Dude
What Happens When I Do This
Premium
join:2000-11-20
Chicago, IL
clubs:   | Anyone able to pick up WBBM 2.1?
Got one of thise nice converters for my Mom and can't pick up channel 2. They must be transmitting at low power
--
www.Bachelors-Grove.com Paranormal Forums |
|
Warzau
Premium
join:2000-10-26
Naperville, IL
clubs: | I've always heard that WBBM was hard to pick up OTA. |
|
lev
Napoleon is always right
Premium,Ex-mod 2002-08
join:2001-05-30
Chicago, IL
clubs: | reply to Dude
»www.chicagotelevision.com/digitaltv.htm has some answers for you.
Soon, you will be able to get WBBM when it moves to digital 11. |
|
insomniac
Oh Yeah
Premium
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL
clubs:
 ·AT&T Midwest
| reply to Dude
The FCC database shows that they'll actually be moving to digital channel 12; the maintainer of that site should update.
Here's a more detailed description of the problem and potential workarounds: »www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthre···t9948641
--
If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something. |
|
Bink63
Tweet THIS
Premium
join:2002-10-06
Everywhere
| reply to Dude
I'll have some Chicago-specific info up on my DTV site next week.
Trying to stabilize my DSL connection after the storms this AM.
Regards,
Randy
--
»www.otadigitaltv.com |
|
Jan Janowski
join:2000-06-18
Skokie, IL
3 edits | reply to Dude
I've heard that some of the units can't pickup 7.1
Interesting to hear that 2.1 causes other one's fits.
for now, 2.1 actually transmits on 3
--
Looking for 1939 Indian Motocycle |
|
Suchaknight
Premium
join:2002-10-06
Houbytown | reply to Dude
Way to go Randy! Your own site. Cool. |
|
rolande
Certifiable
Premium,Mod
join:2002-05-24
Powell, OH
clubs:
Host:
Linksys
AT&T Midwest
| reply to Dude
I used to always have problems with 2.1 in Chicago with my OTA HD receiver. The only difference I knew was that it was broadcast off the Hancock tower and all the other stations are broadcast off the Sears tower. Of course I was also 35 miles west which didn't help. I had a deep fringe Channel Master antenna mounted in my attic. If I changed the angle of it slightly to the left I could pick up 2.1 better but it would still pixelate occasionally. The problem then was that some of the other channels would get interference.
I remember reading somewhere that there is always an issue with tuners and Channel 2, due to a number of variables in that frequency spectrum.
--
Scott, CCIE #14618 Routing & Switching
Ignorance is temporary...stupidity lasts forever!
»www.thewaystation.com/techref/tech.shtml
»blog.thewaystation.com/ |
|
RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| The problem with WBBM-DT is that they are on low-band VHF (channel 3) and most people do not have a proper antenna to pick up that channel. The dipole length is 8 feet. Those little "HDTV" set top antennas aren't going to work. An old-fashioned rabbit ears, with the elements completely extended, might. It has nothing to do with the tuner. None of the other DTVs are on VHF in Chicago.
--
Toolmaster of La Grange. |
|
Dude
What Happens When I Do This
Premium
join:2000-11-20
Chicago, IL
clubs: | Thing that sucks is I am using a pair of rabbit ears and refuse to purchase and then mount an antenna outside to pick up channel 2
--
www.Bachelors-Grove.com Paranormal Forums |
|
insomniac
Oh Yeah
Premium
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL
clubs: | Outside of the city limits, that is your only real option right now. That should change next year.
--
If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something. |
|
Dude
What Happens When I Do This
Premium
join:2000-11-20
Chicago, IL
clubs: | Dude im 5 miles from the sears tower. I live off western and archer ave |
|
insomniac
Oh Yeah
Premium
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL
clubs:
·AT&T Midwest
2 edits | Well, you didn't give your specific location previously. Also, WBBM-DT is on the Hancock.
I've heard of people having problems picking up WBBM-DT in the city using rabbit ears, but I also know some people who have done it successfully. 30 miles out, the only way I can get it is with a rooftop antenna pointed downtown.
RadioDoc  is right--old-fashioned rabbit ears with the elements extended might do the trick. For the time being, your best option remains a rooftop antenna.
--
If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something. |
|
Suchaknight
Premium
join:2002-10-06
Houbytown | reply to Dude
Even with a big dipole, if it is inside you are still not going to get very good reception.
--
What if the Hokey Pokey really IS what it's all about? |
|
Bink63
Tweet THIS
Premium
join:2002-10-06
Everywhere
| reply to RadioDoc
said by RadioDoc :The problem with WBBM-DT is that they are on low-band VHF (channel 3) and most people do not have a proper antenna to pick up that channel. The dipole length is 8 feet. Those little "HDTV" set top antennas aren't going to work. An old-fashioned rabbit ears, with the elements completely extended, might. It has nothing to do with the tuner. None of the other DTVs are on VHF in Chicago. Correct me if I'm off on this RD...
The correct half-meter dipole length for the Channel 3 bandwidth space (60 to 66 Mhz) is 83" AKA: Big Ass Rabbit Ears.
Come Analog shutoff next February, Channel 2 moves to Channel 12 (and a whopping 8 kw transmission power!) and Channel 7 moves back to Channel 7.
Also, WLS-DT has been granted a post-transition power waiver and will be broadcasting at 4.75 kw, instead of the 3.2 kw they were originally granted.
It sucks that one of the top three TV markets in the country is going to have to continue with VHF/UHF broadcasting, post-DTV transition. 
--
»www.otadigitaltv.com |
|
Storm72
join:2003-07-03
Bourbonnais, IL
clubs: | reply to Dude
Weren't concerns over interference to the analog signals of WCIA in Champaign, WISC-TV in Madison, WI, and WWMT in Kalamazoo, MI also a factor in WBBM-DT's low power? |
|
Dude
What Happens When I Do This
Premium
join:2000-11-20
Chicago, IL
clubs: | reply to Suchaknight
Very true man I dont even get a glimpse of a signal on the dtv receiver
--
www.Bachelors-Grove.com Paranormal Forums |
|
Bink63
Tweet THIS
Premium
join:2002-10-06
Everywhere
| reply to Dude
It took longer than I thought, but I finally have some local info up on my site...
»otadigitaltv.com/chicagodtv.htm
I'll be adding more soon!
Regards,
Randy
--
»www.otadigitaltv.com
Frank Shoemaker would call this noise |
|
VegasMan
Are We There Yet?
join:2002-11-17
Schaumburg, IL |  reply to Dude
Hey Radio Doc
Hey RadioDoc,
I'm not much on propagation. How much further will the 2-1 signal travel after the move to ch 12 and the power increase to 8kw?
--
In need of a Vegas vacation.
|
|
RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| Not much if any. The power levels are adjusted to make the relevant service contour distances about equal across all three bands.
The biggest issue is that most of the "HD" antennas being sold to unsuspecting customers are bad news in general, and horrid at low-VHF. Unless you have a proper antenna you're not going to pick up much of anything regardless of what channel it is on.
--
Toolmaster of La Grange. |
|
