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WNAC-TV 64
- Thread starter alg2468
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Skynet74 said:
Yup. Channel 64 has gone silent. It was on the air yesterday with DTV instructional/nightlight programming. This afternoon, not a wink of it. So, Channel 6 (WLNE) is the last full-powered analog TV station in the Providence/New Bedford market. It's hard to believe that 25 years of operation on Channel 64 has gone by so fast. When they fired up (for real in October, 1984), they were running a monster 5 million watt signal with coverage of both the Providence/New Bedford AND a very good chunk of the Boston market with ease. I used to get almost a "picture perfect" (no pun intended, I assure you) signal from Channel 64 within the shadow of the Prudential Center at Northeastern University. When they went directional and lowered their ERP, the signal became very snowy. All in all, WSTG (WNAC) was a great looking Independent. RIP, Channel 64.
When WNAC (WSTG) first signed on the air, I lived in Seekonk. So I didn't have a snow problem. I had a different signal problem back then. The picture would not stay stable. The vertical horizontal hold on the pic would go nutso. Would that be called Muti-path distortion? Whatever it was, it was quite annoying.
jlehmann said:
They wanted to improve their signal within the Providence/New Bedford ADI. They originally were also trying to get some ratings in the Boston area (which they did) with the 5,000,000 watt signal. When they signed-on with FOX, they felt that since WFXT/25 already covered the Boston area, it would be wasted power going into downtown Boston. So they augmented their antenna pattern with beam-tilt and lower ERP to concentrate it to the Providence area. As a result, the signal, while still somewhat visible in the Boston area paled to what they had before. Personally, I would have left well enough alone.
As for the picture issues during the early days of WSTG, part of the problem with Channel 64 was they had intermod issues with the audio of WLKW/101.5 (now WWBB) getting into the audio carrier of Channel 64. I believe WLKW was on the same tower as 64. During low audio passages on 64, you could easily hear WLKW's beautiful music mixing in. Channel 64 had to get the station operating "for real" in 1984 as they were at the end of their last CP (Construction Permit). The station had been silent for nearly 18 years ever since WNET-TV (Channel 16) left the air in 1956. The station came back to the air (on Channel 64) for testing purposes in 1981 with a few hours a day of public domain material. That would be the menu for the next three years. Finally, the owners of WSTG-TV decided to put some money into the operation to get the station on the air with real programming. So, the station left the air in May 1984 in order to install some broadcast quality equipment with some good syndicated product in order to satisfy the FCC mandate. I believe they made the FCC date with a little time to spare. As a result, the picture on Channel 64 sometimes had sync issues along with little "kinks" common on many start up operations.
I recall Steve Demos, WSTG's CE worked day and night to get Channel 64 on the air for keeps. The station immediately got a following with their killer 5 million signal and a great lineup of shows including "Hawaii Five-O", "Bewitched", lots of great movies and kids programming. They also were the first 24 hour station in Providence. What a time!
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