Update: DTV Reception Beyond 35 Miles

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published

Two weeks ago I reported on the Centris study questioning whether DTV could be received more than 35 miles from a transmitter site. I asked for readers’ comments on their DTV reception to see if their experience matched the results of the Centris study, which used the CEA Web site antennaweb.org to predict DTV coverage using small- and medium-sized antennas.

The response was overwhelming. Several readers provided detailed information on the antennas they used as well as the distances to stations they commonly received. With very few exceptions, the reports indicated DTV reception beyond 35 miles was not difficult, although it did require the right antenna. And in some cases interference was a problem.

I’m still compiling the results and will have the details in next week’s RF Report.

Doug Lung
Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack. A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.