Knoxville TV History

[w9wi]

I thought Channel 2 in Nashville was originally
educational and that ABC was on Channel 8,
and that they swapped channels in the middle
of prime time one night in 1973.

It's true that channels 2 and 8 here in Nashville swapped in the 1970s. I don't know if it was 1973 but that's definitely plausible. I think there's a thread somewhere on the Nashville board about the switch.

That would have nothing to do with WSJK's location, but
I do have one question: in the old Bristol/
Kingsport/Johnson City edition of TV Guide,
WSJK was shown as black "2" on a white
background, same as the Knoxville, Asheville,
and Hazard stations. Does this mean that
WSJK is considered a Knoxville station, even
though it was listed as Sneedville?

WKOP 15 is a much more recent operation, so for many years WSJK was the closest PBS station to Knoxville and was probably considered a Knoxville station.

("trapper12")
I have always been suprised that the FCC dropped in channel 8 in Knoxville with there already being an 8 in Charleston WV and Nashville.

All the dropins required waiving normal distance separations.

I don't think the Knoxville<=>Nashville separation is much (if any) below normal requirements. There are channel 5s in both Nashville and Memphis, and Memphis<=>Nashville is pretty much the same distance as Knoxville<=>Nashville. ~175mi., which is pretty close to the required minimum for VHF co-channels.

Many of the drop-ins did use directional antennas to avoid interference.

WMAK-DT 7 is also directional protecting WSPA/Spartanburg.

 

[csneed5]

Sorry for not seeing the posts to your thread earlier.. since these posts are kept, somebody might see it months from now, and points in it need to be clarified..


*The WSIX-TV/WDCN-TV switch in Nashville did indeed happen in 1973, and it was right in the middle of ABC prime time.

*WSJK-TV was (and still is) considered a local Knoxville channel, and it is still also considered a local Tri-Cities channel.

*Channel 5-Nashville and Channel 5 Memphis are not using directional TV antennas on top of their towers to keep from interfering with each other.. neither is Channel 8-Nashville and Channel 8-Knoxville. (back in 1952, Channel 5 Memphis was actually on Channel 4, but the interference to Channel 4 Nashville was incredible--about 60 east of Memphis and 55 miles west of Nashville--the FCC then allowed WMC-TV to switch to Channel 5, which was still short-spaced to Channel 5-Nashville, but Nashville's Channel 5 tower is north of town and not west like Channel 4's).
There are also off-set capabilities involved, too.

Channel 5 in Memphis is actually Channel 5 Offset Minus, which allows them to broadcast just below the actually Channel 5 frequency, thereby keeping them from any interference with Channel 5 Nashville, which is not offset. Channel 8 in Knoxville is Channel 8 Offset Plus and Channel 8 Nashville is Channel 8 Offset Minus, keeping both from interfering with each other.
The FCC will not approve full-power directional VHF antenna transmitters.
They have never done that.. if they did, either Nashville, Memphis or Knoxville stations would have to operate at much less power, but they are full power.
The stations on the same channels are using "circularly polarized" antennas, the predecessors of digital antennas right now. They have the ability to send the TV carrier signal to a certain point out into the distance, and then it just drops off, sorta like running out of road at the end of a cliff. Digital TV does that, except on a very narrow bandwith, at a much higher frequency.
Also, very seldom does the government "waive" co-channel separation or same-channel separation requirements, without lowering the power of both stations significantly. Nothing was waived with the Tennessee stations because, again, they are all full power stations.

*Channel 7-DT Knoxville is not directional away from Spartanburg. It is directional to reach the homes they want to reach in the Tennessee Valley, the good thing about DTV. Channel 7-DT is not interfering with WSPA-Spartanburg at all, and would not interfere with it anyway. The frequency separation between analog TV and digital TV is so great that the signals are no where close to each other--it's a completely different bandwith spectrum. It's like the difference between AM and FM Radio. You could put a digital Channel 7 on Hogback Mountain, South Carolina, right beside WSPA-TV, and you would watch both channel's, but that's why you have to have a digital converter box, because it's a different bandwith.

Just don't want the wrong info to get out.

I thought Channel 2 in Nashville was originally
educational and that ABC was on Channel 8,
and that they swapped channels in the middle
of prime time one night in 1973.

It's true that channels 2 and 8 here in Nashville swapped in the 1970s. I don't know if it was 1973 but that's definitely plausible. I think there's a thread somewhere on the Nashville board about the switch.

That would have nothing to do with WSJK's location, but
I do have one question: in the old Bristol/
Kingsport/Johnson City edition of TV Guide,
WSJK was shown as black "2" on a white
background, same as the Knoxville, Asheville,
and Hazard stations. Does this mean that
WSJK is considered a Knoxville station, even
though it was listed as Sneedville?

WKOP 15 is a much more recent operation, so for many years WSJK was the closest PBS station to Knoxville and was probably considered a Knoxville station.

("trapper12")
I have always been suprised that the FCC dropped in channel 8 in Knoxville with there already being an 8 in Charleston WV and Nashville.

All the dropins required waiving normal distance separations.

I don't think the Knoxville<=>Nashville separation is much (if any) below normal requirements. There are channel 5s in both Nashville and Memphis, and Memphis<=>Nashville is pretty much the same distance as Knoxville<=>Nashville. ~175mi., which is pretty close to the required minimum for VHF co-channels.

Many of the drop-ins did use directional antennas to avoid interference.

WMAK-DT 7 is also directional protecting WSPA/Spartanburg.

 

[csneed5]

*Neither 4, 7, 9 and 12 were ever available for Hazard, Kentucky, and not only is it same-channel separation, but also co-channel separation problems. A Channel 7 there would be too close to Channel 7 Dayton and Channel 8 Knoxville... A Channel 9 there would be too close to Channel 9 Cincinnati, Channel 8 Knoxville and Channel 10 Knoxville... A Channel 12 there would be too close to WKRC-TV, Cincinnati, Channel 13 Huntington, WVA and Channel 11, Johnson City.
A Channel 4 would be too close to Channel 3 Huntington WVA, but could operate with about 20,000 watts of power, nowhere near the 100,000 watts a full-power Channel 4 would need to get into the hills and hollows of Eastern Kentucky.. you wouldn't pick it up.

I have always been suprised that the FCC dropped in channel 8 in Knoxville with there already being an 8 in Charleston WV and Nashville. Have there been any interference issues over the years. I remember watching the antennas being switched out.

Years ago the old channel 57 in Hazard KY was WKYH channel 57. I am fairly certain that they got their network feeds thru WCYB in Bristol because sometimes I would see Bristol commercials on WKYH. I gues someone forgot to flip the switch. I have always heard that when the new channel 57 WYMT was built the new owners wanted a VHF signal but there were very few channels left. 4, 7, 9, and 12. Not sure what the deal was on 4 and 7 but spacing problems on 9 and 12 because of Cincinnati and Chatanooga. WYMT has finally gotten their wish thou. Digital 12.

 

[w9wi]

*Channel 5-Nashville and Channel 5 Memphis are not using directional TV antennas on top of their towers to keep from interfering with each other.. neither is Channel 8-Nashville and Channel 8-Knoxville. (back in 1952, Channel 5 Memphis was actually on Channel 4, but the interference to Channel 4 Nashville was incredible--about 60 east of Memphis and 55 miles west of Nashville--the FCC then allowed WMC-TV to switch to Channel 5, which was still short-spaced to Channel 5-Nashville, but Nashville's Channel 5 tower is north of town and not west like Channel 4's).

WVLT-8 is in fact directional:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/polarplot?temp=46188&rotate=0.00&p0=0.951&p10=0.998&p20=1.000&p30=0.989&p40=0.979&p50=0.970&p60=0.959&p70=0.946&p80=0.957&p90=0.927&p100=0.874&p110=0.783&p120=0.678&p130=0.563&p140=0.472&p150=0.417&p160=0.346&p170=0.276&p180=0.231&p190=0.224&p200=0.269&p210=0.340&p220=0.399&p230=0.426&p240=0.428&p250=0.407&p260=0.383&p270=0.369&p280=0.399&p290=0.433&p300=0.475&p310=0.528&p320=0.598&p330=0.688&p340=0.783&p350=0.879&p360=0.951&
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=TV709396.html

Note the nulls towards Nashville and Atlanta.

The FCC will not approve full-power directional VHF antenna transmitters.
They have never done that..

Sure they have.

See FCC Regulation 73.685(e) which says in part "Directional antennas may be employed for the purpose of improving service upon an appropriate showing of need. Stations operating on Channels 2-13 will not be permitted to use a directional antenna having a ratio of maximum to minimum radiation in the horizontal plane in excess of 10 dB." (obviously the 10dB directionality limit would not be necessary if VHF DAs weren't permitted at all!)

VHF DAs are admittedly a bit rare. WVLT is the only one in Tennessee. It's not easy to find others. (but it is possible. KUNO in Fort Bragg, California for one.)

I would educated-guess that VHF DAs are rare because VHF stations require comparatively little utility (TVA) power to deliver a useful signal to a distant point. Some UHF stations limit their ERP to keep the electric bill (among others) under control -- and then use DAs to ensure good coverage of desired areas. But a DA is relatively expensive; for VHF stations the equation works out to make non-directional operation more sensible.

Unlike FM, directional antennas cannot be used to allow a short-spacing that would not otherwise be permitted.

(it should be noted all of these regulations change drastically for DTV. VHF DAs are fairly common for digital.)

The stations on the same channels are using "circularly polarized" antennas, the predecessors of digital antennas right now.

My information (from the FCC DB) is that the only circularly polarized TV stations in Tennessee are WSMV-channel 4, WTVF-channel 5, and WNAB-channel 58 in Nashville. No TV station elsewhere in the state is CP. WTVF is the only one that will have a circularly-polarized digital signal. (as they plan to use their existing analog antenna)

Really, there is no such thing as a "digital antenna". Indeed, at least six Tennessee TV stations plan to use their existing analog antennas to transmit their digital signals after next February. (that includes WBIR in Knoxville, WJHL in the Tri-Cities, and WTVC and WDEF in Chattanooga.)

They have the ability to send the TV carrier signal to a certain
point out into the distance, and then it just drops off, sorta like running out of road at the end of a cliff. Digital TV does that, except on a very narrow bandwith, at a much higher frequency.

That's not what a circularly-polarized antenna accomplishes. A normal horizontally-polarized transmitting antenna radiates a signal in a horizontal plane. A vertically-polarized receiving antenna (for example, if you stick both "rabbit ears" straight up) receives rather poorly -- about 20dB more poorly -- a horizontally-polarized signal. A circularly-polarized transmitting antenna transmits in both planes, so a vertically-oriented receiving antenna will work equally well.

(for this reason, and because almost all cars have vertically-polarized antennas, the vast majority of FM stations are circularly polarized)

Channel 7-DT is not interfering with WSPA-Spartanburg at all, and would not interfere with it anyway. The frequency separation between analog TV and digital TV is so great that the signals are no where close to each other--it's a completely different bandwith spectrum. It's like the difference between AM and FM Radio. You could put a digital Channel 7 on Hogback Mountain, South Carolina, right beside WSPA-TV, and you would watch both channel's, but that's why you have to have a digital converter box, because it's a different bandwith.

From http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?list=0&facid=83931:
WMAK TN KNOXVILLE USA (Digital)

Licensee: KNOXVILLE CHANNEL 7, LLC
Service Designation: DT Digital television station

Channel: 7 174 - 180 MHz Licensed


which shows WMAK (Digital) TV operates on channel 7, 174-180MHz.

From http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?list=0&facid=66391:
WSPA-TV SC SPARTANBURG USA

Licensee: MEDIA GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS, LLC
Service Designation: TV NTSC (analog) television station

Channel: 7 174 - 180 MHz Licensed


which shows WSPA (Analog) TV operates on channel 7, 174-180MHz.

WMAK and WSPA do operate on the same frequency and are fully capable of interfering with each other.

(though upon rereading the WMAK pattern plot, it seems the null is due north. Either that's a typo, or they actually are far enough from WSPA and are protecting WLJC-DT in Beattyville, Kentucky which is also on channel 7.)

I thought Channel 2 in Nashville was originally
educational and that ABC was on Channel 8,
and that they swapped channels in the middle
of prime time one night in 1973.

It's true that channels 2 and 8 here in Nashville swapped in the 1970s. I don't know if it was 1973 but that's definitely plausible. I think there's a thread somewhere on the Nashville board about the switch.

That would have nothing to do with WSJK's location, but
I do have one question: in the old Bristol/
Kingsport/Johnson City edition of TV Guide,
WSJK was shown as black "2" on a white
background, same as the Knoxville, Asheville,
and Hazard stations. Does this mean that
WSJK is considered a Knoxville station, even
though it was listed as Sneedville?

WKOP 15 is a much more recent operation, so for many years WSJK was the closest PBS station to Knoxville and was probably considered a Knoxville station.

("trapper12")
I have always been suprised that the FCC dropped in channel 8 in Knoxville with there already being an 8 in Charleston WV and Nashville.

All the dropins required waiving normal distance separations.

I don't think the Knoxville<=>Nashville separation is much (if any) below normal requirements. There are channel 5s in both Nashville and Memphis, and Memphis<=>Nashville is pretty much the same distance as Knoxville<=>Nashville. ~175mi., which is pretty close to the required minimum for VHF co-channels.

Many of the drop-ins did use directional antennas to avoid interference.

WMAK-DT 7 is also directional protecting WSPA/Spartanburg.

[/quote]

 

[radiorob2.0]

I have always been suprised that the FCC dropped in channel 8 in Knoxville with there already being an 8 in Charleston WV and Nashville. Have there been any interference issues over the years. I remember watching the antennas being switched out.

Years ago the old channel 57 in Hazard KY was WKYH channel 57. I am fairly certain that they got their network feeds thru WCYB in Bristol because sometimes I would see Bristol commercials on WKYH. I gues someone forgot to flip the switch. I have always heard that when the new channel 57 WYMT was built the new owners wanted a VHF signal but there were very few channels left. 4, 7, 9, and 12. Not sure what the deal was on 4 and 7 but spacing problems on 9 and 12 because of Cincinnati and Chatanooga. WYMT has finally gotten their wish thou. Digital 12.

Yes, WKYH received their network feed from WCYB. When co-channel interference on Channel 5 was a problem from Cincinnati, WLEX Lexington was used. Because of the interference Channel 18 would have been a better selection but the owner used Bristol. In the last couple of years of WKYH the network feed was from satellite. It's also worth noting the original WKYH ERP was 213,000 watts. My family lived thirty miles away and WKYH wouldn't break the static using a loop antenna. Today, with much more power WYMT does have some signal using an indoor antenna.

If you search youtube for "WKYH" you can see it was truly a small town station, but everyone watched since it was Southeastern Kentucky's only news source.

 

[csneed5]

I've heard that the FCC is considering leaving analog TV on for a month after the digital switch, because many people are still confused by it. All programming would move over to the digital channel, while the analog signal would just broadcast instructions on where the programming is, and how to get it.

I've also not figured out yet the "virtual channel" that stations would eventually end up on. Although they're transmitting on mostly UHF digital channels (and also a few VHF ones), their "virtual channels" would be the same ones they broadcasting on in analog.

 

[radioguybroadcasting]

Thank you to everyone for sharing information, knowledge and expieriences in this thread.. Im not from the area, but I love reading stuff like this.

 

[w9wi]

I've heard that the FCC is considering leaving analog TV on for a month after the digital switch, because many people are still confused by it. All programming would move over to the digital channel, while the analog signal would just broadcast instructions on where the programming is, and how to get it.

I've heard nothing about this - doesn't necessarily mean it won't happen. But quite a few stations are planning on running their permanent DTV operations on their existing analog channels and cannot operate both at the same time. More than a few are planning on running their permanent DTV operations on *someone else's* existing analog channel. I think it's unlikely.

I've also not figured out yet the "virtual channel" that stations would eventually end up on. Although they're transmitting on mostly UHF digital channels (and also a few VHF ones), their "virtual channels" would be the same ones they broadcasting on in analog.

Digital TV stations transmit a "virtual channel table" - a collection of data that tells the digital receiver which channel to tell you, the viewer, you're watching. This channel is often different from the channel on which the signal is actually being broadcast.

For example, the station I work for transmits its digital signal on 192-198MHz, the frequency better known as "channel 10". However, we broadcast a virtual channel table that tells viewers' TV sets to tell their humans they're watching channel 4. (I'm in Nashville, so I'm not talking about WBIR...)

If you want to watch us on your digital TV, you punch in "4<enter>". The TV knows you really meant 10, tunes to channel 10, and displays our signal.

The FCC generally requires DTV stations to use their old analog channel as their virtual channel. Our analog signal is on channel 4, so we're telling viewers they're watching channel 4. WKOP/Knoxville was analog channel 15. If I recall properly their digital signal is broadcast on 488-494MHz, the frequency better known as "channel 17" -- but if you want to watch WKOP's digital signal, you would punch "15<enter>". Your TV knows -- having read WKOP's Virtual Channel Table -- that you really mean channel 17.

The whole point is to reduce viewer confusion by ensuring that viewers don't have to change the channel number they enter to watch a given station -- ensuring that the old channel numbers will continue to work, even though the signal is actually being broadcast on a different frequency.

 

[radiorob2.0]

In my neck of the woods, Evansville, IN DMA, we have an interesting change of assignments.

WTVW analog 7 will move to digital 28. WEHT is analog 25 and currently digital 59 but will eventually move to 7. This won't be confusing on the surface but has potential when explaining the technical side. "You mean if I want to watch Channel 25 I must buy an antenna that will pick up Channel 7."

Back to East Tennessee, Did Channel 26 or 19 ever had a chance with WLOS and their massive VHF signal?

 

[trapper12]

If you are referring to channel 26 Knoxville and channel 19 Kingsport from a financial point I could not tell you but from the cable point of someone who use to work cable in Southeastern Kentucky 26 and 19 signals sucked. We actually had WLOS on the system for a while but WOWK had a tendancy to cut in. As for 19. We never had much luck with it. It would be there one day gone the next. This was in the days before those DMA doings. We took it off and put WATE on. The problem with it was the modified, illegal CB radios would kill it. WKHA 35 out of Hazard would mess up WTVQ 36 out of Lexington. 35's antenna was located between our head in and Lexington . That was the only thing we could figure out anyway. Had tons of filters on it. We never could get anymore than a very fuzzy picture on 26. Never bothered with it when they went to 8. WBIR was a beautiful signal. No trouble at all with it. 18 from Lexington was easy also although at night after they signed off 18 from I think it was Lafayette IN came in really good. These DMA markets can be stupid. Just because a map says there should be signal there does not mean it is there.

 

[radiorob2.0]

If you are referring to channel 26 Knoxville and channel 19 Kingsport from a financial point I could not tell you but from the cable point of someone who use to work cable in Southeastern Kentucky 26 and 19 signals sucked. We actually had WLOS on the system for a while but WOWK had a tendancy to cut in. As for 19. We never had much luck with it. It would be there one day gone the next. This was in the days before those DMA doings. We took it off and put WATE on. The problem with it was the modified, illegal CB radios would kill it. WKHA 35 out of Hazard would mess up WTVQ 36 out of Lexington. 35's antenna was located between our head in and Lexington . That was the only thing we could figure out anyway. Had tons of filters on it. We never could get anymore than a very fuzzy picture on 26. Never bothered with it when they went to 8. WBIR was a beautiful signal. No trouble at all with it. 18 from Lexington was easy also although at night after they signed off 18 from I think it was Lafayette IN came in really good. These DMA markets can be stupid. Just because a map says there should be signal there does not mean it is there.

Where abouts in SE KY? Whitesburg, KY had WATE on cable in the late seventies and occasionally WBIR; the five channel line up changed sometimes daily. WKPT didn't show up until the eighties. Until then it was WOWK and occasionally WLOS.

I'm familiar with WBIR from watching them via a translator serving Letcher County Kentucky. It operated on Channel 7 and WOWK Huntington (13) was on Channel 4. When WOWK changed affiliation from ABC to CBS, the translator then rebroadcast WKPT.

 

[trapper12]

I know for a fact that when what was then known as Kentucky Central Broadcasting, a division of Kentucky Central Life, now defunct, bought what was then known as WKYH channel 57 in Hazard they explored the possibility of a VHF channel. How far or how serious this was taken I do not know but was looked at. In the end it was decided to just ramp up the power on the existing channel 57 and go from there. The entire station from studio to transmitter to tower was brand new and the equipment was a sight to behold for 1985 S E Kentucky. When Gray took over the operations the VHF was again explored. Several options ie: antenna relocation to allow for a VHF, a channel swap with another station, no way a VHF station is gonna willingly give up a VHF signal for a UHF in the mountains. In the end they spent money on equipment upgrades etc which was probably a much better investment and got their wish in the end with digital 12.

 

[csneed5]

Wouldn't have made a different about getting a VHF allocation to Hazard, Kentucky.. they would have never gotten it, and if they did, it wouldn't have an ERP (effective radiated power) strong enough to get off the mountain.. This will get technical, but it's all FCC data, so bear with me here:

Hazard, Kentucky does not meet the minimum required distance for co-channel or same-channel separation for VHF TV stations in Zone II (Kentucky, and most of the states in the South), using straight line-of-sight mileage, not highway miles.

In Zone II, co-channel separation for full-power VHF TV stations is 180 air-miles (i.e. if you had a station on Channel 8 for example, you'd have to be more than 180 miles away from the nearest Channel 7 or Channel 9).

In Zone II, same-channel separation for full-power VHF TV stations is 220 air-miles (i.e. if you had a station on Channel 8 for example, you'd have to be more than 220 air-miles from the nearest Channel 8).

Because of that, Hazard, Kentucky misses the boat on all available VHF same- AND co-channel separations, because of:

Channel 2, Sneedville, Tennessee.
Channel 3, Huntingdon-Charleston, West Virginia
Channel 4, Oak Hill-Beckley, West Virginia
Channel 5, Cincinnati
Channel 6, Knoxville
Channel 7, Dayton (just barely, but it does count)
Channel 8, Knoxville
Channel 9, Cincinnati
Channel 10, Knoxville
Channel 11, Charleston-Huntingdon, West Virginia
Channel 12, Cincinnati
Channel 13, Huntingdon-Charleston, West Virginia

Basically in terms of same-channel interference separation, this means:
No Channel 2 for Hazard because it would be too close to Channel 2, Sneedville and Channel 3, Huntingdon.
No Channel 3 for Hazard because of Channel 3, Huntingdon.
No Channel 4 for Hazard because of Channel 4, Oak Hill-Beckley
No Channel 5 for Hazard because of Channel 5, Cincinnati
No Channel 6 for Hazard because of Channel 6, Knoxville
No Channel 7 for Hazard because of Channel 7, Dayton
No Channel 8 for Hazard because of Channel 8, Knoxville
No Channel 9 for Hazard because of Channel 9, Cincinnati
No Channel 10 for Hazard because of Channel 10, Knoxville
No Channel 11 for Hazard because of Channel 11, Charleston-Huntingdon
No Channel 12 for Hazard because of Channel 12, Cincinnati
No Channel 13 for Hazard because of Channel 13, Huntingdon-Charleston

On co-channel interference separation, this means Grade A & B coverage problems as follows:

No Channel 2 for Hazard, (co-interference with Channel 3, Huntingdon-Charleston, also Channel 2, Sneedville)
No Channel 3 for Hazard, (co-interference with Channel 4, Oak Hill-Beckley)
No Channel 4 for Hazard, (co-interference with Channel 3, Huntingdon-Charleston)
No Channel 5 for Hazard, (co-interference with Channel 6, Knoxville)
No Channel 6 for Hazard, (co-interference with Channel 5, Cincinnati)
No Channel 7 for Hazard, (co-interference with both Channel 8, Charleston and Channel 8, Knoxville)
No Channel 8 for Hazard, (co-interference with Channel 9, Cincinnati)
No Channel 9 for Hazard, (co-interference with Channel 10, Knoxville)
No Channel 10 for Hazard (co-interference with Channel 11, Charleston and Channel 9, Cincinnati)
No Channel 11 for Hazard (co-interference with Channel 10, Knoxville and Channel 12, Cincinnati)
No Channel 12 for Hazard (co-interference with Channel 11, Charleston, and Channel 13, Huntingdon)
No Channel 13 for Hazard (co-interference with Channel 12, Cincinnati)

If the owners of Channel 57 ever even filed an application for a full power VHF, these other channels would mount a challenge to the possible interference that new station would cause to their coverage areas near Hazard. It's done all the time, and denied all the time.

However..

What does let many stations off the hook is, if they don't go full power.. stations can go partial-power, but the FCC is very strict on protecting the signals of those surrounding same and co-channels. The closest VHF Hazard would be able to apply for, would be Channel 7 (because Dayton is just barely within the same-channel separation limit of 220 air-miles), and the power Hazard would get, would be much, much less than full power. At 316,000 max, Hazard would get a signal at less than 50,000 watts, which would be barely enough to get off the mountain. Hazard would get them great, but the rest of the county, and the surrounding counties would not get them at all. Hardly worth the millions of dollars they would spend for a VHF transmitter.

You will find translators on VHF translators scattered all through Eastern Kentucky, but their power outputs are usually about 1,000 watts of effective visual radiated power.

 

[radiorob2.0]

However..

What does let many stations off the hook is, if they don't go full power.. stations can go partial-power, but the FCC is very strict on protecting the signals of those surrounding same and co-channels. The closest VHF Hazard would be able to apply for, would be Channel 7 (because Dayton is just barely within the same-channel separation limit of 220 air-miles), and the power Hazard would get, would be much, much less than full power. At 316,000 max, Hazard would get a signal at less than 50,000 watts, which would be barely enough to get off the mountain. Hazard would get them great, but the rest of the county, and the surrounding counties would not get them at all. Hardly worth the millions of dollars they would spend for a VHF transmitter.

You will find translators on VHF translators scattered all through Eastern Kentucky, but their power outputs are usually about 1,000 watts of effective visual radiated power.

The original Channel 57 WKYH only had 213kw ERP and their antenna was atop a modest tower on Gorman Ridge overlooking Hazard. It was useless if the receiving antenna was on the ground, as was most OTA in the hollers. However, they were on cable systems all over SE KY since the receiving antennas were atop mountains allowing for line of sight. Today, WYMT has a taller tower atop a higher peak with an ERP in the megawatts.

I might be wrong, but VHF translators are far from 1kw, especially at a significant height. UHF translators might be able to secure 1kw. The WBIR translator operating on Channel 7 atop Mayking (Letcher County) was a viewable with lots of noise using rabbit ears less than ten miles away. A clear picture required a high gain antenna and a clear shot through the hills to receive the translator that was so close.

 

[w9wi]

Wouldn't have made a different about getting a VHF allocation to Hazard, Kentucky.. they would have never gotten it, and if they did, it wouldn't have an ERP (effective radiated power) strong enough to get off the mountain.. This will get technical, but it's all FCC data, so bear with me here:

Hazard, Kentucky does not meet the minimum required distance for co-channel or same-channel separation for VHF TV stations in Zone II (Kentucky, and most of the states in the South), using straight line-of-sight mileage, not highway miles.

In Zone II, co-channel separation for full-power VHF TV stations is 180 air-miles (i.e. if you had a station on Channel 8 for example, you'd have to be more than 180 miles away from the nearest Channel 7 or Channel 9).

In Zone II, same-channel separation for full-power VHF TV stations is 220 air-miles (i.e. if you had a station on Channel 8 for example, you'd have to be more than 220 air-miles from the nearest Channel 8).

Co-channel and same-channel are the same thing. In the analog rules, the co-channel separation minimum in Zone II on VHF was 190 miles. (I think you got the 220 mile figure from the co-channel minimum for Zone III, which is right along the Gulf Coast.) The minimum adjacent-channel separation (for channels 7 and 9 vs. a channel 8 ) was 60 miles.

I haven't done the math but I don't think that changes your conclusion, that no VHF channel was available for use at Hazard under the old analog rules.

If the owners of Channel 57 ever even filed an application for a full power VHF, these other channels would mount a challenge to the possible interference that new station would cause to their coverage areas near Hazard. It's done all the time, and denied all the time.

However..

What does let many stations off the hook is, if they don't go full power.. stations can go partial-power, but the FCC is very strict on protecting the signals of those surrounding same and co-channels. The closest VHF Hazard would be able to apply for, would be Channel 7 (because Dayton is just barely within the same-channel separation limit of 220 air-miles), and the power Hazard would get, would be much, much less than full power. ...

That wouldn't have been possible - there was no such thing as a "partial-power" allocation.

Under the analog rules, you could only apply for a channel if that channel was "allotted" to the city you proposed to serve. Before WKYH could move from 57 to 12, it would have to get channel 12 added to the Table of Allocations for Hazard.

To get the channel allotted, they would have to show that a site existed where a channel 12 station operating at 316,000 watts and 600m above average terrain could be built without interfering with any existing station and while providing a "city-grade" signal across Hazard. If no such site existed, channel 12 could not be allotted, and WKYH couldn't use channel 12. Not even if the station actually proposed to use much lower power.

I wonder if the problem for Hazard on channel 7 was WSPA-TV in Spartanburg, SC?

As "csneed5" says, most VHF translators are far less than 1kw. Well into the 21st Century VHF translators were limited to 10 watts transmitter output power in most cases. Antenna gain would increase that but usually not to 1kw. When the digital rules went into effect the limit for analog translators was increased to 3kw ERP (not transmitter output) but few stations run anywhere near that much. UHF translators could use up to 1kw transmitter output under the old rules. (and I know of two permits in upstate NY that specified over 400kw ERP, presumably through the use of VERY directional antennas) The new rule is 150kw ERP analog.