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87.7 The Vibe.. gone?

Weren't those stations required to shut down or go digital at some point? I thought we were in the zone for that. There was an extension of some sort, but that was years ago. Fuzzy memory.
 
Weren't those stations required to shut down or go digital at some point? I thought we were in the zone for that. There was an extension of some sort, but that was years ago. Fuzzy memory.
TV stations broadcasting on Channel 6 analog were required to shut down. Stations broadcasting on 87.7 FM were allowed to continue.
 
The FCC has tried multiple times to get rid of the Channel 6 Franken-FMs, and won't allow any new ones, but keeps kicking the can down the road on the existing ones.

I'm surprised the TV repack and the increasing number of DTV stations on VHF-Lo (channels 2-6) hasn't pushed this harder.

VHF-Lo is terrible for DTV but seems to be the only choice for smaller DTV stations and some repeaters. It was pretty much abandoned before the repack. There doesn't appear to be many full-power, major-network DTV stations on VHF-Lo.
 
TV stations broadcasting on Channel 6 analog were required to shut down. Stations broadcasting on 87.7 FM were allowed to continue.
The stations broadcasting on "87.7 FM" are TV stations broadcasting on channel 6. The FCC made a special exception for them to continue to transmit an analog audio carrier on 87.75 MHz, in combination with a digital TV signal. But they cannot turn off the TV signal and just become a radio station.
 
As yet another misconception is posted and immediately debunked.

What are search engines good for if no one uses them before making statements of fact?
 
On a related subject, the FCC sent 87.7 and 94.5 owner Steve Hegwood "Order to Pay or Show Cause" letters because of his serious delinquency in meeting his regulatory fee obligations. This in effect was a license revocation threat. Source is RadioTV Biz Report.
 
The stations broadcasting on "87.7 FM" are TV stations broadcasting on channel 6. The FCC made a special exception for them to continue to transmit an analog audio carrier on 87.75 MHz, in combination with a digital TV signal. But they cannot turn off the TV signal and just become a radio station.
Don't they also have to broadcast an analog video signal too? I've tried picking up Channel 6 on my old Sony Watchman but can't even get the audio.
 
Don't they also have to broadcast an analog video signal too? I've tried picking up Channel 6 on my old Sony Watchman but can't even get the audio.

Nope. When the FCC decided to make "Franken-FM" operation permanent a few years ago (only for a dozen or so stations that were already operating that way), one of the conditions was that the channel 6 facility had to operate in ATSC 3.0 digital.

Analog LPTV operation of any kind is no longer allowed on any channel in the US.
 


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