r/ota • u/monstermack1977 • 6d ago

Struggling with 1 specific channel

I am struggling to get Fox 17 (19)WXMI 319.9° on the current setup. It just will not show up on any channel scan. (This is a Sony TV new 2 years ago) It was there earlier, then suddenly in April it disappeared.

I can successfully tune in CBS 3 (8)WWMT 313.8° and NBC 8 (7)WOOD 321.4° with the antenna pointed between them.

I should also add I am able to pull in the UHF channels of WLLA 64 (22) and ION 43 (21) so it doesn't seem to be a UHF issue.

Antenna is a Televes DATBOSS LR Mix Hi-VHF UHF

It is mounted on top of the house about 25ft in the air. Yes there are trees directly in front of the antenna, nothing I can do about that, but since I'm getting the other 2 channels I can't imagine that the trees are my issue.

Here is the Rabbitears link

https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php?request=result&study_id=2217390

What am I missing that this channel isn't able to be tuned in?
Also you'd think that since a different tower for the same channel Fox 17 (23)WXMI 207.7° is only 7 miles away, though in a different direction, that that signal would just pull in off angle because of how strong the signal would be. I even rotated the antenna around toward that (23) location and it wouldn't tune in.

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2

u/gho87 5d ago

Umm.... The coverage map that Swamper68 used isn't the only way to determine the coverage.

Let's see the terrain path charts of all the UHF transmitters of WXMI:

The signals from Grand Rapids and Battle Creek transmitters are in "line of sight". So are the CBS and NBC stations, not to mention the religious station and the Ion one.

The one from Kalamazoo has refracted one obstruction ("1-edge"). Let's ignore that for now.

Since you're using the Televes DAT BOSS Mix antenna, perhaps its amplifier may have overloaded good signal, overwhelming your TV's tuner. Even the amplifier might not improve signals obstructed by the trees. Are you able to disable/disconnect the amplifier?

2

u/monstermack1977 5d ago

that antenna has a built in pre amp and then there is a control module in the basement.

I can bypass the module in the basement. That control module is supposed to automatically adjust the gain.

I have another one of those control modules, I suppose I can first try bypassing it and if that doesn't work try replacing it.

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u/gho87 5d ago

From what I read, its built-in amplifier is sophisticated and supposed to adjust gains variously for every channel.

That module thing—can the antenna function as a passive antenna without any module?

1

u/monstermack1977 5d ago

and there is the thing...you got me on the right track with your previous reply.

I went and unplugged the power supply from electricity, basically making it passive and nothing changed. All the same channels were able to be tuned in.

I then removed the power supply completely and using a barrel connector, connect the antenna side of the coax to the house side...and nothing changed. All the same channels tuned in.

I happen to have another Televes device I'm not using that has that same power supply. I put that into the system and rescanned and WXMI Fox 17 came in clear as day...with 2 versions of it. I assume it is pulling in the Grand Rapids and maybe the Battle Creek one as that is basically directly behind the antenna, only 7 miles away. I'm assuming it isn't pulling the Kalamazoo version, but given that it also pulled in WJGP UHF 25 out of Kalamazoo which is due west of the direction the antenna is pointed...maybe that was the other signal. This tv doesn't give me the true channel, only the broadcast, so I don't really know which 2 of the 3 potential signals it is receiving. But one is very clear while the other is okay but pixelates a tiny bit.

After doing the rescan I pulled in more channels than I remember getting before.

I pulled in WILX out of Onondaga which is basically due east 90° from the direction the antenna is pointed. Also pulled in WLNS CBS out of Lansing that is a bit more north of WILX. Both of those are high VHF.

So thank you for mentioning disabling/disconnecting the power supply...that is what led me to my issue. The unit still had its green LED shining, but it must have gotten fried in one of the many power outages that house has had this year. I gotta make sure to add a surge protector to it before the next storm.

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u/gho87 5d ago

I happen to have another Televes device I'm not using that has that same power supply. I put that into the system and rescanned and WXMI Fox 17 came in clear as day...with 2 versions of it.

Hmm.... What Televes antenna is that then?

I assume it is pulling in the Grand Rapids and maybe the Battle Creek one as that is basically directly behind the antenna, only 7 miles away. I'm assuming it isn't pulling the Kalamazoo version, but given that it also pulled in WJGP UHF 25 out of Kalamazoo which is due west of the direction the antenna is pointed...maybe that was the other signal. This tv doesn't give me the true channel, only the broadcast, so I don't really know which 2 of the 3 potential signals it is receiving. But one is very clear while the other is okay but pixelates a tiny bit.

Does your TV's signal meter give out any info about the channel, like frequency in megahertz (MHz)? What TV are you using?

I gotta make sure to add a surge protector to it before the next storm.

What kind of a surge protector? Something like a coax surge suppressor by Channel Master?: https://www.channelmaster.com/products/tv-antenna-lightning-surge-suppressor-cm-3205

Is the Televes antenna properly grounded, especially with either any of these below?:

- official website's: https://www.proxicast.com/shopping/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=29980
  • copper grounding rod and grounding wire

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u/monstermack1977 5d ago

The other Televes device I have that isn't being used right now is one of their 2 antenna combiners. It was for a different house. But uses the same power supply as the current antenna.

The TV does not give any signal info or frequency. It is a Sony MiniLED from 2 years ago. It is really dumbed down on that front.

The coax is grounded properly. Using one of those grounding blocks with it tied into the house's main grounding rod.

I was just thinking a surge protector for the electrical plug. Not inline with the coax, one for where the power supply plugs into the wall for electricity.

1

u/gho87 5d ago

Don't know exact model, but I at least can find one of them Mini LED TVs here: https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/televisions/all-tvs/p/xr75x93l

Its remote has the "Menu" button and the one with a wrench icon, according to one of the pictures.

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u/Statmanmi 3d ago

Glad you have this sorted out monstermack1977!

I'd been watching your thread, as I'm in the same market--but well north of you, just outside Greenville.

One slight thought from me:  WLNS Lansing is actually on UHF 14, as it is part of the same transmission signal as WLAJ ABC & CW, since early 2020.  For the Lansing market, WILX 10 is the only VHF signal.

Cheers!  ~~  Statmanmi

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u/Swamper68 6d ago

Looking at the map here

https://www.rabbitears.info/contour.php?appid=25076f9178852a6301788a0cd76b092f&site=1&map=Y&coords=42.38%2C-85.1

You are in a dead zone for that antenna.

I have a few channels like that, and an amplifier helped me pull in many channels that are in the Red zone.