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FCC freezes new apps on ch 51; begins process to clear the channel

dhett

dhett

It begins...

http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0822/DA-11-1428A1.pdf

In response to a request from the wireless and cellular industry, the FCC has declared an immediate freeze on new applications for facilities on channel 51, has given channel 51 LPTV applicants 60 days to amend their applications to specify another channel, and will waive the rulemaking freeze for full power stations seeking to relocate off of channel 51.

6 MHz has effectively been taken from OTA television. So, if when the FCC implements its plan to take channels 31-50, does that also mean that channel 30 will also be taken so that wireless/cellular users have a buffer between their bought and paid for frequencies and OTA TV?
 
Well if it going to be done, better they do it one channel at a time. That way they can see their goof ups or successes as they go.

How many stations are on channel 51 physically? I know WPWR in Chicago is on 51 and maps to 50
 
WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh is on 51. They do have a relay on 22 as well.
 
vchimpanzee said:
RadioDaze said:
Greensboro, NC's WFMY is also RF 51, but maps to its former analog channel 2.
Click to expand...
NOOOO! It has such a perfect signal. What will happen if they have to move? Where will they go?
Click to expand...
Well, channels 2-6 are certainly available, as well as channel 8 that WGHP recently discarded. I doubt there is a single UHF channel that could give even half-way decent coverage. Like most densely populated areas, there are already too many shortspaced/underpowered/directional UHFs, which is the principal problem with digital OTA now.
 
fortmill said:
vchimpanzee said:
RadioDaze said:
Greensboro, NC's WFMY is also RF 51, but maps to its former analog channel 2.
Click to expand...
NOOOO! It has such a perfect signal. What will happen if they have to move? Where will they go?
Click to expand...
Well, channels 2-6 are certainly available, as well as channel 8 that WGHP recently discarded. I doubt there is a single UHF channel that could give even half-way decent coverage. Like most densely populated areas, there are already too many shortspaced/underpowered/directional UHFs, which is the principal problem with digital OTA now.
Click to expand...

Maybe, but ask any CE who works at a TV station currently using ch RF 2 thru 6....outside of an exception I was told about, which will be nameless, I'm sure they'd be tempted to give their right arm to move out of the low V!

Best example is WPVI 6 Philly. WTVF 5 Nashville plans to move to 25. KCWX 5 near San Antonio has posts here on r-i about poor signal coverage.

(Keep in mind that many of the modern outdoor antennas being sold, *ignore* 2-6 for the most part, hence a lot of the signal issues.)

As a DXer, I have picked up 9 different lowbanders on E-skip in 15 months, including one LD....but believe me, DXers are not their demo! :D

cd
 
No RF 51 around here in Northeast Ohio.

But if they're going down channel-by-channel, Western Reserve PBS' WEAO/49 Akron (RF 50) is about to get nervous...
 
The saga of WLAJ in Lansing (their ABC/CW subbie affiliate which is laughed at by most of Lower Michigan) continues...they're on digital 51 (PSIP 53) and currently blast a pretty good signal across Lake Michigan, so they get to move soon. I wish they'd catch one break.
 
Here in the L.A. market, Rancho Palos Verdes-licensed KXLA operates on RF 51, while mapping to its old analog channel of 44 via PSIP, while RF 44 is now the digital home of Barstow-licensed KHIZ, which uses PSIP to map to its old analog channel of 64. In Los Angeles proper, KHIZ cannot be received OTA, but DirecTV and Dish Network and some, but not all, Time Warner Cable systems carry it. So I wonder what will happen to KXLA? Is there an available-but-as-yet-unused UHF channel around here that KXLA could move to? I think KHIZ should move to another channel and KXLA should return to 44, but that's just me.

w9wi or whoever else on here knows more about this stuff than I do should feel free to chime in.
 
At least at this point, stations that are already authorized to be on channel 51 are not required to leave. They are encouraged to leave voluntarily. What's mandatory is that if you aren't already on 51, you can't move there.

I suppose you might see a literal handful of stations that were already planning on making transmission changes volunteering to move below 51 rather than waiting for some future mandatory deletion of additional channels.

FWIW, full-power stations currently on channel 51:

AZ Tolleson (Phoenix) KPPX-TV (Ion)
CA Rancho Palos Verdes (LA) KXLA (independent/ethnic)
CA San Francisco KDTV (Univision)
CO Denver KCEC (Univision)
FL Cocoa (Orlando) WHLV-TV (TBN)
FL Marianna WBIF (ThisTV)
GA Augusta WFXG (Fox)
GA Cordele WSST-TV (America One)
GA Rome (Atlanta) WPXA-TV (Ion)
IA Cedar Rapids KGAN (CBS)
IN Gary (Chicago, Ill.) WPWR-TV (My)
IN Salem (Louisville, Ky.) WMYO (My)
KY Harlan WAGV (independent religious)
MI Lansing WLAJ (ABC)
MO Kansas City KPXE-TV (Ion)
MS Jackson WWJX (independent)
NC Greensboro WFMY-TV (CBS)
NC Greenville WEPX-TV (My)
NE Lincoln KFXL-TV (Fox)
NJ Montclair (NYC) WNJN (PBS)
OH Dayton WKEF (ABC)
OK Oklahoma City KSBI (independent)
OR Bend KOHD (ABC)
PA Pittsburgh WTAE-TV (ABC)
PR Carolina WRFB (?)
RI Providence WJAR (NBC)
TN Memphis WPXX-TV (My/Ion)
TX El Paso KTFN (Telefutura)
TX Longview KCEB (CW)


There are also seven Class A stations and 127 LPTVs/translators on the channel. (plus eleven applications to move to 51 from other channels, which will presumably be dismissed)
 
In Utah, there are 15 stations (LD, operating as digital translators) that have to go.
2 carry ION, 2 carry the CW, 1 is FOX, 1 is BYU and PBS, 5 are the state's educational network, 1 is NBC, and 3 are ABC. The ABC translator that is the backbone feeding the eastern part of the state is on 51, so you can count numerous casualties on that one.

Broadcasters are losing this game.

(Forgot to mention that there are also a few analog translators still on 51 here.)
 
Best example is WPVI 6 Philly.  WTVF 5 Nashville plans to move to 25.  KCWX 5 near San Antonio has posts here on r-i about poor signal coverage.
Click to expand...

WMC in Memphis is on 5 as well, but I don't know if they have any plans to move or not. Before the changeover date they insisted that they were staying on 5.
 
Of the 29 stations on channel 51 (listed by W9WI), 7 of them


  • San Francisco KDTV KFSF
  • Denver KCEC KTFD
  • Cedar Rapids KGAN KXFA
  • Gary (Chicago) WPWR WFLD
  • Salem (Louisville) WMYO WDRB
  • Lincoln KFXL WHGI
  • El Paso KTFN KINT

Have sister stations they could, in theory use to share a channel with, if they wanted to leave RF51
 
WMC has filed to move from 5 to 17. The FCC has yet to take action on their petition.

- Trip
 
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