VOOM in Portland, Oregon Area

[Walter L.]

I propose this new thread to discuss issues/peculiarities in the Portland metro area. I've seen posts from other VOOMERS around this area in other threads and other forums about installation nightmares, OTA reception issues, etc. that are specific to this area so I though it would be worth to discuss so that any new VOOMER in this area may benefit.
For starters, I'll tell my installation story: I ordered VOOM and the 1st installation attempt (on 3/10) failed. The 1st installer (from Adams Communications) reported no lign-of-sight due to some trees about 500 feet away that covered ~15 degrees up . However, I wasn't ready to give up. It called up my attention that he've mentioned that his success rate had been only 5 out of the last 25 installation attempts. Based on that argument, I called VOOM and requested a 2nd opinion. The 2nd installer subcontracted by Adams (named Steve) came one week later and did a successfull installation . My signal strengh the 1st 2 weeks was about 41 (using old scale). Today my signal strenght is typically ~94 (new scale) and I've been enjoying VOOM without any major issues other than the bugs, etc that everybody has seen.

Any VOOMER around the Portland area??

 

[Walter L.]

Can anybody report on OTA reception? What local channels are you currently picking up?

 

[Walter L.]

Can anybody report on OTA reception? I'm about 13 miles west of downtown portland and this is what I'm picking up:

2.1 KATUDT
6.1 KOINDT
6.2 KOINDT2
8.1 KGWDT
10.1 KOPBD
32.1 KWPBDT

 

[Vince2]

Hey Walter. I have a signal quality strength of 85 now that Direct Broadcast Satellite came out and fixed Adams Communication's screw up. I still can't get many locals since I'm too close to the towers (~1 mile) and they go over my head.

 

[wbuffetta]

Walter L. I Live On The East Side More By PDX But At An Elevation of 250'. The Airport is More Like 66'. I Get The Same Signal As Yours. Old Scale 41-43 New Scale 93-94

 

[Walter L.]

wbuffetta, welcome to this thread. Can you publish the list of local channels (OTA) that your're picking up?

 

[wbuffetta]

For OTA I Still Use My Directv Receiver. I Get
2.1 ABC or 43
6.1 CBS or 40
6.2 CBS
6.3 CBS
8.1 NBC or 46
8.2 NBC
10.1 PBS or 27
30.1 Fox 12.1 No Sig.
30.2 Fox
32.1 WB
49.1 UPN

 

[Walter L.]

Did anybody around this area lost the signal last night during the rain? My signal is always between 90-94 and last night (for the 1st time) it went down to 60-70 and I completely lost it. I never had problems during rain before.

 

[wbuffetta]

Last Week At 1AM In Light Rain For 15 Min. My Signal Went From Normal 90-94 To 69-70
And I Lost Picture. I Think VOOM May Not Work For Us In PDX.

 

[Walter L.]

Well, In the past I've seen reports sof other people (even in the Mid-West/East coast) that occasionally had lost signal during rain. So I don't think that the problem is specific to the PDX area or West coast. I think that in general, VOOM is more sensitive to bad weather than other providers.
I guess the thing to do is to keep watching. If this problem becomes very frequent there are other alternatives to try like requesting a larger dish from VOOM.

 

[rossbr]

I had rain problems Mon night. Currently signal quality is 84, during the rain it got down to the 40s. This is with an 18" dish.

I've been reading about these bigger dishes with increasing interest now.

I am off of Cornell Rd in Cedar Mill pointing over the West Hills.

So now I'm wishing for some rain, for many reasons, to see if it happens again.

 

[Walter L.]

Hi Rossbr,
I'm a couple of mile west of where you are. Last night around 7PM, my signal went down again to the 60's and I lost the pic. Summer is coming soon and we should be fine, but I'm hopping that the problem doesn't become the norm during next winter (say November).
How is your OTA reception? Can you list what channels are you picking up?

 

[rossbr]

2-1 KATUD1
6-1 KOIND1
6-2 KOIND2
6-3 KOIND3 "Skycam" (no signal)
8-1 ? (I get no PG info)
8-2 KGWD2
10-1 KOPBD1
12-1 KPTVD1
24-1 KNMTD1 (no signal)
32-1 KWBPD1
49-1 KPDXD1

I don't watch them much but flipping through now they look fine. I have watched Law&Order HD on 8-1.

Off-Air Signal Quality: 63
Off-Air Signal Power / SNR: 81 / 26.98

 

[wbuffetta]

My Fox 12 Comes In On 30-1 & 30-2 But On 12-1 No Signal. 24-1 Dosen't Start Broadcasting In May. I Use Directv HD Receivers For My Local HD Viewing. D* STB Will Scan For All Channels Digital & SD. V* STB Limited To Channels Provided By Zap2it.com

 

[Walter L.]

My Fox 12 Comes In On 30-1 & 30-2 But On 12-1 No Signal. 24-1 Dosen't Start Broadcasting In May. I Use Directv HD Receivers For My Local HD Viewing. D* STB Will Scan For All Channels Digital & SD. V* STB Limited To Channels Provided By Zap2it.com

I heard that the next software upgrade will add the channel scanning feature to the VOOM STB
What channel will be on 24-1?

 

[wbuffetta]

TBN (Christian). It's Located At 74th & Glisan

 

[DarrellP]

In the flatlands of Woodburn with no obstructions to the sat or towers:

For OTA I Use My Voom & Dish Receivers. I Get;
Dish Voom
2.1 ABC digital 2.1
2 analog
6.1 CBS digital 6.1
6.2 CBS 6.2
6.3 CBS 6.3 (I think it's off air now)
6 analog 7.1 listed, don't get it.
8.1 NBC digital 8.1
8.2 NBC 8.2
10.1 PBS digital 10.1
10 analog
30.1 Fox digital 12.1
30.2 Fox 24.1 listed, don't get it.
30 analog
32.1 WB digital 32.1
32 analog
49.1 UPN digital 49.1
49 analog

My rain experiences vary, I go from no signal between 48-64 with a light drizzle to a good, solid picture with a signal of 94 during a steady rain. I use a 24" dish that I already had mounted for Dish but used the LNB that Voom provided since mine only had a single output and I got 2 Voom receivers.

I think the signal level varies depending on the size of the raindrops. I've read in other forums that a particular size of raindrop is just the right size for absorbing the satellite signal. That seems to hold true with the experiences I've had, I can't make any sense out of why I lose the signal when I do.

24-1 is a religious channel, you should be able to pick it up on any analog tuner on ch 24.

 

[Walter L.]

DarrellP: wlcome to this thread.
I've seen exactly the same as you: sometimes a solid signal of 94 on a even during a heavy rain while other days losing signal (<60) under a light rain (3 days ago).
I was thinking that it had to do with wet leaves (since I get my signal through some tall trees ~500 feet away), but it sounds like you're experiencing the same even with a perfectly clear path to the sky. The theory about the raindrop size makes more sense for me. I'm just hoping that our wet November doesn't turn out to be with drops of "right-size"

 

[Walter L.]

Does anybody knows what;s going on with Fox (32.1/32.2) in our area not being mapped by by Zap2it.com? has this problem being reported?

 

[wbuffetta]

You Mean FOX 30.1,30.2
I Don't Know Why FOX 12 Dosen't Broadcast On 12.1. Every So Often. KOIN 6 Broadcats
On 40 & K2 On 43. But Kgw Always On 8.1,8.2. Even If You Go To 46 It Will Jump Back To 8.1.