Arizona TV Station Update - November 2009

[dhett]

As always, questions, additions, comments and corrections welcome.

A very quiet November, as most activity involved stations filing their annual DTV revenue reports:

New licenses

• K22JD Madera Peak (Globe) (NW Communications of Phoenix, Inc. [Fox]) was granted a license to cover its construction permit to move to channel 22 with analog operations. Broadcast parameters: Ch 22; TL 33-20-24 N, 110-52-11.5 W; ERP 1 kW max; HAAT 700 m. The new call sign already appears in KSAZ-TV's translator listings.
• K44JI-D Washington UT (University of Utah) was granted a license to cover its construction permit for a power increase. Broadcast parameters: Ch 44; TL 37-9-19 N, 113-52-57 W; ERP 0.3 kW avg; HAAT 1108 m. The translator of KUED 7 Salt Lake City UT receives the signal of K20GH-D Milford UT and should be easily viewable from Arizona.

New programming

• KYMA 11 Yuma (Yuma Broadcasting Company [Sunbelt Communications]) has replaced LATV with thisTV on channel 11.2.
• KGUN 9 Tucson (Journal Broadcast Corporation) has removed data from the channel 9.5 Program Map Table, so the channel no longer appears on the air. Channel 9.5 still exists in its transport stream, however, and is still labeled COOLTV.

Silent stations

• K43CO Casa Grande (KAZT, LLC [The Londen Group]) is silent. A signal seems to be present, but there is no programming.

Applications filed but not yet approved

• K09KV Prescott (Meredith Corporation) has requested a six-month extension of its construction permit to flash cut to digital on UHF channel 30.
• KMCC 34.x (32) Laughlin NV (Cranston Acquistion LLC, D-I-P) has applied for a new LPDTV station on UHF channel 33 to serve Laughlin NV, Bullhead City AZ and the Mohave Valley. Proposed broadcast parameters: Ch 33; TL 35-10-8 N, 114-38-9 W; ERP 2 kW avg; HAAT -45m. The station's main signal on channel 32 does not serve much of its city of license due to terrain. KMCC had also applied for a digital replacement translator with the same broadcast parameters, but it was dismissed in favor of this application.
• K43CC Santa Clara UT (Community Television of Utah License LLC [Fox]) has applied to flash cut to digital. Proposed broadcast parameters: Ch 43; TL 37-9-19 N, 113-52-57 W; ERP 0.3 kW avg; HAAT 1108 m. The analog station has a narrow directional signal pattern that only covers Santa Clara and Washington UT; the digital station is proposed to be non-directional and cover Littlefield and Beaver Dams AZ and Mesquite NV, as well as Santa Clara and Washington UT. The station is co-owned with, and a translator of, KSTU 13.x (28) Salt Lake City UT.
• K24II-D Kanab UT (Kane County) has refiled a power increase application to replace the one dismissed by the FCC. It has the same broadcast parameters of the dismissed application - Ch 24; TL 37-3-35 N, 112-31-12 W; ERP 0.063 kW avg; HAAT 94 m - and contains an explanation that K23DP has a flash cut application to operate with the same parameters of K24II-D, removing the interference concerns.

Applications dismissed

• A power increase application for K24II-D Kanab UT (Kane County) was dismissed due to predicted interference to co-owned and co-located analog station K23DP, even though that station also has an application for flash cut to digital, which would remove the interference issue. Kane County did not file an amendment to the application within the specified 60 days, so the FCC had to dismiss the application.

Special Temporary Authorization (STA)

• K25HD Bullhead City (Richard D. Tatham) has been granted a silent STA due to equipment failure.

 

[EricStein]

Just something for next month's update:

KAZT-CA is planning on moving from RF 27 to 36 during the week of 12/7. This should help improve their signal in the Phoenix area, but given the hit-or-miss quality of the make of antenna equipment specified in their CP, it may not help much at all. Only time will tell.

Also, where will KPNX go if they decide that they don't want to stay on VHF because of reception issues, now that their former Channel 36 allocation is taken?

 

[dhett]

Just something for next month's update:

KAZT-CA is planning on moving from RF 27 to 36 during the week of 12/7. This should help improve their signal in the Phoenix area, but given the hit-or-miss quality of the make of antenna equipment specified in their CP, it may not help much at all. Only time will tell.

Also, where will KPNX go if they decide that they don't want to stay on VHF because of reception issues, now that their former Channel 36 allocation is taken?

This should make landtuna a happy man.

Naaaaaaah.

Normally, a full-service station would just be able to reclaim 36 and the LPTV station would have to find another channel on which to operate. However, with KAZT being a Class A, in most cases, it is afforded the same frequency protection as a full-service station, so I don't believe that KPNX would be able to displace KAZT and get channel 36 back.

My guess then would be that KPNX would grab 29, 31 or 45, as the first two were the companion channels for 8 and 10, respectively, and KUTP abandoned 45 in favor of 26. Then again, channel 27 wouldn't cause KPNX the problems that it did for KAZT, as KPNX's signal would be strong enough to overcome the interference issues.

In other news, station K07YX Tucson (Trinity Broadcasting of Arizona) shut down on 10/27, citing lack of local financial support. Trinity's plan is to evaluate their support prospects, and if necessary, sell the station. Yes, Tucson had a channel 7, viewable in the Marana/Oro Valley areas in companion to channel 57.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Any word on progress in the KGUN-TV 9 Tucson application
for a power increase?

I notice it's now for 13.5 kw ERP (from the current 10.3)--
wasn't it originally to go to 14.5 kw?

 

[landtuna]

KAZT-CA is planning on moving from RF 27 to 36 during the week of 12/7.

Yay!

Now if only 8, 10 and 12 would go UHF I'd REALLY be a happy camper.

 

[Ultimajock]

In other news, station K07YX Tucson (Trinity Broadcasting of Arizona) shut down on 10/27, citing lack of local financial support. Trinity's plan is to evaluate their support prospects, and if necessary, sell the station. Yes, Tucson had a channel 7, viewable in the Marana/Oro Valley areas in companion to channel 57.

...I live in the Ampitheater neighborhood of Tucson, directly south of Oro Valley, and never got even a weak signal from K07YX. KPCE-LP/29 has always been among the stronger analog signals in Amphi since the full-power digital switch, so if I ever get curious as to what the Radical Religious Right is blathering about lately, I turn 29 on ;-) ...

 

[dhett]

...I live in the Ampitheater neighborhood of Tucson, directly south of Oro Valley, and never got even a weak signal from K07YX. KPCE-LP/29 has always been among the stronger analog signals in Amphi since the full-power digital switch, so if I ever get curious as to what the Radical Religious Right is blathering about lately, I turn 29 on ;-) ...

The only place I was ever able to get the station was in the area of Orange Grove and La Cholla, across from the hospital, and it was even weak from there. The TV Fool coverage map shows the strong (i.e. receivable with rabbit ears) signal was limited mostly to west of the Santa Cruz River with most of the signal wasted over the Tucson Mountains.

OTOH, KPCE-LP has a robust 108 kW signal that I can receive even in Green Valley.

And if you want to know what the Radical Religious Right is thinking, all you need to do is ask me. I'll be glad to tell you what I think.

 

[dhett]

Any word on progress in the KGUN-TV 9 Tucson application
for a power increase?

I notice it's now for 13.5 kw ERP (from the current 10.3)--
wasn't it originally to go to 14.5 kw?

Yeah, they keep having to reduce it due to predicted interference to the facility KCFG 9 Flagstaff has proposed on channel 9 to be located on the Mogollon Rim just above Strawberry. KCFG had to adjust their pattern to avoid interference to KGUN's 10.3 kW facilities, but now, KGUN has to avoid interference to KCFG's proposed facilities. The irony is, I think KCFG has shut down and won't be building those facilities anyway, even if the FCC were to approve them.

 

[Ultimajock]

...I live in the Ampitheater neighborhood of Tucson, directly south of Oro Valley, and never got even a weak signal from K07YX. KPCE-LP/29 has always been among the stronger analog signals in Amphi since the full-power digital switch, so if I ever get curious as to what the Radical Religious Right is blathering about lately, I turn 29 on ;-) ...

And if you want to know what the Radical Religious Right is thinking, all you need to do is ask me. I'll be glad to tell you what I think.

...well, at least you 'fess up to it ;D ...

 

[dhett]

...I live in the Ampitheater neighborhood of Tucson, directly south of Oro Valley, and never got even a weak signal from K07YX. KPCE-LP/29 has always been among the stronger analog signals in Amphi since the full-power digital switch, so if I ever get curious as to what the Radical Religious Right is blathering about lately, I turn 29 on ;-) ...

And if you want to know what the Radical Religious Right is thinking, all you need to do is ask me. I'll be glad to tell you what I think.

...well, at least you 'fess up to it ;D ...

It's nothing to be ashamed of.