How Can I Make This Better?

[marksy]

Here is my report - http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d1ddae06c09ff11

Right now I have a CM4221 pointed at Toronto, and seem to get most everything, including CHCH fairly regularly (although it does pixelate quite often). I also have a CM4221 pointed between Buffalo and Rochester in hopes to get both. These run into a CM7777 amp and into my home, where they are split to 5 TV's.

While I do get most of Buffalo (Fox 29 is sometimes flaky and Ion 51 is not dependable), I have not yet received any signal for anything in Rochester.

My question; if I added another 20 feet to my tower height would it do much? I know nobody can say for sure until I try, but I wanted to see if the thought is that it would help. Doing my report at 50 feet says I will, but it also says Rochester is viewable now as is and it is not.

Also, I wonder if I should either try a different angle on the Buffalo - Rochester antenna, get another and point one at each, or scrap Rochester all together and try to get more and more reliable from Buffalo.

I just read Big Daddy's post who is in the same town as me and it looks like he is getting more in some cases than I am, even off the CN tower, is this just due to location / height?

Lastly, and sorry for all the quetions, is there a way to better read this TV Fool report? I understand (I think) most of it, but does it take into account terrain, trees, hills, etc.? I only have trees about 60 feet away, but pretty much in the line of sight of the antennas.

Thanks for any comments.

[marksy]

As an fyi, here is my report at 50 feet on the height of my tower - http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d1dda86f6728b59

[BigDaddy]

Hey Marksy,

We are just in the Thickson/Rossland area....
When I put my DB4e up last spring, I pointed it right at WGRZ (NBC) and got very good reception except in the poor winter weather (Only lost NBC). But still better than my dish. I do get Rochester on the nice sunny summer days, but it doesn't last. Teleview says not to bother with tweaking your rig for Rochester, since I won't get it anyhow.

Question: how did you join your two CM4221s together? Did you take an insertion loss dB hit?

[marksy]

I have a joiner (basically a reverse splitter), the two lines come into the joiner, then the amplifier outside, then that line comes into my house. Way cheaper than a rotor. As for signal loss I have no idea. Toronto stations are all at near or at 100%. But as I said, you are getting a few that I don't.

I got this all going in mid to late December so I guess maybe I need to wait until the Summer to see any difference, good or bad :). Hopefully I can get a little more than now.

No complaints at all so far, between this and $8 a month for Netflix, everyone in my house is quite happy and I couldn't be happier with the monthly bill. Top that with no cost for my home phone, and my Internet is my only other expense ($45 a month for what used to be over $200 with Rogers).

Happy camper!