Over-the-air cable television translators?

[crainbebo]

As of Wikipedia, I have heard that Iron Mountain, MI, Iowa Falls, IA and a few scattered cities around the USA used TV translators for cable stations. I see that the Iowa Falls lineup was:

K19DX (Lifetime)
K25FA (Spice Channel) (also Weather Channel according to Jeff Kadet (K1MOD) Macomb, IL)
K27EW (Family Channel)
K33EW (Nickelodeon)
K35EG (TBS)
K45EF (The Learning Channel)
K47EK (Showtime)
K49DZ (CMT)
K51EP (A&E)
K53FD (Sports)
K55EG (TCM)
K57GN (?)
K59FM (Headline News)
K61GF (TBS)

-crainbebo

 

[kc0ltv]

Dozens of cities (and small towns), especially in Minnesota, used UHF translators as an "over-the-air cable system" in the 1980's and 1990's. Many, if not most, of these systems were still operating in 2000, but since all but a few have shut down, probably from competition from satellite TV (or longer cable lines).

Most scrambled their signal, and therefore required a subscription and a descrambler box. We had a BEAM TV installation, which operated in Duluth from roughly 1992 (?) to 1996 and had 8 channels:

15 Sci-Fi Channel
27 CNN
30 TBS
32 USA Network
34 Discovery Channel
38 The Family Channel
56 Showtime (you had to pay extra $$)
60 Nickelodeon

The antenna install also enhanced reception of K58CM, a TBN relay, which I believe was at the same site.

In one city, there is a completely open "UHF cable" system that relies on donations, SelecTV in Alexandria, MN. They are still operating, right now with this line-up, according to Northpine.com:

14 K14LZ | ABC
16 K16CO | KSTC (Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN Independent)
18 K18DJ | KARE (Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN NBC)
21 K21GN | CBC
26 K26CL | WUCW (Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN CW)
30 K30AF | PBS
32 K32EB | FamilyNet
34 K34AF | RFD TV
38 K38AC | KMSP (Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN FOX)
47 K47KZ | Discovery Channel
48 K48DV | WFTC (Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN My)
50 K50DB | Weather Channel
51 K51JY | Hallmark
52 K52DZ | History Channel
55 K55ID | GAC
57 K58DS | MSNBC
62 K62AU | C-SPAN
67 K67HI | Outdoor Channel

The stations transmit between 1.3 and 1.6 kW of ERP.

They also have CP's for 400w DTV translators on 27 and 57.

 

[kc0ltv]

Also still operating:

Granite Falls - MN Valley TV Improvement (scrambled)
( http://www.mvtvwireless.com/pages/television.htm )

16 FSN
18 WCCO (CBS)
22 KSTC (Ind)
24 KRWF (ABC)
26 Weather Channel
32 WFTC
35 Discovery
45 ESPN
47 USA
63 KMSP (FOX)
67 KARE (NBC)
69 CNN

Redwood Falls, MN (Redwood TV Improvement, scrambled)

17 AMC
19 WFTC (My)
25 KSTC (Ind)
39 CNN
46 Discovery
48 TBS
50 KRWF (ABC)
52 History
56 KTCA (PBS)
58 FSN
60 KMSP (FOX)
62 WCCO (CBS)
68 KARE (NBC)

St. James, MN (Cooperative TV Assn of Southern MN; Some scrambled, some not)

14 FSN
16 Discovery
21 CNN
24 ESPN
26 TBS
29 KARE-DT (Digital)
30 KSTP (ABC)
31 KTCA-DT (PBS) (Digital)
32 KMSP-DT (FOX) (Digital)
34 KSTP-DT (ABC) (Digital)
35 TNT
40 FamilyNet
41 WCCO (CBS)
42 KSTC (ABC)
44 WFTC (My)
46 KTCA (PBS)
48 Showtime
49 WUCW (CW)
50 KMSP (FOX)
52 KARE (NBC)

 

[mjlarochelle]

There are some translators in Montana that carry CISA/7 Lethbridge, Alberta (Global).

In Canada there are some remote regions that have satellite-fed translators broadcasting cable channels in scrambled format, usually under callsigns starting with "CH" followed by four numbers. Typically the channels broadcast are TSN, A&E, CNN, Spike, and MuchMusic. Some areas also get a full set of Detroit network affiliates in this manner, and I think stations such as CITV/13 Edmonton have been known to show up in some places.

A couple spots in Atlantic Canada also get ASN this way, and in Ontario, there are translators broadcasting the Ontario Legislature channel and the provincially-owned French-language TFO network. There are also three full-power stations broadcasting TFO in Hawkesbury, Pembroke, and Sudbury. In BC, the provincially-owned Knowledge Network is transmitted over translators in some remote areas. And in Alberta, ACCESS is technically considered a satellite-to-cable undertaking like ASN, but it also broadcasts over full-power stations in Edmonton and Calgary.

In mountainous regions of BC, there are some local television associations that operate multiple translators in a community. Typically they rebroadcast CHAN/8 from Vancouver and another station. These were established to bring CTV and CBC service to these areas, as CHAN was originally a CTV affiliate and many of the other stations (such as CFJC/4 Kamloops) were CBC affiliates which are now independent.

 

[FreddyE1977]

an over-the-air UHF translator carries the Spice Channel in Iowa?

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

I'm sure CrainBebo meant to say "Spike TV" (formerly Nashville/National Network)--and probably selected for the Iowa Falls "OTA cable" translator system back in its Nashville Network days.

 

[BRNout]

There was such a system running in the 4 corners region (based near Cortez, CO) back in the mid 1990s. You used to be able to pick up Canadian network channels and a couple of cable channels over the air there (CNN?), via UHF translators. I'd be shocked if they are still running those translators.

 

[dhett]

Duncan AZ has such a system. It's been awhile since I've been out there and I don't know what is still running on it anymore. When I last checked, they were beginning to reduce the number of traditionally cable-only stations offered. The cable stations were minimally scrambled, as were a few of the broadcast stations, selected both from Tucson and Phoenix, as well as one from Silver City NM.

 

[FreddyE1977]

I'm sure CrainBebo meant to say "Spike TV" (formerly Nashville/National Network)--and probably selected for the Iowa Falls "OTA cable" translator system back in its Nashville Network days.

yeah, I wouldn't think they'd let soft porn on there. I remember an LPTV pirate station that was broadcasting porn in Lansing, Michigan in the late 80's. They drew an awful lot of attention!

 

[Bluenoser]

There was such a system running in the 4 corners region (based near Cortez, CO) back in the mid 1990s. You used to be able to pick up Canadian network channels and a couple of cable channels over the air there (CNN?), via UHF translators. I'd be shocked if they are still running those translators.

from W9WI.com- Cortez's fuil translator list:
6 K06JF (KREZ-CBS Durango//KRQE Albuquerque)
7 K07UY (KJZZ-My Salt Lake City)
9 K09DM (KOAT-ABC Albuquerque)
14 K14JS-D (CBUT-CBC Vancouver)
16 K16CT-D (CJON-NTV St. John's; runs Global and select CTV programs)
18 K18DR-D (NASA TV)
20 K20DI (KREZ)
22 K22CU-D (KWGN-CW Denver)
24 K24CH-D (KUSA-CBS Denver)
26 K26CI-D (KRMJ-PBS Grand Junction)
27 K27IG-D (G4 Tech TV)
28 K28EB-D (Ion)
29 K29GO-D (Outdoor Channel)
30 K30HJ-D (ANC)
31 K31CT (KTLA-CW Los Angeles)
32 K32IJ (???)
35 K35CH-D (KJCT-ABC Grand Junction)
39 K39EY-D (Univision)
41 K41DE (KSJD local educational)
47/50 K50IV (KOBF-NBC Farmington//KOB Albuqerque)
49 K49EQ-D (WGN- WGN America feed?)
51 K51DB-D (KASA-Fox Albuquerque)
56 K56JI-D (Ion)

 

[Bluenoser]

Duncan AZ has such a system. It's been awhile since I've been out there and I don't know what is still running on it anymore. When I last checked, they were beginning to reduce the number of traditionally cable-only stations offered. The cable stations were minimally scrambled, as were a few of the broadcast stations, selected both from Tucson and Phoenix, as well as one from Silver City NM.

W9WI.com has this listing:

20 KUAT-PBS Tucson
33 KTVW-Uni Phoenix
35 CNN
39 Showtime
41 KASW-CW Phoenix
43 KVOA-NBC Tucson
47 KTVK-Ind Phoenix
49 KSAZ-Fox Phoenix
51 ESPN
53 KPHO-CBS Phoenix
55 WGN
57 TBS
65 KGUN-ABC Tucson
67 TNT
69 KOVT-ABC Silver City (//KOAT Albuquerque)

 

[BRNout]

W9Wi.com also indicates that the Cortez, CO area is still served by translators that broadcast the likes of WGN, KTLA, G4, Outdoor (Versus?), CBUT (CBC), CJON (CTV), Univision and broadcast channels from Albuquerque, Denver, Grand Junction and Salt Lake City (KJZZ). Glad to see that the arrangement has lasted this long!

http://www.w9wi.com/

 

[dhett]

Duncan AZ has such a system. It's been awhile since I've been out there and I don't know what is still running on it anymore. When I last checked, they were beginning to reduce the number of traditionally cable-only stations offered. The cable stations were minimally scrambled, as were a few of the broadcast stations, selected both from Tucson and Phoenix, as well as one from Silver City NM.

W9WI.com has this listing:

<snip>

Yeah, I gave him that list, but it's outdated now (as was my last post). I checked my notes and when I was out there last in November, they had dropped all cable-only channels in favor of stations from Phoenix and Tucson, and one from Silver City NM, KOVT, a satellite of KOAT Albuquerque.

I was just out there yesterday and found that they've added a subchannel of KUAT, 6.3 Create, have traded KOVT for KOBG (stronger DTV signal) and are running a feed that brands as ARTS. ARTS, or Alpha Repertory Television Service, was a cable TV service that ran from 1981 to 1984, when it merged with A&E. I don't know if this is a new service (I doubt it), an A&E feed (it didn't have an A&E bug), or if they just had access to old ARTS programming that they're running.

So, all that to say this: Duncan's system is no longer an OTA cable TV translator.

 

[fybush]

I was just out there yesterday and found that they've added a subchannel of KUAT, 6.3 Create, have traded KOVT for KOBG (stronger DTV signal) and are running a feed that brands as ARTS. ARTS, or Alpha Repertory Television Service, was a cable TV service that ran from 1981 to 1984, when it merged with A&E. I don't know if this is a new service (I doubt it), an A&E feed (it didn't have an A&E bug), or if they just had access to old ARTS programming that they're running.

The "ARTS" brand now belongs to Classic Arts Showcase, a free-to-air satellite service that's carried overnight by some public TV stations and on some cable systems. No relation to the old 1981-84 "ARTS" network, that I know of.

 

[crainbebo]

Channel 75 in Seattle, which used to be KCTS Plus, is now 24-7 classic arts showcase programming. It used to be kids shows Monday-Friday 5AM-4PM, Classic Arts Showcase until 5AM 7 days a week, adult programming Sat-Sun 5AM-4PM.

-crainbebo

 

[dhett]

I was just out there yesterday and found that they've added a subchannel of KUAT, 6.3 Create, have traded KOVT for KOBG (stronger DTV signal) and are running a feed that brands as ARTS. ARTS, or Alpha Repertory Television Service, was a cable TV service that ran from 1981 to 1984, when it merged with A&E. I don't know if this is a new service (I doubt it), an A&E feed (it didn't have an A&E bug), or if they just had access to old ARTS programming that they're running.

The "ARTS" brand now belongs to Classic Arts Showcase, a free-to-air satellite service that's carried overnight by some public TV stations and on some cable systems. No relation to the old 1981-84 "ARTS" network, that I know of.

Thanks Scott. My first thought was that it was a free-to-air service, but when I tried to look it up, I didn't have enough to put into the search engine to avoid overload. I'm surprised more stations don't air the ARTS service as a subchannel, especially those stations running a single 720p or 480p feed.