Do touch that dial!
In other channel-swapping news, someone sent me this interesting item about KKTV eyeing a signal switch.
I don't get this: Who has trouble getting KKTV digital? When I lived up in Larkspur a few years ago, KKTV was the only one that came in clearly (admittedly, it seemed to get broken up by the omnipresent Palmer Divide snow more than the other ones).
It would be kind of handy for everyone pulling in TV off their rabbit ears if everyone would go UHF, but even if KKTV switched, we'd still have KTSC on Channel 8.
Hopping frequencies now would confuse the hell out of a lot of old people with converter boxes.
Also, if KKTV goes to Channel 47 [correction: 49], would that mean that they'd take KOAA's spot as "Southern Colorado's Most Powerful Digital Signal"?
posted by AndyW @ 7/06/2009 07:30:00 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
KKTV wants to go to channel 49, not channel 47. I install DTV antennas in Fremont County, and believe me, they need to make an improvement in their signal down here. They are the weakest of all the DTV channels in this area, and at times are not watchable, even with a large outdoor antenna at 30 feet above ground level. Things are not over, either. There are several lower powered DTV stations with construction permits- K30AA, channel 30, K32EO, channel 31, also stations on channels 18, 25, 38, and 51. Stay tuned!
J T Lenahan
Owner
Florence TV
and Big
Screen
Repair,
Florence,
Colorado
I live up by Baptist and can get KKTV, but I can't get KOAA. Neither can my neighbors. We can get the other stations as well. What's the problem with KOAA?
By the way, when I called KOAA about it, I got pretty much hung up on. Extremely rude.
I don't have any good answers on DTV reception. I live just down the hill from Cheyenne Mountain (not in the Broadmoor part, naturally) and I have all kinds of trouble. I have to put my antenna on one end of my TV for KOAA and on the other end for KXRM and in between for the rest.
I live in Rockrimmon and can't get KKTV or PBS anymore.
Too large of an antenna is a common problem...
Gone are the days (and practices) of analog Television. "Back in the day" (of analog) More antenna was better, no longer is that the case. TOO LARGE of an antenna can cause the stronger signals to cancel out themselves due to "reflections" of it's own signal coming in 180 degrees out of phase from the side gain of the antenna. Digital is NOT as forgiving on "Ghosts" (reflections) as analog was. Analog "Ghosts" used to look like echos, or shadows in the video. In Digital the signal just kills it's self. Flat antenna wire will cause problems too. It is NOT shielded and it DOES act as an additional ANTENNA picking up signals (reflections) out of phase killing the digital signal. Too high of a signal into the receiver can cause the digital receiver to NOT demodulate (receive) the Digital signal, a $2 20db attenuator can help in some cases. SOME RABBIT EAR antennas have a built in amplifier and that amplifier can cause MORE problems that it solves. MANY cases we have the viewer "un-plug, or by-pass" the amplifier to get perfect signal on ALL digital channels. Rabbit ear antennas have performed very well in Black Forest, Divide and other areas we have had difficulty with analog in the past.
SUMMARY: Old analog antennas WILL work IF they are not TOO LARGE, and do not have flat antenna wire more than 3 inches on the system.
Stations
In order of strength:
KOAA-42-880,000 watts
KRDO-24-200,000 watts
KXRM-22-51,000 watts
KTSC-26-39,000 watts
KKTV-10-20,000 watts.
Here are some actual case studies:
1.) Black Forest can get KOAA and many others using a straightened paper clip instead of an antenna.
2.) Trinidad (120 miles away) gets us with a small 19"X22" panel antenna that is mounted in the rafters with no amplifier.
3.) Limon gets us with a small 3' antenna no amplifier, and can not see Cheyenne Mt., just the top of Pikes Peak.
4.) La Junta gets us with a small 12"X12" panel antenna no amplifier.
TIPS:
1.) Do NOT use any flat wire longer that 3 inches.
2.) Do NOT use any amplifiers with in 60 miles.
3.) You can Reduce Rabbit ear gain by making the rods as small as possible.
4.) If you can receive channel 30 ANALOG, even a weak signal with sound, you should be able to receive all the digital channels.
5.) An out side antenna MIGHT be needed IF you can not see Cheyenne Mt. due to local terrain, hills, mountains, but not due to vegitation, trees etc...
RE:
Anonymous Anonymous said...
I live up by Baptist and can get KKTV, but I can't get KOAA. Neither can my neighbors. We can get the other stations as well. What's the problem with KOAA?
Cool story you got here. It would be great to read more about this matter. The only thing I would like to see on that blog is a few photos of some gizmos.
John Trider
Phone Blocker
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