OTA: Southwest Ontario, MI, Lake Erie area DXing, Tropo, Odd Reception: 2011

[xheroin_mansonx]

ok maybe my question was'nt clear enough. should i expect to be able to recieve the same tropo results or better, with this new channel master 2016 antenna rated as "medium range", than with the cheesy lava antenna rated (150 mile range) ?

[majortom]

tropo doesn't really depend too much on the antenna. it's when the signal propagates further from the transmitter than it's supposed to. Long as it's up in the in air, and ur facing some distant transitters I'm sure you'll get something. Just won't be reliable, since tropo is not a reliable mode of reception to begin with.

[stampeder]

Originally Posted by majortom

tropo doesn't really depend too much on the antenna

That's the important part - you have zero control over whether tropo effects are happening or how strong/weak they might be. What you *do* have control over is whether your antenna is suitable for the sport of "DXing", in which hobbyists deliberately choose antennas mounted on rotors that are known to perform best for finding and receiving those wonderfully crazy signals while they snap a digital photo of the station's picture with the PSIP EPG superimposed as proof for others.

If you are simply curious as a typical consumer about whether your new CM2016 will "get" tropo signals, the answer is yes, to the extent that the antenna and the actual tropo signal match each other at that particular moment. Again, for the sport of DXing I would never choose a CM2016, but for certain common reception situations I have endorsed and recommend that model on the Antenna Chart. As for Lava antennas, they are junk.

[ImHooked]

My 'new' catches seem to come fewer and farther between nowadays. Having filled four binder pages with listings I find lots of long distance repeats but rarely a new one. The latest have come from Michigan..while aimed at Erie.

6.1 WLNS HD RF 36 Lansing MI
6.2 WLNSTCN

66.1 WSMH-DT RF 16 near Saginaw MI
66.2 CoolTV
66.3 TCN
This RF16 one wiped out WSEE which I rarely get directly anyway. It's a subchannel on WICU as well.

Happy DXing

[pwconsulting]

O My Goodness today, in Hydepark picked up the following channels

WBGU-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member Public television station in Bowling Green, Ohio operated by the Bowling Green State University.
Detroit FOX 2 (no brainer )


No Cleavland, but also WSMH from Saginaw Mich...

WOW

[pwconsulting]

I Did get Cleavland WQHS Univision, strange that I would pick that one up, and not 5.1 which i seem to get all the time.

[PanaMark]

very nice weekend for strong signals from Cleveland.
Yesterday, channel 8-1 WJW was being received most of the day. Over on WKYC 3-1 RF17 the Indians ball game was on vs the Jays.

[pwconsulting]

Hey Panamark, because there is a lot of action, did you notice any irregularities with the game, because it is being shared with the weather in HD to as well. What was your thoughts? I got 5.1, and Univision yesterday. I was watching Shark Tank, and then when it was at the best point, I lost my signal.

[PanaMark]

Cleveland signals continue to blow torch in the London area, since my last report.
Here is a report on strongest to weakest signals from the Cleveland market you can expect to receive during any tropo related event.
5-1 WEWS RF15 ABC, This is the most reliable and typically the strongest signal to receive from this market.
3-1 WKYC RF17 NBC, this channel often lags behind channel 5 in reception strength.
61-1 WQHS RF34 UNI, this channel often follows closely behind channel 5 and is the second most reliable channel to pull
8-1 WJW RF8 FOX, you need VHF gear to roll this puppy, and even so it is so unpredicable that you never know when you ll get this.
17-1 WDLI RF49 TBN this channel comes in quite a bit now that they have moved over to this RF from there old one. Religious over tones and crummy sub channel's = waste of space IMO but might appeal to a specific group of people.
43-1 WUAB RF28 MYN co channel doninates this RF from local analog TVO transmitter. Some days if will be spotless and other days strong signal but crummy pixelation.
55-1 WBNX RF30 CW this channel often comes in but can suffer co channel for Michigan market channel with the same RF

@powerconsulting
There was no problems with the reception or quality of the picture during the game on Saturday night. Even with a weather 3-2 WX sub channel eating some band with I found the picture to be better than Sports Nets feed.

As always, your gear and equipment dictate the variation of reliabilty of reception.

[Phil81]

A strong burst of afternoon tropo shortly after some storms today.
Again, this is in the middle of the afternoon! ~4-6pm.
Most of the locals have been creamed as well.

2-1 KDKA CBS (25)
45-1 WNEO PBS (45)
33-1 WYTV ABC (36)
6-1 WSYX ABC (48)
53-1 WWHO CW (46)
8-1 WLIO ABC (8)
35-1 WOHL-D1 (35)
19-1 WCLL-LD Daystar (19) *NEW CHANNEL
21-1 WFMJ NBC (20)
22-1 WKEF ABC (51)
26-1 WBDT CW (26)
68-1 WMFD Ind (12)
28-1 WTTE FOX (36)
45-1 WRGT FOX (30)
34-1 WOSU PBS (38)
51-1 WSFJ TBN (24)
64-1 WSTR MyTV (33)
14-1 WPTO PBS (28)
33-1 WISE NBC (18)
15-1 WANE CBS (31)
49-1 WIPB PBS (23)
10-1 WBNS CBS (21)
4-1 WCMH NBC (14)
43-1 WKOI TBN (39) *NEW CHANNEL
2-1 WDTN NBC (50)
20-1 WOUB PBS (27)
16-1 WINP ShopNBC/ION (38) *First time since changed from WQEX
11-1 WVAH FOX (19)
18-1 WHIZ NBC (40)

..also amazing how many channels now carry Cool TV.

[majortom]

cool, hepburn shows a nice sized orange blob over the area tomorrow morning (1200 UTC). Might have to get side tracked on the way to work tomorrow, LOL

[CamDAB]

Originally Posted by Phil81

2-1 KDKA CBS (25)

I suspect that one's more sporadic-E than tropo... :-)

Isn't that California?

Neato catch though...

Cameron

[rmchahn]

KDKA is actually a station from Pittsburgh, Penn.

[El Gran Chico]

There are a handful of exceptions to the "W" east of the Mississippi and "K" to the west of the Mississippi rule of thumb (KDKA and KYW Philadelphia come to mind first). If you are interested in call signs, there's some good reading on the web on how this came to be.

[CamDAB]

Originally Posted by rmchahn

KDKA is actually a station from Pittsburgh, Penn.

How right you are... !

Gotta find that rubber mallet and shake some of my rusty brain cells loose... :-)

That one slipped right by me... I used to listen to it on AM from time to time...

Cameron