@theuser86 I think I remember reading one of your post stating you have a 2 antenna setup. Where do you have the filter installed? My setup is 2 outdoor antennas to a combiner then to Tablo. No amplifier. I’m trying to figure out if installing straight to Tablo would work. Or is this filter 1 per antenna and therefore need 2 installed to the combiner.
I have a Clearstream 4V antenna, it is a UHF antenna with a separate VHF dipole antenna has serves a combiner. The antenna combiner outputs to a RCA preamp. The output of the RCA preamp connects to the CM LTE filter, then the output of the LTE filter connects to a 30’ RG6 coax cable that runs inside. Just prior to the Tablo, there is also a Winegard distribution amp to boost the signal before the Tablo’s internal splitter.
So I am going to have to buy another LTE filter soon? Lol
“Repurposing the 600 megahertz (MHz) bandwidth is being done in conjunction with the United States”
In anticipation of the change, I’m also building a new antenna with the new frequencies in mind. No need for antenna elements that are designed to go above 600 mgz. Five stations in my area are moving to lower frequencies.
A new LTE filter…sigh. I just had to throw out my 12 year old Skype phones because of Microsoft software changes to Skype. We’re on a what - 3 year cycle for tech products?
Can’t wait for ATSC 3.0. This cutover may not be that expensive since new ATSC 3.0 tuners are going for $40 or so in South Korea which is already transmitting with ATSC 3.0 protocols.
So glad I found this thread… Honestly I had seen it before but dismissed it as I was getting all the channels I wanted…
Recently I started having issues with a single channel.
As the seasons change I periodically would have to adjust my antenna a degree or two and even though the channel reception was horrible, a lot more so than usual, initially I still thought it was just time for a re-alignment.
Last week I not only re-aligned my antenna but also installed a larger amp, no help to that one channel at all.
Came across this thread again, thought, why not… Ordered the Channel Master LTE filter…
I installed it this morning and WOW, not only did it clear up the one channel completely but I am now getting 2 MORE channels I have never been able to receive…
Ill have to run it a few days to know for sure as weather conditions change but rno doubt in my mind that it helped a LOT. So happy!
Thanks for the tip, mate. I had a channel that was generally good except in bad weather but now is marginal at the best of times. I will look into that piece of kit.
I’m have the same problem in Birmingham Alabama channel 17 UHF 46.1 PSIP. did the filter form Amazon help? I just ordered one and hope it fixes the problem.
No the filter didn’t help. Seems to be a problem only when it rains even though the signal strength looks to be much better than other stations. No other station exhibits the problem.
I live in the Atlanta area. CBS (channel 46 virtual or real 19) has always been my weakest station. Checking other forums, this station has been problematic for many Georgians over the years. WGCL spent the least amount of money for OTA equipment at the digital cutover of all the local stations. When there have been problems with their transmitter, they never bothered informing the public and many calls to their station went unanswered for weeks and months. At one point several years ago they were not even broadcasting at their allotted power strength!
Plus they have a powerful neighbor at the next frequency (WPCH channel 20) which may hinder WGCL’s broadcast. However WPCH is moving to a higher channel with the repack which may alleviate the frequency competition. I had to install a custom built antenna for WGCL. CBS’ response to OTA has been buy our streaming app…
Good to know. I see WPCH is not slated to complete the transition until Sept 2019. What is special about your WGCL antenna? I could live without WPCH, wondering if there is a way to filter their frequency if this is my problem.
I built a 6 bay bowtie antenna with the elements customized for the channel 19 frequency (500-506 mgz). The whiskers had to be that frequency’s wavelength (24 inches - each side of the V being 12 inches). The spacing between them was 11.5 inches (a little under one half wavelength). The reflector was 5.5 inches back. All these measurements were to ensure maximum resonance at that frequency.
Normally bowtie antennas such as the CM or AD have 8 to 9 inch whiskers spaced 7 inches apart with the reflector about 4.5 inches back. These measurements serve well the average UHF frequency spread from channels 18 to 61 but may not work that well at the extreme edges (which 19 is).
Built the antenna from copper for best conductivity (couldn’t afford gold or silver). Now CBS comes in between 70 to 80% depending on the weather. Prior to that, CBS was a flakey 50-60%, falling below 50 at times and pixelating. Also put the best preamp I could on it (a Kitztech KT-200 that has an amazing noise figure of 0.4 db). That 20% improvement was enough to render that channel stable and recordable. It’s tough to get dramatic improvements beyond that…
Jan Jenca builds frequency filters for specific channels. Even though I had problems with WGCL, WPCH always came in strongly.
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Thanks Mark. I get WPCH no problem as well. I’m not much up for building my own antenna so I might opt for the filter and the preamp and see what happens.
Another possible metric to indicate if LTE interference signals may be present.
I recently restarted my cable modem which showed no errors at all frequencies initially.
After a day, errors start to show up around 700 MHz , which is attributed to LTE frequencies.
I plan to use my cell phone in close proximity to my cable modem to see if it can increase errors, or if the interference is coming most likely from outside my residence.
I can reduce LTE interference to my OTA TV signals with a filter, but know of no way to reduce interference to my cable modem.
Fortunately the errors that show up on the various cable modem channels do not cause a serious problem, but do serve to show that some sort of interference is out there in the wild.
Interesting - in theory these errors could be caused by interference anywhere in the coaxial line right? Not just close to the physical modem?
Chiming in on my experience with the $8 kenable filter. Installed it ahead of my preamp and it seems to have made a big difference to some of my spottiest channels.
I’m in Durham region near Toronto, and it’s cleared up problems on the Buffalo stations a solid 140km away, including WGRZ and WNYO which are always hit and miss. Even been getting Ion on occasion.
I’ll be curious to see how much of this is the filter and how much is tropo effect from the hot clear weather. But so far I’m impressed with the results.
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Found this reference on LTE interference.
Lotsa charts.
http://www.cctanet.com/files/2014-07/LTE%20interference%20and%20CATV.pdf
Also, the errors that show up in my cable modem at LTE frequencies would suggest the same interference could get into my OTA feed and overload my tv circuit distribution amps and Tablo. Hopefully not since I installed LTE filtering.
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Because of suggestions on this forum, I installed Channelmaster 4 port distribution preamp with terminators on the unused ports. It helped a little on most of the channels but the pixilation on the Heros & Icons during mid day was so extreme that a lot of the time I could not watch the recordings. I ordered an LTE filter and installed it in front of the preamp. Very little improvement, I still could not watch my recordings. When I was getting ready to return the filter, I decided to install the LTE filter at the antenna, day light and dark. Pixilation was decreased on all the channels and for the last several weeks there is still pixillation on H&I channel but nothing that keeps me from enjoying the recordings of Hillstreet Blues and NYPD Blues.
I have a large cell tower and high power lines close to me. I have a Channel Master, flat, omni direction Smartenna.
I wonder why I get such a big improvement in reception with the LTE filter at the antenna instead at the input port to the preamp. Could this be because of the design of the Smartenna?
I try to remember Bill Glass’ suggestion that you should always fish both sides of the boat.
Still a satisfied cord cutter.
Hill Street. That’s stonking programme, mate! Loved it.
You may also find that a directional antenna, mounted about 20 feet away from people, and connected to the Tablo with RG-6 coax, may help.
At UHF frequencies, people in the same room as an antenna can seriously interfere with consistent TV reception. Also, many flat panels use very thin coax. The shielding offered by these cables is often not enough to keep out stronger nearby signals.
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