[PVRCNC] HDTV BOX (more)

[Brian Alsop]

The problems in receiving WUNC on a converter box still exists but there 
is now some hope.  It appears to be a matter of TV-DXing.

More investigation showed WUNC Channel 4 to be 55 miles from here on a 
bearing of 230 degrees and really on channel 59
WLFL is 51 miles from here on a bearing of 218 degrees on channel 57.

WLFL has an "70" signal strength on a bar graph that goes from 0 to 100 
in the "strong" range.  The strongest station received is S 80.  So it 
isn't just distance.  Some stations must have considerably more power 
and have lots taller towers than others. 

Why would I be receiving nil for WUNC?  Line of sight and they fell off 
edge of earth because they are 4 miles further?  Power level?  Antenna 
height?  Don't know.

Anyhow, instead of letting the converter box search, I told it channel 
59.  It found it and 59.1,59.2,59.3,59.4 and 59.5 all at the S10 to S20 
level.  They are also reported as 4.x channels.   The pictures are 
spotty with lots of big pixels and stutters.  However, it is hopeful.  I 
suspect a $50 Channel Master 8 bay bowtie antenna selling on the 
internet will provide enough extra gain to get them out of the mud.  
Other channels may suffer some.

What I'd really like to do is find someone local with a real HDTV set 
and do a comparison to see if we can determine if the converter box is 
relatively deaf or not.

The other part of the issue is TVI.  Not done any tests yet to see if 
the converter box overloads.   The preamp is the same so I don't expect 
problems coming down the feedline at the UHF channels used by HDTV.  We 
will see.  The acid test will be at high power at 6M.

73 de Brian/K3KO
Henderson, NC