Why your digital channels may be missing

As many of you know I am a big fan of OTA HD. It typically has the best picture when compared to Cable and Satellite. I had been enjoying all my locals via antenna up until the recent digital switch. Then all of a sudden four broadcasters disappeared from my TV. Its like they vanished off the face of the earth. After doing a little research I find out that all four channels are down in the upper VHF band. My Yagi Antenna (HD9095P PDF) is rated for high VHF but since I am 45 miles from the transmitters I decide a dedicated VHF antenna (YA6060 PDF) is in order. These two monsters should pull in signals from almost a hundred miles away.

Once these were mounted I scan and can't wait until I can watch all my network TV programs in the highest quality HD. When it was all said and done I ended up picking up channels from San Diego that were 80 miles away but those four Los Angeles broadcasters were still MIA. Puzzled and a little pissed off I turned to a website called TVFool.com. This is a good resource for anyone who wants to put up an antenna. You put in your address and it tells you which direction to aim your antenna and how much power that broadcasters are putting out. That's when it hits me. It's not my problem. It's the $%#ing broadcasters. The stations that don't come in are significantly lower power than those that do come in. So what's the deal. Didn't they have enough time to work this stuff out? They were coming in clear on UHF. How come they aren't working on VHF. The table below better explains the situation:

Call Letters	Channel Number	Miles from Transmitter	Max Power in kW
KABC	7	45.2	25
KTTV	11	44.9	115
KCOP	13	44.9	120
KCAL	9	45.2	25
KTLA	5	45.1	1000
KNBC	4	45	665
KCBS	2	45.2	1000
KPBS*	15	79.2	350
XETV*	6	88.6	402
KGTV*	10	62.5	20
KNSD*	39	79.2	370

Red - Channels in the upper VHF band that are not received

Green - Channels that are received

* - San Diego broadcast

The channels that don't come in are not even in the ball park. You have to be right under the transmitter to pick those channels up. I wrote each broadcaster and the FCC a letter asking them to quickly increase power. If you are having a difficult time picking up your locals go to TVFool.com and do the same analysis. Then write letters and make your voice heard!

Comments

[Gerardo]

I wonder if you have to redirect your antenna everytime that you want to pick up San Diego or LA channels, or if you can get them all at the same time.

[HT Guys]

Hi Gerardo,

I pick them both up simultaneously. I must be getting a reflection off a nearby hill or something.

Have a great day!
Ara