OTA analog TV going away on February 17, 2009

General area for posting frequencies and talkgroups for San Diego County. In this forum you will find some of the most up-to-date frequency/talkgroup notes and information about newly discovered systems.
N6ATF
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 1:36 pm

OTA analog TV going away on February 17, 2009

Post by N6ATF »

according to http://www.dtv.gov/

so, according to that site
In addition to improved picture and sound quality, an important benefit of DTV is that it will free up parts of the broadcast spectrum for public safety as well as other valuable uses.
What are the odds that public safety will be using the soon to be former analog OTA channels and surplus equipment to do live incident video transmission to high-ranking muckety mucks?

That would be fantastic if you could point your antenna at a scene, hit autoprogram, and scan for video as well.
Brian
Posts: 1454
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:54 pm

Post by Brian »

DTV EXTENSION OF TIME REQUESTS

The FCC has considered the paperwork filed by 145 TV
stations requesting additional time to complete construction
of their digital television (DTV) facilities. The vast majority
of extension requests were granted. Of the few denied (some in
California), three permittees were admonished for their
continuing failures to timely construct.

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/a ... 7-91A1.doc

******************************************************************

MORE DTV EXTENSIONS OF TIME GRANTED

In this document, the FCC considers certain waiver requests
for the July 1, 2005 and 2006 "use or lose" deadlines and the
requests for waiver of the August 4, 2005 "checklist" deadline.
Many station requests have been granted, but seven stations
have lost their interference protections to the unused
portions of their associated coverage areas.

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/a ... 7-90A1.doc
******************************************************************
THIRD PERIODIC REVIEW OF THE FCC'S DTV STANCE

This is a Notice of Proposed Rule Making whereby the FCC
reviews its rules and policies affecting the nation's conversion
to DTV and considers how to ensure that broadcasters complete
construction of their final, post-transition (digital) facilities
by the statutory deadline. The document is well over 100 pages
in length but the Executive Summary is clear and brief.

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/a ... 7-70A1.doc
SkipSanders
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 10:12 pm

Post by SkipSanders »

Um, this is not new. The change to DTV/HD is the source of the 700 MHz band being created, so, we already know what the FCC has planned for the spectrum involved.

Here's the most recent FCC 'bandplan NPRM' for 700 MHz:

700 NPRM number 8

There are some 'wideband' areas planned, but not really anything that would allow video other than compressed digital. I think they're aimed at providing high speed IP service to public safety users.

Congress is, of course, still trying to get the FCC to give special favors to their campaign contributors, and change the allocations, but for now, public safety gets a very large chunk of new spectrum to use. Of course, it too will all be narrowband, probably P25 or the other new digtial narrowband stuff, in the narrowband areas, and likely one of the cellular type systems in the proposed 'wideband' area for public safety.

One of the 'gimme' proposals from Congresscrooks going right now is a try to make much of the 700 band public higher speed WIFI, for instance.
N6ATF
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 1:36 pm

Post by N6ATF »

Only one of the San Diego OTA channels are in the proposed 700 MHz band - KSWB. In San Diego (English, full power):

XETV 82-88
KFMB 180-186
KGTV 192-198
KPBS 476-482
KNSD 620-626
XDTV 680-686
KUSI 692-698
KSWB 800-806
Batman2150
Posts: 58
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2004 10:43 pm

The end of TV as we know it

Post by Batman2150 »

This could be the end of over-the-air TV. If everyone has to purchase a new TV or converter, and not everyone does. And all the TV stations have to invest millions in digital transmitters, and the day after they shut off their analog ones their ratings plummet...
Brian
Posts: 1454
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:54 pm

Post by Brian »

From another forum: - http://www.radio-info.com/smf/

Come next February, 2009. KSWB(soon to be Fox 5/19) will be operating solely on channel 19.
Those who are watching over-the-air will continue to punch in "69" to watch KSWB.
(they will indeed broadcast on channel 19 but they will transmit a signal that will tell digital TVs they're still channel 69)

The title shouldn't relate to these two

XETV 82-88
XDTV 680-686

31 August 2011 for Canada
2022 for Mexico
N6ATF
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 1:36 pm

Post by N6ATF »

Got the coupons and bought a couple converter boxes today. The one I installed in my mom's room is receiving KGTV, KPBS, KNSD, KUSI, KSWB gangbusters.

The antenna is one step above rabbit ears. 2 telescoping whips and a center swiveling dish. Indoor, facing Mt. Miguel. With the stock telescoping whip for that TV, KNSD was non-existent.

However, KFMB, at the same site as KGTV and about the same power level, according to http://tvfool.com/index.php?option=com_ ... &Itemid=29 (seemingly pulling data from the FCC ASR), has such a bad signal the box isn't even recognizing station letters there. Just noise.

Same goes for XETV, although it's in Mexico. May not get that one until we move out of this RF hole, outdoor antenna or not. Although it looks like Fox might be de-affiliating XETV in favor of KSWB as soon as August - http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/03/trib ... _fox_t.php

So it's basically just KFMB that's a concern. Has KFMB gone into low power mode or something?
Brian
Posts: 1454
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:54 pm

Post by Brian »

KFMB is lower power now as of March. When they moved Channels.
CGC Comments: KFMB-DT's Channel 7 operation is apparently
at low power but is causing some interference to the reception
of co-channel KABC-TV, Los Angeles. In addition, KFMB's CH-7
signal is reportedly degrading the reception of KNSD-TV on Time
Warner Cable -- at least at some locations close to Mt. Soledad.
Although KNSD transmits on Channel 39, it is carried on TW
Cable as Channel 7.
KFMB-TV, Channel 8, is pleased to announce that KFMB-DT, will be switching channels for our over the air digital broadcast from UHF 55 to VHF 7. We expect to change to Channel 7 on (or about) March 6, 2008. If you receive our digital signal over the air, you will be required to retune your receiver at the time of the channel change. If you receive our digital signal from cable or satellite, no changes are necessary to continue receiving our digital broadcasts. As we approach the cutover date, additional information will be available on our web site at www.cbs8.com
Last edited by Brian on Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
N6ATF
Posts: 373
Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 1:36 pm

Post by N6ATF »

Yeah was just reading that. We can thank Qualcomm for taking over their previous channel which worked fine by many accounts. So much for serving the public.
Brian
Posts: 1454
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:54 pm

Post by Brian »

Qualcomm is doing us better ;)
now everyone can watch 'High Speed Pursuit Chase' on there wireless device phones ;)
Qualcomm's MediaFLO can now start broadcasting wireless
phone TV in the San Diego market on its nationwide home
channel, Channel 55.
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