lost a few channels I had before

frysk · 13-Aug-2017, 4:40 AM

I have an antenna on my roof and a smart TV. I was receiving all the usual digital channels until a couple weeks ago when I realized I was missing Fox WNYW (5.1, 5.2, etc.), WWOR "My9" (9.1), and Univision WXTV (41.1). Everything else seems fine. I've done channel searches and I tried to add the channels individually with no luck. I tried moving the antenna left and right with no improvement. I don't know what to try next and am going to need Fox really soon with the NFL season approaching! Thanks for any advice others can give me.
http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...e6a4b217b97c4e

JoeAZ · 13-Aug-2017, 1:44 PM

I would start with the usual suspects. Have any nearby trees grown
sufficiently to block the signals? Did you have any recent storms which
may have inundated the antenna or other equipment with water???
How old is your equipment? Do you have a signal meter on your TV?
You may wish to see and list what your signal levels are on each channel.
Is your system grounded? Did you lose your ground???
These would be a good place to start.

rabbit73 · 13-Aug-2017, 4:04 PM

Welcome to the forum, frysk

Thank you for the signal report. Your signals are very strong.

What antenna are you using?

Are you using an amplifier?

How long is the coax from the antenna to the TV?

Can you show us a photo of what your antenna "sees" when it is aimed at WNYW Fox, 157 degrees magnetic?

Your report shows LOS for Fox, but there might be objects in the signal path, like trees or buildings.

frysk · 14-Aug-2017, 3:23 AM

thank you for the responses.

I think I have an Antennacraft C490. I am not using an amplifier. I am using an FM trap.

At one point I was blaming reception issues on the nearby college radio station but I have since learned that the Samsung tv I had been using had a warranty recall on the digital tuner. I never noticed the problem until I dumped cable. Since then I got a new tv with a working tuner.

My coax length is probably pretty long. it's about 75 ft. The other issue is yes, the antenna is pointed at trees. I'm on the backside of a hill too. I know those are potential issues but I'm just surprised that I had these channels for over a year and I'm still getting channels like NBC 4.1 that are in the same direction (I believe it's coming from the World Trade Center).

rickbb · 14-Aug-2017, 4:02 PM

I'd start by looking at your connections. Any corrosion can show up in un-expected ways, usually in the weaker signals. Sometimes they affect certain frequencies more than others.

Start all the way at the antenna and work downwards. Make sure the wind has not move the antenna around, both up and down as well as left and right.

rabbit73 · 14-Aug-2017, 6:56 PM

The 300ohm balun for the antenna might be bad, but I think it is a combination of the hill and the trees that scatter the signals from 144 degrees. The scattering is frequency-dependent which explains the different reception for the channels from that direction.

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/antennas/siting.html
scroll down to Trees and UHF

If I didn't know about the trees and the hill, your report would make me suspect tuner overload from your very strong signals, and I would suggest trying an attenuator in the coax.

Interpreting Noise Margin in the TV Fool Report
http://www.aa6g.org/DTV/Reception/tvfool_nm.html

Can you show us a photo of the trees in the WNYW Fox direction?

Would you be willing to give me the coordinates of your antenna in a PM so that I can look at the satellite view?

rabbit73 · 14-Aug-2017, 7:56 PM

Although WNYW is strong in your general area:

your location is in the blue:

frysk · 14-Aug-2017, 8:03 PM

so different frequencies are effected by the trees/hill differently, correct?

rabbit73 · 14-Aug-2017, 10:57 PM

Correct.

Thanks for the PM; I'm working on it.

rabbit73 · 15-Aug-2017, 1:30 AM

I took a look at the satellite view of your house and saw a lot of trees on the south side of your lot in the signal paths.

Unfortunately, I did not see a location on your lot that would avoid them, unless you put the antenna way over by the curb on the east side of the lot or put up a tower to get an antenna above the trees.

Or cut some branches.

There is no magic antenna that will see through trees, and your present antenna already has good gain if working properly.

If you want to experiment with a separate antenna just for WNYW Fox, you could try the Solid Signal HDB91X.

Your signal strengths are probably less than listed on your report, so if you want to also add a preamp you could try the Antennas Direct Juice that is resistant to overload, or the cheaper RCA TVPRAMP1R. I have seen other locations like this where the report said you must not use a preamp because of the risk of overload, but it worked because the trees made the signals a lot weaker.

Consider this is an experiment; no guarantee.