Pellet heads!! What's up today?

Yep

 

Here's my isp vs cell network. Both tests from phone.

 

Here is what $50 a month gets you 25 miles from the second biggest city in Michigan.

I am in a non economically viable area as far as technology is concerned. AT&T doesn't want to spend an hour to have a field tech do what is necessary to get DSL to my house because they suck (it's available 500 feet away, but they want to abandon everything landline that isn't in a major metro area). Charter wants $9000 to run cable 1000 feet which is extortion as far as I am concerned. So it's a wireless ISP or satellite.

Worst part is I have 6 Meg DSL with Frontier at my place 200 miles away. $29.99 a month, and that place is 18 miles away from a city of 2500 people. Go figure.

Best thing that can happen to me is for AT&T to make good on their threats to sell the rest of the rural Michigan areas to Frontier. I'd take 3 or 4 meg all day long.

Off my soapbox.

 

Here is a speed test from cellular with my Verizon phone.

I've come to term this area the Bermuda Triangle of technology.

 

Hate to disagree, but since I've been w/ 3 different TV providers in the last 12 yrs, DirecTv was far and away the best, both in cust. service and the actual TV received. More true HD channels, better remote, better DVR.

 

Must just be hit or miss. I had DirecTV for 4 years and hated it. They were constantly calling trying to get me to increase my package. On the other hand, when I had a question or problem I was guaranteed at least a half an hour on the phone trying to find someone who would help. The bill was constantly rising. The signal went out if the rain was heavy, or if the snow was heavy, or if the moon was in the wrong phase. The receiver kept stopping and needing rebooted.

I've had Dish for almost a year now, and love it. I like the equipment better, haven't lost the signal once, they don't call and bug me, the bill has been the same every month (this will probably change).

 

DirecTV ticked me off years ago. I was a customer of theirs from 1996 to 1999. I went to sign back up when I bought my current house in 2001 and was told I wouldn't get the special offer because I was not a 'new' customer. I signed up with Dish and have been with them since. No complaints about service or billing.

 

A friend of mine switches every 2 years between Comcast and satellite-always gets the latest new customer deal when they do. Same story every time-current provider-"no we cant lower your bill";switch carriers and then the call comes from the dropped carrier "why did you leave? We can offer a better rate for you if you come back"

 

You can't fix stupid unfortunately.....

 

Smokey....we have one of these installed in our test lab here and it is absolutely incredible the amount of ota HD channels (I believe it was 36) it picks up and the quality is great. The thing is we are somewhat close to NY and Philly so your case might be a bit different where you live.

https://www.antennasdirect.com/store/ClearStream-4-Ultra-Long-Range-Outdoor-DTV-Antenna.html

 

gonna look hard at this for the camper. thanks steveo

 

I believe we paid around $80-90 for it...that website says $129....I'd have to check, I got CRS

 

I have looked at a number of antennas and at this location I need an antenna that can do a decent job in at least two directly opposite directions. I have found a couple that allow half of the bays to point one way and the other half another.

When I spend a few more dollars I should be able to get 28 sub channels 12 of which will be in HD and a few will be duplicates. Currently I get 13 sub channels and 6 are in HD with no duplicates none are PBS. I will gain PBS sub channels from Maine and New Hampshire plus Trinity Broadcasting at least 3 of them will be HD with no duplicate programming.

There are a couple of sites that have antenna positioning and other information to determine about what you should be able to receive. If one is close to a major city or between two such cities you should have a field day.

I will be happy if I can get 23 and 10 all the time that is 23.1 Fox 23.2 Grit Tv, 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 and 10.5 all PBS type programming in the other direction 26, 45, 11 with 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 and 11.5 being PBS out of New Hampshire, 26 and 45 are also PBS out of Maine I haven't done the looking required to find out exactly how much overlap there is but from prior years there is also a schedule difference and quite a programming difference as well between them.

This is a project for when the ground is bare.

 

You could stack two antennas and have one pointing one direction with the other pointing the opposite. Just make sure you're separating them by at least a half wavelength of the lowest channel you want to receive otherwise they'll want to cancel each other out. Used to get ghosting back in the analog days when that happened, now you get pixelation or nothing.

I'm lucky that almost all my UHF comes from the south/southeast and VHF comes from the north/northwest. There are a few exceptions, but I get decent enough signal on those so it isn't a problem.

 

That's the function of the array phasing system that is part of the antennas that can do the from different directions thing. I don't have to do the calculations and matching all ready done. Although I have done that years ago (pre cable days).

ETA: 343amc I mentioned your handle just a bit ago so don't be surprised if you get a PC about the F50.

 

OK, forecast for this area was coating to an inch. Its been snowing all day with blizzard conditions off and on for the last 90 minutes. We have added 4 inches in the last hour.

WTF !!!!

 

Well that can't suck enough

 

Its been a bust here so far.

 

Nothing here but a quick moving flurry