Arizona TV Station Update - November 2017

[Sammi Brie]

As well as the constant commercials for Pitic Restaurant and Lounge. Not sure if I want to go down to 16th St. and Pima for food. Even if the reviews are good.

It has occurred to me (mainly from seeing the Pitic Plaza at 48th and Warner) that not many white people out here would even know what Pitic refers to...

Heck, I didn't until I started doing boatloads of Mexican radio research, because the name Radio Pitic, S.A., jumped out at me while perusing a concession and I just had to look it up.

 

[VoiceofWayne]

I'm surprised they use off-air as a source. I would have assumed they would use microwave to 1. Not worry about channel inputs and 2. Send the same feeds to the local cable providers. Also somewhat disappointed they didn't all work together and use the repack as an opportunity to consolidate facilities, towers, and antennas and perhaps improve power on those translators. Come up with a plan for instance to reuse the Phoenix RF frequencies for Flagstaff (meets spacing requirements for full power - translator) move off of power-restricted Eldon and go full 15KW on Mormon.

 

[dhett]

move off of power-restricted Eldon and go full 15KW on Mormon.

What's there to gain off Mormon? 1 kW off Eldon gives you all of Flagstaff, including the cable headends. 15 kW off Mormon gives you all of Flagstaff, plus Munds Park, Mountainaire, and a whole lot of forest populated by little more than bear and elk.

 

[Prescott Joe]

Using South Mtn as a source eliminates problems associated with ice and snow
atop the mountains. I cannot tell you how many times in the past, we were
treated to the Directv, Dish or other logo bouncing around on the screen telling
us there was no satellite signal. Those microwave dishes were also susceptible
to issues with ice and snow. As for the repack, Rf 14 in use in Prescott and Flagstaff,
Rf 17 in use in Flagstaff, Rf 19 in use in Flagstaff and Prescott, Rf 23, 25, 30, 32,
33 and 35 used in Prescott. Rf 22, 24, 25, 28, 30, 39 used in Flagstaff. I'd have
to say, it has been a good but imperfect plan, so far....... Mt Eldon vs Moron Lake
would be a trade off. Better coverage in some areas and worse in others......

 

[VoiceofWayne]

Wow ! --- I wasn't aware they could (legally) use Directv or Dish as a signal source for translators. I do agree with covering bear and elk by the way, my thinking was using two sets of "high power" translators-- one on Mormon and one on Mingus would eliminate the need for multiple translators which seem to have a lot of overlap in coverage such as Bill Williams Mountain, Badger Mountain, Camp Verde, etc.

 

[Prescott Joe]

Unfortunately, the terrain necessitates all those translators. For example,
Williams, Ash Fork and Seligman areas can only receive signals from Bill
Williams Mtn. Even full power stations at Moron Lake and Mingus are not
normally received in those areas.

 

[tripinva]

I do agree with covering bear and elk by the way, my thinking was using two sets of "high power" translators-- one on Mormon and one on Mingus would eliminate the need for multiple translators which seem to have a lot of overlap in coverage such as Bill Williams Mountain, Badger Mountain, Camp Verde, etc.

Translators are a lot cheaper than big signals, both from equipment/construction/power bill cost and FCC licensing/legal cost points of view. That's why Hearst turned in the licenses for KOCT/KOVT/KOFT in New Mexico and stuck to using translators instead. That's leaving aside the terrain issues, of course.

- Trip