have a large Winegard on a tower. I can get everything else with tons of signal strength, but recently 18.1 seems to have just gone away.  I've got multiple receivers in the house that all agree on this. I wonder if I have some kind of strange interference going on that only causes issues with 61D?  Any thoughts?


Edited:

Ok, I decided to try tweaking my antenna direction to either side of my current position for Milwaukee stations. Turns out that I can get 18.1 with reasonable signal strength if I rotate my antenna about 10 degrees towards the west (I'm in the West Bend area). I have to give up a little signal strength on all the other stations, but it's not enough to cause any issues. I've had this antenna setup for about three years now, and the direction I've been using for Milwaukee stations has always worked great for all channels including 18.1.  That's kind of strange, but I guess the problem is solved.

I have heard unconfirmed reports that channel 61 in Chicago boosted power, or did work on their antenna. It is coming in a bit stronger in recent weeks. Could be interference from that.

[dlhoppe]

I have heard unconfirmed reports that channel 61 in Chicago boosted power, or did work on their antenna. It is coming in a bit stronger in recent weeks. Could be interference from that.

Can't find any reference to a channel 61 in Chicago.  It's an interesting thought though.  I'll look into it further.  Thanks.

[Gregg Lengling]

There a 2 channel 61's in Illinois:
Quincy  W61CO running 0.007Kw
Rochelle WCHO running 150 Kw

There is an app for Bay City Michigan for a channel 61 to run 5,000Kw
But remember come 2009 that will be gone also as the upper channels are going away and channel 18's digital will be on channel 18.

[bradsmainsite]

Band openings my friends raising all kinds of havoc with an anlog station lurking
under that digital wave form.

Looking at a spectrum analyzer you can see a analog video spike running right up through the digital channel wave form and it will completely look up  your tuner and bam! nothing.

Quite bothersome if you are more than say 20 miles or more out from transmitters, but like Gerg said this to shall pass, however not fast enough!;)

[mhz40]

If it is from Chicago, those of you with antenna's pointing south towards Milwaukee should have the most problems.  Antenna's pointing north (those of you in Racine etc... would have the offender on the back side, where signal rejection on the antenna side is somewhat better in most cases.

[John L]

There a 2 channel 61's in Illinois:
Quincy  W61CO running 0.007Kw
Rochelle WCHO running 150 Kw

There is an app for Bay City Michigan for a channel 61 to run 5,000Kw
But remember come 2009 that will be gone also as the upper channels are going away and channel 18's digital will be on channel 18.

With the new 2009 regulations, those LPTVs on ch. 61 will have to either move or go off the air.  The problem won't go away if these LPTVs also move to ch. 18.  Will chances are it won't be exactly these 2, but some others I'll bet.  Someone will be using ch. 18 in Chicago.

I think the FCC needs to re-investigate interference problems as I think we are seeing too much of it and will require many LPTVs to change channels or go off the air.  Some high powered DTVs need to be changed to another frequency as well.

-John L.

[QuimaxW]

Does anyone else have problems with 18.1 still?

I just purchased a pcHDTV tuner, running with MythTV.  I got the channel added to my list, but I can't get a lock on it today.  When I scan the channels, it doesn't show up today even.

Yesterday it was fine.
The day before it was pixalized, like I was getting a bad signal.

I am receiving *all* of the other Milwuakee stations without a problem, with an "almost outside" (rafters in the garage) antenna, living in Waukesha.

Any thoughts or ideas?  Perhaps the antenna (which I think is pointed W-NW) needs to be reaimed somewhat?

[Tom Snyder]

Just checked it, and it's actually the best I've ever gotten it... only a 71, but it's solid, no pixelization or freezing.

[waterhead]

I've got a pcHDTV HD-3000 with MythTV. I just checked, and when I first tuned to 18.1 it pixelated and then sort of froze up. I then switched to 24.1 and back to 18.1 and it tuned in OK.

MythTV is saying I have a 81% signal on 18.1, compared to 89% for 12.1

[QuimaxW]

I'm still having problems picking up 18.1  I tried the tuning from 18 to 24 and back, but to no avail.

A scan also doesn't pick up the station...