As We Tally Up the Scores...

Its been about two weeks since we began broadcasting digitally on Channel 11 and I have heard from about thirty to forty viewers.  The majority of the calls were resolved with a rescan of their digital TVs or converter boxes.  Now the bad news:

Loss of signal extends from Waialae to Punchbowl...Manoa to Waikiki.  Not all,but many of you who reported were in this area.  Many more in the same area reported being able to get a signal...so now it comes down to how you are expecting to receive our signal.

You may need to invest in a better receiving system, because for now I am at a maximum power level established by the FCC so as not to interfere with their monitoring station in Waipahu.  Your antenna will need to be a high-gain directional antenna (rabbit ears just are not as good as they once were) and point it towards Makakilo to receive our signal.  In addition, when you adjust your antenna, do it in small increments and wait approximately 10 seconds in between each move for the TV or converter box to reacquire the signal and display it.  Also antenna placement is very important when it comes to receiving the digital signal.  Near the TV may not always yield the best results.  An outdoor antenna will give you the best chances of receiving as many signals as possible.

I know that many of these suggestions cannot be implemented due to homeowner association rules and all I can do is to ask you to try your best because that's all the power I have for now.  I am looking into other alternatives that may improve upon the signal, but it will take some time and money to accomplish...thanks for being so understanding and patient.  As more reports come in, I'll be keeping a tally...

Comments

[Les]

Hi Steve,

Sorry to hear about the PBS Hawaii signal problems. Your viewers may like to know about some resources on the web that can help them to choose an antenna. Two good sites are www.avsforum.com (search for hdtv) and www.hdtvantennalabs.com. Both sites rate various antennas and have useful comments from users. There are also customer ratings on Amazon.com. It's possible viewers won't need a large Yagi rooftop antenna to catch the signals from Makakilo. I'm using a small, compact antenna that's catching all of the signals from Makakilo except for KFVE. I don't know what's causing the problem but KHNL/KFVE will be moving their transmitters this Spring so maybe my reception will improve.

Another thing to keep in mind is that not all ATSC digital tuners and digital to analog converter boxes are built the same. Some tuners are more sensitive than others. For example, my Zenith converter box has no problem picking up the KHNL signal but my dvd recorder with ATSC tuner gets no picture.

[Steve Komori]

Hey Les,

Thanks for the info on the antennas and converter boxes. Not to get too technical but many of the receivers out there, whether in a converter box or DVD Recorder, may depend upon the year it was manufactured. The receiver has a chip that is being constantly improved. I believe they are up to version 7 or 8. If you happen to have purchased a device with an older chip in it, you may experience what you have been with your DVD Recorder...no picture. FYI, it's not the sensitivity but a thing called equilization that prevents a digital signal from being decoded.

[Les]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the explanation about the differences in the chip's equilization. I guess that is one thing they do not explain to you when you are buying a high-definition television. One thing I notice about these digital tuners is that weather affects their reception. When it gets windy or is raining heavily, the television picture degrades and breaks up. That may be because I am not in direct line of sight with the transmitters in Makakilo. Hopefully, increasing the power of your signal will help improve the situation.

[Loralyn]

I am very excited that PBS is now available OTA! My Pioneer Kuro HDTV is ready too, with 3 tuners. But before I order a Hi-Gain Directional Outdoor Antenna from Amazon, I'd like to ask about reception in my area: Kailua, about a mile from Castle Hospital. Specifically, I'm in Maunawili - near the mouth of Maunawili Valley - next door to Maunawili Park. (Zip: 96734-4618)
I'm also wondering which TV Tuner should I be using for OTA? (QAM ATSC?) Sorry I'm not better informed in this area, but I'm definitely on board. Thanks.

[Steve Komori]

Hi Loralyn,

I see that you are pretty ready to watch OTA digital signals but I am not sure about your location. The Koolaus are a significant obstacle to overcome as is the secluded valley of Maunawili, since the majority of television transmitters are located on the leeward side of Oahu...and unlike analog signals, the digital signal must be strong for your television to decode the signal continuously. If I was to take a guess, I would say that it will be unlikely that the major commercial stations and PBS Hawaii will be able to be received in Maunawili, but stranger things can happen with over-the-air signals. If you can afford it, you can try...I would be very interested in the resuls.

[Loralyn]

Just a note to let you know reception of PBS at 120-12 is outstanding, even in Maunawili.