WTSD-CA/14 Wilmington

[crisisbroadcast]

Up in Phoenixville, I'm picking up 14 out of Wilmington relatively clearly with very clear audio. This is the first time I've caught this station.

Looking it up at the FCC database, almost all of 'TSD's 146 kW is shot northeast (right at West Philly), but most of Chester and almost all of Montgomery counties fall well outside the contours, meaning Phoenixville should be getting at the most some snow with a hint of Benny Hinn audio.

Anybody know if they're "testing" a stronger signal, or is this par for the course north of the contours?
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[Nertz]

I have gotten it occasionally in Wyndmoor, but very static filled.

 

[ixnay]

CA???? What's THAT????

Never saw THAT suffix before.

ixnay

 

[rugrats1]

Re: CA???? What's THAT????

> Never saw THAT suffix before.

Been around the last few years -- "-CA" means "Class-A", where LPTVs get special protections against interference from other stations, in exchange for including some local programming on the schedule.

 

[DStroyerNEPA]

> Looking it up at the FCC database, almost all of 'TSD's 146
> kW is shot northeast (right at West Philly),

The funnier thing about all of this... That little "local" Wilmington TV station's transmitter is in....... Roxborough! (With the signal technically being shot southwest toward Wilmington..... and almost reaching Wilmington! )

<a target="_blank" href=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=CA1027631.html>http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=CA1027631.html</a><P ID="signature">______________
D. Stroyer
Celebrating 10 years of idle radio message board speculation.</P>

 

[Mark_Ericson]

> > Looking it up at the FCC database, almost all of 'TSD's
> 146
> > kW is shot northeast (right at West Philly),
>
> The funnier thing about all of this... That little "local"
> Wilmington TV station's transmitter is in....... Roxborough!
> (With the signal technically being shot southwest toward
> Wilmington..... and almost reaching Wilmington! )
>
h> ttp://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=CA1027631.html

http://www.recnet.com/cdbs/goo_curves.php?data=40.042|75.236|146|419|64|65828|14|230|1

That's a coverage map from recnet.com, which shows the grade B curve, not just city-grade.

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[MikefromDelaware]

That explains why it doesn't have the best reception in the Wilmington area.

> > > Looking it up at the FCC database, almost all of 'TSD's
> > 146
> > > kW is shot northeast (right at West Philly),
> >
> > The funnier thing about all of this... That little "local"
>
> > Wilmington TV station's transmitter is in.......
> Roxborough!
> > (With the signal technically being shot southwest toward
> > Wilmington..... and almost reaching Wilmington! )
> >
> h>
> ttp://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=CA1027631.html
>
>
http://www.recnet.com/cdbs> /goo_curves.php?data=40.042|75.236|146|419|64|65828|14|230|1
>
>
> That's a coverage map from recnet.com, which shows the grade
> B curve, not just city-grade.
>
> - Trip
>

 

[crisisbroadcast]

Yeah, I saw that.

In my original post I was using the COL as the point of reference, but I knew the wiser would note where the signal originated from.

So...northeast from Wilmington, southwest from Roxborough...it's all the same, right? <P ID="signature">______________
FPXMedia: TV, Radio, and Anything Else
FPX Radio - Coming Soon!
Be Mused...</P>

 

[w9wi]

Re: CA???? What's THAT????

> Never saw THAT suffix before.

"Class A". From a technical standpoint, it's the same thing as a LPTV. However, LPTVs are a secondary service - can be bumped from their channel by a new full-power station or a power increase/tower move at a full-power station. Class A stations cannot be bumped. In return, Class A stations are required to comply with a number of full-power regulations that don't apply to LPTVs. (for example, minimum operating schedule)

It was mandated by Congress a few years back, when LPTV operators rallied against the potential loss of their stations to new digital assignments. (but Congress didn't protect -CA stations from the original DTV operations of existing analog stations)

Three more suffixes have been created in the last few months:

-LD (digital LPTV)
-CD (digital Class A station)
-D (digital operation of a letter-number station, like "K32GX-D")