Cord-cutters in N. AL -- how can you pick up Channel 15 in Florence ?

[eppur_se_muova]

They actually transmit on RF channel 2, in the low VHF, so most indoor antennas won't receive their signal at all well. I'm in Madison, and their transmitter is across the TN state line. Do I really need a log periodic (outdoor) antenna at minimum ??

If you CAN receive Ch 15.1, .2, .3, please let me know how far away you are and what antenna you are using. We get almost every other local station with a cheap digital antenna, but 15 eludes capture.


https://www.channelmaster.com/pages/tv-antenna-map-florence-al-35632

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Your tuner might be holding you back.

Last edited Fri Dec 19, 2025, 06:51 AM - Edit history (1)

I live in northern Virginia, a few miles south of the White House. I made the change to digital broadcasting in June 2008. At the time, the FCC had sent out a pair of $40-off coupons to all households that asked for them to be used for the purchase of "coupon-eligible converter boxes" -- CECBs. I used rabbit ears to bring in ATSC signals from as far as way as Baltimore. Among the CECB tuners I have used are the Zenith DT901, the DigitalStream, sold at Radio Shack, and the Apex.

I now have flat screen TVs with built-in ATSC tuners. It has been my experience that the ATSC tuners built into TVs are no match for the external tuners from fifteen years back. They are in the TV only because they have to be there, and they offer only bare minimum performance.

If you have an old CECB, plug it in. You might be surprised at how many more signals it can find than your TV's built-in tuner. The downside us that it feeds a 480i signal to you TV. I also have an ematic AT103B outboard tuner. It provides an HDMI-level signal to a TV or monitor.

Back to antennas. I have only indoor antennas. I use rabbit ears and a Mohu Leaf. I have my Mohu Leaf aimed at Baltimore. For some reason, signa!s from Baltimore have always come in better than signals from DC. I have no idea why. After the recent repacking, my lowest TV frequency is channel 7, a VHF High frequency. Moving the antenna around has a huge effect.

You might want to look around here:

https://www.avsforum.com/forums/#hdtv.6

HTH

[eppur_se_muova]

2. I'm using a CECB -- one of two I carefully preserved ! :D Coupons paid 99% of costs !

And I actually lived in Salisbury, MD, when I bought them, so I remember DC and BAL stations on digital TV !

I bought a couple of super-cheap digital antennas and get signals as far away as 14 miles w/out problems -- there are no stations listed between 15 and 29 miles, so it's difficult to know what our range limit is. And the one at 29 miles is lo-VLF, so not comparable to the others.

I might mention that our old TVs are "digital-ready", but not HDTV or "smart". I never asked for, never wanted, and have no particular use for HDTV, so I'm trying to get by with the simplest (read: cheapest) tech I can.

Thanks for the tips. I'm using an RCA digital flat indoor antenna (no sexy name) and getting about 11 channels, almost all of which have their antennas up on Huntsville Mtn. 11-14 miles away in basically the same direction. Ch15 is the odd one out.

BTW, if your gain is adjustable, try turning it *down* for DC stations -- you may be swamping the amplifier/receiver ! Our old TV picks up most local stations with NO external antenna !

Thanks again for the specific brand recommendations -- I will start with those for comparison shopping.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. More

https://www.rabbitears.info/
Especially
https://www.rabbitears.info/searchmap.php
Especially
https://www.rabbitears.info/s/2394854

The three closest stations, WFIQ, WGDF, and W20DF-D, are rated good, fair, and poor. All the others, some 30 to 70 miles away, are rated bad.

External tuners are uncommon. The only places you'll find CECBs anymore are yard sales and thrift stores, inevitably missing the remote.

I believe one of the conditions of CECBs was that they put out only a modulated signal (type F connector} and a composite signal (red, white, and yellow RCA connectors). The Channel Master external tuner had an additional higher resolution output, so it was not eligible for the coupon, if I'm not mistaken.

The Zenith DT901 was highly regarded at the time. It was also marketed by Best Buy as its Insignia model. I really like the one Radio Shack sold, the Digital Stream. The onscreen menus have big type, and it is exceptionally user-friendly.

The thing I really like about the Zenith and the Digital Stream is that when you scan for new signals, you do not erase the channels you have already stored. By contrast, for one example, the Apex CECB throws away the channels you have stored and starts all over again. The tuner in my Samsung flatscreen TV also does that. Some TVs keep the existing channels and add new ones that you find.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. I've been using Rabbit Ears, Channel Master, and other DBs (including one from FCC, IIRC) extensively.

All carry the same result -- about a dozen stations close by, most of which I can receive just fine (some w/no antenna connected !), a few for which reception varies (and the preamp is de rigeur) and a handful of more distant stations, all of little interest. 15 in Florence (actually their xmitter is over the TN state line !) is the only one I can't get ANY detectable signal for -- RF ch. 2, lowest VHF, twice the distance of the ones I can receive.

I've found two more cheap indoor antennas I'm going to try -- both cheap, w/easy refunds.

BTW ch.15 does not appear to do any streaming, AFAIK.

Thanks for all the info. I think I've reached a determination that either one of these two will work, or I'll have to spend substantially more $$$, and I don't think it's important enough for that. Could buy some complete DVD collections of a couple of favorite series for that kind of money.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. Reddit usually has pretty good special interest groups.

They have proven quite useful for old operating systems.

Ask me about modern browsers for running Windows XP on a 2006 iMac!

Anyway, there a few for over-the-air (OTA) TV.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ota/

https://www.reddit.com/r/cordcutters/

Aaaand apparently whatever you buy now will be obsolete once ATSC 3.0 is implemented.

https://www.reddit.com/r/cordcutters/comments/1p3nl7y/the_fcc_is_deciding_right_now_if_broadcasters_can/

Edited: new tuners aren't cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=hdhomerun+tv+tuner