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Latest Area Repack Developments

channel99 said:
More on the work that remains to be done on the CBS tower from an STA extension request by WNEU, which was approved today:

WNEU’s new repack channel antenna was temporarily installed at a lower height to
allow WNEU to cease operations on its pre-auction channel by the phase 4 deadline, and because
WNEU’s new repack channel antenna cannot be moved up to its final position until American
Tower completes additional work needed on top of the tower. The additional tower work needed
includes the removal of an existing double-stacked broadband antenna system shared by four
repacked television stations and two FM radio station antennas, the installation of a new antenna
support structure for the new top-mounted broadband antenna to be shared by the four repacked
television stations, and the reinstallation of the FM antennas, among other things. This work is
currently estimated to be completed in Spring 2020. Accordingly, an extension of the WNEU
STA is hereby requested so that WNEU may continue serving its viewers with its interim
facilities.

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076ff36efa9535016efb2244ca0341
Click to expand...

WNEU today requested an extension of this just-approved request until July 27, 2020, adding a few more details, including that the two FM stations which must have their antennas temporarily removed are WBUR and WKLB. WBUR requested that work not begin until the end of December, since they are currently running an on-air fund raising event:

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076f916eff50b9016f0fbf01601b36
 
I have a hunch that some transmitter testing must be going on today in Needham:

* Both WCVB Channels are completely missing (I assume either off the air or signal too weak to register on my TV).

* All of the WGBX / WBTS channels are too weak to decode.

* And...Telemundo is blasting through (tv signal meter readings from 72 to 78) on WNEU 60.3 at my location 5 mi. SE of Providence.

Anyone else notice anything going on testing related?
 
Here in Somerville, MA about 12 miles NE of Newton/Needham I'm not noticing much difference with the two WCVB channels. They're both still solid here though down to three "bars" out of the maximum four on my set.

As of today the VHF WGBH/WGBX channels on RF 5 (virtuals 2.1, 24.1, 44.1) are now very weak. Coming in either all broken up or all chopped up (or maybe even both at once). The UHF WGBH/WGBX channels are still solid here but down to three "bars" out of four.

The WBTS channels 15.1 and 15.2 are still solid here with three out of four "bars"

I first noticed WNEU 60.3 on yesterday, added to 60.1 and 60.2, but it looks like it must be coming from a different transmitter or site because I get 60.1 and 60.2 with three "bars" and 60.3 with four.

The odd thing here is that since two days ago I'm now scanning in WLEK-LD virtual 22 Concord, NH and its three subchannels, listed as transmitting from Mt. Sunapee, NH even farther northwest, with a steady signal at two "bars" too strong and consistent to be a temporary "skip". I've never even seen any of the full-power NH stations down here since since they switched off of snowy analog reception in 2009, let alone an LD. Has this station relocated its transmitter?

Channel 83 said:
I have a hunch that some transmitter testing must be going on today in Needham:

* Both WCVB Channels are completely missing (I assume either off the air or signal too weak to register on my TV).

* All of the WGBX / WBTS channels are too weak to decode.

* And...Telemundo is blasting through (tv signal meter readings from 72 to 78) on WNEU 60.3 at my location 5 mi. SE of Providence.

Anyone else notice anything going on testing related?
Click to expand...
 
tripinva said:
Yes, WLEK-LD is near Peabody. https://www.rabbitears.info/contour.php?appid=25076ff370127873017016053eab04a1&site=1&map=Y

What programming is it airing? I'm going to take a wild guess that 22-1 is Azteca America, 22-2 and 22-3 are infomercials, and 22-4 is color bars. How close am I?

- Trip
Click to expand...

That appears to be correct. Their COL is still listed as Concord, NH. Very unlikely that they would still come in OTA up there with this southward directional LD signal from Peabody.

The WGBH/WGBX signals on RF 5 (2.1, 24.1, 44.1) appear to be back on full power.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
Here in Somerville, MA about 12 miles NE of Newton/Needham I'm not noticing much difference with the two WCVB channels. They're both still solid here though down to three "bars" out of the maximum four on my set.

As of today the VHF WGBH/WGBX channels on RF 5 (virtuals 2.1, 24.1, 44.1) are now very weak. Coming in either all broken up or all chopped up (or maybe even both at once). The UHF WGBH/WGBX channels are still solid here but down to three "bars" out of four.

The WBTS channels 15.1 and 15.2 are still solid here with three out of four "bars"

I first noticed WNEU 60.3 on yesterday, added to 60.1 and 60.2, but it looks like it must be coming from a different transmitter or site because I get 60.1 and 60.2 with three "bars" and 60.3 with four.

The odd thing here is that since two days ago I'm now scanning in WLEK-LD virtual 22 Concord, NH and its three subchannels, listed as transmitting from Mt. Sunapee, NH even farther northwest, with a steady signal at two "bars" too strong and consistent to be a temporary "skip". I've never even seen any of the full-power NH stations down here since since they switched off of snowy analog reception in 2009, let alone an LD. Has this station relocated its transmitter?
Click to expand...

WNEU plans to add another subchannel, "LX", on 60-3 soon. They may have been checking the encoder config using the Telemundo signal.

A post elsewhere included an email reply from WGBH that their power increase is expected in March, dependent on receipt of equipment on order. They could have reduced power to do some preliminary work.
 
Ah yes! That tower in Peabody! It looms over I-95 and US Route 1, just north of where MA Route 128 merges into I-95. I tried to listen to WJMN-FM 94.5 ("Jam'n 94.5") here in the past. I knew it was for 93.7, since WJMN-FM would be more or less obliterated for about 2 minutes.
 
jlehmann said:
WLEK-LD is on the same tower as 93.7 in Peabody. It’s coming in we’ll here on the south shore when I point due north.
Click to expand...

I'm getting it with two of four "bars" here in Somerville with my directional Terk indoor antenna pointed away from it!

I point it toward the southwest toward Route 128 Newton/Needham, and beyond that in the same direction, Rhode Island, where I get WJAR (10) with three or four "bars" and WLNE (6) with two. That also points westward enough to get the stations on Hudson (66, 68) with three "bars" (and some pixellation on 66).
 
Yesterday I noticed WBTS 15.3 and 15.4 back on the air, with the same programming as 15.1 (NBC) and 15.2 (Cozi) respectively.

Though they're all coming in with my sets maximum of four "bars" here in Somerville, I think the .3 and .4 may not be on the same transmitter as the .1 and .2.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
Yesterday I noticed WBTS 15.3 and 15.4 back on the air, with the same programming as 15.1 (NBC) and 15.2 (Cozi) respectively.

Though they're all coming in with my sets maximum of four "bars" here in Somerville, I think the .3 and .4 may not be on the same transmitter as the .1 and .2.
Click to expand...

15.3 and 15.4 are on the WNEU transmitter joining 60.1 (TeleMundo) and 60.2 (Xitos). This gives them redundancy between two towers, since 15.1 and 15.2 are on the WGBX signal from Cabot St, while WNEU is on the CBS tower, though not at the top yet due to ongoing construction. A week ago they also duplicated 60.1 as 60.3 on the WBZ signal (on the Cabot St tower).
 
I know this is the Boston/Manchester thread, but does anyone know if WPRI in Providence is boosting their signal? They moved to RF 7 at the time of the repack and it became much more difficult to receive the station. But last night, I was getting their signal almost as strongly as the Boston stations. This morning, the signal was weak. And then an hour later, the signal had become very strong again
 
Kbirdusa said:
I know this is the Boston/Manchester thread, but does anyone know if WPRI in Providence is boosting their signal? They moved to RF 7 at the time of the repack and it became much more difficult to receive the station. But last night, I was getting their signal almost as strongly as the Boston stations. This morning, the signal was weak. And then an hour later, the signal had become very strong again
Click to expand...

WPRI is one of the few stations in this area that moved without problems, and has no pending applications for changes.
 
Some Boston TV stations on Reduced Power

According to a posting on the avsforum.com in the HDTV Reception Section for Boston, some Boston area stations have filed reduced power notifications with the FCC today due to antenna failures.

Also WSBE Providence is off the air tonight.
 
alg2468 said:
According to a posting on the avsforum.com in the HDTV Reception Section for Boston, some Boston area stations have filed reduced power notifications with the FCC today due to antenna failures.

Also WSBE Providence is off the air tonight.
Click to expand...


Here's the info I had posted on the other forum:

WBZ,WFXT, and WSBK each filed reduced power notifications with the FCC today due to the damage that occurred the weekend before last. Apparently they still have to further assess the damage before repairs can be completed. No filing from WGBX today. but they are likely also affected.

WBZ is now using 170 kW of it's licensed 850 kW
WFXT is now using 200 kW of it's licensed 1000 kW
WSBK is now using 73 kW of it's licensed 183 kW


The WBZ filing:

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076ff3706e8b7301707d49d15e091f

CBS Television Licenses LLC (ViacomCBS), licensee of WBZ-TV, Boston, MA (the
“Station”) is in the process of replacing the Station’s primary transmitter and antenna system as
part of the broadcast spectrum incentive auction repack. To facilitate this work, WBZ-TV has
been operating using its permanently licensed 850 kW ERP auxiliary facility since August,
2019. 1
Approximately 1:30 am on February 16, 2020, WBZ-TV and other stations using the
shared auxiliary antenna system suffered an outage. It was found that reliable operation was
possible only after significant power reductions were made by all stations. The WBZ-TV ERP
was reduced by 80% to approximately 170 kW and has remained at that power level for nine
days.
Preliminary research suggests one of the antenna power dividers as a likely culprit. Efforts
to obtain a tower crew, necessary equipment, and replacement parts to remove and repair the power
divider are now underway. It has not yet been determined if this work can be done within 30 days
of the initial outage. It is also unknown whether other portions of the antenna system have suffered
damage. In the event further complications prevent timely repairs, ViacomCBS will submit a
request for Special Temporary Authority as required by §73.1560(d) of the FCC Rules. Upon
successful resolution of the current troubles, we will notify the FCC.
 
channel99 said:
WPRI is one of the few stations in this area that moved without problems, and has no pending applications for changes.
Click to expand...

I used to occasionally get WPRI here in Somerville, MA in certain weather conditions when it was on RF 13. I haven't seen it at all since it moved to RF 7.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
I used to occasionally get WPRI here in Somerville, MA in certain weather conditions when it was on RF 13. I haven't seen it at all since it moved to RF 7.
Click to expand...

If I recall correctly, they are using about the same power from the same tower. However ch 7 is slightly more likely to have RF noise interference than ch 13.
 
channel99 said:
If I recall correctly, they are using about the same power from the same tower. However ch 7 is slightly more likely to have RF noise interference than ch 13.
Click to expand...

Nearby towers, but not the same. WPRI and WNAC were sharing the WPRI analog tower and antenna. Now, only WNAC is on that tower. WPRI is now on the tower that once hosted the WNAC analog.

- Trip
 
tripinva said:
Nearby towers, but not the same. WPRI and WNAC were sharing the WPRI analog tower and antenna. Now, only WNAC is on that tower. WPRI is now on the tower that once hosted the WNAC analog.

- Trip
Click to expand...

Nexstar owns both towers. I had just assumed WPRI was already on one and WNAC on the other. Well now they are...
 
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