• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Low Power Digital TV Applications in the Dallas Area

TexasTom

TexasTom

The FCC recently concluded a filing window for low power and class A TV stations to file for companion digital channels. Several such applications were filed in the Dallas area, for digital LPs by channels as follows:

Ch 3: 1 application, proposed city of license is De Soto by Mako Communications
Ch 6: 3 applications (Greenville - IGLESIA JESUCRISTO ES MI REFUGIO, Mesquite - Mako, Dallas - Commercial B'casting Corp)
Ch 7: 1 application (Dallas/Mesquite - Mako)
Ch 10: 2 applications (De Soto - Mako, Dallas - Dilip Viswanath)
Ch 12: 2 applications (Corsicana - Ventana Television, De Soto - Tuck Properties)
Ch 56: 1 application (Britton - Mako)

Half of these applications (5 of 10) were filed by the same company: Mako Communications. Not a surprise, since they own the majority of analog LPTVs in the area.
 
Interesting applications. There's also an interesting rule hidden away in the LPTV rules that one of these companies should consider exploiting. It's the one that lets them transmit considerably higher power if they're on an a channel that's allocated for a full-power station.

When channels 2, 4 and 5 shut down their analog transmitters, they're keeping their new UHF channels instead of transmitting VHF-DTV. So it could be that up to three VHF LP stations operate with higher power.

(In analog terms, a VHF LP can normally run 10 watts. But a VHF LP on an "Allocated" frequency can run up to 100 watts.)
 
newsmark said:
When channels 2, 4 and 5 shut down their analog transmitters, they're keeping their new UHF channels instead of transmitting VHF-DTV. So it could be that up to three VHF LP stations operate with higher power.
Click to expand...
Low Band VHF LP's are going to get shredded by ionospheric skip from the handful of full power stations that will remain on those channels.
Channels 2-6 need to be allocated for other uses...not a place for television broadcasting, given new alternatives.
 
newsmark said:
It's the one that lets them transmit considerably higher power if they're on an a channel that's allocated for a full-power station.

When channels 2, 4 and 5 shut down their analog transmitters, they're keeping their new UHF channels instead of transmitting VHF-DTV. So it could be that up to three VHF LP stations operate with higher power.

(In analog terms, a VHF LP can normally run 10 watts. But a VHF LP on an "Allocated" frequency can run up to 100 watts.)
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that rule disappeared sometime in the nineties, when the FCC adjusted it's LPTV/translator maximum power rules. Prior to that adjustment, VHF LPTVs were allowed 10 watts maximum transmitter power output, unless they were operating on an open full power allocation, in which case they were allowed 100 watts transmitter power output. The current rules allow VHF LPTVs to run up to 3 kw effective radiated power (as long as no interference to a full powered station occurs), with no distinction as to whether the LPTV is operating on an allocated frequency or not. In the DTV world, VHF LPTVs will be allowed 300 watts ERP.
 
The funny thing is that I think there's a good chance these LPTV stations will get more viewers as digital stations than they do now as analog. About 25% of this market gets their television over the air, but I suspect that many people don't watch these LPTV stations due to the fuzzy reception. Now a large number of people are watching HDTV stations with antennas. (like me) When these digital LPTV's fire up, many of those folks will be able to get them too - and with a perfect picture.
 
You nailed it, Tested. Within their limited coverage areas, these stations should end up looking very good -- assuming that the owners and management bother to feed a clean picture into a good quality MPEG encoder to ensure at least a decent standard definition picture. That's probably a pretty big "if", unfortunately.

The limitation that these stations will have is in coverage area. Right now, I can receive most of the analog Dallas LPTV stations in Plano, which picture quality ranging from barely viewable to pretty decent (just slightly snowy). From the coverage contours for these applicants on the FCC's website combined with my experience receiving the low powered STAs for KDFI and KDTX when they were at low powered, I suspect that most of these stations will not be receivable up here at all without a really good antenna installation. 300 watts, even on VHF, just isn't enough power to get past Dallas from a Cedar Hill tower site. The exception on this would be the channel 6 applicant that proposed a tower site in downtown Dallas.
 
I live in Plano too and have the same reception you do on the LPTV stations. However, I have a roof mounted antenna pointed at Cedar Hill and have never had a problem getting KDFI-DT. The only area DTV station I can't get is KLDT-DT from that transmitter in Lewisville or Lake Dallas. If these stations go on the air, I suspect I'll be able to get a few of them.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom