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Taking the South West Chief for the first time next week and have a couple of TV series I'd rather not miss. Can anyone tell me about TV reception in the evening hours both East and West bound?
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TV reception on the trains depends on a lot of factors. Since TV operates on Line of Site Frequencies, it would depend on what the surrounding terrain is like along with how far from the TV transmitter you are located.
Also, It would help to have the TV located next to the window of the train. It would be my guess that the train would not be within range of one TV station long enough to be able to watch a complete TV program.
You have to keep in mind also that since the TV antenna is not located on the roof of the train, the reception will be fairly poor unless you are in the middle of a city that has a TV transmitter.
What I would suggest is that you tape the TV programs you want to watch and then watch them when you get back home.
Hope that is of some help for you. Enjoy your upcoming trip.
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As was said in the last post, TV signals travel by line of sight and since you'll be going through some larger mountainous terrain especially once you get into Colorado, a TV Signal may be very hard to get. Also take into account the metal that the cars are made of, as it will weaken a signal since you can't place the antenna outside an open window as the windows don't open. On a ride on the SWC last year, there were areas in New Mexico where I couldn't even get the NOAA Weather Radio to work on my scanner since we were so far away from a major city, getting a regular FM Radio Station wasn't easy either! You'd be better off programming your VCR and taping the shows if you can, have a good trip!
Posts: 113 | From: Buffalo, NY | Registered: Sep 2002
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When I rode the SWC last summer from Chicago to Los Angeles, I brought along a TV, hoping for a little entertainment. Unfortunately, the reception is very poor. There where a few spots near populated areas that you could pick up a signal, but not long enough to watch a program.
Posts: 7 | From: Michigan, USA | Registered: May 2002
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