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The return of WHDT-LD (Deutsche Welle) ?

channel99

channel99

WHDT-LD virtual ch 6-1, real ch 38, which has been off the air a long time, filed and was approved for an STA to use 1 KW (less than the 3 KW licensed) on real ch 4 from what seems to be the One Beacon Street tower in Boston.

The station, owned by Guenter Marksteiner, carried the Deutsche Welle network and disappeared from the air several years ago. They filed various requests to go silent, or to move the transmitter a short distance, but how long they were actually on the air is pretty hazy. They had also filed and were approved to move from ch 38 to ch 4 with 3 KW for the repack.

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/d...&id=25076f91672d075401672ddd3f67018c&goBack=N

(PDF links near bottom.)
 
channel99 said:
WHDT-LD virtual ch 6-1, real ch 38, which has been off the air a long time, filed and was approved for an STA to use 1 KW (less than the 3 KW licensed) on real ch 4 from what seems to be the One Beacon Street tower in Boston.
Click to expand...

I recall seeing this on virtual 6 when I bought my HDTV in 2009. I remember it also moving briefly to virtual 3, and then maybe to another virtual higher channel, before disappearing.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
I recall seeing this on virtual 6 when I bought my HDTV in 2009. I remember it also moving briefly to virtual 3, and then maybe to another virtual higher channel, before disappearing.
Click to expand...

It had a good signal in my location when I turned the antenna to the east, but I haven't seen anything in several years, despite several filings that they had returned to the air after silent periods and several relocations and technical issues. The most recent of those was today (PDF link at bottom.):

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/d...&id=25076f91672d0754016738f98cc0122a&goBack=N

"WHDT-LD (Boston, MA; Fac. ID. No. 59488) returned to its regular broadcast service on RF channel 38 on November 21, 2018 at 7:30 pm ET."

I checked for a signal a while ago and there was nothing at all. Either they just manage to get back on a for a few hours or days, are using a coat hangar for an antenna, or worse... This is the area the signal should cover:

https://www.rabbitears.info/contour.php?appid=e8b2cecc5d194b33bf54cf6212b6c0ea&site=1
 
WHDT-LD is back on-air. It was just airing in infomercial for "Family Furniture" store in the West Palm Beach, FL, area.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
Must be really weak. Just did a scan here in Somerville and I didn't get it, and I get WCEA-LD (virtual 58) with full bars here.
Click to expand...

I was getting it fine the first day I noticed it on-air. It seems the signal has been much weaker on subsequent days since then though. I've only gotten a very weak signal on the signal meter but no picture since then.
 
MikeyBos said:
I was getting it fine the first day I noticed it on-air. It seems the signal has been much weaker on subsequent days since then though. I've only gotten a very weak signal on the signal meter but no picture since then.
Click to expand...

I haven't received anything when I tried (have to swing the antenna around) though WCEA is good. Back when WLDT-LD was really on the air with programming - the signal here was quite good. It could be they have used something improvised to get the signal on the air and possibly document it - before the FCC might begin to doubt their various filings.
 
Just did a rescan and am now finally receiving WHDT-LD, RF ch. 38, but on virtual 3.1 (where it once was briefly years ago), not 6.1 (where it was at other times).

Just a blank carrier, black picture and no audio, but my set ID's it as WHDT with 720p resolution.

Weak signal, only three "bars", and I get all other Boston stations with six, or my sets maximum of seven "bars" here in Somerville, including WCEA-LD virtual 58. I haven't tried repositioning the antenna.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
Just did a rescan and am now finally receiving WHDT-LD, RF ch. 38, but on virtual 3.1 (where it once was briefly years ago), not 6.1 (where it was at other times).

Just a blank carrier, black picture and no audio, but my set ID's it as WHDT with 720p resolution.

Weak signal, only three "bars", and I get all other Boston stations with six, or my sets maximum of seven "bars" here in Somerville, including WCEA-LD virtual 58. I haven't tried repositioning the antenna.
Click to expand...

They have a construction permit for 3000 watts on real channel 4:

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076f9162ac85cd0162adea6be40a38

I'm not getting anything on either channel but my antenna on rotor is hi-VHF and UHF only. However, the latest wrinkle in this is that owner Gunter Marktsteiner is selling his only full power station - WHDT in West Palm Beach - to Scripps, and will be left with only WHDT-LD and 2 other low powers.
 
Programming was on WHDT-LD on virtual 3.1 (RF 38) this morning for the first I've seen since its recent return to the air. Half-hour infomercials.
 
This station has either gone off the air, or changed RF channels, several days ago. I was getting a weak signal in Somerville on RF 38 (virtual 3.1) for the past half-year, but nothing now.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
This station has either gone off the air, or changed RF channels, several days ago. I was getting a weak signal in Somerville on RF 38 (virtual 3.1) for the past half-year, but nothing now.
Click to expand...

They have a construction permit to move to RF 4, and perhaps are in the process of doing that.
 
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