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TV Channel Of The Week: Channel 2
- Thread starter nd2023
- Start date
I was at my mother's apartment in Berwyn, IL once watching WBBM-TV "CBS-2" Chicago when, during the 6 o'clock news, they said something like this... "Some of our viewers are experiencing interference, or may be receiving a different station this evening on Channel 2. This problem, due to atmospheric conditions, is only temporary." We were actually seeing a cyclical picture flutter with herringbone in Berwyn, which is only a few miles from the WBBM-TV transmitter atop the John Hancock Center. From the apartment, there was a clear view of the Hancock's antenna stacks.
When I returned home 35 miles south of Chicago, the offending station (KPRC Houston) had even taken over the cable system's head-end antenna.
When I returned home 35 miles south of Chicago, the offending station (KPRC Houston) had even taken over the cable system's head-end antenna.
Channel 2 gets the worst interference from DX. Tropo will usually bring in a distant channel 2 when it hits, and e-skip always starts at 2 and it's also strongest at channel 2. I do remember when my cable system picked up various Channel 2's during an e-skip opening, and there always was co-channel interference during tropo.
S
Stephen_TheMCO
Guest
Philip J. Smith said:
Kind of the same situation in Bremerton, WA I witnessed about 8 years ago, but only whenever CBUT-2 from Vancouver, BC signed off for the night. KATU-2 from Portland, OR would at times introduce itself to the cable dial (AT&T at the time, now Comcast) on Ch. 99 for the rest of the night, until CBUT powered it's transmitter back on.
best ancient DX for me:
as a kid in Louisville, very clear reception of WPBT Miami (think it was still WLRN)...early 60's
on an Admiral portable B/W with a whip antenna
same TV...1972...ch 2 from Havana in St Petersburg, FL
used to see LOTS of stuff underneath local WKRN-2 here in Nashville (pre-cable)...usually couldn't ID,
just ghostly graphics floating on the screen...as the signals fought for sync
as a kid in Louisville, very clear reception of WPBT Miami (think it was still WLRN)...early 60's
on an Admiral portable B/W with a whip antenna
same TV...1972...ch 2 from Havana in St Petersburg, FL
used to see LOTS of stuff underneath local WKRN-2 here in Nashville (pre-cable)...usually couldn't ID,
just ghostly graphics floating on the screen...as the signals fought for sync
romer979fm said:
Up here in Pleasant View, at times WKRN-2 disappears completely. I remember one morning turning on the TV and finding a perfectly clear picture on channel 2 - broadcasting in Spanish. XEFB-TV in Monterrey was completely burying WKRN.
(Pleasant View is 30 miles from the WKRN tower)
(DTV has been a godsend for those rare occasions when I want to watch an ABC program during a skip opening...)
My best all-time TV-DX:
On Memorial Day 1956 in Tallmadge, Ohio when visiting my Aunt & Uncle. (Tallmadge is right next to Akron). Nearest Channel 2 of consequence was Pittsburgh. The bleed from Cleveland on Channel 3 was really no problem and it was one of those early summer hazy e-skip days (so many of 'em are); and, in rolled a test pattern for (then) CMA-TV, "Telemundo Habana," complete with typical Cuban-sounding music in the background. It held for about an hour and change, and my poor Aunt & Uncle must have wondered what I had done to make their set speak Spanish! (Now, this was 52 years ago, and it's how people thought!) My Mom & Dad were nearby, knew I was a DX nut and quietly congratulated me on my catch. Yes, Cuba was then on NTSC standards (everything they got in those days came from the US, even their postal cancelling machine printers!) I've often wondered how the Russians did with building NTSC sets for Cuba in their more halcyon trade days. It was quite an experience, and probably helped encourage me to learn Spanish when I was in 7th grade!
On Memorial Day 1956 in Tallmadge, Ohio when visiting my Aunt & Uncle. (Tallmadge is right next to Akron). Nearest Channel 2 of consequence was Pittsburgh. The bleed from Cleveland on Channel 3 was really no problem and it was one of those early summer hazy e-skip days (so many of 'em are); and, in rolled a test pattern for (then) CMA-TV, "Telemundo Habana," complete with typical Cuban-sounding music in the background. It held for about an hour and change, and my poor Aunt & Uncle must have wondered what I had done to make their set speak Spanish! (Now, this was 52 years ago, and it's how people thought!) My Mom & Dad were nearby, knew I was a DX nut and quietly congratulated me on my catch. Yes, Cuba was then on NTSC standards (everything they got in those days came from the US, even their postal cancelling machine printers!) I've often wondered how the Russians did with building NTSC sets for Cuba in their more halcyon trade days. It was quite an experience, and probably helped encourage me to learn Spanish when I was in 7th grade!
My first taste of E-skip was on channel 2.
Back in the mid 80s, my grandparents and I would often go on camping trips to various campgrounds near our home in New York state.
Well, at one of those campgrounds, the best TV reception typically came from Syracuse (3, 5, and 9, respectively). Because Utica was in the same direction, we would often get a snowy picture and audio from WKTV (channel 2). One morning, I turned on the TV and happened to tune to ch. 2, and instead of seeing The Today Show, I was seeing Sesame Street, and the picture was crystal clear. Once the program ended, then came the ID. "This is WPBT-TV, channel 2, Miami"
I was very excited, and curious as to why we were getting something so far away so clearly.
Of course, I asked my grandfather if he knew what was going on, and he said "I don't know, must be some kind of skip or something."
I was disappointed when the signal faded away, and I would check every morning for the rest of that week to see if it came back. It never did.
By the way, I'm just curious, has anyone on this board ever DXed either of our channel 2 stations in upstate NY? I am referring to WGR-TV (now WGRZ) in Buffalo, and the one I mentioned above, WKTV in Utica. Both are NBC stations.
Back in the mid 80s, my grandparents and I would often go on camping trips to various campgrounds near our home in New York state.
Well, at one of those campgrounds, the best TV reception typically came from Syracuse (3, 5, and 9, respectively). Because Utica was in the same direction, we would often get a snowy picture and audio from WKTV (channel 2). One morning, I turned on the TV and happened to tune to ch. 2, and instead of seeing The Today Show, I was seeing Sesame Street, and the picture was crystal clear. Once the program ended, then came the ID. "This is WPBT-TV, channel 2, Miami"
I was very excited, and curious as to why we were getting something so far away so clearly.
Of course, I asked my grandfather if he knew what was going on, and he said "I don't know, must be some kind of skip or something."
I was disappointed when the signal faded away, and I would check every morning for the rest of that week to see if it came back. It never did.
By the way, I'm just curious, has anyone on this board ever DXed either of our channel 2 stations in upstate NY? I am referring to WGR-TV (now WGRZ) in Buffalo, and the one I mentioned above, WKTV in Utica. Both are NBC stations.
K
kenrayc
Guest
I live in Fresno Ca an all UHF market, well used to be ,Three stations swiched Digitally to Ch.7,9,@11.Anyhow I have a radio shack antenna ,the biggest one with a rotor, I have recieved VHF stations from San Francisco, LA,CentralCA coast,@Sacramento. On Channel 2 I have recieve KATU Portland OR,KMID midland Texas(Big 2), @KWGN Denver.there were others On channel 3@4 as well don't recall from where.I have a Question is It true that channels 2-6 will not be availible Digitallyalong with 60-69.
K
kenrayc
Guest
What does the FCC plan to do with 2-6 frequences,I hope they use then for exanding FM radio it needs it !
kenrayc said:
Nothing. They will remain in TV service. 40-something full-power DTV stations will operate in channels 2-6.
There will also be low-power stations and translators. These stations are not required to switch immediately next February. Still, on channel 2 alone, five already have DTV permits. 169 other low-power analog stations will be allowed to continue to operate, again on channel 2 alone. I would wild-guess there are on the order of 500 LP stations in channels 2-6 that will remain on the air.
There is a proposal before the Commission to reallocate channels 5 and 6 for FM expansion. Personally I think it stands nearly zero chance of being adopted. Removing channels from TV service now would stall the DTV transition (while they sought new channels for the 40 affected stations) and would cost the stations involved millions. (as many have already ordered - and even had delivered - equipment for DTV service in channels 2-6)
Last Thursday (the worst day possible for this to happen) even though I went to the library early (this is explained on the standards board on a thread about the 98.3 frequency, and I should probably start a thread here too under the circumstances) I ended up leaving very late due to my plans to go the mountains this week (so for several weeks I've been looking at an extra newspaper or two), meaning if I was behind at all on newspapers, I had to go ahead and look at them anyway regardless. Since I got there early, I decided I'd have plenty of time to finish.
Wrong! And when I got home "Jeopardy" had already started on Channel 36. There's no real risk turning to Channel 2 when basketball season is over.
Wrong! I couldn't see hardly anything, and sometimes the audio was from somewhere else. I should have done more research to find out what I was seeing. Instead, I tried another TV and I could see well enough and hear pretty much everything. So I turned to Channel 36 and watched the rest of "Jeopardy". Once it was over, I went to the other TV and was able to see the rest on Channel 2.
Wrong! And when I got home "Jeopardy" had already started on Channel 36. There's no real risk turning to Channel 2 when basketball season is over.
Wrong! I couldn't see hardly anything, and sometimes the audio was from somewhere else. I should have done more research to find out what I was seeing. Instead, I tried another TV and I could see well enough and hear pretty much everything. So I turned to Channel 36 and watched the rest of "Jeopardy". Once it was over, I went to the other TV and was able to see the rest on Channel 2.
K
kenrayc
Guest
Doe's anybody know if theres a web sight like radio-locater , that give info on coverage area,and transmitter location for TV stations!
Of course, the FCC site is always an option. Google FCC TV Query.
Or, REC has a good site that gives radio and TV info. http://www.recnet.com/
DE
Or, REC has a good site that gives radio and TV info. http://www.recnet.com/
DE
In the mid-80s, maybe early 80s, from Fayetteville, NC, one afternoon we saw KPRC channel 2 in Houston.
That's really the only station outside the Carolinas and Virginia we ever got living in that house, and it lasted like half an hour, clear as a bell.
That's really the only station outside the Carolinas and Virginia we ever got living in that house, and it lasted like half an hour, clear as a bell.
Of course, since I live in Charleston, SC, I usually get the local NBC, WCBD (used to be ABC until 1996).
The surprise is, that on Folly Beach (a barrier island just S of Charleston), I have gotten WESH from Daytona Beach several times, over WCBD, only 25 miles from its transmitter.
At North Myrtle Beach, far enough away from WCBD, I have listened to KGAN from Cedar Rapids, IA on a very good skip day, and usually, Cubans and Mexicans were coming in on that channel when I was up there last.
North Myrtle is a great place to do TV Dxing, as the closest stations are in Wilmington and Dillon (a small town a good 60 miles away where WBTW and WPDE are). On that same day, I picked up KTVO from Kirksville, MO on 3 along with KMTV in Omaha, along with every Charleston area station. WIS came in one night on their OTA feed.
It is easier to get Charleston because of the all water path beccause the transmitters are about 25 miles NE of Charleston, not in town.
The surprise is, that on Folly Beach (a barrier island just S of Charleston), I have gotten WESH from Daytona Beach several times, over WCBD, only 25 miles from its transmitter.
At North Myrtle Beach, far enough away from WCBD, I have listened to KGAN from Cedar Rapids, IA on a very good skip day, and usually, Cubans and Mexicans were coming in on that channel when I was up there last.
North Myrtle is a great place to do TV Dxing, as the closest stations are in Wilmington and Dillon (a small town a good 60 miles away where WBTW and WPDE are). On that same day, I picked up KTVO from Kirksville, MO on 3 along with KMTV in Omaha, along with every Charleston area station. WIS came in one night on their OTA feed.
It is easier to get Charleston because of the all water path beccause the transmitters are about 25 miles NE of Charleston, not in town.
I was taping "The Price Is Right" Wednesday and, since I wouldn't have been checking on the signal, I couldn't hear some of the show. Fortunately, it was a rerun I had seen.
But I heard audio from a hockey game. Hockey is NBC, WCBD is NBC ... not unusual, I suppose, but I used to get a perfect signal from WFMY with a TV that quit.
But I heard audio from a hockey game. Hockey is NBC, WCBD is NBC ... not unusual, I suppose, but I used to get a perfect signal from WFMY with a TV that quit.
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