WWDP request for huge signal improvement.

[channel99]

WWDP, currently operating from Norwell on RF Ch 10 with a 5 kW signal from a 460 foot tower, has applied to the FCC to move to RF Ch 36 from the CBS tower in Needham with 1000 kW. (WMFP also shares subchannels with WWDP.) ...

Since WCEA-LD also operates on RF Ch 36, they may have to go off the air if this is approved, unless they can find another channel (10?) or channel share with another station.

Link to FCC site:

https://tinyurl.com/3rauvnmm

 

[alg2468]

WWDP, currently operating from Norwell on RF Ch 10 with a 5 kW signal from a 460 foot tower, has applied to the FCC to move to RF Ch 36 from the CBS tower in Needham with 1000 kW. (WMFP also shares subchannels with WWDP.) ...

Since WCEA-LD also operates on RF Ch 36, they may have to go off the air if this is approved, unless they can find another channel (10?) or channel share with another station.

Link to FCC site:

https://tinyurl.com/3rauvnmm

WWDP and WMFP show home shopping and religious programming. With the power increase (if approved), I would think that a better use would be to have Antenna TV and/or Rewind TV programming. And also RF36 also is used for WYCN in Norwell so they would have to change channels too. And frankly, what's the use of WYCN on the air if nearby WSBE also has Telemundo and Cozi on their subchannels?

 

[channel99]

WWDP and WMFP show home shopping and religious programming. With the power increase (if approved), I would think that a better use would be to have Antenna TV and/or Rewind TV programming. And also RF36 also is used for WYCN in Norwell so they would have to change channels too. And frankly, what's the use of WYCN on the air if nearby WSBE also has Telemundo and Cozi on their subchannels?

I don't think there is another remaining UHF RF channel free enough in the Boston area to use. Possibly RF Ch 10 could be used though the signal even at full power is dreadful. WCEA-LD targets the Spanish audience and a weak signal in an outlying area would not be of much use. They could just give up their RF signal and channel share with a station with free subchannels. Also Comcast in Boston and most surrounding towns has always carried WCEA voluntarily since must-carry does not apply. While WCEA has 6 other subchannels, they may be mainly interested in those to pay the bils for the RF signal. Ideal sharing for them would be on WCRN-LD, which could probably use the income, no matter how small.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

While WCEA has 6 other subchannels, they may be mainly interested in those to pay the bils for the RF signal. Ideal sharing for them would be on WCRN-LD, which could probably use the income, no matter how small.

A couple of weeks ago or so, WCEA went down to only three channels on the air, 26.1, 26.2 and 26.3. I get them strong with full "bars" in Somerville just a few miles practically line of sight from their Boston transmitter, so their others are off the air, no longer scanning in.

As of right now, WCEA is off the air entirely. Late Sunday night maintenance? I just tried a rescan, they haven't relocated to a different RF.

And, WCRN-LD has only had programming on their 31.4 (Retro) and 31.5 (Heart) for several days. 31.1, 31.2, 31.3, and 31.6 are giving me carriers with black screens (no content). The signals all scan in, but nothing on.

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[jlehmann]

WWDP, currently operating from Norwell on RF Ch 10 with a 5 kW signal from a 460 foot tower

The city of license for WWDP is Norwell (Foxboro for WMFP) but they actually operate from W Bridgewater.

 

[jlehmann]

And, WCRN-LD has only had programming on their 31.4 (Retro) and 31.5 (Heart) for several days. 31.1, 31.2, 31.3, and 31.6 are giving me carriers with black screens (no content). The signals all scan in, but nothing on.

Quote Reply

I have to wonder if WCRN-LD operates with the parameters of their licensed signal. At my house in Rockland, SE of Quincy, I've only seen traces of the signal a couple times. I'm guessing that their antenna is aiming towards Boston, and they don't care about covering to the SE even though their pattern allows for it. When aiming at them, I have no trouble picking up other UHF low power signals such as WCEA-LD, WWOO-LD, and W26EU, when they're on the air.

 

[channel99]

A couple of weeks ago or so, WCEA went down to only three channels on the air, 26.1, 26.2 and 26.3. I get them strong with full "bars" in Somerville just a few miles practically line of sight from their Boston transmitter, so their others are off the air, no longer scanning in.

As of right now, WCEA is off the air entirely. Late Sunday night maintenance? I just tried a rescan, they haven't relocated to a different RF.

And, WCRN-LD has only had programming on their 31.4 (Retro) and 31.5 (Heart) for several days. 31.1, 31.2, 31.3, and 31.6 are giving me carriers with black screens (no content). The signals all scan in, but nothing on.

Quote Reply

WCEA-LD might be preparing to give up the transmitter and channel share those channels with another station assuming WWDP does get RF 36. It could be just coincidence too.

WCRN-LD is running a crawl periodically announcing they will be moving to NextGen (ATSC 3.0) in July. And that is showing on all subchannels.

 

[channel99]

I have to wonder if WCRN-LD operates with the parameters of their licensed signal. At my house in Rockland, SE of Quincy, I've only seen traces of the signal a couple times. I'm guessing that their antenna is aiming towards Boston, and they don't care about covering to the SE even though their pattern allows for it. When aiming at them, I have no trouble picking up other UHF low power signals such as WCEA-LD, WWOO-LD, and W26EU, when they're on the air.

WCRN-LD has to protect WEDH in Hartford and has to notch their signal to the WSW. If they had been able to chose a transmitter location further west, they probably could have covered more area while still notching toward WEDH.