Free TV

Encouraged by projections from signal-locator tools available at several web sites, I have been trying to get free local TV at our Treasure Island vacation place in rural Mason County. That’s right, tvfool.com and antennaweb.org tell you how to receive high-def digital TV signals without paying a monthly cable or satellite bill. Take that, WaveCable! Buzz off, Dish Network! So far, the actual results are disappointing as there’s a large gap between them and what’s theoretically possible.

Prior to the government-mandated switch to all digital signals last year, we had an aging analog TV. Paired with an old rooftop antenna, it tuned in ABC, NBC, CBS (badly), Fox, PBS (sometimes), and four or five other channels. Recently I replaced it with a 32-inch 720p digital LCD TV from Best Buy. For $350, the new TV has a decent set of features and came with a 2-year warranty. I couldn’t wait to see how many over-the-air Seattle-Tacoma stations it would get.

During initial setup the tuner grabbed seven digital channels and several snowy analog channels (possibly from Canada). But five of the digital channels are part of the TBN—the Trinity Broadcast Network, which bills itself as the world’s largest Christian network. A local Fox affiliate and a weather-only Fox channel accounted for the other two. Clearly getting a variety of free channels we want to watch wasn’t going to be easy.

My next step was to run new cable from the antenna to the TV using QuadShield RG-60 coax cable, Radio Shack’s best product for outdoor use. I also replaced the antenna transformer, the device that connects the cable to the 75-ohm antenna leads. Total cost about $35. The latter step didn’t make any difference, but the new coax cable did. This time the tuner indicated it had grabbed 22 digital stations. When I phoned a friend to report this digital triumph, his response was “How many are in English?”

Not long ago the entire broadcast TV spectrum consisted of 11 or 12 VHF channels. So are 22 channels enough? Consider that of the 22 we get, 5 are the TBN channels, another 5 tune in only a fraction of the time, 2 are in Spanish, 1 is a weather channel, 1 has no program information, and, except for the local Fox affiliate, the rest are channels you probably haven’t heard of. According to tvfool.com we should be getting several others, including the Seattle-based ABC, NBC, and CBS stations.

Tvfool.com says the most important number in the signal analysis they provide is the predicted Noise Margin (NM), which is measured in dB. Second is the compass direction for aiming the antenna. As the crow flies, the Seattle stations are only about 30 miles away so distance isn’t a problem. If NM is positive (greater than 0) after you subtract any gains/losses from your antenna and cable run, you should pick up the station. So far that hasn’t been my experience. With our equipment NM needs to above 25 to tune in a channel.

Right now we can watch The Simpsons or football (in season) on Fox, try to learn Spanish, save our souls on TBN, and keep abreast of weather events nationwide. Plus DVDs look much better on the new LCD TV. But it would be great to get the network stations and PBS.

I read on one web site that outdoor antennas do wear out. As the metal oxidizes and the rivets rust, the active elements lose contact and the performance suffers. I also read that a preamp might improve the reception for the five part-time channels. Would new equipment at a cost of $180 make any difference in the quest for “free” TV? Stay tuned.