Question: Cell tower interferance

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Antennafreak

DTVUSA Jr. Member
#1
#1
I've heard 4g can cause interferance on digital tv. What about 3G, or just any type of cell tower. 300 yards from my house and in the same direction I point my hd lava 2805 antenna is a water tower with cell phone antennas on it, and I think it may cause some of the weird reception trouble I get.
 
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RF Steve

Contributor
#2
#2
Yes a cell phone tower could cause weird reception problems. A hd lava 2805 is enough to cause weird reception problems without the presence of a cell phone tower.
 
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Antennafreak

DTVUSA Jr. Member
#4
#4
Ok thanks. I will try adding a line filter from radio shack. Also if anyone knows what antenna is better for me I'd like some input. I'm aiming to get the low power stations close to me. They are due west.
TV Fool
 
Fringe Reception

Fringe Reception

Super Moderator, Chief Content Editor
Staff member
#5
#5
:welcome: Antennafreak,

Lava antennas are better suited for TV reception in China, because they use higher frequencies. Please tell us the channels you currently receive and if you can mount a new, much larger antenna higher in the air. Based of your survey chart, you may be able to receive every channel from the top of the list down to K32GX-D if you use a high-gain UHF antenna.

Jim
 
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Antennafreak

DTVUSA Jr. Member
#6
#6
I can't go higher then 22 feet where it is. I get 4.1 5.1 5.7 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.9 12.1 12.2 23.1 23.2 23.3 40.1 41.1-.6 sometimes 2.1 2.2 2.4 11.4 and 11.5 from the same tower. Then if I point it toward north by north east I get all twin cities stations so so, but they are all repeated on the lp towers. Then at night it get really weird. Iowa stations and stations from east of me come in even with it pointing west. All the channels I get are there 85% of the time. 12 is the only one I get no matter what. Trying to get it so pbs on 2.1 and nbc on 11.4 come in and the rest come in better. Oh and 5.2.3.4 and .6 are hit or miss. At least I get my qubo. 24 hour cartoons.
 
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Rickideemus

Contributor
#7
#7
Antennafreak said:
I can't go higher then 22 feet where it is. I get 4.1 5.1 5.7 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.9 12.1 12.2 23.1 23.2 23.3 40.1 41.1-.6 sometimes 2.1 2.2 2.4 11.4 and 11.5 from the same tower.
Click to expand...
Af, you have what's known as "translator hell" -- all those stations with numbers in the call letters. It's worse in your case, because somebody forgot to tell them they should copy the real RF numbers onto the virtual numbers with that type of call letter!

So it's a real mess. You're giving all the virtual numbers -- the FAKE numbers on your TV screen -- which tell us practically nothing. Especially since TV Fool reports cochannel interference problems on literally half the channels you might be seeing.

So I plowed through hell for you to come up with the following chart:
Code: 
K30FN  5.1 ABC,  5.7
K21DG 11.4 NBC, 11,5 weather
K26CS  2.1 PBS   2.2 MN,   2.4 weather
K43JE 43.x latino
K34JX  9.1 Fox,  9.2 MyN,  9.3 Movies!
K41IZ  4.1 CBS
K14KE  9.4 Bounce,         9.9 Fox
K38MY 12.4 CBS, 12.5 Fox
K44AD  5.2 Ind,  5.3 ME,   5.4 ANT, 5.6 ThisTV
K32GX 23.1 CW,  23.2 Get, 23.3 Country
These are all the "yellow" stations to your west at 266° magnetic. The real RF numbers are of course the numbers in the call letters -- all UHF. It looks like a very full lineup with all the most popular affiliates. I looked at the three charted stations where cochannel interference is flagged, and it doesn't look like that's any cause for concern.

No way to tell, at this point, whether the cell/water tower is causing a problem. Certainly if you can get everything on the chart, you should be very happy!

Since all these great stations are in the same direction, and you have interference to worry about, conventional wisdom would point to a large UHF Yagi antenna like the Winegard HD-9032 or HD-9095P.

Then if I point it toward north by north east I get all twin cities stations so so
Click to expand...
No idea why you would want to point it that way. Anything NNE is waaaaaaaay down on the chart, with negative noise margins. I also don't know why you got a line filter. Not sure what that would accomplish in your situation.

Rick
 
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RF Steve

Contributor
#8
#8
A line filter can not be installed on a Lava antenna where it needs to be in order to work ahead of the amplifier. The amplifier on the Lava antenna is built into the antenna, and is not likely to have any kind of out of band filtering. In fact they claim coverage of 40-300 MHz VHF and 400-890 MHz UHF. The marketing claims for the Lava, and other similar Chinese antennas have been border line scam. The life expectancy of the antennas is very short when mounted outside. Unless they have improved the motor in most of them fails shortly after installation. Most of them do work surprisingly well during there short life span.
Steve
 
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Rickideemus

Contributor
#9
#9
RF Steve said:
Most of them do work surprisingly well during there short life span.
Click to expand...
Right. They should market them as indoor antennas! There's a guy on YouTube who uses one that way, and he's delighted. Doesn't matter that the rotor loses it's orientation after a few turns. He can eye ball the antenna -- problem solved.

R.
 
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Antennafreak

DTVUSA Jr. Member
#10
#10
Yeah the lava antenna is a joke. I only got it for the small size. I didn't get a line filter yet so glad I didn't. Right now it's held togther by hot glue and duct tape. Not at all red neck. And yeah sorry I listed the virtual channels I get instead of the real rf channel. Also if you noticed virtual channel 4.1 is on rf 41 and 41 is also used as a virtual. Like you where saying with the translator hell. Often I punch in 41.2 to watch qubo and get 4.1 and yell swear words at whoever desided on that one. I'm also considering a winegard hd7694p for its small size and 50 mile range. Not to mention the price is right. Otherwise the hd 9032 sounds good. Thanks for taking a look at my tv fool report for me. Oh and k43je never comes in at all. Not sure what the deal is there.
 
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RF Steve

Contributor
#11
#11
Rick I agree, or possibly an attic antenna in an area where rotation is not required. There are better choices in attic antennas for the same or less money, but those antennas don't come with 120 mile scam marketing, or cheap amplifiers.
Steve
 
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Rickideemus

Contributor
#12
#12
Antennafreak said:
I'm also considering a winegard hd7694p for its small size and 50 mile range. Not to mention the price is right.
Click to expand...
Well, the 7694p gets VHF, which you don't need, so you're giving up UHF gain for the small size. If you want, we can probly find a smaller UHF antenna on the cheap that would work even better. I wasn't into the recommending stage yet, really.

Oh and k43je never comes in at all. Not sure what the deal is there.
Click to expand...
That is a puzzler. Maybe someone else will take a look and figure it out. (Maybe just interference from the cell tower.) I'm all tuckered out now from walking through hell and all. :becky:

We cross posted again, Steve. ;)

R.
 
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Antennafreak

DTVUSA Jr. Member
#14
#14
Awesome. I've been searching for about a month now trying to find a smaller yet effective antenna. I ordered the larger one since it's still small enough for my application. Once I get it I'll let you know how well it works for me. Can't be worse then the hd lava with hot glue and duct tape on it. I'll probly even go amp less, or just a simple 10db amp right where the coax enters the house. Thanks a thousand for showing me this.
 
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RF Steve

Contributor
#16
#16
KEYC is VHF the signal is strong a VHF antenna may not be needed. CBS is available on K41IZ. K43JE is from a different transmitter site, and has a very different coverage area directional to the north east.
RabbitEars.Info
You can use that site to look up a lot of interesting details.
Steve
 
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Antennafreak

DTVUSA Jr. Member
#17
#17
Keyc is also on k38my from the same towers. I looked at the service contour map and my location is well within it for k43je. Oh well if I can't get it. It's just another religious channel. I just like to dx.
 
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RF Steve

Contributor
#18
#18
There is a translator in my area that is right at the top of translator list for signal strength on TV fool report that is difficult to receive. I really don't have that one figured out. The translator I have a difficult time receiving is actually meant to cover a different community, but is still at the top of the list for signal my area. I build a lot of goofy little home brew antennas only the best ones will receive that signal. It's a repeat of a channel that is easy to receive, but with the poor reliability of television transmitters in this part of the country I've at times used that signal for over a month waiting for them to fix the one that covers my location better.
Steve
 
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Antennafreak

DTVUSA Jr. Member
#19
#19
Yeah, something I've had a hard time understanding all my life. How signals work. The most odd was when analog was around where I lived I could not pickup channel 17 from Saint Paul often, but when it did come in, it was absolutely crystal clear. I had a lot more fun dxing analog then digital.
 
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RF Steve

Contributor
#20
#20
Having a receiver that will display signal levels below what is required to lock is very useful when dxing or doing antenna work. I do not have anything that will. The Zenith DTT901 will do that. I worked with one once could watch the signal strength increase until you got a lock then it would display signal quality that was sometimes much lower swallowed by multi-path at that location. To my old fashion way of looking at things a meter showing AGC voltage should be simple enough to be included. There is a television dx forum.
WTFDA Forums
While DX is fun once in a while. Even in amateur radio my interest is more in reliable communication then chasing DX.
Steve
 
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