DTV allocations with population numbers -- Coverage of KBTX Channel 3 Bryan

[HoustonListener]

Someone posted on the National TV board that the FCC made the final DTV allocations at

www.fcc.gov/dtv

Note that 11 an 13 are going to return to their old VHF frequencies in 2009 and 49 is going to leave 5 and go back to UHF.

I looked over the list of the TV allocations in Texas. It was interesting to note that the population service area for KBTX Channel 3 (Digital 50) in Bryan, Texas is projected at 2,953,000 people. Wow, maybe Bryan should go after a professional football team with three million people in the Bryan/College Station area..oh they already have a professional team.. the Aggies! Seriously, the FCC must be considering Channel 3's signal will be received by a good portion of the north and west Houston metro area. Certainly the population numbers for the other TV stations in B/CS are much lower but reflect lower signal power that keeps the signals in the immediate B/CS area for the other stations. Channel 3 can be received generally poorly analog version in some parts of north/west Houston metro, but if the digital signal is strong enough, that takes away the static issue. Could digital TV turn Channel 3 into a Houston area "rimshot" digital TV station?

And does anyone know what power Channel 3 is running on the Channel 50 digital broadcasts now -- are they at full power now? I am interested in how Channel 3's digital broadcasts might be received in Houston. I only have an indoor antenna at my home near the Galleria that is challenged in receiving some of the Houston digital signals, but with an outdoor antenna Channel 3 might be viable. I notice that TitanTv listings for my zip code 77057 just west of the Galleria include Channel 3 as a local station.

I would also be interesting in seeing a signal coverage map for any of the digital TV stations in Houston and for B/CS

 

[Mediafrog+]

Tiny number of low-band VHF's for digital, even smaller than most sources had anticipated. I'll have to do a hand count when I have more time.

The FCC should have completely pulled the plug on channels 2-6, and may still eventually do so. A lot of wasted spectrum in most areas of the country that could go towards other services. Of course, there may be some rulemaking that comes up that will do just that, just as unused UHF channels in various areas are up for grabs by new media.

Of course, the virtually empty VHF low-band will be great for DXing stations outside the U.S., especially during the next sunspot peak 2011-12.

 

[jd]

You're right about the coverage of KBTX. When it's finally in place, it looks like the full-power signal will make it into much of the Houston area. But it won't be on Channel 3; they'll be shutting that down and be on digital channel 50.

In the meantime, here's the "service area" for KBTX-DT 50, under their STA (special temporary authority) with 25,000 watts:
www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=DS676778.html
Their construction permit shows this coverage, with an increase to 100,000 watts:
www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=DT600472.html

I would also be interesting in seeing a signal coverage map for any of the digital TV stations in Houston and for B/CS

Info on all digital stations in Texas can be found through the following link, but even if a "final" list has been issued remember some things could still change before the switchover date: www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?state=TX&ca...t2=&mlat2=&slat2=&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&size=9

 

[Local First]

..oh they already have a professional team.. the Aggies!

Cue in Aggie joke.

 

[w9wi]

Tiny number of low-band VHF's for digital, even smaller than most sources had anticipated. I'll have to do a hand count when I have more time.

I count 38 full power and 43 low power for a total of 81.

The FCC should have completely pulled the plug on channels 2-6, and may still eventually do so. A lot of wasted spectrum in most areas of the country that could go towards other services. Of course, there may be some rulemaking that comes up that will do just that, just as unused UHF channels in various areas are up for grabs by new media.

Kinda looks like it will happen eventually. I'm not sure who will want them. It might be a suitable place for digital *radio* broadcasts, otherwise I'm having a hard time thinking of anyone besides hams who might want this spectrum. Even low-power unlicensed devices seem to be emigrating to higher frequencies.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Even low-power unlicensed devices seem to be emigrating to higher frequencies.

Since the new technologies mostly rely on line-of-sight communication, the higher frequencies fit the bill. The much shorter wavelengths mean small/tiny antennas, which are of course needed for increasingly miniaturized electronics.

Yeah, I'm curious to see what would wind up in the lower echelons of VHF. The 30-50 MHz public service band is getting pretty empty, even in big metro areas. Now 54-88 MHz is clearing out. And the 72-76 MHz sub-band is all flea-power stuff, such as assisted listening devices, and hobbyist remote control systems.

Sort of like what's happened to shortwave in the past 25 years. I recall the HF utility bands being stuffed full of signals in the 1960's. Now mostly empty, as those services have migrated to newer technologies. Still plenty of hams and international broadcasters in their respective allocations, but those numbers seem to be slowly dwindling as well.

 

[MikeShannon914]

I don't know if this will help, but go to KBTX's website (www.kbtx.com) and click on the 50th anniversary link. There's a complete October 1983 newscast on there that explains the power upgrade when they moved the transmitter to Carlos, TX and booted it up that evening during the newscast. The late SM Harry Gillam tells what the new coverage will be, and Houston is mentioned. That was a year before I started working there, so I don't really know any other details. I do know that my cable provider in College Station in 1984 (McCaw) carried both KBTX and KHOU, which were both CBS fulltimers at that point.