I purchased my DTV converter box, hooked it up, scanned for channels, and you are no longer there!!! I watched you all the time before and the signal was fine. Are there some numbers I can program in or just press on my hand-held remote to bring your station in? Thanks for the information.
Roxann Hornish
Roxann,
I would be glad to help, but I need a bit more information. The most probable cause for your problem is interference. Since the TV stations are broadcasting on two frequencies right now there are more interference issues. While we are continuing to broadcast our analog signal on channel 13 our digital signal is on channel 19. There are channel 19 stations in the Cleveland area that make it difficult to receive us in the Sandusky area and there is a channel 19 in Fort Wayne that makes it difficult to receive us in the Defiance area and the area to the West of Toledo. We will return our digital signal to channel 13 after February 17, 2009 and these interference issues will no longer be a problem. The only issue is that we don't know what problems will pop up on that date because the whole DTV assignment scheme has not been tested. The government says it will work, and we will find out together. If you would like to discuss this with me and talk about your options, feel free to call the station during business hours.
Regards,
Tom Young
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Hi,
I'm using the (BestBuy) Insignia DTV converter box, and it has performed pretty decent UNTIL last night – did you lower your digital power or change the digital antenna prior to Thursday May 8th? During "LOST" the signal kept on turning-into blocks quite often, no matter what I did with the antenna, and I didn't have this big problem prior to Thursday night. Anything different with your digital TV signal that could be causing my trouble receiving your digital signal now that wasn't there a month ago? Please let me know.
Thanks,
John P.
John,
No, nothing unusual happened last night with our signal. I watched every minute of Lost myself and did not notice any problem at my house. Most of the problems that seem to be associated with only one station turn out to be interference issues. If you live in the Sandusky or Defiance areas it would certainly be the most likely cause of your problem. It would be helpful to know some more details about the type of antenna you are using and where you live. Feel free to call me at the station or email me with this information and I will try to help. The station phone number is 419-531-1313. By the way, if you are using rabbit ears indoors try making them as short as they will go, and then move them around to get the best signal.
Regards,
Tom Young
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I purchased my digital tv converter last week. I view my tv stations
using rabbit ears. With analog services, I could get 13 abc very well.
Now that I have connected my converter I can no longer access 13 abc.
I now get 11 wtol, 27 and 30 pbs and channel 36. Can you tell me why
I am having trouble accessing 13 abc? Thank you!
Cheryl Spires,
Wauseon, OH
Good morning,
There are many reasons why you might have problems. One that comes to mind is that you might be receiving interference from a station in Fort Wayne that broadcasts on the same channel as our digital station. It must be remembered that until the DTV transition there are both an analog and a digital channel being broadcast from each station. Here at 13abc we broadcast our digital signal on channel 19 while our analog signal is still on channel 13. After the transition on February 17, 2009 we will put the digital signal back on channel 13. During this time when everyone is consuming two channels there are many interference issues. I can tell you that people near Sandusky have the same problem as there is a channel 19 in the Cleveland area. You might experiment with the location of the antenna, and even shorten it (since rabbit ears are VHF antennas and what you need is UHF).
Feel free to contact me at the station and we might be able to find a solution, but I may have to ask you a few questions in order to understand your unique situation. The station phone number is 419-531-1313.
Regards,
Tom Young
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Good morning.
I am curious. I took a look on Antennaweb.org this morning and the results below came up (I just put in a Toledo zip so all the Toledo channels would show. Based off my Napoleon zip, not all of them show up). It shows that 3 channels are changing frequency assignments after Feb 17, 2009. Big deal right?? Wrong! Everyone is being told to get a UHF antenna to get digital channels. This works for your digital feed now and would continue to work after Feb 17th of next year if you didn't change your frequency. However.....now I assume that people will need a VHF antenna as well to get your feed?
Do you plan to do this transition right on Feb 17, 2009 or sometime after that? I live in Napoleon and get your feed now, but I doubt I will after you move to the VHF channel since I have a UHF antenna only.
I think you will lose some viewers because of this decision? Maybe you will crank up your power and I will still be able to get your station even with my UHF-only antenna?
Looks like channel 11 is doing the same thing, so at least you won't be alone.
Any information you could provide would be helpful.
Thanks, Larry
Mr. Wick,
What you say is true. Personally, I have been writing web articles about this for years now. The latest article can be found by going to www.13abc.com and clicking on the "on 13abc" tab and clicking on the first selection in the drop down box. Here is a shortcut to the article: http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=resources/inside_station&id=6013387 . Feel free to call me and we can talk about antenna issues in detail. I am including our news director in the cc of this email, since we are doing a series of articles about the transition and it would seem to me to be an important thing to address. The station phone number is 419-531-1313. Ask for me.
Tom Young
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I live in Defiance County and we're one of the ones that need to get the Digital Converter, When I hooked it up I found out that I couldn't receive your channel anymore. What's the deal?
I went to Titan TV listing. and put in the zip code for Oak Harbor as that is where we are in the summer most of the time, and we can or should be able to get it there.
Thank you for your time
Terry Rosebrock
Ney, Ohio
Terry,
As you probably know each station are presently occupying two channels, one for the analog channel and one for the new digital channel. At 13abc we are continuing to broadcast our analog programming on channel 13 and our digital channel is broadcasted on channel 19 for now. The problem you are probably encountering is interference. There is a channel 19 (digital) in Fort Wayne, and I suspect your antenna is picking up both broadcasts even though you have your antenna pointed toward Toledo. After the February 2009 analog shutdown 13abc will move our digital signal back to channel 13 and interference from Fort Wayne should no longer be an issue. I can't guarantee that you will be able to pick us up at that time because of all other changes including channel allocations, but you should. I should also tell you that channel 11 is also changing their digital assignment from 17 back to 11 at this time and you will certainly have to rescan your set before you see either channel.
I hope this clears things up. You might want to try a different antenna, but beware of "HDTV" antennas being sold today. Often they are UHF only antennas. Apparently several people who manufacture and sell antennas are unaware that the VHF channels between 5 and 13 are still going to be in use after February 17, 2009.
If this information does not answer your question feel free to call me at the station at 419-531-1313.
Regards,
Tom Young
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I just got a dtv converter box to see how they work and if they work. Seems great for all channels but yours. Why would i be able to get all the other Toledo channels and 13 can barely stay in or it has no signal. Do you have a weak signal and are you working on this problem. I will be a very frustrated tv watcher if in Feb. I do not get the abc shows. Let me know what I can do to make this better or if you guys are working on this problem. CW has gone out also but not even close to what 13 does. I basically do not have a channel 13 to watch anymore.
Shelly
Dear Shelly,
I need to know a few things before I can determine what is causing your problem.
Our DTV station is the most powerful in Toledo, so that is not the problem. It comes in fine at my house. If you live in certain areas the problem might be interference. For example, viewers in Sandusky find it easy to receive our DTV station with indoor antennas, but have problems with outdoor antennas because there is a station transmitting on the same channel in the Cleveland area (channel 19). To the West we have the same problem with a station in Fort Wayne which is also transmitting on our present DTV assignment of channel 19. Sometimes an attic antenna will behave as you described because of the signals reflecting off of the insulation. Aluminum siding with an indoor antenna will also cause these sorts of problems. It is not all that uncommon to have trouble picking up one station or another and still get the others fine.
By the way, after midnight February 17, 2009 we will shut down our analog channel 13 transmitter and put the DTV station on channel 13.
Write back and let me know where you are and what you are using for an antenna. If you would like to talk about it feel free to call me at WTVG at 419-531-1313.
Regards,
Tom Young
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On Sunday April 28 I installed my digital converter box and was pleasantly surprised with all the stations I received including 13abc. Then my wife told me today that we were no longer getting channel 13. We live about 50 miles west of Toledo and are still receiving the other Toledo stations, can you tell me why channel 13 is not coming in?
John Boehk
John,
13abc's digital signal is broadcast on channel 19 and will be until next February 17. All stations are broadcasting on two different channels until the digital cutoff. There is a channel 19 in Fort Wayne and I suspect that it is causing interference at your location. I have some advice on the subject of antennas at www.toledohdtv.com and you may feel free to call and discuss this with me at the station phone number 419-531-1313. By the way, after the February 17 date we will move our digital transmitter back to channel 13.
Tom Young
WTVG Engineering
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DEAR TOM
I AM 78 WITH LIMITED FUNDS AND CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE MY ANALOG TV'S.
ON CHANNEL 13 TODAY I HEARD THERE ARE CONVERSION BOXES FOR ANALOG TV SETS & TO CONTACT THIS WEBSITE FOR THE ADDRESS OF
A GOVERNMENT AGENCY FOR $40 A CREDIT,
BUT I DID NOT SEE THE ADDRESS. PLEASE SEND.
I HAVE A FINE TOWER THAT IS HOOKED UP TO 4
SETS WITH NO CABLE COST. CAN I STILL USE THE
TOWER IF I GET CONVERSION BOXES?
PLEASE ADVISE ME ON THE ADDRESS FOR THE $40
CREDIT, IF I CAN HOOK UP TO MY TOWER, OR WHAT
YOU SUGGEST WITH THE PRESENT 3 YEAR ANALOG
PENDING.
BEST REGARDS,
HAROLD B. BIGGS
Harold,
The web site to apply for the boxes is www.dtv2009.gov . You may also phone the government for a coupon request at 1-888-DTV-2009. I wrote an article for our website that can be found at: http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=resources/inside_station&id=6013387 which addresses some issues you might find of interest. Although I can't say for sure but I suspect your antenna system should serve you well for DTV if it works well for the present analog TV.
Let me know if I may be of further help, and feel free to call me at the station at 419-531-1313.
Regards,
Tom Young
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I need info on why my new converter box will not pull in 13. My favorite programs are not available.
11 comes in great but Ellen, Gray's Anatomy, Boston Legal are on 13, also your great news team.
What is going on with your signal? are you not set up for DTV?
I am 74, have one TV, don't get out much and now all of a sudden what I want to watch is gone.
Thanks,
Carol Berger
Carol,
I can't say for sure why you are having trouble receiving 13abc, but I would guess you live in an area where there are interference issues. Let me explain. Today each TV station is broadcasting on two channels. Our analog signal (the one you have watched for years) is on channel 13, but our digital signal is being broadcast on channel 19 for the time being. There are channel 19's in Fort Wayne and the Cleveland area, and many people who live between Toledo and either of those cities have found that their antennas pick up both signals, and the result is that neither can be received. For the most part, this would be anyone living near Sandusky or Defiance.
After the February 17, 2009 shutoff of analog TV we will move our digital transmitter from 19 to 13 and those issues should be gone. As for now, if this appears to be what is causing your problem, I might suggest looking into your antenna. If it is of a design that would allow a signal from the back of the antenna to be received at the same time as from the front, you might try moving it (if you have a rotor) or even updating it to a newer design. Some viewers have actually received us with an indoor antenna better than with a taller outdoor one, because the antenna would then not "see" the interferring station.
If you could care to discuss this with me feel free to call the station at 419-531-1313.
Regards,
Tom Young
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We have had an HD receiver for some time. We live in town. We have an HD indoor antennae. Many times signal strength drops out. It is not as bad for 13 as for 24. Is the signal strength going to increase when digital becomes mandatory or will it stay the same?
Allen,
Quite often an indoor antenna does not work well with digital TV even thought the signal strength is adequate. The reason this happens is multipath, or ghosting. This effect is most common when the house, or nearby houses have aluminum siding, or foil insulation. In short, the signal from the transmitter takes more than one path from the transmitter to the antenna, having bounced off the metal as well as passing on the direct path. This effect might not be noticeable on analog TV, but digital TV is much more sensitive to these minor problems.
Your only recourse is probably an outside antenna. Some comments I wrote for our website on this subject can be found at: http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=resources/inside_station&id=6013387 .
Good luck and let me know if this is useful information. Feel free to call me at the station at 419-531-1313.
Tom Young
WTVG Engineering
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Dear Sirs:
I would aprreciate being advised who to contact if you can not provide an authoratitve answer. My question is will local stations accross the country and especially in NW Ohio and SE Michigan increase the digital signal Feb. 2009? Currently, I have two analog TVs that work with the digital converter but I frequently loose the signal yet if I switch to analog I still recieve a good picture.
Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Charles Hicks
Jerome,MI
Dear Charles,
In short, no. Most DTV stations will remain at their current power levels or will reduce. In addition the actual channel number will be different for many stations including WTVG and WTOL. For example we presently broadcast our DTV programming on channel 19 at 750,000 effective watts. After the transition we will return to channel 13 with a power of between 11 and 14.5 KW. If you are having trouble picking the local stations up it is an antenna issue at your location. Indoor antennas don't work well with DTV especially if your house or those near you have metal siding or insulation. I suggest you read an article I wrote on the subject at our website. The article is at http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=resources/inside_station&id=6013387 . Feel free to call me at the station during business hours at 419-531-1313 if I may be of further assistance.
Regards,
Tom Young
WTVG Engineering
