Not Getting Any Local Channels

[amtt81]

I tried searching but did see anybody having this same issue (which makes me feel even worse!)

I cant seem to get any local channels, hell I cant get any American channels. I get all US channels and an Ethiopian channel, ETV. Seems like the delineation is MHz, I dont know if that is the tv signal or what.

TV Fool Radar Report here:
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5b9433699a3c5f

TV Model:
Samsung 65" LED UN65F6350AF

Antenna used:
Mohu leaf - I returned this because I thought it was the antenna

Now using RCA ANT1650

Can someone tell me if I am just setting it up wrong, or if I am just not in a good area for reception. Any and all help is SUPER appreciated!

Thanks

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YES.

Your reception location does In Fact have -->Many<-->easy to receive strong signal strength , OTA=Over The Air , ATSC-Digital Broadcast Tv Stations/Channels to receive.

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Answer these questions for a antenna/s recommendation.

Is this a , house , town home , condo , apartment , mobile home , motor home , or etc.??

What directions do , windows , patios/balconies , face??

What floor??

What is the top floor??

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Please make and post a tvfool report with antenna height above ground 25 feet.

Do not delete the first tvfool report that has the antenna height above ground at 10 feet.

[StephanieS]

*EDIT* If you could, rerun your TVfool plot at the heights of 25' and 50'. I want to see if any improvement comes up. For now, take the recommend below as worst case scenario.

Hi amtt81,

I'm unclear on what signals you are receiving and where they are coming from. Is it cable? Dish? I seem to be reading you are receiving no over the air TV stations. Is this correct?

You are using an indoor amplified antenna. I am not a fan of them. TV signals are best received when your antenna is outdoors with the best possible path to the transmitters. Further, you are in a 1-edge and 2-edge situation. This means you don't have line of sight due to terrain blockage. This does funny things to the signal(s) and makes it act differently than if have line of sight to your signals of choice.

Using the indoor amplified antenna, you are inducing 2-edge and 3-edge conditions. Plus, making the signals fight to get through your household electronic interference. Not ideal for reception at all.

Just for checking purposes, have you done a TV tuner scan? Are you set to "over the air" or "broadcast" on your TV? I would expect you'd see something.... Are you sure the RCA is getting power?

I honestly wouldn't fuss too much more with the RCA ANT1650. You need an outdoor antenna especially with your 1-edge and 2-edge pathways.

You have a combination of high-vhf which is real channels (RF) 7-13 and UHF RF channels 14 and up available to you for reception. There is one WDCN-LP RF channel 6, that broadcasts spanish language only audio programming. For purposes of this recommendation, I'm going to ignore RF 6.

Due to you being in a 1-edge and 2-edge conditions, I would install one antenna to start with a further option on a second outdoor solution for high-VHF if needed. The first for UHF coverage exclusively I would install a Antennas Direct DB8. http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=DB8. This antenna design is often the best in situations where there may be refracting or bending of signals due to terrain blockage as it has a wider surface area as to gather signal. I would install DB8 to magnetic heading 81. Do channel scan and see what you receive. I would expect that you'd see signals that would be into the red. Real channels 7 and 9 may or may not be reliable. You'll just have to test. If they aren't, see below.

For high-VHF coverage if needed I would add an Antennacraft Y10-7-13 http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=y10-7-13 mounted on the same mast as the DB8 but 3' to 4' below. This antenna is designed specifically for RF channels 7-13. Further if adding this antenna, purchase an Antennas Direct EU385CF-1s combiner. http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=EU385CF-1S. Input coax from DB8 to UHF input, input Y10-7-13 coax to VHF input. Run single lead of coax into home.

Point Y10-7-13 to magnetic heading 81 as well.

Mount on your roof in a location that has the best pathway to magnetic 81. The less obstructions such as trees, other buildings, etc, the better.

Here are examples of mounting supplies. You have tripods, chimney mounts or just a simple J-pole (though, those aren't for applications like yours). http://www.solidsignal.com/cview.asp...ing%20Supplieshttp://www.solidsignal.com/cview.asp...ing%20Supplies I am a fan of the tripod mount with a 10' pole. After you set it up, you can pretty much leave it be and it should barring extreme weather give you years of enjoyment.

Example of my set up:


I would also not recommend a preamp.

I know this is probably a lot to digest. Over the air television reception is highly individual and every situation has its own wrinkles which must be planned for. With your 1-edge and 2-edge conditions, you have to go outdoors for the best chance of reception. With the above antenna(s) I am confident you'd have the best chance at the reception you want, which is pretty much all of the Washington D.C. broadcasts.

If you want Baltimore, which may in some cases be doable, that's a whole different approach.

Regards.

[No static at all]

Hello amtt81!! Do you have an attic in your house? As mentioned by Stephanie, you would be best served with an outdoor antenna, but the right antenna in an attic should provide reliable reception of the DC stations.

I live very close to you & have similar signal conditions. Never had much luck with an indoor antenna, even on the 2nd floor with a window facing DC. Only managed to get channels 4 & 5 from DC & yes, all those international channels from Fairfax & Manassas. Strange how the only channels you get are the ones you don't want??? Go figure

An attic antenna works well here in Centreville & actually sees a couple Baltimore channels as well. The only issue is low flying aircraft approaching Dulles airport which can cause an occasional signal interruption

[amtt81]

Thanks for the generous feedback. I obviously came to the right place.

I have been coming back to respond and just keep getting interrupted.

to answer some questions:
This is a house
Windows face SW and W
The Westward window do face a covered patio that is pretty thick
I am on the first floor, the top floor is the 2nd floor.
I do have an attic but need to scope out how I can run a cable up there.
I would like to setup an outdoor antenna on the roof but need to figure out how to do that logistically. I am worried about falling off while I am trying to secure something down. The roof is really steep.

I am impressed (and overwhelmed) by some of the responses so I will be back shortly to post again.

Here is a revamped report set to 25'
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5b9486c5884dd0

Thanks
Matt

[amtt81]

Here is another report at 50'

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...5b94f75df5ef57

[Tower Guy]

I'd double check that your TV is in the antenna mode and not CATV.

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The Tv Must Channel Scan for , ATSC-Digital Broadcast Tv Stations/Channels , often named the ~ DTV Channels ~ Antenna Channels ~ Air Channels ~ in the Tv Setup Menu because the Tv transmissions travel through the Air from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna.

Some digital tv's will Automatic channel scan for cable tv channels.

DO NOT channel scan for cable tv channels.

Go into the Digital Tv Setup Menu and select ~ DTV Channels ~ Antenna Channels ~ Air Channels ~.

Scan for the , ATSC-Digital TV Channels.

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DO NOT channel scan for , Analog / Analog HRC , Only , Channels.

Analog Channels / Analog HRC , Are Not , ATSC-Digital Channels.

So DO NOT channel scan for just Analog and Analog HRC channels.

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For reception of the , Tvfool Digital Current Plus Pending Applications Included Tv Stations/Channels and Channel List in the , Green and Yellow reception zones of the tvfool radar report and channel list.

Above the Peak Of The Roof in such a manner that the roof and building are not , obstructing , impeding , blocking , the , OTA=Over The Air , ATSC-Digital Broadcast TV Transmitters that provide the , ATSC-Digital Broadcast TV Reception at your reception location.

The directions of reception at your location are , North East , East , South East , South , South West , West.

As you can see looking at the tvfool radar plot , the Main Group of , ATSC-Digital Broadcast TV Stations are to the , East.

Install a http://www.antennacraft.net , HBU11 antenna aimed at about 90 Degree Magnetic Compass Direction --> EAST.

Here is how to aim antennas , http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html.

Use a Real and Actual magnetic compass to aim antenna.

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Install a , Winegard , LNA-100 'Boost" , antenna system amplifier.

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For 1 Tv connected use No splitter.

For 2 Tv's connected use a , Holland Electronics , HFS-2D , 2 way splitter.

For 3 Tv's connected use a , Holland Electronics , HFS-3D , 3 way splitter.

Buy the , HFS-2D and HFS-3D , splitters at , http://www.solidsignal.com , or , http://www.hollandelectronics.com.

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Here are some places to buy antennas and etc. .

http://www.amazon.com.

http://www.solidsignal.com.

http://www.antennacraft.net.

http://www.hollandelectronics.com.

http://www.winegarddirect.com.

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As always , trees and tree leaves , plants and plant leaves , have a Negative Effect on Broadcast Tv Reception and so do buildings and other obstructions including your own roof and building in the directions of reception.

Some and not all Negative Effects are.

Absorbing , Blocking , Reception , In The Directions of Reception.

Multi-Path Reflecting Tv Signal Bouncing All Around.

The Best Practice is to install antenna at a location that has the least amount to no amount of obstructions of any type or kind in the directions of reception including your own roof and building.

[amtt81]

yeah, thats what I was wondering too. The CATV has like 3 choices, HRC, and I forget the others.

[No static at all]

Originally Posted by amtt81

yeah, thats what I was wondering too. The CATV has like 3 choices, HRC, and I forget the others.

Unfortunately, that's not the problem. The channels you are seeing are on UHF, so the setting is correct.

The solution is a better antenna, placed where it is able to receive a higher quality signal.

[GroundUrMast]

Originally Posted by No static at all

Unfortunately, that's not the problem. The channels you are seeing are on UHF, so the setting is correct.

The solution is a better antenna, placed where it is able to receive a higher quality signal.

Agreed.

Keep it simple, start with only the antenna, a known good length of RG-6 coax not longer than 50', and a TV. Splitters and amplifiers will only complicate the situation until the basic antenna can deliver a reliable signal. http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=13646

To , Prove Reception.

Install the Antenna Craft HBU11 antenna above the roof.

Connect a NEW Continues length of Coax to the matching transformer (balun) that is connected to the HBU11 antenna and run the NEW Continues length of coax through a open door or window , direct to 1 Tv.

No amplifiers , No splitters , No couplers , No Etc. .