Per an announcement I saw on the station, they expect to cease analog transmissions in Dec. 2008, three months ahead of the mandated switchover.
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CBS8 (WAKA) will make the DTV switch early
- Thread starter Chad-Stevens
- Start date
Yeah, but they won't have their full-powered digital signal up for many months after that. In December they will not only pull their channel 8 off the air, but they will LOWER the power of their channel 55 digital. On February 17, they will switch from 55 to 42, but it will still be low powered, then they will gradually increase the power of 42 in several steps. WAKA seems to have about the most complicated transition plan of any TV station in the US. It certainly won't do the station's ratings any good, but Bahakel will do anything to save some big bucks...
Chad-Stevens said:
They've been relaying that scrolled message for a few weeks, perhaps months. It's interesting that WAKA would decide to make the switch so quickly...I would wait until the last possible day, after an annoying all-out campaign reminding folks of the transition during December and January.
Then again, Bahakel/Alabama Broadcast Partners could have good estimates of how many viewers watch 8 (O-T-A vs. cable and satellite) and believe transitioning early would be worth it.
BTW, not a DTV converter box to be found in Monroeville, AL as of June 17th, 2008. Wal-Mart has a display for a basic box but they are apparently sold out.
Nate Wesley said:
Is there a Radio Shack (remember those?) there? I think they stock the DTV boxes.
As an aside, I understand the FCC has chosen Wilmington, NC as an "early switchover" market to see what problems crop up. They're flipping the switch on September 8, 2008. Should be interesting! Most consumers I've talked to know nothing of the switchover, but it won't affect them since they're on cable or satellite. There seems to be more misguided folks wondering if their cable TV or satellite boxes will need to be switched out, or their old TVs will cease working for anything... :
But for those depending on analog OTA - who knows if they know or not. I just know there's gonna be some grandma in Lower Peach Tree who's gonna lose Wheel of Fortune on her Philco and think it's the armageddon. ;D
A lot of people who don't get their locals on satellite or have extra TV's in the basement and bedroom that aren't on cable are in for a rude awakening too. And of course cable and satellite never go out of order, so subscribers should never, ever have to worry.
Anyone care to place a bet that if all hell breaks out after the switchover, that the FCC will extend the deadline and the analogs will get switched back on for "temporary" extensions that could roll on for years.
Seeing that the same FCC will grant hundreds of K-Love and Family Radio translators, nothing should surprise me anymore.
Anyone care to place a bet that if all hell breaks out after the switchover, that the FCC will extend the deadline and the analogs will get switched back on for "temporary" extensions that could roll on for years.
Seeing that the same FCC will grant hundreds of K-Love and Family Radio translators, nothing should surprise me anymore.
No I don't bet but I'm predicting you're right on this.
Unless Direct TV adds our locals to their mix, I'll be forced to use a Digital Converter Box and an antenna, to drag in the locals.
To be honest, most of our locals don't even come in. All I'm getting now is Channels 8, 12 and 29. Sometimes we can get the PBS stations from Montgomery and Demopolis. Still can't get channels 20, 22, 32, Frazer TV 34, 45 and 67.
This switchover is one big mess. They should've left things alone. ...Oh well to each his own. If the FCC wanted to create a mess, then that's their problem. They've done a fine job at that. Hope they can clean things up and get things in order.
R.D.P. <><
P.S. Now for some more news. For those that like me who have the occasional drop of signal, from your Converter Box and Antenna, I can explain that issue. Just recently talked to Best Buy and they told me that since the Analog and Digital signals are fighting each other through the airwaves, this issue is going to occur. Once the analog shuts down, then they assured me that I'd have a better signal and less of the dropouts. Also I learned this, if you plan on hooking up more than one box to just one antenna, forget that. You can't split off many boxes to one antenna. If you plan on getting more than one box, then shell out the bucks to get more antennas. Also you can only use 70 ohms wire and the line must be less than 100 feet and can't touch the antenna. (Exception being, to screw in the wire on it) Learned all that other stuff from my Father, who has been reading and studying the HD subject like me. He discovered this info, while reading from the instruction book that came with an outdoor antenna we recently got. Man...what a mouth full.
Unless Direct TV adds our locals to their mix, I'll be forced to use a Digital Converter Box and an antenna, to drag in the locals.
To be honest, most of our locals don't even come in. All I'm getting now is Channels 8, 12 and 29. Sometimes we can get the PBS stations from Montgomery and Demopolis. Still can't get channels 20, 22, 32, Frazer TV 34, 45 and 67.
This switchover is one big mess. They should've left things alone. ...Oh well to each his own. If the FCC wanted to create a mess, then that's their problem. They've done a fine job at that. Hope they can clean things up and get things in order.
R.D.P. <><
P.S. Now for some more news. For those that like me who have the occasional drop of signal, from your Converter Box and Antenna, I can explain that issue. Just recently talked to Best Buy and they told me that since the Analog and Digital signals are fighting each other through the airwaves, this issue is going to occur. Once the analog shuts down, then they assured me that I'd have a better signal and less of the dropouts. Also I learned this, if you plan on hooking up more than one box to just one antenna, forget that. You can't split off many boxes to one antenna. If you plan on getting more than one box, then shell out the bucks to get more antennas. Also you can only use 70 ohms wire and the line must be less than 100 feet and can't touch the antenna. (Exception being, to screw in the wire on it) Learned all that other stuff from my Father, who has been reading and studying the HD subject like me. He discovered this info, while reading from the instruction book that came with an outdoor antenna we recently got. Man...what a mouth full.
R.D.P. said:
The internet quit, so let's try this again...
The Best Buy guy was woefully misinformed. For the most part, the digital and analog signals are occupying the TV spectrum but they're located on different channels. None of the digital allocations around here are interfering with the analog allocations, but here and there I have heard of it happening.
My big concern signal-wise and post-analog shut down is with some of the analog stations in the VHF range. Many of them got digital UHF assignments but are planning to move to their old analog channel after the shutdown. I've heard of nothing but trouble, trouble, trouble for those who're trying to get digital on VHF, especially ch's 2-5. (ABC 33/40 comes to mind, since their digital channels are 5 and 9.)
What's got me scratching my head is the comment about only one antenna per converter box. That's crazy. You can split digital signals from an antenna just like analog. The salesman might have been thinking of digital satellite signals, which cannot be split using conventional TV signal splitters.
If the electronics salespeople were better informed, there wouldn't be so much wrong info floating out there. Even the Federal Government can't stem that tide.
You can run more than one convertor off of one antenna if you have a signal strong enough. I am doing it and it works great on strong signals but not so good on weak ones. If you split the antenna signal you will reduce the signal to each convertor by about 3.5DB , or in other words it will be a little more than cut in half. That is for a 2-way splitter. A 3 or 4 way splitter will divide the signal by a little over 3 or 4. I am about 40 miles from the B.ham stations and am using an old UHF antenna that has been up before anyone ever thought of digital anything. 300 ohm flat lead in wire but I did have to put a 300 to 70 ohm transformer on the end of the line so I could connect it to the convertor.
To those that are helping me, thanks for your kind assistance. I'll take your assistance and put it into practice.
Never again will I believe Best Buy or some instruction book. I'm going to see if I can split off the boxes again and get a stronger ohm of wire, one day in the near future.
Right now, we only have one box hooked up to the antenna and another one to "Rabbit Ears". The one with the Rabbit Ears is working pretty well, although we have drop out issues with them.
Although I wish we could get channels 20, 22, 26, 32, Frazer 34, 45 and 67. However I don't see us getting those channels, since we live too far away from their tower sites. That's a dissapointment, although I'm amazed we can get WSFA channel 12 and their tower is near the Crenshaw county line and I'm at least 70 miles away from it.
Never again will I believe Best Buy or some instruction book. I'm going to see if I can split off the boxes again and get a stronger ohm of wire, one day in the near future.
Right now, we only have one box hooked up to the antenna and another one to "Rabbit Ears". The one with the Rabbit Ears is working pretty well, although we have drop out issues with them.
Although I wish we could get channels 20, 22, 26, 32, Frazer 34, 45 and 67. However I don't see us getting those channels, since we live too far away from their tower sites. That's a dissapointment, although I'm amazed we can get WSFA channel 12 and their tower is near the Crenshaw county line and I'm at least 70 miles away from it.
The plan that WAKA gave to the FCC has them operating channels 55 and 42 at the same time.
It shows them killing analog 8 at the end of November so they can remove the analog 8 antenna and equipment (to make room for the new DT-42 antenna and equipment). They then want to cut power to 55 so they can (apparently) recycle the channel 55 equipment for use on channel 42. They'll sign the DT-42 signal on at low power around January 19, while still operating channel 55. When they silence DT-55 on 02/17/09, they'll immediately power up to half power on DT-42, and plan to be at full power on DT-42 in March.
It's certainly a confusing plan, and I may not have helped. Here's the FCC filing, the document I pulled all of that from is the last link all the way at the bottom, it's a PDF.
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws...233114&Service=TV&Form_id=387&Facility_id=701
- Trip
It shows them killing analog 8 at the end of November so they can remove the analog 8 antenna and equipment (to make room for the new DT-42 antenna and equipment). They then want to cut power to 55 so they can (apparently) recycle the channel 55 equipment for use on channel 42. They'll sign the DT-42 signal on at low power around January 19, while still operating channel 55. When they silence DT-55 on 02/17/09, they'll immediately power up to half power on DT-42, and plan to be at full power on DT-42 in March.
It's certainly a confusing plan, and I may not have helped. Here's the FCC filing, the document I pulled all of that from is the last link all the way at the bottom, it's a PDF.
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws...233114&Service=TV&Form_id=387&Facility_id=701
- Trip
- Status