TV DX'ing

I have an odd habit: I like to listen to distant radio stations, and watch distant television stations. In amateur radio, this is called DX'ing, for distant receiving.

With the coming of digital television, an era is ending, and a new one is beginning. Currently, most television stations are broadcasting both an analog (NTSC) and digital (ATSC) signal. This makes for lots of interference. The problem with digital TV is that it is an all-or-nothing affair: No puzzling out station ID's from snowy pictures or fuzzy audio. And I'm pickier than the usual ham, who is happy with an S1 signal. I need sustained contact, and a near local quality of reception (S3+). This highlights the differences between digital and analog. My furthest analog capture has been 980 km/610 statute miles, while my furthest digital capture has been 387 km/241 statute miles.

These results have been over years.

I have excellent outside antennas, mounted high, and guyed for support. I've optimized my rotation for conditions, minimized my signal losses inside my system, etc, etc. Living in an urban area, noise is the main culprit. Better digital receivers of late have helped, but I suspect that the new DX'ing environment is going to be a more difficult one, even when analog transmitters are shut down next year.