New tower, antenna for KERA

[JHBrandt]

Tried to post this a week ago but radiodiscussions.com was acting up, so I posted this at avsforum.com:

Looks like KERA will be moving to a new tower & transmitting antenna soon: http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws...5328&Service=DT&Form_id=340&Facility_id=49324. Due to technical constraints, a few rural viewers will see some changes.

Most viewers will see little change. A few folks south of the metroplex will lose KERA, but many of them have KNCT to turn to. (A small number will be out of range of both.)

On the plus side, if this is approved some viewers east and west of the metroplex will see their KERA reception improve. It appears more folks will gain KERA than will lose it.

KERA is requesting a waiver of the FCC's current freeze on full-power stations expanding their service contour, due to circumstances beyond their control (their current tower is being dismantled by the landowner, and the new tower, shared by many other TV and FM stations, has insufficient room for an omnidirectional RF 14 antenna).

Wonder what organization owns the tower holding the current KERA antenna?

It's one of the Richland sites in Cedar Hill:

http://www.richlandtowers.com/OpenHouse/OpenHouseDisplay.asp?p1=1099&p9=I&Cat=119

It's just south of Cedar Hill High school with housing developments nearby. I'd guess that that land is worth more than a tower facility.

 

[crackedscreen]

Whatever happened to them wanting to go to RF 13 post-transition?

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

Whatever happened to them wanting to go to RF 13 post-transition?

That would have interfered with KAKW in Killeen.

 

[JHBrandt]

That may yet happen due to the spectrum repacking slated for 2015. Since KAKW is south of the metroplex, KERA could move back to RF 13 and avoid interference by using a directional antenna, a la KFWD today.

 

[tripinva]

Of course, given what KTVT learned first-hand, I'm sure KERA is glad they were denied permission to move to 13.

- Trip

 

[crackedscreen]

I believe stations can make VHF-Hi work just as well as UHF, using directional antennas, circular polarization, and enough power. At least 60kw.

 

[JHBrandt]

Of course, given what KTVT learned first-hand, I'm sure KERA is glad they were denied permission to move [back] to 13.

- Trip

Yes, it was definitely a blessing in disguise.

 

[gbranch]

There were a couple of problems with the way ATSC was originally implemented in the VHF-Hi band:

1. Most stations grossly underestimated the power required to cover the same area as their NTSC signal.
2. Antenna manufacturers were chasing smaller, less obstrusive designs and in many cases were not even including VHF in their designs.

We have one VHF station in our market, KLTV on RF channel 7, at 66kW. It provides a very solid signal most of the time. We do have issues with dropouts due to lightning during thunderstorms, and the signal completely pixelates when we are running our microwave oven. None of our UHF stations have these issues.

 

[JHBrandt]

I should have pointed this out at the time, but better late than never. The FCC granted KERA's application back in June. But I don't know when they'll start using the new antenna. (They may have done so already, for all I know.)

Greg - sounds like it's time to replace that microwave!

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

I should have pointed this out at the time, but better late than never. The FCC granted KERA's application back in June. But I don't know when they'll start using the new antenna. (They may have done so already, for all I know.)

KERA hasn't moved yet and there's still much to be done. Although I don't have a timetable, it won't be anytime real soon for the relocation to Richland South (Tar Road).

 

[JHBrandt]

Purely speculation, but I figure they're shooting for around Thanksgiving. Based on their application, they have to get it done by the end of the year, preferably before any chance of bad winter weather.

Doesn't mean they'll make it by that date though. Big complex projects like this have a way of slipping. So if I were to guess I'd say it'll be early to mid-December.