[WARC] From Four Digital Broadcast Channels to Nine!!!

[Len Litvan]

Hi Les & Matt (and others),

First of all, thank you again for taking the lead in the club's public 
service project to help with publicity for the digital TV launch.  And 
thank you also to the others who indicated at breakfast this morning 
that they are willing to work on the project.  It is very much appreciated.

Well,...I had some time to look at the one remaining broadcast receiving 
TV in the house.  Previously I had bought a converter box and it found 
four stations on automatic tune (8.1, 8.2, 25.1 & 25.2).  Previously we 
received five (8, 13,19, 25 & 31) on analog.  Same antenna--whip rabbit 
ears (principally VHF).  TV located in the interior of the lower level 
of the house--two walls separating the TV from the downhill walk-out 
portion of the level which faces toward La Crosse.

I had checked our expected digital channels on the website below, which 
projected that six channels should be received from here.  So I tried 
this afternoon to tune one of the missing channels manually--and got it 
marginally.

Then I found a loop VHF TV antenna--the type which is screwed directly 
onto the TV set under the terminal screws on the back of the set.  I 
attached it to a scrap six-foot length of 300 ohm twin lead and got it 
up 6-7 feet on the interior wall.  I was able to get the fifth station 
stronger and get the sixth station also.  So far, so good.

Then I ran automatic tune and nine stations were found !!!  (8.1, 8.2, 
19.1, 19.2, 25.1, 25.2, 31.1, 31.2, and 31.3)

Since the house is moderately low in the valley, I went back to the 
website and put the receiving location up on top--by the entrance to the 
Great River Bluffs State Park.  The website projected 9 channels--but 
showed 13.1 and 13.2 from Eau Claire instead of 31.2 & 31.3.  I went 
back to the TV to manually tune for the Eau Claire channels, but no 
dice.  The bluff is in the way.

The website never did mention the Rochester station, to my surprise.  I 
guess they are going to broadcast digital also.

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

The website has some pretty good features.  Once the receiving address 
is entered and expected stations listed, a click on the "show 
street-level map" shows a map with azimuth indicators for antenna 
pointing.  There is also what appears to be pretty good info about 
antenna types as part of the website.

Well,...with nine stations on the TV in the exercise/furnace room, I 
guess I will be working out more often.  :-)

73,
Len