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Is your Antenna Ready for the Transition?

By: Dave Wilson 12 December 2008

By Dave Wilson

As Yogi Berra’s cousin Yagi might have said, after February 17th we’ll only have digital DTV signals.

In addition to better picture quality many free over-the-air DTV signals also carry additional programming not found on cable or satellite. For this reason millions of Americans are installing or improving their TV antenna systems, and AntennaWeb.org is helping them out. AntennaWeb.org is a joint project of CEA and the National Association of Broadcasters. It lets a consumer input a street address and get a listing of free over-the-air DTV signals that should be receivable at that location. It also recommends the most appropriate antenna to use, and the direction in which the antenna should be pointed to optimize reception for each station.

DTV02 AntennaWeb.org has a database of all TV stations in the United States. When a consumer enters an address the program calculates the distance and direction to all nearby TV stations. It uses a computer program called Individual Location Longley Rice to predict the strength of each of these TV signals at the consumer’s location. If the predicted signal strength for a particular station is equal to or higher than the minimum field strength necessary for consistent, reliable reception then AntennaWeb.org adds that station to the list of stations predicted to be receivable for that consumer.  The end result is a list of stations that are predicted to be receivable, a recommended antenna type for each station, and a recommended direction in which to point the antenna for each station.

AntennaWeb.org makes recommendations for outdoor antennas only. While many people are able to use indoor antennas successfully, it is essentially impossible for AntennaWeb.org to predict indoor reception because there are numerous factors that can affect it. For example, the size and shape of rooms, walls and windows will all have an effect on indoor reception. So, too, will the construction material used to build the home. The number of walls that the TV signal must pass through to get to the indoor antenna also has an impact. So, too, does the use of other electronic products in the home in close proximity to the indoor antenna. And people moving around in a room can also affect indoor reception. While predictions of TV reception using outdoor antennas are not perfect, they are much easier to make with a higher degree of confidence than predictions of indoor reception.

antennalogo_colorpiechart When making antenna recommendations AntennaWeb.org uses a color coding scheme meant to help people who are unfamiliar with the technical jargon associated with TV reception and TV antennas. The color coding scheme is hierarchical, meaning that selecting a color-coded antenna for a station toward the bottom of the list will also provide reception for the other stations with different color codes above it. There is one caveat, though. Amplified antennas like those coded violet by AntennaWeb.org might not provide good reception of very strong signals, like those for which yellow antennas are recommended. This is because amplifying an already strong signal can overload the TV receiver and prevent it from successfully decoding the signal. People who are trying to receive both very strong and very weak signals may have to use to separate antenna systems, or at least remove the amplifier, when switching between stations.

Three companies are licensed to market antennas that use the AntennaWeb color coding scheme: Audiovox Corporation, Channel Master International and Pro-Brand International.

Do you have comments about DTV antennas? You’re welcome to share them here.

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  • Ginny

    I too installed the Zenith 901. I don’t get ABC nor CBS, but still do on analog. I appreciate the other channels which I get on UHF (which I didn’t get before the installation) as well as 4 PBS channels. All of the comments have helped me understand that my attic antenna is the problem. My question is, after 2/17 will I still be able to get ABC and CBS with analog since this converter does have the passthrough feature?
    My zip is 97230 if that makes any difference (Portland OR area)

  • Louise

    I live in a 4-story apartment building (136 units) and they have a roof-top antenna with a master receiver.

    What does the management need to do to prepare for the transition to ensure that the residents who get their converter boxes will get the best reception from them?
    Not all of the stations come in clear now as it is…

    (and, yes, I have been to all of the other websites but could not find anything relating to this type of situation)

    Thank you for any help or advice you can give me to pass along to the managers and/or residents here.

  • barry

    older set that does not have dvd installed into set. use from electrical outlet/converter box to coax rear of set/white/yellow/red into dvd.that works fine.
    But new converter analog box. I guess I need another coax cord for that but how do I get that into the set the set only has one female entrance for dvd/converter.How do I rewirenew converter to properly be set up for analog converter box also

  • Knicname

    I installed the Zenith 901 & now can only receive 5 stations (2 in Spanish)! My regular analog TV without the Converter box gets 15 stations!

    Will a different indoor antenna make more stations available? What type?

  • Dale

    Some of this is so simple I don’t see why some just don’t get it. For rural areas you will need to take a little time to get it set up right. With analog I got 8 channels and with the converter box I get 10 channels and I’m 50 miles from the nearest broadcast station.
    I started by pointing my antenna north, scanned the channels and made a list, then went NE, scanned, wrote them down, East, scanned and wrote, continue through SE, S, SW, W, NW. Once I finished scanning in all 8 directions I chose the direction I got the most stations and best reception and stayed with that. Doesn’t matter what antennaweb.org says is best for you, you have to find it for yourself.
    If you want to record on the vcr and watch another channel on the tv you will need a converter box for the vcr and another one for the tv. Simple

  • Ray

    Many old tv sets use a VHF/UHF splitter but that configuration isn’t shown in box installation diagrams. This information needs to be shared with all box suppliers. A friend had that configuration, called the help line, after neither her or her son in-law could get the box to work. The help line person said to send the box back for another one, and of course the replacement box did work until I eliminated that splitter.

  • Nancy Foster

    I bought a new TV and antenna. I went to set it up and could not get a signal. I moved the TV by the window and the power indicator came on but did not say I was getting any power.
    what type of antenna do I need to buy. I bought the cheapest one at
    Walmart. Can I get one that works insidea? I live in a condo?Thanks!

  • George Miller

    Does the converter box cut down the signal from a antenna. I get great analog reception but when I go through the convertor box I only get one station.
    I think this is going to end up costing a lot of people a lot of money. Maybe that part of the stimulus program?

  • Randy Grey

    FOR MORE INFO ABOUT HDTV and ANTENNAS, check out this website from Star Ray TV:

    http://freetoronto.tv/index.htm#list2

    They have lots of handy tips about:
    Types of antennas and how they work
    How to MAKE YOUR OWN HDTV ANTENNA!
    The Lake Ontario Theatre reception area
    Ontario and northern New York stations

  • http://CEADigitalDialogue Elizabeth

    Looking into info for antennas. Don’t send me to antennaweb.org, it doesn’t work. If I have a antenna that has VHF or UHF on it, how do you know which side to hook up to. Do you have to hook up to both and bring together with a splitter. Then hook in an amplifier? Can anyone help me with this problem. I’m trying to get digital ready. We live in Georgia. Thank you for your time. Elizabeth

  • http://yahoo deona

    why cant i pick up any signal with my converter box and anteana?

  • Jerry San Diego

    I’ve installed a Rooftop Antenna in my one story house in a residential neighborho. My antenna include a signal booster, I scanned for channels and even with everything hooked up converter etc, the picture is crap compared to the rabbit ears on analog on top of the set.
    Any ideas why analog would work so much better than the snowy digital version? Coaxial cable is high grade and less than 20 feet to the rooftop antenna.
    ???

  • Sylvia Jenkins

    My question is this? I have 3 televisions at my house 2 of them are directly hooked to cable(digital) and the 3rd one is hooked up to recieve signals from the cable antenna! so do I still need a converter box? my tv does not have a tuner? please let me know as soon as possible so if I need a coneverter I can purchase one! Thank You

  • Lynn

    I am totally jazzed. I’m not a big TV watcher and got cable a few years back so I could get good local reception. (I live in Orange Co, CA)

    Yesterday, I hooked up my coverter box and an indoor antenna and am SO happy. My scan picks up signals for 62 channels and my local ones come in BETTER than they did with TW cable. No more ghosting.

    Technical details: I got the most expensive $59 amplified antenna at Radio Shack, but picked up a couple less expensive ones to see how the reception is and how many channels I can pick up. Haven’t tried hooking those up yet. I have an RCA converter box and live on the ground floor of a 2-story 4-plex. The TV and antenna are in an “inner” bedroom. My TV is a 13″ 8-year-old Sylvania TV-VCR combo.

    Am so ready to fire my cable company. It is too bad that, in the marketing of DTV, there could not have been more “honesty” … instead of saying “If you have cable you don’t need to do anything.” They should have said, “If you have cable, give it a try so you can fire your cable company” but I guess the cable providers would have complained. WOW. I NEVER thought I’d be getting MORE channels off the air than I did paying my cable company for basic service.

    At least in this area, this is one thing the government got RIGHT! Thank you!

  • Dan

    1. I understand that outdoor antennas are better than indoor antennas. Nevertheless, you mentioned that in some areas indoor antennas should work. In addition, you said to try an amplified one to improve reception. You also mentioned Terk TV1 and Channel Master 4010. I also understand that various factors affect reception with indoor antennas. Consequently, specific recommendations can’t be made based on geographic location. Nevertheless, could you provide any more information on the different types of indoor antennas and how to decide which one to buy? Should I buy a cheap one, and then if it is not good enough, return it and buy a more expensive one?

    2. I bought Apex DT250A digital TV converter box. There is a buzzing noise, especially at higher television volume. As suggestetd, the volume on the converter is set at the maximum. If the converter box volume were lowered, the television volume would have to be raised, making the buzzing noise worse. Is this a common problem? Do you know the cause? Does it have anything to do with the quality of the converter box?

  • JEAN

    I’ve experienced most of the above problems, BUT WHERE ARE YOUR ANSWERS, I NEED THEM YESYERDAY!

  • Rick

    I am seeing the same thing over and over. I got a converter box (Zenith) hooked it up and it worked great. I received my coupon and bought another converter box (Access) for my second set and can’t get a signal. I can’t take it back because of the coupon, I’m stuck with it. I think it is cheaply made and they know it. The company web site said buy another antenna, did, still didn’t work. I feel I just waisted the Governments money and there is nothing I can do about it. ($25.00 shipping to return it to the company, wow what a deal)

  • Eileen

    To Dave Wilson:
    Dave, I applaud you for the great advice you’ve taken the time to give to all of those who’ve posed questions re: the DTV switch from analog. But, I notice that you haven’t posted any replies since Jan 8, & I sympathize! As I skimmed through the endless # of these queries re: the now June 12th conversion, I thought you must be overwhelmed! Is anyone official(ie., from whatever gov. agency responsible for our current TV-head & pocketbook aches) listening? reading what all of us are writing about? It’s truly unbelieveable that the specific problems outlined here by countless viewers weren’t envisioned & then addressed at the outset. We understand the advantages to having digital TV, but so far most of us can’t get it to work. And, we don’t want a rooftop antenna nor a new TV, since we’ve already paid plenty to try to get ready for the conversion.

    Anyway, for the record, here’s our story: We have 2 converter boxes for 2 locations, both w/ antennas. In one, the c-bx setup works perfectly, no problem; we also have cable for another TV in this city location; but in the other, a rural area, woe upon woe! Error messages –”no program”, “weak signal”, & we had no problem w/ reception here before the converter box. We’re also wondering about the cost of all this, especially now (see George Miller’s comment on the cost above)– we paid for the 2 coverter boxes last Fall, along w/ a new antenna w/ amplifier, even a new DTV/VCR combo that would only let us record what we were watching! Laughable, but! (That, natch, we returned.) So, we will have to buy a different VCR to work w/ the converter box, from what I’ve learned in these posts.

    Btw, are TV advertisers worried about all this? If our reception problems aren’t solved by June, we won’t be watching those commercials! :-)

    So, hope to read more of your helpful suggestions after you rest up. Meanwhile, maybe the gov. agency, whoever, will figure out solutions to our poor reception problems.
    Thank you!

  • shannon young

    I have puchased the converter box and connect the box as instructed. However this area have very weak signal and can only receive channel 4. Please help me solve this problem so I may watch TV as usual

  • Barry Treat

    I have a complaint also , before the digital switch I was able to recieve all my local stations on analog and now with the digital switch I can only receive one from my local stations and 1 in another state (Idaho). I have not repositioned my antenna as I was receiving the stations just great. I have noticed on one of my televisions that I will not be putting a converter box on is still receiving analog from several of my local stations and these are sthe stations I cannot get digitally. Can you help me?

  • http://blog.ce.org Lyn Slater

    If you have questions about the digital transition or need help with setting up your digital converter box, please call the FCC’s help line at: 1-888-Call-FCC.

  • http://IsyourAntennaReadyfortheTransition Daphne

    I hooked up my new converter box and my indoor antenna. We live in an apartment complex.The box displays NO SIGNAL. The automatic channel scan yielded only 1 channel.I had to manually install all of the channels. The signals are weak. If the stations come in they are jagged and often revert to no signal. How do I fix this problem? What is going to happen when the digital transition officially starts permanently? Will those of us who cannot afford cable be left out of the age of the digital transition?

  • Matt

    We had the same problem with the digital switch- not getting hardley any channels, yet my neighbor got tons with his little roof top antenna, and I had a huge roof top antenna. I was getting quite a few analog channels before the switch, then only 2 channels after. I went to Radio Shack and bought an additional antenna for $35 #15-2160, this only helped a little. Then I went back and bought the indoor/outdoor matching transformer Cat. No. 15-1140 for $5.50 and ran a coaxial cable from the antenna to the tv. Now FINALLY I am receiving 10 analog channels and 9 digital channels and I am in a very rural area. I hope this will help everybody out there that is ripping their hair out like I was trying to get the tv working!!!! Not a good time for the FCC to be pulling this on us with the economy already so bad! But for about $45 I now have tv again- beats going into further debt with cable/ satelite prices!! Best of Luck to all out there dealing with this pain!

  • maggie

    After spending money we did not have for a converter box. and not recieving a coup[on before our local stations were to digital, NOW we FIND WE NEED TO PURCHASE AN ANTENNA>
    We feel this is very discriminating for us who cannot afford satalight Tv or to have cable run to my side of the hill $4,000.+ this is redictious.

    Is there a program for out door antennas. I know a lot of people who will not be able to watch tv in this area..and we CANNOT afford another alternative.

  • http://betmeme1@juno.com betty atkins

    With so mant adjustments that seem to be all new, a cable may or may not help some sets but shouldn’t the government suggest electronic dealers laz their return/refund policies. Suppose we give up with what we’ve been using and have to go a different route. Should the consumer have to pay the load of the financial burden?

  • http://ISYOURANTENNAREADY L BARNARD

    HOPE I CAN HELP SOME OF YOU PEOPLE
    1 OLD ANALOG TVS NEED A UHF ANTENNA GO TO ANTENNAWEB.ORG FOR INFO OF WHAT YOU NEED
    2 WHEN YOU HOOK UP YOUR NEW RECEIVER BOX THE ANTENNA MUST GO INTO THE BOX AND OUT THROUGH TO THE TV YOU CAN USE A AB SWITCH TO SWITCH BETWEEN ANTENNA AND A CABLE OR DISH LIKE DISH NETWORK .
    YOU MUST SET UP THE NEW BOX USING THE IN YOUR MANUAL THAT CAME WITH THE BOX TO SET UP THE CHANNELS REMEMBER YOUR TV NEEDS TO STAY ON CHANNEL 3 OR A CHANNEL NOT USED IN YOUR AREA THE BOX IS NOW YOUR TUNER NOT YOUR TV TO CHANGE CHANNELS USE YOUR NEW REMOTE THAT CAME WITH THE BOX AFTER SET UP
    I SET UP MINE AND I GET MORE CHANNELS AND 3 IN HIGH DEF .
    I’M A WOMAN AND A SENIOR SO IF I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS NOW YOU SHOULD TOO.
    REMEMBER THEY HAVE EXTENDED THE TIME TO SWITCH TO DIGITAL SO IF YOU ARE RECEIVING ON YOUR TV NOW THAT WILL CHANGE AFTER THE SWITCH OVER SOME SMALL CHANNELS HAVE SWITCH OVER NOW AND THAT MAY BE THE REASON THOSE CHANNELS ARE NOT BEING RECEIVED
    IF YOU USE A 3036W RCA ANTENNA IT HAS A 65 MILE RANGE IS 110 INCHES WIDE AND CAN BE USED IN A ATTIC AS WELL SOME CHANNEL ARE TO FAR TO BE PICKED UP WITH OUT A VERY STRONG ANTENNA SO GO WITH THE LONGEST RANGE TO GET ALL CHANNELS AVAILABLE TO YOU
    HOPE THIS WAS A HELP TO YOU
    THANKS A LADY FROM OCALA

  • http://blog.ce.org Lyn Slater

    To the Lady from Ocala,
    thank you for sharing your experience and excellent advice with our readers to help them prepare for the digital transition. You covered all of the important points.

  • Terry Smith sr

    I got the converter box.Now i cannot get channel 15 and chennel 33.I can get chennels 8,21,27,43.I hooked up my converter box and i can only get chennel 15.So why cant i get the other channels i got.I am really amazed how channel 15 comes in.How How do i know how hih of an antenna i should get.Feet whys

  • Russ

    Hello All,

    I have installed the DTV converter box. I am receiving the channels, and picture and sound are coming in. The problem is, there is a loud buzzing sound coming through the TV now. I contacted technical support, and the tech verified that everything had been connected properly, and suggested a few things I might try to fix it, but the problem persisted. I even exchanged the box for another one, and I’m still getting the loud buzzing sound. Can anyone help? Has anyone experienced a similar problem? Please help…

  • Paty Zamora

    I have instaled the coverter box to my television and it worked and gave me signal for digital channels.But now a month had past and it just turns on but does not give me signal to my television and i can not see no digital channels anymore.
    WHAT CAN I DO? PLEASE HELP ME!

    You can contact me by my e-mail address:
    patapatyyta65@yahoo.com

  • Dan

    So far no response to my questions (February 2).

    Here is some more information:

    As I mentioned I had a buzzing noise with my Apex DT250A converter box, similar to the problem Russ mentioned (March 17). To still get the advantage of the government coupon, I had to go back to the same store. Fortunately, I had bought it from Best Buy, where they also sold Insignia NS-DXA1, recommended in “Staten Island Business Trends” (Feb. 2009). I exchanged the Apex converter box ($49.99) for the Insignia converter box ($59.99), and paid the difference. The Insignia converter box works better: the menus and information on the screen look better, the remote control works better, and the buzzing noise is no longer there. An employee at the store said that a surge protector may also help to eliminate noise.

    I still have to get a different antenna,because a few channels don’t come in or have interrupted signal.

  • JMW

    Have a digital tv and a roof top antenna. In January I adujsted and rescanned and was able to pickup all my local stations (about 50 miles away) on an analog signal and digital so was a happy camper..Two weeks ago things started going haywire..interference etc…now I get only 3 local analog signals and no digital help!!!

  • JKW

    I have an HDTV. I get perfect digital reception on it with an indoor antenna. Not a fancy, expensive antenna. The same rabbit ears that used to come with older sets.

    Antennaweb.org indicates that reception in my area is very strong and that an indoor antenna should work with an older tv and a converter box.

    However, my older tv will not receive a digital converter box. I tried an expensive, powerful (indoor) antenna and it still will not work. The tv set says “weak signal”. And yet in the same room, in the same spot with the same tv, my HDTV can get a signal.

    Any advice is welcome — how can I get my old tv with a converter box to pick up a digital signal.

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  • Richard in AL

    Are you sure that your channel ouput form your converter box and the TV are set to the same?….channel 3 or 4. If you are not sure, try switching to different channels until you get the converter box menu.

    If this has already been done it may be that the reciever section in the converter box is not operating correctly or is just poorly designed. There are plenty of junk converter boxes out there that were manufactured to take advantage of the captive consumers that our government created and “easy” government money through the coupon program.

    If you don’t mind spending a little more money, obtain a better quality unit, like the DTV Pal sold by dish network.

    Hopefully it is a simple tuning issue.

    Hope this helps.

  • Pete

    Is any one answering these Postings since Jan? My posting from Jan was never answered..

    And all I hear is to call the FCC 1-800 number. I did that and was put on hold so long I finally gave up.

    From what I am finding Digital TV is incredible “IF”.. And thats a “BIG IF”, your antenna is in direct line to the station. And there are no trees or hills in the path of the signal. So unless you live in Flat area with a direct line of sight to the station… you are pretty much delegated to Sign Up and Pay Up for Cable or Satelite TV. Even a few inchs out of sync with the TV station and you will not get your channels.. And I’d rather not put a 15-20 foot antenna on 40-50 foot pole since they appear to be the only ones possibly capable of even getting signals 65+ miles away….

    Who in Congress thought Digital was the best way to go.. They need to move into rural America and see what the rest of us have to live with. Perhaps America needs a lobby organization to help protect free over the airwaves TV.

  • NC

    I’m in Poughkeepsie, NY, a digital black hole for reception to major markets (New York City: 75 miles south, Albany: 75 miles north). I can only pick up one station from NYC (WNYW-DT) and one station from Schenectady, NY (WMHT-DT) with our existing rooftop antenna and rotor. Why not have repeaters for those of us in fringe areas? I can pick up nearly all the analog NYC stations – some are snowy but watchable. Digital reception is unforgiving at long distances.

  • Daniel Wuerdeman

    As Pete said (April 20), Dave Wilson stopped responding after January 8.

    Does anyone have information on indoor antennas?

    Please see my previous comments (February 2 and March 23).

  • http://blog.ce.org Lyn Slater

    If you have questions about the digital transition or need help with setting up your digital converter box, please call the FCC’s help line at: 1-888-Call-FCC or visit: http://dtvtransition.org/.

  • Todd G

    I can not get as good of a signal with this dtv it seem like on cloudy mornings I lose the signal completley, so i guess the question that I have is will they be boosting ther signal when the change date comes or should I just get use to loosing signal and looking at the pix slowly dissappearing and then slowly coming back.

  • JESENIA

    i have a digital i would like to lnow if i can wtch my tv already or what i would be needing to setup my tv.

  • Nick

    The FCC Hotline gets all of their info that they pass on to you from http://www.DTV.gov for transition info or http://www.DTV2009.gov for coupon program info. You can find everything you need to know and more from those two websites with a little poking around and it’s a hell of a lot easier than calling into somewhere and trying to get through. Especially with the switchover happening between 6:00pm and 11:30 pm(official times) on FRIDAY JUNE 12. And if you try and call that help line SAT morning, good luck. I’m afraid to see how many people are going to wake up and be surprised that they have no tv.

  • Elizabeth

    Ok, I thought I was all set. I’ve had my converter box for a couple of months and all the channels out of Chattanooga were coming in fine.

    This morning, after WDEF turned off it’s analog signal at midnight last night, I rescanned and cannot pick them up even though we’ve changed the antenna direction and tried everything. What on earth has happened? And isn’t it convenient that they decided to turn off their signal at midnight on Friday instead of earlier, so there is NO ONE there to answer the phone.

    If I sound disgusted, it’s because I am.

    We do live in a rural area. Do you think getting a stronger antenna will help the situation? The one I have now is about 20 years old.

    Thanks

    Elizabeth

  • Max Smart

    Up to 2 months ago I was able to receive
    ALL of the stations from New Orleans as I have for the last 12 years. Then I started to get the digital stations also with my converter box. Then we bought a new TV and didn’t need the converter box. Starting 2 months ago, channel 8 & 8.1 and finally channel 54 & 54.1 no longer come in. What I want to know is, WHAT IN THE HECK IS GOING ON WITH THEIR POWER OUTPUT?

  • http://kmacias_crosier@yahoo.com crosier

    Think this is a terrible injustice by our government for the benifit of Big Business. They sold our analog airwaves to these people, so that Now they can charge people to receive tv on their phones! Just read an article about it in the New York Times. The only thing I can now receive is 4-PBS stations, none of which has the News Hour. Listening to a lot of NPR radio & thankful I can read the news on my blackberry. Hell No I won’t pay for Sat TV & cable isn’t an option where I live. This is a Shame & a Crime. These people (?) Would sell their Grandmothers only coat for a profit!
    Kathleen, WA

  • JoeFenwick

    Bethesda, MD (2-mi outside Washington, DC): in analog mode I received 11-stations, in digital only 1-station that pixelates if there’s moisture in the sky, helicopters, etc. Nice, but then the politicos want to do away with free TV anyway. What happened to our country? Anyone else considering moving to Canada or Australia?

  • http://www.dtv.gov Beavis D Butthead

    It’s the antenna stupid!!

    Ok, I will admit that digital TV still has some issues to be worked out, but there are several things to remember, with the first being that this is a new technology that was not completely perfected and thoroughly researched before it was shoved in the publics face.

    Reception problems were well known by the FCC and industry experts alike, and continued research and development into new antenna designs, and improved receiver electronics is still urgently needed.

    Since the transition has taken place, there are now major reception issues with a lot of stations who chose to go back to their former VHF channel assignments that are just now being realized and discovered. All digital TV channel assignments should have been assigned in the UHF TV band only.

    The grossly inadequate promotion and education program that was laughable, led viewers to believe that “THE MAGIC BOX, ALONG WITH A SET OF MAGIC RABBIT EARS” was all you would need, and life in broadcast TV land would be all rosy again after analog was shut off, while TV broadcast engineers gritted their teeth every time a DTV answers commercial ran showing a picture of “THE MAGIC BOX, ALONG WITH A SET OF MAGIC RABBIT EARS”, for they knew very early in the game about the problems that existed with digital TV signal reception.

    Welcome to reality antenna viewers, and that reality is that digital TV is not really a bad concept, but just because a radio signal carries digital data does not make it “MAGIC”, or change the simple laws of physics, the electrical properties, or the reception methods of an electromagnetic radio signal.

    YOU MUST HAVE A PROPERLY SELECTED AND INSTALLED ANTENNA FOR YOUR AREA, AND THE APPROPRIATE ACCESSORIES SUCH AS AN ANTENNA ROTOR AND PRORER CABLING TO RECEIVE THE DIGITAL TV SIGNALS RELIABLY…PERIOD.

    IN MOST CASES, INDOOR ANTENNAS DO NOT WORK WELL IN A MAJORITY OF LOCATIONS…PERIOD.

    I will repeat that I think digital TV is a good concept, and being employed as a Broadcast Television Engineer, I really think that digital TV could have a bright future, but only if the broadcast industry can repair the damage done to its reputation by the “Beltway Boys”, and their failed attempt to educate, or to purposely mislead the public about the simple laws of physics in regards to TV signal reception. I will again state that the reception issues were well known, and well documented for any politician or FCC board member who cared to read about them.

    The description of a properly installed TV reception antenna on the FCC’s own website states that “In order to receive broadcast TV signals reliably, an antenna should be installed at least 30 feet above the ground”, and in some cases is worded to state “Above the surrounding terrain”

    Could one of the engineers at the FCC, if there are any of them left, please explain to me how “THE MAGIC BOX, ALONG WITH A SET OF MAGIC RABBIT EARS” that we saw so many pictures of in the past 2 years can be expected to suddenly defy the laws of physics, and magically receive those “Elusive”, but wonderful digital TV and HDTV signals.

    Remember again that the laws of electrical physics in general do not change just because the radio signal contains digital information. The signals still obey the laws of nature and physics in regards to reception, propagation, and the proper equipment needed to receive them.

    And in defense of the concept of digital TV broadcasting, whose issues will be worked out sometime in the future, I will state the following…

    A PROPERLY SELECTED AND INSTALLED OUTDOOR ANTENA AND THE APPROPRIATE ACCESSORIES SUCH AS AN ANTENNA ROTOR AND PRORER CABLING WILL LIKELY RECEIVE BROADCAST DIGITAL TV SIGNALS RELIABLY IN 80 TO 90% OF LOCATIONS WHERE THE SIGNAL EXISTS TO BE RECEIVED…PERIOD.

    Of course, there are many other aspects to the reception of digital TV signals, which include VHF versus UHF, new antenna designs, and several other aspects, but they are to numerous to list here, and I may reserve that for my new book on digital TV reception techniques, which I have been researching as long as digital TV signals have existed.

    No matter how far we advance in technology, it seems we still have to look to the past to find answers to new problems. Welcome to the new era of the outdoor antenna, or the beginning of the end of broadcast TV, depending on whose viewpoint you see it from.

    We are literally now amongst a generation of younger people who have no concept of how television was viewed only a mere 20 years ago using outdoor antennas erected as high as physically possible. They only know about paying for TV via cable, and even more recently, satellite TV, and they also do not seem to realize that there is free TV available using a seemingly little known metallic device known as an antenna.

    My lifelong involvement in the Amateur Radio hobby, as well as employment in 2-way radio service, and currently as a Broadcast Television Engineer in a very mountainous area of the country that has numerous reception issues, would seem to make me well qualified to comment on this topic.

  • Michael

    Is their a DTV antenna that can be used on a portable Television? I have been seeing a few digital antennas in the market but none seem to pick up over the air signal in the Chicago Area. I would like to use my 7″ portable TV to tailgate at Bears games but I am not getting good reception. Any suggestions on a small portable antenna?

  • Dave Wilson

    Michael,

    I assume your portable TV is an analog one that doesn’t include a digital tuner. If this is the case then in order to receive digital TV signals you would need a DTV converter box and an antenna to go with it, but this will only work if your TV set has a connection for an external antenna. If your TV set does not have a connection for an external antenna then I’m afraid you’re out of luck.

    If the set does have a connection for an external antenna, and it’s an analog only set, then you would need to get an antenna (VHF for CBS in Chicago, UHF for FOX or NBC, in Chicago, according to http://www.AntennaWeb.org), and a converter box. You would connect the antenna to the “antenna in” port on the converter box, then connect the output of the converter box to the “antenna in” port on your TV. Your TV would then have to remain tuned to channel 3 or 4 (whichever is the output of the converter box) and you would use the converter box to tune between stations.

    If you’re going the converter box route I would recommend trying an indoor antenna, even though you’ll be using it outdoors. It will be much easier to carry around and set up, and should be okay for a temporary use like yours. At Soldier Field I would expect the signal to be strong enough for an indoor antenna to work. According to AntennaWeb.org the signal for all three stations is strong there. Normally you shouldn’t use indoor antennas outdoors but in your case it’s only for a short while, and you’ll be there with it the entire time.

    Best of luck to you.

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