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Wilmington, NC to be test market - first to go all-DTV

F

FightingIrish

Washington—Wilmington, N.C., will become the first market to switch to all-digital broadcasting on Sept. 8, 2008, Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo said Wednesday.

“We'll be the first in the country,” Saffo said, adding that he was “honored” to have his city take the lead.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6558577.html

The FCC has been looking for a test market to shut analog off, and Market #135 stepped up.

The NBC, ABC, FOX and CBS (Class A) stations will all pull the plug on analog early.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6558580.html?desc=topstory
 
According to Wikipedia, there are three other stations there, a full-power PBS, a low-power MNTV and a low-power TBN translator. Neither of the LP stations have digital channels as of yet.
 
Poor choice of market. No VHF digitals to deal with, which would give more real-world information than an all-UHF market like Wilmington will provide.

Not only that, but WECT-DT has signal problems. They plan to move to the WSFX tower (adding 1000 feet to their height and boosting power somewhat in the process) but who knows how long that will take.

- Trip
 
What is the cable penetration in the market?

Another question, probably Trip can answer, what is the market overlap. I know a lot of markets in NC you can get network affiliates from other markets?

I think the TV stations like it cause it saves money. I wonder about the viablity of getting a full power CBS down the road from that market?
 
Well, I've been to Topsail Beach, which is some 15-20 miles from Wilmington. I had my UHF antenna and got WITN-DT and WCTI-DT without trouble. I also saw hints of WNCT-DT on 10. I'd be in a better position if I'd had a VHF antenna to play with.

My guess is that Wilmington can probably see WCTI analog without issue. WBTW is weaker, but I can imagine them seeing that as well. That covers ABC and CBS. For Fox, they can't get WFXI for sure, and looking at WFXB, I wouldn't count on it, so Fox viewers need WSFX. Finally, NBC, nothing from Myrtle Beach, and I'm really not sure how WITN's signal is that far south. If it comes in, so does WNCT. It's really borderline, and it's probably just a bit weaker than WBTW.

You'd think PBS would be okay, but it's not. WUNM was surprisingly weak in Topsail, and I assume this is due to their directional pattern. WHMC in Conway is too low to make it to Wilmington.

So at the end of the day...

ABC will remain available via WCTI.
CBS is likely available via WBTW and possibly via WNCT.
NBC is possibly available via WITN.

Fox and PBS viewers will have no analog signals to fall back on.

- Trip
 
I'm really glad that they didn't choose Hartford/New Haven as their test market. Although we have two digital signals on VHF (WTNH-DT on channel 10 and WTXX-DT on channel 12), we'd be a poor choice since the stations are broadcasting from 4 or 5 different directions around here. Finding a so-called "sweet spot" with an antenna here is damn near impossible. :(
 
Wilmington NC goes DT early

According to WECT-6 the cutover date is Monday, September 8. As WECT is a major NBC station it will be able to air the Olympics from Beijing, the political conventions and season-opening NFL games in analog before the cutover.

Wilmington is isolated from other DMAs so it makes sense to have that area as a test market. Cable/satellite penetration is 98.5% based on figures cited by the Wilmington Star-News.

UNC-TV won't be part of the early cutover as they're a statewide network.
 
The newspaper article didn't say anything about the cable/sat penetration being 98.5% and I'm sure its not anythng like that high. Still, the Wilmington DMA is a good place for a test---very compact geographically, with no large obstructions, yet has a number of high powered stations. Sept does seem very late to try to run a test--what are they going to do if its a disaster, cancel the transition? Speaking of disasters, what will happen if a hurricane hits the area on Sept 10? Wilmington is VERY prone to hurricanes about that time....
 
This is way too late to schedule such a test. Nat'l media has been going on and on about Feb 19, 2009. FCC should have chosen a market years ago.
 
I've been through hurricanes in Florida (including Andrew) and I always relied on radio. I mean TV makes it a bit easier to see but radio does an excellent job providing information. There's no way they couldn't get the same information across on the radio.

I don't think it's too late for a test market, the thing is we won't really know till the stations shut off.

I still think the cut off date should've been the day BEFORE the presidental election.

That would keep Obama and McCain on their toes to make sure everything went smooth

:)
 
I heard about this today, and was especially interested in WECT-TV 6, as their 2,000-foot analog tower was positioned to serve Fayetteville, NC (actually the southern part of the Raleigh-Durham market, though a good 60 miles from Raleigh). According to the FCC website, they don't have any CPs to return to this site post-transition, which will effectively remove Fayetteville from their reliable service area.

WECT is actually on cable there and I wouldn't be surprised if their viewership is on par or more than Fayetteville's "official" NBC affiliate, WNCN-TV 17. WECT has been around much longer than WNCN (1954 vs. 1995), which trails in our market. WECT actually predates Raleigh market leaders WRAL-TV 5 (CBS) and WTVD 11 (ABC), which both maintain a strong Fayetteville presence.

WECT is currently using the old WUNJ site in Delco, NC (I think) and will join the other Wilmington full-power stations (WWAY-TV 3, WSFX-TV 26 and WUNJ-TV 39 and their digital counterparts) at Winnabow, NC.
 
Wilmington NC goes all-DT early

WECT-DT is on digital cable in Wilmington, Jacksonville and Camp Lejeune. It is not as yet on digital cable in Fayetteville or Myrtle Beach.

BTW this made the Geek section of Fark yesterday. The thread title is Wilmington, North Carolina, you're the first in line to play "Where Are My TV Stations?"
 
I seriously doubt WECT-DT will ever make it to cable in Myrtle Beach or Fayetteville since they are both out of the Wilmington DMA and Time Warner does not believe in carrying out of market stations, even when they have a strong signal in the area. Raycom, who owns WECT, is planning to open a new NBC station in Myrtle Beach this year, WMCF-DT/32, which will undoubtedly take the place of both WECT and co-owned WIS/10, the dominant NBC station on the Grand Strand. Since the new WECT-DT will not cover the Fayetteville area (as mentioned earlier, they are abandoning their 2000 ft tower near Elizabethton) I imagine their days on TW Fayetteville are numbered. Amazingly, WECT is giving up over two thirds of their potential viewers, since both the MYB and Fayetteville metro areas are each considerably larger than the Wilmington area! I'm surprised that WECT is on the TW Jacksonville system at all since they are also out of market---local governments must have insisted.
 
WMBF. WMCF is in Montgomery, AL.
WMBF is scheduled to sign on in August as
a digital channel (I don't think it's changed
from 32), at which point WECT and WIS may
be removed from the cable in Myrtle Beach. That
will remove a piece of history because WECT
served Myrtle Beach as far back as 1954.
(I think WIS is there largely to provide an NBC
station which has South Carolina news.)

However, we have a set that's supposedly
ready to go with digital, and I can't wait to
see if it works, be it on WECT or WMBF.

Question for someone who knows digital
technology better than I do: assuming
WITN, WNCT, and WCTI can't put a digital
signal into Myrtle Beach, can Charleston's
WCBD, WCIV, and WCSC?
 
Hook an antenna to it and see. I'd say if you see WTAT-24 analog reasonably clear, you should be good to go digitally.

Digital broadcasts are already occurring, give it a try!

- Trip
 
bpatrick said:
WMBF. WMCF is in Montgomery, AL.
WMBF is scheduled to sign on in August as
a digital channel (I don't think it's changed
from 32), at which point WECT and WIS may
be removed from the cable in Myrtle Beach. That
will remove a piece of history because WECT
served Myrtle Beach as far back as 1954.
(I think WIS is there largely to provide an NBC
station which has South Carolina news.)

However, we have a set that's supposedly
ready to go with digital, and I can't wait to
see if it works, be it on WECT or WMBF.

Question for someone who knows digital
technology better than I do: assuming
WITN, WNCT, and WCTI can't put a digital
signal into Myrtle Beach, can Charleston's
WCBD, WCIV, and WCSC?
Click to expand...

Let me get this straight---you live in the MYB area, own a digital ready TV but haven't tried to see if you could get any digital channels? There should be several available right now. Best bet is probably WHMC in Conway (SC PBS). Analog is 23, which you probably know--the digital channel is 9. WFXB is also full power digital on 18. WITN, WNCT, and WCTI of course are out of the question and I'd imagine the Charleston stations would be very iffy. WTAT is still very low power, so it is definately out of the question. WPDE and WWMB are probable while WBTW is still low power and doubtful. You might have some luck with WWAY.
 
No, I don't live in the MYB area. We have a
house there with a TV we're told is digital-ready,
but no one (not me, not my dad, not my stepmother,
not her kids or grandkids) has tried to pick up anything
out-of-market. I just wanted to clear that up.
 
tripinva said:
Well, I've been to Topsail Beach, which is some 15-20 miles from Wilmington. I had my UHF antenna and got WITN-DT and WCTI-DT without trouble. I also saw hints of WNCT-DT on 10. I'd be in a better position if I'd had a VHF antenna to play with.

My guess is that Wilmington can probably see WCTI analog without issue. WBTW is weaker, but I can imagine them seeing that as well. That covers ABC and CBS. For Fox, they can't get WFXI for sure, and looking at WFXB, I wouldn't count on it, so Fox viewers need WSFX. Finally, NBC, nothing from Myrtle Beach, and I'm really not sure how WITN's signal is that far south. If it comes in, so does WNCT. It's really borderline, and it's probably just a bit weaker than WBTW.

You'd think PBS would be okay, but it's not. WUNM was surprisingly weak in Topsail, and I assume this is due to their directional pattern. WHMC in Conway is too low to make it to Wilmington.

So at the end of the day...

ABC will remain available via WCTI.
CBS is likely available via WBTW and possibly via WNCT.
NBC is possibly available via WITN.

Fox and PBS viewers will have no analog signals to fall back on.

- Trip
Click to expand...


I've not been to Wilmington in several years, but I recall a trip I made there in the mid-1990's, and I remembered to take along a portable "Watchman" battery-op color 5" set. (Hard on the eyes) Despite its small, "rod" antenna sticking out from the top (no rooftop antennae here), I could pick up all the WIL locals, except WECT was kinda weakish (since its transmitter is so far away from the city). I also received, somewhat, WCTI (12, New Bern) both day and night..but one night (I stayed there a few days), I picked up somewhat watchable signals from WITN and WNCT. (7 a little better) I also didn't receive, to my knowledge, any SC stations..I checked 13, 15 and got nothing. Oh I also picked up, in nearby Wrightsville Beach, on a fishing pier, WFXI from Morehead City! (Late at night; must've been clear weather.) It seems that you would need a strong outdoor antennae to get a more reliable signal from out-of-market stations in WIL, more notably from the Greenville-New Bern areas. In Brunswick county, to the SW, you'd stand a better shot of reception from SC.


And, as far as WNCT-DT is concerned...you received their signal (hints) in Topsail? Wonder if they're directional away from the south, to avoid possible interference with the local CBS-LP in WIL (WILM)? And are they directional away from the north, to avoid messing up the analog signal of WAVY in Hampton Roads VA.?
 
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