Hoping to improve reception on a few channels
 

I have an Antennas Direct Clearstream 2MAX situated in an upstairs bedroom that is fed into a Channel Master Ultra Mini 2, and from there into two HD HomeRun Connect Duos. I’m getting great signal strength/quality on most of the channels, according to Signal GH on my iPad, but a couple are lower than the rest. Here’s my TVFool report: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...60edbcde08ce9d

The channels in question are KNTV (signal strength 100/signal quality 80) and KCSM (signal strength 90/signal quality wildly fluctuating to the point of picture loss. For some reason the TVFool report does not include KCSM, but it’s antenna is supposedly on Mt. Sutro as are many of the other channels I easily receive.

I would also like to receive KRCB, but it’s farther away than the others and is here one day, gone the next.

I have an AT&T Microcell downstairs. Could that be affecting my signal? Should I purchase an LTE filter? Are there radio stations in my area that could be an issue?

If KNTV is being received without defects, the displayed signal meter is irrelevant, it only needs to be "good enough". Indicated quality is probably being reduced by either multi-path or localized electrical interference. Are you looking at their VHF channel 12 signal or their channel 49 sub-channel on KSTS?

Is KGO being received on its channel 7 or channel 35 signal, if you can determine? They have two transmitters and both are within your reception envelope.

KCSM is most likely suffering from multi-path interference. Move the antenna and try again. Look for a spot where KCSM works without breaking something else. You could also try a reflector. For an experiment, place a flat metallic item (cookie sheet, baking or oven rack, foil-covered cardboard, etc) about 4-5 inches behind the loop in a plane parallel to the loops and see if it improves. If it does, we have the reflector available as an accessory item.

The reflector would be expected to improve KRCB a bit also, but it's > 60 miles away and its signal is going to be significantly affected by the inversion layers that frequently form over the Bay area.

You'd also benefit by getting the antenna outside and up in the air where signals could more readily get to the antenna.

According to Signal GH, for KNTV 11.1 I am looking at channel 12, and for 11.3 it is channel 49, although since 11.3 is a simulcast of 11.1 I have excluded it from being used.

Channel 7.

I’ll try your suggestion about trying a homemade reflector.

So, can we rule out FM and/or LTE interference?

There is no evidence to either include or exclude either of those potential factors.

The impromptu reflector may affect your reception of the two VHF stations, so disregard that while testing.

It's been my experience that indoor reception issues on VHF stations has been most commonly caused by poor signal penetration, indoor electrical noise interference, or poor antenna location selection. I see FM interference most frequently when there is a weak VHF TV signal, a strong FM signal, and an amplifier is involved. I have yet to see a confirmed case of interference due to LTE/4G signals (and I've looked).

I tried reorienting the antenna, but it didn’t seem to help. Neither did the cookie sheet. I’ll try again when I have more time.

Prior to purchasing the Ultra Mini 2 I was using an inexpensive splitter to feed the HDHRs. It seemed to work, but I was concerned that rain, etc. would degrade the signal so I bought the UM2. Could the amplifier that is part of the UM2 be causing damage to the HDHRs if it is overloading the tuners? How would I know if it is overloading them?

From what I understand, "overload" doesn't mean permanent damage, it just won't receive that channel (and possibly others) very well.