The two local PBSs have added PBS Kids to their broadcast programs. One is 18.4 from Norwood. The other is 57.3 from Plattsburg. 57.3 had classic opera (really?) and 18-4 is a new substation. Both are 480i, but thats fine for the kids cartoons. Good for my 2 4-year olds. I have one TV on TVO (24-1) most of the time as they show kids stuff until 6pm most days. Not only that 18-4 is next to 24.1 on the dial. Now they have two cartoons to choose from at any time. No need for anything else (except Finnish kids videos).
Both 18-4 and 57.3 are easy to receive. 57.3 from the east, 18.4 from the south. 57.3 is up and running, 18-4 should be up shortly. Meanwhile "our" CBC still has ZERO of it tax subsidized programs/stations on substations.Instead selling it to cable TV. Even more pitiful, the CBC is the only primary station that I have ever received that is not broadcasting in 1080p.
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My previous web scripts used a version of the Google Maps API that was retired 2 years ago. Thus I had to retire some of my scripts. I decided to take the weekend and revisit the API version 3 (and buy a used RV!). I wanted to include a map of my hourly scan DX data. The API seems less powerful and in the end, I had to program it with Perl producing a dynamic javascript. But it produces a pretty map. Here is a snapshot from today. The map on the hourly reception page automatically updates if any new stations are found. The hourly reception scans can be found here. I may also revisit my contour mapping scripts.
Recently due to my new tower setup, I am getting more and more fringe stations from Watertown. A bonus to this is the addition of 3 new substations.
I finally got around to cleaning up the wire panel in my basement of the house. It holds all the cables from the 4 antennas on my DMX tower. I should have taken a before picture as the wires were quite an impressive mess. In the picture below, the antennas that are top to bottom are in the cabinet from left to right. You can see the three HDhomerun units (one dual input white, 2 black mounted on wall), the 4 different preamp injectors and 4 quality splitters. Make sure any 2 way splitters you use are actually marked as 3.5db loss. I use pct/channel master splitters if possible. I also put the Winegard and the DB8e on a low loss A/B switch. DB8e for normal use, the Winegard for when the DX stations kick in at night. I still need to tweak the DB8e position as it previously received WWNY 18.1/18.2 24/7 . It is occasionally off at the moment. I may line up both bays and point it between Plattsburg & South Colton, so it is 16 degrees off both. If that doesn't work I will simply aim it directly at South Colton. WCFE is not that important and regardless it is picked up by the 4 bay pointed at Plattsburgh. It will require another climb. Maybe next weekend.
edit: This is the advice from Antennas Direct themselves - "I would point between the two channels, then move the individual elements slowly away from each other widening the pick up path until they both come in." The 4 antennas are working very well and picking up a lot of interesting stations. For a while I was getting WWTI (21-ABC) every night after 9PM. We'll see how regular it becomes. Lots of tropospheric activity tonight. Getting bounces from everywhere. Since 11pm I have picked up 51+ stations, the furthest from Rochester at 308km. ION (56.1/15) is from Syracuse. Looking forward to getting tuners on all 4 antennas. I even briefly received (between scans) a test id from 35.2/28.2 MeTV, a station I hope to receive more regularly. The results in the image below are from my hourly reception scans.
EDIT: In the end it was 54 stations with the furthest being WTEN Albany at 331 km. |
AuthorInteresting Antenna things we're up to. Archives
December 2017
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