Hi all,
I really appreciate this website and forum - lots of good advice and information.
We have just gotten OTA ATSC broadcasts here over the past four weeks. Currently I have a very old (1970s or 1980s) yagi pointing due east in the attic. The roof is wood frame with asphalt shingles. From the attic to the basement, down the chimney (masonry with metal liner) is an RG-59 cable to a splitter. I have new RG6 cable installed from that point. I have two connections, although one is currently disconnected.
Prior to DTV conversion I got strong channels 9 and 13, mediocre channel 2 and acceptable but noisy channel 11. With the transition, 9, 11 and 13 have stayed on their existing channels and flash-cut to ATSC. Channel 2 has moved to 8 (virtual 2-1 despite the TVFool report).
Post-transition, my reception is this: 2-1 (real 8-1), 9-1 and 13-1 come in perfectly with about 92-93% signal strength on my Panasonic Vieira 46" plasma (late 2010 model). Global (11-1) came in so-so at first but had a lot of dropouts at a signal strength of about 65%, but now I get signal strength in the 20-30% range. I get a signal lock but no audio and usually no picture (horridly pixellated and unrecognizable content if I do get a picture). Global transitioned August 10, the others August 31; I'm not sure if that's significant. It's also possible Global has tweaked their tower and transmission power to my detriment.
My initial thought was to add an antenna to the existing setup to boost Global, but I understand it's not that easy.
The masonry chimney with metal liner is in the way between the antenna and Global's tower, so I'm sure that's an issue. Plus, the antenna is pointed the wrong way to optimally receive Global.
What are the options? Outdoor might be best, but my wife isn't keen on an obvious outdoor antenna. I could probably mount an outdoor antenna on the east side of the home (it's very sheltered and private there) but I'd need to get it high enough to receive Global 11-1 over the roofline. Another option is to reverse the attic antenna but it looks like that will involve some disassembly and reassembly, plus it will face the wrong direction and have the chimney in the way for the other channels. Perhaps they are strong enough that this doesn't matter.
Suggestions?
Thanks much.
Jim
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...8387944e9bebc3 (click on pending digital channels, as 2, 9, 11 and 13 still show as being analog but have transitioned to 8-1, 9-1, 11-1 and 13-1 ATSC now). The stations west of me but more distant than Global 11-1 are unimportant.