Will it be possible for radios to pick up TV audio after Feb/09?

[boiseengineer]

DXers are a picky bunch when it comes to getting weak signals.
So, they're doing a lot of testing: http://www.wtfda.org/

 

[8638]

I have a couple decent Proscan TVs I don't want to toss yet. Anybody have any comments whether there are any standouts among the converter boxes available on the market.

I 'researched' the various models on line, and decided on the Zenith/Goldstar DTT900. I am very pleased with it. I am 55 miles from the sticks, and basically everything comes in well, save the PBS affiliate from Philadelphia, but that is because they are only running 50 Kw on Ch. 50 and it is directional away from me to protect an existing analog 50.

Antenna is the old Radio Shack VU-190, with a Channel Master preamp, and a CATV distribution amp in the house.

So you know, there is an updated Zenith box available now, the DTT901, that will pass analog signal.

 

[FredRichards]

The things that I have found are important in digital TV reception are...

• Antenna aiming, which with weak or moderately low signal strength is more critical than analog reception.
• Good antenna to set signal transfer, such as good coax or premium 300-ohm lead.
• Proper antenna. The PSIP sometimes fools people especially when the station is a VHF->UHF or UHF->VHF (which is the case at my station).
• No boosters if you have local stations with high signal levels. I had a guy who had (supposedly) a 32 dB booster on an antenna. All he could get was my station. He took the booster off, now he gets 12 more stations. The booster was installed to overcome the losses in 30 year old RG59. In a community 20 miles from our TX the fire department on 155.31 was taking out our channel 8 signal on a viewer's antenna with booster.

Just some thoughts.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

Sinclair Broadcasting was one of the few companies out there that opposed the digital standard that we now are to use. They were vocal about it because of it's limitations including mobile reception. Turn out they were right, huh?

 

[nightfly61]

That's right...is NOAA Weather Radio going digital too?
Will this switch put college stations or Public Broadcasting channels out of business if they can't afford the new equipment? ???

I guess if I want to hear t.v audio I'll have to breal out the old c.b radio & walkie talkie & tape it to the speaker on my t.v

 

[nd2023]

TV stations, especially on analog channel 6, should be allowed to broadcast analog audio during emergencies that the FCC would allow AM stations to operate at day power. The stations will still have their analog transmitters, so might as well make use of it.

 

[fybush]

TV stations, especially on analog channel 6, should be allowed to broadcast analog audio during emergencies that the FCC would allow AM stations to operate at day power. The stations will still have their analog transmitters, so might as well make use of it.

Except that they won't keep those channel 6 analog transmitters or antennas around. The newer solid-state transmitters will be converted to DTV use on other channels (all you need is a new exciter and filters), and most of the older transmitters will end up being scrapped.

Even if the transmitters were still around, most stations will take their channel 6 antennas down once they sign off. Ever seen a low-band VHF transmit antenna? It's a big monster, and it (and its transmission line) creates a huge load on the tower. No reason to keep them up there when you don't need to. (And of course most of the "channel 6" stations remaining after 2009 won't be operating on RF channel 6 anymore; hence, no signal on 87.7x MHz to be picked up by an FM radio anyway.)

When it's over, it's over.

 

[Bob_Hudson]

That's right...is NOAA Weather Radio going digital too?
Will this switch put college stations or Public Broadcasting channels out of business if they can't afford the new equipment? ???

I guess if I want to hear t.v audio I'll have to breal out the old c.b radio & walkie talkie & tape it to the speaker on my t.v

No, weather radio stays the same, but if you've lived in tornado country you know you want to see or at least hear those local TV new weather reports to know exactly what is happening.

 

[brian65]

Today, CSPAN replayed a congressional hearing from last Tuesday (Sept 16) about 'The Big Switch'. One representative from Texas was bringing up issues about the difficulty people would have if hurricane Ike would have hit after the analog switch-off. I only caught the last 30 minutes or so though.

The 'suits' being grilled from the Dept of Commerce mentioned that there was a battery plug-in pack available for cable boxes which would help, but after further questioning it came out that the pack would only operate just one model converter box (mentioned earlier in thread). There were quite a few other concerns about how prepared the country actually was for the change-over. .... Not very.

At least the shortcomings of the DTV system as it relates to emergencies are actually being voiced.

But if you ask me, I'd rather listen to a live audio feed of a TV station than some governmentally produced and broadcast 'information release'.

 

[nightfly61]

I've heard the term used, "digital holocaust". After the switch in '09 what could make that happen?

 

[w9wi]

But if you ask me, I'd rather listen to a live audio feed of a TV station than some governmentally produced and broadcast 'information release'.

It has been rather common in recent hurricanes for one or more (usually more) radio stations to simulcast TV audio.

 

[brian65]

Yes. Unless there isn't a baseball game or a syndicated radio program on which 'prevents' that from happening.

That's why I would really like to see a portable radio receiver which would directly pick up TV broadcasts after 2/09.

 

[Powell]

And the reason radio stations simulcast a TV station is there is NO ONE there to get out the information. That needs to change.



Powell