LPTV after the conversion, a few questions

[Chad-Stevens]

It's all subjective, and a date hasn't been set yet but...

Will stations that still have alphanumeric callsigns (W34BI, W47DK, etc.) have to obtain a traditional four letters-LD call or be assigned a new alphanumeric call if they change channels?

Will those that do not have a DTV companion channel be able to flash cut on their existing channel?

Will stations that remain post-transition on chs. 2-6 be allowed to remain in analog, and will there be some resolution that allows the increasing ch. 6 LPTV-as-FM's to remain?

 

[Sammi Brie]

It's all subjective, and a date hasn't been set yet but...

Will stations that still have alphanumeric callsigns (W34BI, W47DK, etc.) have to obtain a traditional four letters-LD call or be assigned a new alphanumeric call if they change channels?

Will those that do not have a DTV companion channel be able to flash cut on their existing channel?

Will stations that remain post-transition on chs. 2-6 be allowed to remain in analog, and will there be some resolution that allows the increasing ch. 6 LPTV-as-FM's to remain?

1. Yes. They are licensing quite a few digital translators with calls like K07KV-D.
2. Yes, since that will be the case with many of them. Exception: channels 52+, though most have moved.
3. Probably a no.

 

[dave73]

It's all subjective, and a date hasn't been set yet but...

Will stations that still have alphanumeric callsigns (W34BI, W47DK, etc.) have to obtain a traditional four letters-LD call or be assigned a new alphanumeric call if they change channels?

Will those that do not have a DTV companion channel be able to flash cut on their existing channel?

Will stations that remain post-transition on chs. 2-6 be allowed to remain in analog, and will there be some resolution that allows the increasing ch. 6 LPTV-as-FM's to remain?

For some stations, they have CP's to flash cut to digital on the same channel. W25DW Arbury Hills, IL did just that. They were originally gonna go to RF channel 2 for digital, but changed their mind, & decided to stay on 25, & convert to digital. WOCK-CD is one of those Class A digital stations that is already having a difficult time being on the Lo-VHF & only transmitting at 300 watts (I only get it with a pre-amp, or I wouldn't get it at all, despite having an channel antenna).

LPTV's that are translators don't have to obtain -LD call letters, but would be assigned new call letters if they're moving to a different channel. Otherwise, if they're flash-cutting to digital on the same channel, then the translator's call letters will stay the same. For those that currently have -LP or CA call letters, if they flash cut to digital on the same channel, then they'll either end in -LD (Low Power Digital) or -CD (Class A Digital). Companion channels will automatically end in -LD (if the analog is a -CA station) until they decide which channel they'll keep. Weigel's WWME-LD in Chicago is one that has to decide if they'll stay on RF 39, or convert WWME-CA to digital & return to RF 23. WWME-CA 23 is still broadcasting in analog.

As for those using channel 6 as FM stations (WLFM-LP Chicago is one of those stations), they'll lose that capability in another year or 2 to broadcast channel 6 as an FM station. The ATSC standard can't broadcast the audio portion of the signal to radios (probably can't broadcast on digital radio either due to different digital standards). As a result, stations that took advantage of the audio on 87.7 (actually 87.75mhz) lost that capability once those who were on channel 6 for analog returned to channel 6 for digital. I don't know how many stations are currently broadcasting on channel 6 in digital. I only know of WPVI-TV Philadelphia, & they were forced to return to 6, because they were on 61 for pre-transitional digital, but 61 was out of core.

 

[azumanga]

As for those using channel 6 as FM stations (WLFM-LP Chicago is one of those stations), they'll lose that capability in another year or 2 to broadcast channel 6 as an FM station. The ATSC standard can't broadcast the audio portion of the signal to radios (probably can't broadcast on digital radio either due to different digital standards). As a result, stations that took advantage of the audio on 87.7 (actually 87.75mhz) lost that capability once those who were on channel 6 for analog returned to channel 6 for digital.

The only hope for 87.7 to continue as a radio station would be to reappropriate the low VHF stations for FM radio use. With low-powered Channel 6 stations existing and the low-VHF stations bad for digital broadcasts, it would be very easy to determine the solution.

 

[RyanHoward]

It's all subjective, and a date hasn't been set yet but...

Will stations that still have alphanumeric callsigns (W34BI, W47DK, etc.) have to obtain a traditional four letters-LD call or be assigned a new alphanumeric call if they change channels?

Will those that do not have a DTV companion channel be able to flash cut on their existing channel?

Will stations that remain post-transition on chs. 2-6 be allowed to remain in analog, and will there be some resolution that allows the increasing ch. 6 LPTV-as-FM's to remain?

For some stations, they have CP's to flash cut to digital on the same channel. W25DW Arbury Hills, IL did just that. They were originally gonna go to RF channel 2 for digital, but changed their mind, & decided to stay on 25, & convert to digital. WOCK-CD is one of those Class A digital stations that is already having a difficult time being on the Lo-VHF & only transmitting at 300 watts (I only get it with a pre-amp, or I wouldn't get it at all, despite having an channel antenna).

LPTV's that are translators don't have to obtain -LD call letters, but would be assigned new call letters if they're moving to a different channel. Otherwise, if they're flash-cutting to digital on the same channel, then the translator's call letters will stay the same. For those that currently have -LP or CA call letters, if they flash cut to digital on the same channel, then they'll either end in -LD (Low Power Digital) or -CD (Class A Digital). Companion channels will automatically end in -LD (if the analog is a -CA station) until they decide which channel they'll keep. Weigel's WWME-LD in Chicago is one that has to decide if they'll stay on RF 39, or convert WWME-CA to digital & return to RF 23. WWME-CA 23 is still broadcasting in analog.

As for those using channel 6 as FM stations (WLFM-LP Chicago is one of those stations), they'll lose that capability in another year or 2 to broadcast channel 6 as an FM station. The ATSC standard can't broadcast the audio portion of the signal to radios (probably can't broadcast on digital radio either due to different digital standards). As a result, stations that took advantage of the audio on 87.7 (actually 87.75mhz) lost that capability once those who were on channel 6 for analog returned to channel 6 for digital. I don't know how many stations are currently broadcasting on channel 6 in digital. I only know of WPVI-TV Philadelphia, & they were forced to return to 6, because they were on 61 for pre-transitional digital, but 61 was out of core.

WPVI-TV was on Channel 64 before the DTV transition.

 

[w9wi]

Will stations that still have alphanumeric callsigns (W34BI, W47DK, etc.) have to obtain a traditional four letters-LD call or be assigned a new alphanumeric call if they change channels?

Nobody is required to obtain a four-letter-LD call. They may opt to obtain one if they wish.

Yes, if they change channels they will receive a new alphanumeric call.

Will those that do not have a DTV companion channel be able to flash cut on their existing channel?

Yes. Quite a few already have. (and quite a few have filed applications recently) As Raymie says, those whose existing channel is above 51 will (probably) not be able to flash-cut on their existing channel.

Will stations that remain post-transition on chs. 2-6 be allowed to remain in analog, and will there be some resolution that allows the increasing ch. 6 LPTV-as-FM's to remain?

The FCC has not yet issued a final decision.

However, IMHO there is VERY LITTLE chance 2-6 will be allowed to remain analog. Also IMHO, there is very little chance the LPTV-6-as-FM facilities will be allowed to remain. I suppose there is a slightly better chance that the Commission will allow expansion of the FM band into part or all of the 54-88MHz spectrum. Only slightly better though, as I don't think the NAB would accept such a move.
_________________________________________________

(probably can't broadcast on digital radio either due to different digital standards)

Absolutely. ATSC digital TV and IBOC/HD Radio are VERY different digital standards, not mutually-compatible.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

WNEO/45 Alliance OH's fill-in translator for Youngstown was W58AM as analog 58, and is now W44CR-D as digital 44. So, that's both a -D call and a number change in one.

 

[Chad-Stevens]

Couple more questions:

Re: PSIP. A lot of LPTVs have had to switch channels before and during the DTV transition. Is there any decision as to which channel they will ID with post transition.

Will Class A stations and LPTVs have separate transitions?

Some LPTV's would appear to gain a large coverage increase if the FCC's signal countours are to be believed: (WBXA-CA analog (RF 2) vs. digital (RF 12)) Assuming that the TBN's keep their five flavors and the LPTV-as-translators keep the same feeds as their primaries, are there any new networks springing up to serve the rest as we saw with full-power DTV? (RTV, Universal Sports, etc.)

 

[w9wi]

Re: PSIP. A lot of LPTVs have had to switch channels before and during the DTV transition. Is there any decision as to which channel they will ID with post transition.

I'd have to double-check whether the ATSC standards are incorporated by reference into the digital LPTV regulations. Quite a few full-power analog regulations do not apply to LPTV. (that's why the channel-6-as-FM-radio things work)

Assuming they *do* apply, a digital LPTV that once had an analog signal is required to use its old analog channel as its digital virtual channel. If W58AM converted to digital as W44CR-D on physical channel 44, it's to use virtual channel 58. However... the ATSC standards also allow for commonly-controlled stations in the same area to use the same virtual channel. W44CR-D, co-owned with & simulcasting WNEO, virtual channel 45, could also use virtual channel 45.

Will Class A stations and LPTVs have separate transitions?

The rules are not final but I would be VERY VERY VERY surprised if they have separate transitions.

Some LPTV's would appear to gain a large coverage increase if the FCC's signal countours are to be believed: (WBXA-CA analog (RF 2) vs. digital (RF 12)) Assuming that the TBN's keep their five flavors and the LPTV-as-translators keep the same feeds as their primaries, are there any new networks springing up to serve the rest as we saw with full-power DTV? (RTV, Universal Sports, etc.)

The coverage parameters are widely believed to be pretty optimistic.

The old analog coverage parameters assumed an outdoor antenna 30 feet high. Back then, in the early 1950s, a fair number of people actually had an outdoor antenna 30 feet high... and obviously, that's no longer the case today -- but coverage parameters still assume an outdoor antenna.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

W44CR-D, co-owned with & simulcasting WNEO, virtual channel 45, could also use virtual channel 45.

Which indeed, it does.

Since WNEO still has a pretty significant overlap with W44CR-D in the Youngstown area, many OTA viewers get two 45.x's, and since WNEO has a bunch of subchannels, its channels appear in 8 places on digital tuners in areas that are getting both.

 

[pab]

(probably can't broadcast on digital radio either due to different digital standards)

Absolutely. ATSC digital TV and IBOC/HD Radio are VERY different digital standards, not mutually-compatible.

I'd rather see the FCC reassign low-VHF for experimental DAB broadcasting using the European system than I-Buzz.

 

[tripinva]

Assuming they *do* apply, a digital LPTV that once had an analog signal is required to use its old analog channel as its digital virtual channel. If W58AM converted to digital as W44CR-D on physical channel 44, it's to use virtual channel 58.

To my knowledge, the requirement is that LP stations have static PSIP but are not required to have dynamic PSIP. I haven't seen the FCC be too strict on whether an LP maps to the analog or digital channel, unless there's a conflict with another broadcaster.

For example, WVIR (29-1) has two translators on the other side of the mountains, and they have overlapping coverage. W41DT-D is translating it as 29-1, since translators are allowed to map to the same channel as the parent, even though the analog had been on 31. When W30CT-D signs on later this month, it will map to 30-1 (FCC permission already granted) to prevent a conflict, even though the analog was on 28.

Daystar has been consistently mapping its LPTV stations to the analog channel number, as has Weigel. Otherwise, it's a patchwork of different major channel numbers, particularly in cluttered areas like Los Angeles.

- Trip

 

[w9wi]

To my knowledge, the requirement is that LP stations have static PSIP but are not required to have dynamic PSIP. I haven't seen the FCC be too strict on whether an LP maps to the analog or digital channel, unless there's a conflict with another broadcaster.

For example, WVIR (29-1) has two translators on the other side of the mountains, and they have overlapping coverage. W41DT-D is translating it as 29-1, since translators are allowed to map to the same channel as the parent, even though the analog had been on 31. When W30CT-D signs on later this month, it will map to 30-1 (FCC permission already granted) to prevent a conflict, even though the analog was on 28.

Certainly, they don't seem to be going out of their way to enforce this. Actually, the only local digital LP here has no PSIP whatsoever -- no virtual channel table at all. On most TVs they seem to come up as 31-x. (RF channel 31, PMT program number x, where I forget what x is... for most stations it would be 3 on the first program but for these guys IIRC it's something else...)

 

[Joey1986]

Assuming they *do* apply, a digital LPTV that once had an analog signal is required to use its old analog channel as its digital virtual channel.  If W58AM converted to digital as W44CR-D on physical channel 44, it's to use virtual channel 58.

To my knowledge, the requirement is that LP stations have static PSIP but are not required to have dynamic PSIP.  I haven't seen the FCC be too strict on whether an LP maps to the analog or digital channel, unless there's a conflict with another broadcaster.

For example, WVIR (29-1) has two translators on the other side of the mountains, and they have overlapping coverage.  W41DT-D is translating it as 29-1, since translators are allowed to map to the same channel as the parent, even though the analog had been on 31.  When W30CT-D signs on later this month, it will map to 30-1 (FCC permission already granted) to prevent a conflict, even though the analog was on 28.

Daystar has been consistently mapping its LPTV stations to the analog channel number, as has Weigel.  Otherwise, it's a patchwork of different major channel numbers, particularly in cluttered areas like Los Angeles.

- Trip

For example, here in Los Angeles, KNLA-LD (a relay of full-power KBBC-DT channel 20 in Bishop, CA) is on RF channel 50 (while still in analog on channel 27), but DTV tuners map it to 20.x (KNLA is on 20.1, while 20.2 simulcasts still-analog KNET-CA channel 25, and 20.3 simulcasts still-analog KHTV-LP channel 67, and 20.4 carries Corner Store TV).