No more Channel 6 (KOTV) at 87.7FM

[Zero Zagnut]

http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=9868001

I tuned 87.7 in after the digital conversion and heard some sort of Mexican
gibberish, kind of like a cross between Charlie Brown's teacher and Charro
on Lortabs. I remember as a kid how cool I thought it was to hear Channel
Six on 87.7FM. Of course, this was way back when there were very few
FMers in Tulsa. KBEZ (the elevator music days), KWEN (the rock days),
KRAV (the Kravis days), KMOD (the hippie days) and maybe one or two
others. Man, am I an old fart or what?

 

[GeneSavage]

Give it 10 minutes; you'll hear the same spiel in English, telling you how to get DTV reception.

Give it 2 weeks, & it'll be gone forever.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

It sounds like 87.7 would fine place to put pirate up in a couple weeks. LOL! I wonder how long it will be before someone in Tulsa tries that?

 

[stan]

With the death of analog channel 6 nationwide, will the frequency become available where KOTV (or other stations around the country) could still broadcast their audio on that frequency?

 

[fybush]

With the death of analog channel 6 nationwide, will the frequency become available where KOTV (or other stations around the country) could still broadcast their audio on that frequency?

No. Channel 6 (82-88 MHz) is still part of the TV spectrum, and the only authorized uses of that spectrum, at least under current rules, are DTV stations (there are some on channel 6 around the country) and low-power analog TV.

As convenient as it was that channel 6 analog audio could be heard on the bottom of most FM radios, it was nonetheless more a "happy accident" than any deliberate policy decision by the FCC, and it's highly unlikely that the FCC would authorize the new service category that would be required to allow stations like KOTV to reactivate their old analog audio carriers under new licenses.

(Even if someone applied to do so, there would be a tremendous backlash from non-commercial FM radio interests, who have been eager to see TV channel 6 operation go away so they can expand their signals without the significant restrictions that they have to deal with in markets that have/had channel 6 stations.)

 

[boiseengineer]

There are only a couple Class D FM stations authorized for 87.9 (Channel 200). But that could change when channel 6 licenses are finally canceled.

Sec. 73.512 Special procedures applicable to Class D noncommercial
educational stations.

(2) If a commercial channel is unavailable, to the extent possible
each applicant should propose operation on Channel 200 (87.9 MHz) unless
the station would be within 402 kilometers (250 miles) of the Canadian
border or 320 kilometers (199 miles) of the Mexican border or would
cause interference to an FM station operating on Channels 201, 202, or
203 or to TV Channel 6, as provided in Sec. 73.509.

 

[GeneSavage]

...I thought the FM band ended at 88.1 MHz, & being able to pick up 87.7 (or 87.9) was just the result of sloppy tuner design that allowed it to go below the end of the dial?

I've had FM radios that wouldn't drop low enough to pick up KOTV's audio in the past...

 

[Kent]

...I thought the FM band ended at 88.1 MHz, & being able to pick up 87.7 (or 87.9) was just the result of sloppy tuner design that allowed it to go below the end of the dial?

I know there's an 87.9 in the San Francisco area. Its calls are KSFH (http://www.ksfh.com). The story I heard was that it was a class D FM that was booted from its frequency when a full power station either signed on or moved.

 

[ionosphere]

...I thought the FM band ended at 88.1 MHz, & being able to pick up 87.7 (or 87.9) was just the result of sloppy tuner design that allowed it to go below the end of the dial?

I know there's an 87.9 in the San Francisco area. Its calls are KSFH (http://www.ksfh.com). The story I heard was that it was a class D FM that was booted from its frequency when a full power station either signed on or moved.

This is a 10 watter operated by a high school.

 

[charlestace]

In saying goodbye to Channel 6 audio on 87.7, I am reminded of an incident which happened to a friend of mine, many years ago, when trying out a new car stereo. This was back in the days before digital readouts on radios, so tuning was by-guess-and-by-golly.

So my friend is tuning down the dial, when he comes across some interesting sound effects and music. The following ensued:

87.7: (noise, music, SFX)

Friend: What is THIS???

87.7: This is . . . CBS.