What's going to happen to all those analog TV transmitters when digital happens?

[CrankyYankee]

I'm not an engineer but a friend who knows I've been in the broadcast biz asked me what's going to happen to all the old analog TV transmitters when digital takes to the air.
I couldn't give him a real answer. I suppose some will just be turned off and/or taken apart for scrap? Some might just sit there and slowly fade to...?

What are your thoughts on this question?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

A fair number can be converted to DTV transmitters. Some of these analog transmitters are actually putting out two signals at the moment. Some will be converted to DTV for Aux duty, others will be converted for main service.

Those that cannot be converted will mostly be going to scrap heaps. A few could be repurposed to FM broadcasting.

 

[Sgeirk]

gut 'em and use them as enormous BBQ cookers!

 

[frankberry]

A fair number can be converted to DTV transmitters. Some of these analog transmitters are actually putting out two signals at the moment. Some will be converted to DTV for Aux duty, others will be converted for main service.

Those that cannot be converted will mostly be going to scrap heaps. A few could be repurposed to FM broadcasting.

Actually ALL analog television transmitters are putting out two signals. Visual and Aural.
In our case (WTVT) our primary analog transmitter will be converted to digital. The auxiliary transmitters will be scrapped. They (RCA) weren't very reliable when they were new.
I don't believe any television transmitters can be repurposed for FM duty. Probably not type accepted for that service. I may be wrong on that point.

 

[pqgeorge]

A fair number can be converted to DTV transmitters. Some of these analog transmitters are actually putting out two signals at the moment. Some will be converted to DTV for Aux duty, others will be converted for main service.

Those that cannot be converted will mostly be going to scrap heaps. A few could be repurposed to FM broadcasting.

Actually ALL analog television transmitters are putting out two signals. Visual and Aural.
In our case (WTVT) our primary analog transmitter will be converted to digital. The auxiliary transmitters will be scrapped. They (RCA) weren't very reliable when they were new.
I don't believe any television transmitters can be repurposed for FM duty. Probably not type accepted for that service. I may be wrong on that point.

Well, in fact, provided it is a VHF-lo (Channels 2-6) transmitter, the power deck of the transmitter can be re-purposed for FM service. In fact, I know of a couple of stations that used a VHF-lo power deck as it's transmitter, namely the old WJFM/93.7 (Grand Rapids, MI) used a couple of them to get their full 500,000 watts (ERP) for many years (that's right! 500 big ones!). WLTE/102.9 in Minneapolis/St. Paul is/or was using a old TV transmitter as it's power deck for years. It sounds damn good too in clean Stereo, having heard it via e-skip several years ago here in Massachusetts. As for using an old VHF-hi unit, it might take a lot of rewiring and some new circuits.. But you never know. As for UHF, nah... too high up in the spectrum for FM. BUT, it can be good for digital use. Simply replace the exciter, wideband the transmitter for digital use and there you are.

73,

Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
Whitman, Massachusetts

 

[LA_Guy]

They're headed to Mexico and Central America.

 

[Boardengineer12]

They make excellent boat anchors!

 

[BobOnTheJob]

They make excellent boat anchors!

Make that 'ship anchors'...these babies are huge.