[SBE] OTA digital TV interference

Mon Mar 16 16:03:53 EDT 2015

I'm going to try stepping up the quality of the antenna.  Mine is one of
the supposedly better flat panel antennas pointed at the city, which has
more of a directional pickup pattern
than the kinds you buy in the $30 range, but I don't understand the other
claims about what makes these antennas "better" than any other flat panel.
I've always had lousy luck with these
antennas, even a bit farther from the city where trains and multipath would
be less of an issue.  They weren't any better than rabbit ears.

If it's radiation from the trains, I think I'm out of luck.  Which is too
bad because I prefer the quality of OTA signals and only watch a few
channels when I have time.  My TV is 2 years old, so not so old.
I wanted to bring this up because it seems like a major unintended
consequence of DTV, and an additional problem besides multipath for
broadcasters.
My landlord suggested to just get cable, and never heard of the problem,
probably because the majority of tenants have cable anyway.  OTA, to me,
should always be an option.

Thanks again.

On Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 1:12 PM, Henry Seiden <info at techworkspro.com> wrote:

> FWIW, when I lived in So FL I had a condition in my immediate vicinity
> (not trains or moving object, however) that totally blocked in the main
> direction a specific set (VHF 7-10) of frequencies within 13 air miles from
> the antenna farm. The reception was so full of ghosts that the TV set could
> not discern an image on DTV. UHF lower band stations from the same general
> direction worked fine. Then, as if by magic, replacing the old set with a
> newer one (with apparently better decoding algorithms) made a huge
> difference and resulted in completely viewable pictures.
>
> So don’t overlook the age and kinds of decoding on your TV receiver(s). I
> did my homework and witnessed the huge 2ᴺᴰ, 3ᴿᴰ order reflections in the
> received digital signal. Frankly don’t know how the receiver could ever
> have worked, but it did! Then I got cable…
>
> Henry
> --
> Henry M. Seiden
> info<at>techworkspro<dot>com
> http://techworkspro.com
>
> On Mar 16, 2015, at 13:58, Jonathan Solomon <jon at thesolomonhouse.com>
> wrote:
>
> Maybe a Yagi on the opposite side of the building from the train?  An MATV
> antenna may work (for all tenants).  There should be some laws to make the
> landlord allow an antenna.
>
> On Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 1:53 PM, David Baker <dbaker at addison-il.org>
> wrote:
>
>> It's becoming apparent from the responses that whether the problem is
>> reflections or EMI, getting the antenna as far from the train as possible
>> is my best solution.
>> Unfortunately, I've tried moving the antenna to all available points in
>> the building with no luck so I've run out of options there.  Also, the
>> landlord has strict rules as to where
>> an antenna can go.  Probably the only option left is cable TV.  It makes
>> sense that bits are corrupt at the antenna already and can't get them back,
>> but trying better
>> coax wouldn't hurt.  It is a pretty long run now - about 30 feet.
>>
>> Thanks again to everyone who responded.
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 12:29 PM, Jonathan Solomon <
>> jon at thesolomonhouse.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I've done many a shows parked on the streets of NYC.  Back in the days
>>> of tube monitors, you could always tell when a train was passing underneath
>>> as the tube went haywire.  Obviously, the bigger or better (high res)
>>> monitor, the worse the problem.  It was only when trains went by, so I'm
>>> guessing an EMI (Strong magnetic pull).
>>>
>>> As to the antenna question, what about a very directional yagi?
>>>
>>> On Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 11:26 AM, Dan Slentz via SBE <sbe at sbe.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I remember reading something about the subway trains in NYC having a
>>>> major power interface that caused all sorts of EMI issues.   Wonder if
>>>> potentially (pun) a metro type train (large power station centrally
>>>> located) or even a traditional train (basically giant generator which
>>>> powers the train since ALL trains, less steam locomotives, are actually
>>>> electrical) are producing the interference through electrical noise
>>>> (thinking this is more electrical interference than "train reflection".
>>>>
>>>>   ------------------------------
>>>>  *From:* David Baker <dbaker at addison-il.org>
>>>> *To:* sbe member discussion mail list <sbe at sbe.org>
>>>> *Sent:* Monday, March 16, 2015 10:30 AM
>>>> *Subject:* [SBE] OTA digital TV interference
>>>>
>>>> Good morning!
>>>>
>>>> I'm wondering if any TV station engineers are addressing the problem of
>>>> OTA digital TV interference and loss near trains, or if a solution can be
>>>> recommended for this problem.  For apartment buildings especially where
>>>> antenna height is not an option, if that would fix the problem at all.  Can
>>>> a filter be installed between antenna and TV that would help to remove what
>>>> I think is EMI coming from the trains?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for any suggestions!
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Thank you,
>>>>
>>>> David Baker, CBTE
>>>> <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBTE_CBRE>, CBNT
>>>> <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBNT>
>>>> Media Production Coordinator
>>>> Community Relations Dept.
>>>> Village of Addison
>>>> office: 630-693-7554
>>>> cell: 708-935-7829
>>>> www.addisonadvantage.org
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, go to https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/options/sbe
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org
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>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org
>>> To unsubscribe, go to https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/options/sbe
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Thank you,
>>
>> David Baker, CBTE
>> <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBTE_CBRE>, CBNT
>> <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBNT>
>> Media Production Coordinator
>> Community Relations Dept.
>> Village of Addison
>> office: 630-693-7554
>> cell: 708-935-7829
>> www.addisonadvantage.org
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> The SBE Roundtable, SBE at sbe.org
>> To unsubscribe, go to https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/options/sbe
>>
>> https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/sbe
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
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>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> To unsubscribe, go to https://pairlist7.pair.net/mailman/options/sbe
>
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>

-- 
Thank you,

David Baker, CBTE <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBTE_CBRE>,
CBNT <http://www.sbe.org/sections/descriptions.php#CBNT>
Media Production Coordinator
Community Relations Dept.
Village of Addison
office: 630-693-7554
cell: 708-935-7829
www.addisonadvantage.org
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