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Wow, that never crossed my mind until you mentioned it.
I guess the closest ABC affiliate broadcasts out of Asheville? Is Asheville too far an area to pull in with most average antennas?
It is partially about the distance but a lot of it is about other technical points of the way they broadcast. If you search the forum for WLOS or channel 13, you will find a few posts where the resident antenna expert - TylerSC describes the issues pretty well. It looks like we won't get any relief during the repack of channels, either.
I live in Simpsonville and have an Antennas Direct 2V (the one with the reflector screen) mounted outside of a 2nd story window on the north side of my house. The antenna is pointed NNW and I get about 58 channels even though my TVFool predicted reception is actually very 'unpromising'. Sometimes I will get as many as 62 but those others are not very reliable. Lots of stations that I don't watch but then, unlike cable or satellite, those are free so at least I am not paying for the channels I don't watch.
WLOS even comes in for me and it is very solid even though the actual signal strength is much lower than my other channels. The one I have been having some problems with the last week or so is WYFF which pixelates a bit every couple of minutes. It is still watchable but it was one of my more solid stations until this started.
I tried an indoor antenna first but reception was not very good at all for me and I expected the outdoor 2V to only be marginally better. To my surprise, it was MUCH better. I even tried an RCA ANT751 and reception was excellent with that one, too. But I returned it for a 2V as that is smaller and doesn't stick out from the side of my house as much as the RCA did.
Overall, I am very pleased with my reception and don't miss cable or satellite tv at all.
It is partially about the distance but a lot of it is about other technical points of the way they broadcast. If you search the forum for WLOS or channel 13, you will find a few posts where the resident antenna expert - TylerSC describes the issues pretty well. It looks like we won't get any relief during the repack of channels, either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by slong115
I live in Simpsonville and have an Antennas Direct 2V (the one with the reflector screen) mounted outside of a 2nd story window on the north side of my house. The antenna is pointed NNW and I get about 58 channels even though my TVFool predicted reception is actually very 'unpromising'. Sometimes I will get as many as 62 but those others are not very reliable. Lots of stations that I don't watch but then, unlike cable or satellite, those are free so at least I am not paying for the channels I don't watch.
WLOS even comes in for me and it is very solid even though the actual signal strength is much lower than my other channels. The one I have been having some problems with the last week or so is WYFF which pixelates a bit every couple of minutes. It is still watchable but it was one of my more solid stations until this started.
I tried an indoor antenna first but reception was not very good at all for me and I expected the outdoor 2V to only be marginally better. To my surprise, it was MUCH better. I even tried an RCA ANT751 and reception was excellent with that one, too. But I returned it for a 2V as that is smaller and doesn't stick out from the side of my house as much as the RCA did.
Overall, I am very pleased with my reception and don't miss cable or satellite tv at all.
Thank you both! Your replies have been most helpful...
Appreciate the reply. That's a LOT better than I expected.
***
I assume you're getting all of Greenville. Are you getting any Asheville, Atlanta, or Columbia channels?
You do not receive Atlanta or Columbia signals normally in Greenville County. However, you can receive Asheville and Charlotte depending upon location.
At my current location in northern Greenville County near Mauldin, I receive all the main Greenville-Spartanburg channels, as well as Asheville and several from Charlotte.
13-WLOS from Asheville can be problematic due to technical reasons, but it can be received with a proper VHF antenna and amplifier.
From Charlotte, I reliably receive WBTV-3, WCNC-36, and WJZY-46. At night, WSOC-9 and WCCB-18 will often come in. WBTV is the strongest Charlotte signal, and it comes in strong just like a local channel, with a full 10 bars on the signal meter. My antennas are in the attic, and I use 2 separate antennas combined.
One antenna is a Clearstream 4V UHF/VHF combo antenna for GSP/AVL. And the other is a Channel Master 4228 UHF 8bay antenna for Charlotte. Both are combined with a reverse splitter into a Channel Master Amplify preamplifier and run down the cable to the junction box where there is a Channel Master 4port distribution amplifier connected to 4 TVs.
After the first of the year I will be moving to a new home in southern Spartanburg County near Inman. Preliminary tests revealed I will gain WSOC-9 and WCCB-18 from Charlotte on a permanent all day basis, as well as WBTV-3, WCNC-36, and WJZY-46. From Greenville I will still receive the main channels including WYFF-4, WSPA-7, and WHNS-21. But 13-WLOS may be a bit of a challenge, but since I will get WSOC that will satisfy reception for ABC.
If you are looking for more affordable homes in a rural setting, then perhaps you may consider Wellford, Lyman, Inman or Duncan in southern Spartanburg County. I initially looked at Greer, but it is becoming more expensive and congested in certain areas.
It is partially about the distance but a lot of it is about other technical points of the way they broadcast. If you search the forum for WLOS or channel 13, you will find a few posts where the resident antenna expert - TylerSC describes the issues pretty well. It looks like we won't get any relief during the repack of channels, either.
The FCC repack of broadcast TV channels will occur next September 2019. Reception of most main channels may actually improve, since some are increasing power or moving to lower channels. Regarding the distant channels, both WBTV Charlotte and WLOS Asheville will remain the same, whereas all other channels will be changing. But WBTV has a good strong signal, whereas WLOS will remain problematic. And ironically WLOS is considered a local channel, whereas WBTV is out of market but has a strong signal.
In terms of compact antennas, the Clearstream 4V or 4MAX is a strong gain antenna and good for reception of both GSP/AVL and Charlotte channels. But it is helpful to add an amplifier such as Channel Master 7777HD-Amplify or Winegard LNA200.
The FCC repack of broadcast TV channels will occur next September 2019. Reception of most main channels may actually improve, since some are increasing power or moving to lower channels. Regarding the distant channels, both WBTV Charlotte and WLOS Asheville will remain the same, whereas all other channels will be changing. But WBTV has a good strong signal, whereas WLOS will remain problematic. And ironically WLOS is considered a local channel, whereas WBTV is out of market but has a strong signal.
In terms of compact antennas, the Clearstream 4V or 4MAX is a strong gain antenna and good for reception of both GSP/AVL and Charlotte channels. But it is helpful to add an amplifier such as Channel Master 7777HD-Amplify or Winegard LNA200.
We bought the Winegard Elite, which comes with a small amplifier. It is just enough to receive WLOS when aimed correctly at the very peak of our attic. I think we had to place it that high to get over our neighbor's roofline.
At the time I purchased that antenna, I had narrowed it down to either that or the Clearstream 4Max but it was probably going to require a separate amplifier.
You do not receive Atlanta or Columbia signals normally in Greenville County. However, you can receive Asheville and Charlotte depending upon location.
At my current location in northern Greenville County near Mauldin, I receive all the main Greenville-Spartanburg channels, as well as Asheville and several from Charlotte.
13-WLOS from Asheville can be problematic due to technical reasons, but it can be received with a proper VHF antenna and amplifier.
From Charlotte, I reliably receive WBTV-3, WCNC-36, and WJZY-46. At night, WSOC-9 and WCCB-18 will often come in. WBTV is the strongest Charlotte signal, and it comes in strong just like a local channel, with a full 10 bars on the signal meter. My antennas are in the attic, and I use 2 separate antennas combined.
One antenna is a Clearstream 4V UHF/VHF combo antenna for GSP/AVL. And the other is a Channel Master 4228 UHF 8bay antenna for Charlotte. Both are combined with a reverse splitter into a Channel Master Amplify preamplifier and run down the cable to the junction box where there is a Channel Master 4port distribution amplifier connected to 4 TVs.
After the first of the year I will be moving to a new home in southern Spartanburg County near Inman. Preliminary tests revealed I will gain WSOC-9 and WCCB-18 from Charlotte on a permanent all day basis, as well as WBTV-3, WCNC-36, and WJZY-46. From Greenville I will still receive the main channels including WYFF-4, WSPA-7, and WHNS-21. But 13-WLOS may be a bit of a challenge, but since I will get WSOC that will satisfy reception for ABC.
If you are looking for more affordable homes in a rural setting, then perhaps you may consider Wellford, Lyman, Inman or Duncan in southern Spartanburg County. I initially looked at Greer, but it is becoming more expensive and congested in certain areas.
Your reply offered an incredible deal of help. Thank you .
In the beginning, I expect to rent, so I guess I should adjust my expectations for Greenville only, correct? Or is Asheville not out of the question, since my antenna will be pointed towards Greenville/Asheville transmitters? My location will probably land me somewhere in East Greenville/Taylors.
It's a shame that ABC doesn't have an affiliate in Greenville.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerSC
After the first of the year I will be moving to a new home in southern Spartanburg County near Inman. Preliminary tests revealed I will gain WSOC-9 and WCCB-18 from Charlotte on a permanent all day basis, as well as WBTV-3, WCNC-36, and WJZY-46. From Greenville I will still receive the main channels including WYFF-4, WSPA-7, and WHNS-21. But 13-WLOS may be a bit of a challenge, but since I will get WSOC that will satisfy reception for ABC.
Congratulations, and best of luck in your new home !
Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerSC
If you are looking for more affordable homes in a rural setting, then perhaps you may consider Wellford, Lyman, Inman or Duncan in southern Spartanburg County. I initially looked at Greer, but it is becoming more expensive and congested in certain areas.
Thank you for your suggestions; I will look into them. Unfortunately, housing prices in Taylors & Greer have indeed spiked. There are those who believe that the housing market bubble is set to burst, but there's no timeframe.
If we make the move to Greenville, we'll probably wind up around the mall area, or in Taylors.
I have looked up a couple of addresses via TVFOOL, and it's telling me not to have high expectations with OTA reception.
How many channels are y'all getting? I would be renting before buying, so I wouldn't be using a roof or attic mounted antenna.
Also, are Greenville's channels making the shift from UHF to VHF?
I get 44 with my attic mount antenna.
I'm not on a mountain but I am also not in a big valley. You gotta watch Taylors. Grew up there. Very hilly. If you have a huge hill between you and paris mt, you are toast.
I'm not on a mountain but I am also not in a big valley. You gotta watch Taylors. Grew up there. Very hilly. If you have a huge hill between you and paris mt, you are toast.
Appreciate the reply.
Does that 44 channel content include all of Asheville?
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