Ben wrote:
I get a nice signal from WSMV-DT on my Channel Master UHF antenna here
in Bowling Green. Of course 56 booms in but 10's pic is much better.
Of course maybe I'm just prejudiced. HA

I've been impressed with our DTV. It does a pretty good job. WKRN's
does a darned good job too. I think something's broken with WTVF-DT,
they don't do anywhere near as well as their analog. (nor anywhere near
as well as WKRN-DT)

Funny thing I'm just like 2 or 3 miles from the local ABC and can't
receive it with the antenna pointing right at the tower but I can get
Channel 2's signal I'm guessing almost 65 or more miles away full
copy. Must be multipath...

Probably, WBKO'd do a lot better if they'd splurge for a bigger tower...
(do it cooperatively with channel 40, they both could use the help...
of course, WSMV is better off with channel 40 having a wimpy signalgrin)

I've seen WBKO-DT here, but only once and during a big tropo opening.
The KETs (which aren't all that powerful) are far more frequently seen.
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

WKRN really does have a nice signal. So much better than the analog
with all it's co-channel.

I don't think BKO will ever go for a bigger stick. They never have
been on the cutting edge and they seem to be happy with covering the
surrounding counties. They have 4 antennas on the tower now with 13
and 24 both on it.

I spoke with 40's GM a little while back and he talked of a new tower
and an actual studio but it hasn't happened. I did turn the antenna
around and see the DT signal but it didn't impress me so it was back
to WSMV...I'm just glad the signal on 10 is so good up here.

KET is running 4 channels. Too bad we can't see the PBS HD stuff.
Wonder when 8 will turn on a transmitter?

What's the deal with the Sinclair stations? They looked bad enough
before DT but now they look like pixalated mush.

Ben
W4WSM



I've been impressed with our DTV. It does a pretty good job. WKRN's
does a darned good job too. I think something's broken with WTVF-DT,
they don't do anywhere near as well as their analog. (nor anywhere near
as well as WKRN-DT)

Funny thing I'm just like 2 or 3 miles from the local ABC and can't
receive it with the antenna pointing right at the tower but I can get
Channel 2's signal I'm guessing almost 65 or more miles away full
copy. Must be multipath...

Probably, WBKO'd do a lot better if they'd splurge for a bigger tower...
(do it cooperatively with channel 40, they both could use the help...
of course, WSMV is better off with channel 40 having a wimpy signalgrin)

I've seen WBKO-DT here, but only once and during a big tropo opening.
The KETs (which aren't all that powerful) are far more frequently seen.

Ben wrote:
WKRN really does have a nice signal. So much better than the analog
with all it's co-channel.

IMHO that's only half the problem. Even without the CCI here, the
computer noise/leaky insulators are pretty bad - and when they aren't
present, the signal can be just plain snowy.

But when the sporadic-E kicks in, well, you'd better have a DTV if you
want to watch ABC... There have been days when I've had a snow-free
signal from XEFB with some weak WKRN CCI in the background!

(then again, if you'd seen a picture of the XEFB transmitter site (I
have), you'd know why they get out so well!)

I don't think BKO will ever go for a bigger stick. They never have
been on the cutting edge and they seem to be happy with covering the
surrounding counties. They have 4 antennas on the tower now with 13
and 24 both on it.

I wonder if there might be some concern over WKRN (and as a result, ABC)
getting bent out of shape if WBKO puts too much RF down into Tennessee?

Wonder when 8 will turn on a transmitter?

8 just took out a STA for roughly 45kW ERP. Strange, as I thought I
read their full-power transmitter was already ready to go & they were
just waiting on the STL and encoder.

What's the deal with the Sinclair stations? They looked bad enough
before DT but now they look like pixalated mush.

I don't watch often enough to know... They've got five transmitters at
the same site now (all three digitals and the analogs for 30 and 58) so
I suppose STL bandwidth is at a premium...
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

I wonder if there might be some concern over WKRN (and as a result, ABC)
getting bent out of shape if WBKO puts too much RF down into Tennessee?
I'm surprised 4 allowed 40 to go NBC. Most of 13's coverage area is
in KY of course and they used to claim they covered more counties of
KY than any other VHF. I kinda think WAVE may have taken that honor
now.

I don't watch often enough to know... They've got five transmitters at
the same site now (all three digitals and the analogs for 30 and 58) so
I suppose STL bandwidth is at a premium...

58 has really come up in analog power and 58's digital is strong now
where it was pretty much flea power before. 30's analog went down here
when they went to the new tower.

Oh well, I'll keep watching for your posts.

Ben

Ben wrote:
I'm surprised 4 allowed 40 to go NBC.

So am I. I suspect some money changed hands. (given that they were -
maybe still are - simulcasting some of our newscasts) It would make a
certain amount of sense to operate 40 as a satellite of 4.

58 has really come up in analog power and 58's digital is strong now
where it was pretty much flea power before. 30's analog went down here
when they went to the new tower.

Interesting. 58's analog hasn't improved much since the move. Their
digital is the best of the bunch. To the best of my knowledge they
never operated their digital from the old tower south of town - in fact,
I don't recall their digital ever being authorized to operate from that
tower.

Interesting also that 30's analog dropped. The towers are within a few
dozen feet of each other, and the antenna height actually *increased*
(by an entire 2 meters...) on the new tower. They were already running
the max 5000kw, and still are, at least according to the FCC DB.
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

Wonder what side of the tower 30's antenna is? I know it was all alone
at the top of the old tower since they came on the air. A whole 2
meters! HA Just looking it looks shorter than the old one...

58 was almost unwatchable up here when they were at the old site. When
they turned on digital it was very weak. I spoke to someone that
worked on the 58 site one day on 444.775. He told me at that time he
couldn't see it across town.

Boy I bet this is a fun thread for everyone but us...

Ben
BTW, is David VanHooser still working there? Sure I didn't spell his
name right...


Interesting also that 30's analog dropped. The towers are within a few
dozen feet of each other, and the antenna height actually *increased*
(by an entire 2 meters...) on the new tower. They were already running
the max 5000kw, and still are, at least according to the FCC DB.

Ben wrote:
Wonder what side of the tower 30's antenna is? I know it was all alone
at the top of the old tower since they came on the air. A whole 2
meters! HA Just looking it looks shorter than the old one...

Hard to tell. I suppose it's possible one of the other poles in the
candleabra is in the way...

58 was almost unwatchable up here when they were at the old site. When
they turned on digital it was very weak. I spoke to someone that
worked on the 58 site one day on 444.775. He told me at that time he
couldn't see it across town.

Hmmm. Maybe they started at even lower power than they're using now?

I did note WNPT's DTV on the air this afternoon. It was off again by
primetime though. Obviously still testing.

BTW, is David VanHooser still working there? Sure I didn't spell his
name right...

No, and I'm not sure!

--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com