Over the air TV in HPP?

[TomK]

2liveque - one other thing I ought to add - take the antennaweb results with a very large pinch of salt. According to them I should only get 5 channels but of the 5 they list I only get 3, but then I get 6 others they don't list.

Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/

[ericlp]

Go here to look up your own address...

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx


* yellow
vhf KHAW-DT 11.1 FOX HONOLULU, HI 308° 15.8 11
* green
vhf KHVO-DT 13.1 ABC HONOLULU, HI 298° 19.0 13
* green
uhf KWHD-DT 23.1 IND HILO, HI 298° 19.0 23
* green
vhf KGMD-DT 9.1 CBS HONOLULU, HI 298° 19.0 9
* red
uhf K28JV-D 10.1 PBS WAILUKU, HI 319° 14.9 28

This is what is recommended antenna for hawaiian beaches. Tho, it's just a reference. YMWV.

Well, The station I would be most interested in would be PBS UHF ... It states RED (medium range) ... Based on how I would read this, I'd get a antenna that is a yagi type like a channel master 2020 the yagi type antenna will aim better and lock into a certain hard to get station if you point it at the degrees listed on the chart.

If it still had trouble locking it in you could always buy an amplifier.

Have Fun!

P.S. Tom, that's interesting... What sub are you in? What type of antenna are you using and what channels are you getting? I think it would be helpful to others to know that information.


started funking around on the net and found this list of hilo stations... Interesting...

Stations for Hilo, Hawaii
Display
Channel Digital
Channel Call Sign Network Nickname Hours Notes
KHVO HILO, HI
04-1 13.2 KITV-HD ABC "Island Television"
04-2 13.3 Weather MeTV "More TV"
KGMD-TV HILO, HI
05-1 9.3 KFVE-DT MyN "K5: The Home Team"
05-2 9.4 This TV
K31IZ-D NAALEHU, HI
10-1 31.3 KMEB-HD PBS "PBS Hawaii"
K50JT-D HAKALAU, HI
10-1 50.3 KMEB-HD PBS "PBS Hawaii"
K35II-D SOUTH POINT, HI
10-1 35.3 KMEB-HD PBS "PBS Hawaii"
K28JV-D HILO, HI
10-1 28.3 KMEB-HD PBS "PBS Hawaii"
K41JT-D KILAUEA MILTARY CAMP, HI
10-1 41.3 KMEB-HD PBS "PBS Hawaii"
K50JT-D HAKALAU, HI
10-2 50.4 KMEB-SD NHK World 06p-12a
K35II-D SOUTH POINT, HI
10-2 35.4 KMEB-SD Create 12a-06p
K28JV-D HILO, HI
10-2 28.4 KMEB-SD Create 12a-06p
K35II-D SOUTH POINT, HI
10-2 35.4 KMEB-SD NHK World 06p-12a
K41JT-D KILAUEA MILTARY CAMP, HI
10-2 41.4 KMEB-SD Create 12a-06p
K28JV-D HILO, HI
10-2 28.4 KMEB-SD NHK World 06p-12a
K31IZ-D NAALEHU, HI
10-2 31.4 KMEB-SD Create 12a-06p
K41JT-D KILAUEA MILTARY CAMP, HI
10-2 41.4 KMEB-SD NHK World 06p-12a
K31IZ-D NAALEHU, HI
10-2 31.4 KMEB-SD NHK World 06p-12a
K50JT-D HAKALAU, HI
10-2 50.4 KMEB-SD Create 12a-06p
KHAW-TV HILO, HI
11-1 11.3 KHAW-HD FOX "KHON 2"
11-2 11.4 KHAW-CW CW "CW 93"
KHBC-TV HILO, HI
13-1 22.3 NBC "KHNL NBC 8"
13-2 22.4 CBS "KGMB"
KWHD HILO, HI
14-1 23.3 KWHE-DT LeSea "TV 14"
14-2 23.4 LeSea

[H22]

Here's an easy-reader version of ericlp's post: http://puna.tv

Also lists the type of antenna necessary for reception. In HPP, you're best off with a UHF/VHF hybrid antenna.

There are at least 2 more stations hitting the air soon, possibly more. The Channel 14-2 listing may be incorrect, I should be able to confirm that next week.

Over-the-air households have been increasing in the US for about the last 24 months with the under 34 demographic, Hawai`i seems a bit behind the curve with it, perhaps because the number of available channels are also behind the curve. If mobile TV takes off, I'm sure Hawai`i will catch up real quick.

[TomK]

ericlp - I'm on Kaloli Point so down at the ocean end of HPP. Of the channels you list this is what I get:

04-1 13.2 KITV-HD ABC "Island Television"
04-2 13.3 Weather MeTV "More TV"
09-1 ? KGMD-TV HILO, HI
10-1 31.3 KMEB-HD PBS "PBS Hawaii"
10-2 ? KMEB-SD PBS (not sure where the broadcast comes from, probably Hilo)
11-1 11.3 KHAW-HD FOX "KHON 2"
11-2 11.4 KHAW-CW CW "CW 93"
14-1 23.3 KWHE-DT LeSea "TV 14"

and channel 45, KGMB, analog. I get channel 34 as well, but it's very weak and really not my kind of thing.

Of those, 04-1, 04-2, 11-1 and 11.2 are very reliable. The PBS channels are OK although I think they have a transmitter problem - there's a "pause" in the picture and sound every 30-60 seconds which is too regular to be atmosphere and the signal strength doesn't drop during the pause. Channel 45 (KGMB and CBS, analog) is OK but can go off air for several hours or even days at at time. I don't watch the others too much but would like to get NBC which I've never been able to find.

As for the antenna, it's a RadioShack HDTV indoor antenna, it cost about $40. I can't find it on their site any more so may not be manufactured these days. It picks up UHF, VHF and FM. Although it doesn't look like the one I have, this is pretty much the equivalent I think:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index....Id=3643548&CAWELAID=546500734

The one drawback with an indoor antenna is that I can interfere with reception just by walking around the house!

Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/

[TomK]

Thanks for the link, H22! Incidentally, I don't get 14-2, only 14-1, but it rarely broadcasts anything I like other than the old Hawaii Five-0 series!

Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/

[H22]

I'll be doing a field check of the dial next week (i'm out-of-state right now).

There's supposed to be an analog Channel 38 in the mix there too, according to the FCC, but I can't confirm that it's on air.

The PBS station does 3 or 4 hops between different transmitters before it gets to Hilo, so the problem could be coming from Maui or their transmitter on Mauna Loa (which feeds the Hilo transmitter).

:-)

[H22]

TomK,

Looking closer at your comments, all your reception troubles (PBS, NBC) are with digital UHF stations. Digital UHF often has trouble in rural areas, like HPP (but is much better than digital VHF in urban settings, like Hilo).

In addition, both NBC & PBS put out relatively low powered signals from very low elevations.

I'll see what I can find out next week.

[2liveque]

Thank you guys! These are some very helpful responses! Much Mahalo and I'll be checking back to see what you guys find!

2lq

[TomK]

H22 - would be very interested to see what you find out. Regarding the PBS problem, the pauses, outages, reception losses, whatever you want to call them, are regular in frequency (I might just go and time them now!) so don't think that's anything to do with atmosphere, high structures etc. There's also no dropout in signal strength when they occur hence the reason I think it's to do with the transmitter (or as you point out, a transmitter on another island).

I tried rescanning tonight with my antenna upstairs to get the NBC channel but no luck, I get nothing at all. Guess I'll have to wait for a while before I can watch Sunday Night Football or The Office!

Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/

[melo1112]

I found 1 of these on sale @ Amazon for $25
http://www.directron.com/tvw750usb.html?gsear=1

Then built 1 of these for < $2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw
many different videos there for similar builds

Plug the USB device into the laptop , connect the antenna ,the software gives you a scan for channels function , You will be amazed @ how well it works !