Low signal quality

[vttom]

Where I live, all of the broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS) transmit from the same location which is only about 20miles away. I have my antenna in the attic space of my house (about 20ft up) pointing straight at them.

One of the channels consistently shows high signal strength and signal quality in the 90s and is rock-solid when I watch that channel. But all the other channels show signal strength and signal quality in the 70s and give me occasional picture errors/interruptions when I watch them. Oddly, the best PQ comes from the PBS station (WETK) which is not listed as the highest strength channel by TV Fool. And the highest-strength channel according to TV Fool (WCAX) is the one that seems to give me the most issues.

Any thoughts on what might be degrading the signals of most, but not all, of the channels? Do I have an RF interference problem?

Here's my TV Fool report - https://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrap ... 8706110ed0

[vttom]

I should also mention that this is the antenna I'm using - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Winegard-Fr ... /203972856

And I've also tried this one for awhile, but get very similar results - https://store.antennasdirect.com/clears ... tenna.html

[ebo]

It's better to use RabbitEars rather than TV Fool. It's more up-to-date. Your TV Fool listing was made in 2017. Two of your 19.3 mile stations have changed RF channels since then. WVNY (ABC) is on RF 7, not 13. WFFF (Fox) is on 16, not 43. And WNNE, formerly NBC on RF 25 at a distance is now CW along with WPTZ (NBC) on RF 14.

You say WCAX is the strongest channel but gives you the most issues. If your HDHR lists its signal strength as 100% it may be more than that, perhaps high enough to cause problems. I wish the strength listing would not stop at 100%. Higher listings would indicate if the signal is too strong.

[jasonl]

We would like to get some diagnostic data to see what is happening:

1. In a web browser go to http://hdhomerun.local
   NOTE: That address will go do the first HDHomeRun device found on your network. If you have more than one HDHomeRun device, use the "device ID" printed on the bottom of the unit instead of "hdhomerun" in the address. For example, if your device ID was 104FFFFF then you would go to http://104fffff.local
2. If it tells you that a firmware update is available, please install it
3. Click "System Menu"
4. Check the "Send diagnostic information" box (if this box is already checked, please un-check then re-check it)
5. Go back one page
6. Click "Channel Lineup"
7. Click on "Detect Channels"
8. After the scan finishes, open the HDHomeRun app
9. Go into the app settings: the gear icon in the top right corner of the "Live/Recorded/Discover/Tasks" page
10. Enable the option to "Send diagnostic information"
11. Watch a problem channel for at least 10 minutes

Reply back and provide us the device ID of your HDHomeRun and we will check the logs. You can find the device ID on a label on the bottom of the HDHomeRun itself.

And yes, a RabbitEars signal search map result would be useful.

[vttom]

As requested, here’re my rabbit ears results…

https://www.rabbitears.info/s/2030969

[vttom]

I enabled diagnostics as requested. I’ve copy/pasted the device id, etc from the system menu…

Hardware Model HDHR5-4US
Firmware Version 20231214
Device ID 10769449

[jasonl]

That is very unusual. Interference from some other RF source is possible, as is multipath interference. Have you tried the antenna in a different location, even just in your living room or something?

[vttom]

I spent quite a bit of time pointing the antenna to peak the signal quality while watching the graph in Signal GH. I have not tried it in a different location because there really isn’t any other place to put the antenna.

I did just buy one of these filters…

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0D5T9NDL3

And that improved things a few points, nothing dramatic. Maybe it’ll be just enough? Time will tell.

Also, the antenna is “looking” through a stand of trees. I suppose that could be causing multipath interference? I might try out an even more uni-directional antenna to see if that helps.

[jasonl]

Is it just that you don't want the antenna sitting out? I'm not suggesting keeping it in your living room long-term, just testing it out there to see if you get different results. Multipath tends to have hot and cold spots. The situation most people have experienced is driving in a city with a lot of skyscrapers while listening to FM radio and having the signal go out when you stop at a light, but then have it come back if you let the car creep forward a bit.