WYFF Reception in Central SC

[tpampane]

Wondering if somebody can shed some light on a problem that I have encountered on my reception.

TV Report:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d51346ab86d42b7

Problem:
Just recently, last 4 months, I have been dropping signal , or getting severe pixelation, on WYFF-DT (NBC). I am using a Channel Master DVR+. The signal strength will go down to 0 and bounce to 40 while the signal quality will range from 0 to 60. When I am receiving the varying ranges they will change sometimes within 2-3 seconds.



I also get pixelation on WSPA (CBS) , WHNS (Fox) and WNTV (PBS). Very rarely will I get it on WLOS (ABC). Usually when it occurs on these stations it will only last 1-5 seconds and will vanish after 2-3 occurrences. Annoying , but tolerable.


Background:
August of last year (2015) I purchased an antenna and placed it in my attic. I am using AntennaCraft 10-Element Channels 7-13 Yagi Antenna.


When I first placed the antenna I never had a problem with any above stations, again the past 6 months. All stations came in without a problem.



I have ~175 feet of coax (RG6). going to 1 television that I have the Channel Master DVR+ connected to.


What I have tried:

Using a different coax (RG6) cable to a Panasonic TV. The length of coax going to that tv is roughly 30 feet. Same problems occurred with WYFF. I did not use the Channel Master DVR+ on this tv , rather I used the tv's tuner. It only has a strength meter and it varied from 0 to 55.


Re-positioning the antenna in the attic. It was secured very well from the August 2015 installation but I tried regardless. This did not help, I ended placing the antenna back where it was originally installed.


In the early morning , WYFF (CBS), will come in crystal clear (5:30 AM). The strength meter will be at 62 and the quality meter will be at 100. This usually happens on clear days and will go until ~9:00 AM EST. At ~9:00 AM EST the signal meter will
bounce from 0 to 40 and the signal quality from 0 to 60. This will last the rest of the day until I check it the following morning.


Crystal clear reception on WYFF (CBS) mornings happens when it is clear outside. If the weather is cloudy , fog or raining I will get reception problems. Not as necessarily as severe as during the day and evening but close.


Help:

OTA was completely new to me back in August 2015 and everybody here were very helpful. I am not sure what to try next.
I though maybe another balun? Another antenna?


Thanks-
Frank

[rabbit73]

WYFF is a UHF channel. The Antennacraft VHF-High yagi is not suitable for WYFF.

Is that the only antenna you have?

I have ~175 feet of coax (RG6).
That much coax has a loss of over 10 dB for UHF. Are you using a preamp?

What direction is the antenna aimed?

Any trees or other buildings in the signal path.

[ADTech]

Add an appropriate UHF antenna and combine it to your existing antenna with a UVSJ. Mount it separately where it gets the best UHF reception.

You probably don't need an amp, your estimated excess margins are quite high.

Rapidly varying SS meters usually indicates either multipath, electrical interference, or the effect that trees have on the incoming UHF signals. If the antenna is behind trees, then that problem is compounding the issue of having a non-optimal antenna for UHF.

[tpampane]

Rabbit73 ,

Yes - the AntennaCraft 10-Element Channels 7-13 Yagi Antenna is the only antenna that I have.

No - I am not running a pre-amp for the 175' coax run.


I did try and run a 30' run to another TV , with basically the same results for WYFF. Again, I did not use the Channel Master DVR+ tuner though, I used the tv's tuner.


Back in August 2015 , I thought I was going to have to do a jointenna with another antenna. Tower Guy suggested the Yagi antenna and the jointenna so I could get WLOS and the rest of the stations (CBS, FOX, NBC & PBS).

Once I installed the AntennaCraft 7-13 Yagi antenna though UHF - WYFF (NBC) , WHNS (Fox) came in perfectly without any issues, along with other VHF WSPA (CBS) , WNTV (PBS) and WLOS (ABC).

But now - not so much. I was SO happy for about 8+ months , all my stations that I wanted came in perfect all the time.

[rabbit73]

Back in August 2015 , I thought I was going to have to do a jointenna with another antenna. Tower Guy suggested the Yagi antenna and the jointenna so I could get WLOS and the rest of the stations (CBS, FOX, NBC & PBS).I see you have a previous thread. It would have been easier to help you if you had added to that thread instead of starting a new thread.

Your previous thread
Need your help with getting Channel 13 WLOS from attic antenna
http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=14694

your previous report
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3de1c62c5d9dda68

Your previous report looks different enough that I thought you moved.

He didn't say use it as your only antenna, he said add it as an additional antenna for WLOS, real channel 13, because it was in a different direction.
To try for WLOS in the attic get a Y10-7-13 plus a channel 13 jointenna from the Channelmaster store. Aim the antenna at 5 degrees and try it without your existing antenna. If it works, then combine the two antenna with the jointenna.
You need to add another antenna, with a UVSJ combiner, for UHF like a DB4e.

[tpampane]

AD Tech & rabbit73 -

Thanks for the advice on adding another antenna (UHF) and a UVSJ.

Multipath would seem to be the culprit. Other interference's , electrical or trees, have not changed since August 2015.

I will try the UHF antenna and UVSJ.

Thanks,
Frank