HDTV over the air DX- Crookston MN to Winnipeg Manitoba

All over the air TV stations must be broadcasting in digital by Feb 2009 in the USA and by Aug 2011 in Canada.
To receive your free local stations, you will need an HDTV with a built in digital tuner or a converter box for use with old TV's
http://www.dtv.gov/

http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/oca-bc.nsf/en/ca02336e.html

HDTV station KCGE PBS channel 16. This Over the Air channel is located in Crookston Minnesota (near Grand Forks ND) this station was received in Winnipeg Manitoba which is located 240 KM (150 miles) north of the KCGE transmitter. Such long ranges are not typical but can occur as a result of atmospheric temperature inversions that causes the signals to follow the curvature of the earth. This often happens in the summer months on the VHF TV band but it is rare for it to occur in the UHF HDTV band (470-806 MHz) The HD picture and sound are amazing. Winnipeg does not have any DT OTA channels yet.

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• hdtv
• KCGE
• pbs
• dt
• ota
• dx
• antenna
• crookston
• uhf
• atsc
• television
• digital
• plasma
• tv

[theHockeyTonkMan3]

Global Winnipeg (channel 9 anolog) is now in HD on digital channel 9-1 Global is the first over the air HD channel in Winnipeg. The rest of the local channels should be broadcasting in HD by fall 2011

[theHockeyTonkMan3]

Don't get scammed by all those fancy indoor antennas marketed as "HD Ready" Any old style indoor antenna will work for close by stations. Just use the UHF loop part of the antenna. If using rabbit ears, just collapse the elements all the way. HDTV signals are in the UHF TV band (470-806 MHz)

For far away stations, you shoud use an outdoor UHF TV antenna, it must be mounted as high as possible. Always use RG-6 coax cable. RG-6 is thicker than RG-59 and has less signal loss.

[theHockeyTonkMan3]

With an HD digital TV (DT) over the air (ota) signal, there is no ghosting static or snow in the picture or sound. Even a weak signal will have a perfect picture. If the signal is very weak or marginal, the picture and sound will freeze and be pixilated.

[ReedSolomon]

What sort of antenna setup did you use for this? Do you get digital channels in Winnipeg with any sort of consistency or is it pretty much a cross your fingers sort of thing. What other signals have you picked up? Are you in the south end of Winnipeg?

[nesnman]

I have a home in Orlando near Sea World . I have an antenna on my roof and get Tampa all the time.

[tvdxer]

Not bad...very nice! Especially considering that KCGE-DT only runs 105 kW.

[vikingscool]

You can use an indoor antenna for digital is better than analog that has very ghosting, twisting, flipping, or weird colors.

[k9feces]

Is 26 miles away considered close or far? I was on Antennaweb and it says I can use an indoor antenna. Also how would I hook up cable and an antenna to an HDTV? I have the cheap $8 a month cable and would like to get HDTV through an antenna.

[mower10]

Communications theory says, a 20 db advantage for digital QPSK transmissions. That's a 100 factor power reduction with same coverage. At least in theory.