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Have any Big Three Networks Voluntarely Left VHF for UHF

Markxxx

Markxxx

Was wondering if any ABC, NBC or CBS hav voluntarely (sp??) left the VHF dial for UHF.

I don't mean like when ABC put Phoenix and Tampa on the UHF dial to keep ABC on the VHF dial in Detroit, 'cause though it technically was voluntarely, it was really forced by the owners of the stations.

I figure there are probably a few examples in the 50s when TV was new, but I can't think of later one. Any ideas?
 
Yes, but it's a not quite what you would think. In a market where there were only two VHF stations and one network was left as a secondary affiliate, networks were quite happy to move to a new UHF if they could get full clearance of their shows. I know that in Waco NBC got off KCEN part-time to go full time on KXXV when they signed on in 1985. The two stations swapped affiliations a few years later when NBC wanted to be on a better station and ABC was in 3rd place.

Aside from that, I can't think of a single voluntary incident of a network going to UHF from VHF.
 
With the advent of DTV, I know there are a few involuntary VHF-to-UHF switches, such as those with low-band VHF analog channels, but there are a few voluntary as well. KMSB and KOLD in Tucson AZ come to mind, as well as KSWT in Yuma AZ. KMSB (Fox) is 11 analog, will stay on 25 digital. KOLD (CBS) is 13 analog, will stay on 32 digital. KSWT 13 (CBS) will stay on channel 16 for DTV.

The thing with DTV is that the virtual channel numbers will remain VHF channels, so the average person (and probably advertisers) will probably never realize the difference.
 
dhett said:
With the advent of DTV, I know there are a few involuntary VHF-to-UHF switches, such as those with low-band VHF analog channels, but there are a few voluntary as well. KMSB and KOLD in Tucson AZ come to mind, as well as KSWT in Yuma AZ. KMSB (Fox) is 11 analog, will stay on 25 digital. KOLD (CBS) is 13 analog, will stay on 32 digital. KSWT 13 (CBS) will stay on channel 16 for DTV.

The thing with DTV is that the virtual channel numbers will remain VHF channels, so the average person (and probably advertisers) will probably never realize the difference.
Click to expand...

In Atlanta, WSB (ABC) and WAGA (Fox) transmit digitally in UHF, and will continue to do so in 2009. The reason most stations are are assigned UHF are staying there is because it performs better and the range is greater than UHF.

I suspect after the analog signals are shut off in 2009, there will be a lot of petitions to the FCC for lower PSIP positions. The FCC needs to prepare for it.
 
jal41 said:
In Atlanta, WSB (ABC) and WAGA (Fox) transmit digitally in UHF, and will continue to do so in 2009. The reason most stations are are assigned UHF are staying there is because it performs better and the range is greater than UHF.

I suspect after the analog signals are shut off in 2009, there will be a lot of petitions to the FCC for lower PSIP positions. The FCC needs to prepare for it.
Click to expand...

The FCC is prepared: they have a whole set of rules about what PSIP position stations can use. In most cases stations will use the PSIP of their current analog channel. However, there are some odd cases where that cannot work. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, KXTX is analog 39 and digital on 40. KLDT is analog on 55 and digital on 54. But the FCC changed things up and will now auction off all channels from 52 up for other services. So, KLDT must find a channel between 2 and 51 to broadcast digitally on. In this case, they have worked out a deal with KXTX to let them use channel 39 for their digital signal. KLDT will be able to use 55.1 as their PSIP, but it probably precludes KXTX from using 39.1 for their PSIP. (hopefully someone with more knowledge of such things than I can answer the question of what will happen in this case)
 
Nope - it doesn't preclude KXTX from using 39.1 for their digital signal, since most receivers have to go into "discovery mode" to figure out what channels are available. Plus if you key in 39 on a digital receiver in Dallas that hasn't been programmed, (at least the one I have) will automatically "change the channel" to the correct one - in this case, it would change it to 55-1. Once programmed, it doesn't matter which physical channels are where; the logical ones (PSIP) are what matters.

Look for a few changes after the transition is complete (and possibly before)...
- Some stations are requesting different PSIP identifiers (I believeTBN is requesting 75) - so anywhere you'd be in the US that has a TBN station, it would be on Channel 75.

Also look for many changes after the transition, stations, (especially out of the core range (7-52)) requesting lower PSIP identifiers.

What I'm waiting for is to see is the "Musical PSIPs" that happen once everything "settles down"...

Jim
 
It will also depend on the sophistication of the tuner. There are some that just don't get the PSIP, the older generation of tuners, mostly.

And you will have some people, for instance, that can tune multiple stations on the same channel, some can't

For instance in Delaware there was one guy that could tune the PSIP Channel 2 from Baltimore and Channel 2 from NYC. Other (mostly older) tuners wouldn't allow this and they had to put the "REAL" channel number in to get both channels

I do like the idea of putting all networks on one virutal channel if they could do that.

In Chicago Channel 20 is the only one advertising BOTH their analog and digital Channel. The go by Channel 20 WYCC-TV / DT Channel 21
 
Jim said:
Look for a few changes after the transition is complete (and possibly before)...
- Some stations are requesting different PSIP identifiers (I believeTBN is requesting 75) - so anywhere you'd be in the US that has a TBN station, it would be on Channel 75.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify: Tribune Broadcasting has requested channel 75, not TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network). Somebody had posted this in a template on Wikipedia as TBN, but that is completely inaccurate. I have corrected the info on the template and placed the old link in the discussion page. The old link shows that it is indeed Tribune Broadcasting that has requested channel 75.
 
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