Washington, DC / Baltimore, MD - HDTV

[systems2000]

Originally Posted by djp952

What was wrong with WBAL for you last night? Granted, I'm basically right on top of them here, but we watched WBAL quite a bit last night and this morning and it was fine. Did they reduce power on 59 in prep for tomorrow or something?

At 70 miles with 2-edge reception, I believe the atmospheric conditions (storms) caused the station to go away at my location. At least I'll finally be able to receive WHAG-DT tomorrow and not have to worry about it any more.

[scootdog]

systems200 if you would not mind posting your setup I am curious as I think I am fairly close to your location in Franklin County, PA. I was wondering about antenna type, height, motorized, etc. Also, what brand HDTV or converter your using. Thanks.

[systems2000]

Just got off the phone with WITF and they are acquiring bids for equipment on W38AN (Digital). They have the cash and are willing to spend it. W38AN (33 at 5KW) is hopefully going to be on the air by late August. W38AN (38 - WJZ-DT/WMAR-DT interference) will continue to broadcast past tomorrow.

[systems2000]

Someone at WETA just leaned on the FFWD button and ran through about five min of DTV info.

I'm getting tired of the "Hype" that these programs are putting out. DTV DOES use analog transmission. DTV IS NOT better for those on the CLIFF.

[systems2000]

Here you go scootdog;

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...6#post16470496
and
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...3#post15830893
and
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...4#post15946674

[afiggatt]

Originally Posted by djp952

I hear that, and ... I'm only 10 miles from the tower. WJZ on 38 has been a nightmare for us. I don't think we've even bothered trying to tune it in for 6-8 months. With WJLA moving to 7 and WMAR moving to 38 I think we'll be ABC-less for a while at my house until I sort out how to clean 38 up and get VHF set up again.

For me in Sterling, WJZ-DT 13 on UHF 38 at 1000 kW has been much more reliable and east to get compared to WMAR-DT 2 on UHF 52 at 613 kW and WBAL-DT on UHF 59 at 513 kW. WBAL-DT is the weakest and most prone to dropouts of the 3, in part because it is/(soon to be was) located at the upper end of the UHF range with the poorest propagation. Of course, the UHF antenna used plays a big role in this because of different gain responses over the UHF channels. The UHF antenna comparison chart at http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html shows this.

I suspect that some locations have had a more difficult time getting WJZ-DT on UHF 39 because of adjacent channel interference from WJLA-DT 7 on UHF 39 at 646 kW in DC. That goes away tomorrow when WJLA-DT moves to 7. However, for systems2000 and those located well NW of Baltimore, WJAL-DT 68 near Chambersburg, PA will be increasing to 105 kW on UHF 39 which is not going to help with WMAR-DT 2 reception on 38. The FCC should allow WJAL-DT to either move to DC or have it to relocate to a tower in Hagerstown so it is co-located with the other Hagerstown antennas, if there is a good UHF channel slot left for WJAL-DT to use there.

As for WMPT-DT 22 on 42, I have never gotten the digital station reliably where I am in north Sterling. My antenna is in the attic and WMPT-DT is in a poor direction, basically lengthwise down a row of the top of townhouses. My signal strength on UHF 42 is back to 1-3 bars, so either it was tropo earlier in the week or WMPT-DT was testing increased power in preparation for a permanent increase to 439 kW tomorrow. I get WFPT-DT 62 in Frederick just fine and even now get WMPB-DT 67 in Baltimore much of the time, so getting WMPT-DT is not vital. With WWPB-DT MPT 31 in Hagerstown going to 1000 kW, I might well get that even with the CM 4221 aimed at Baltimore, which could put me in the rather redundant position of getting four MPT stations OTA.

[systems2000]

This "Ready For DTV" program really settled in on me yesterday. I was about to change out my center pole, when I thought that peaking my reception would be for naught.

The Mid-Atlantic has so many changes starting tomorrow, that I believe everyone will need to re-evaluate their OTA setup. After all the stations have completed their transition, there will be RF changes, power changes, antenna location changes, triple-beats, AM/CB/FM/HAM/airline interference, co-channel, and adjacent channel issues will be completely new to everyone.

That means no one is ready.

[joblo]

Originally Posted by afiggatt

The FCC should allow WJAL-DT to either move to DC

ARRRGGH! No! We’re finally getting rid of RF 39 and its adjacent channel interference and I definitely don’t want it back!

I assume you mean that they should move to DC on a different channel, yes?

[mdviewer25]

was: MLBHD on 21-2
now: ionHD on 21-1

wonder if this was done to black out the Red Sox/Yankees Game or if Comcast caught a mistake and fixed it.

[systems2000]

Originally Posted by joblo

ARRRGGH! No! We’re finally getting rid of RF 39 and its adjacent channel interference and I definitely don’t want it back!

I assume you mean that they should move to DC on a different channel, yes?

WJAL-DT (68) RF39 isn't going anywhere at the moment. What they will be doing is increasing their transmitter power to 105KW (currently 34KW).

What will be going away is WJLA-DT (7) RF39 in D.C. (operating at 646KW).

[afiggatt]

Originally Posted by joblo

ARRRGGH! No! We’re finally getting rid of RF 39 and its adjacent channel interference and I definitely don’t want it back!

I assume you mean that they should move to DC on a different channel, yes?

WJAL 68 filed an petition several years ago (or longer?) to move to Silver Spring and operate on channel 16. The FCC has never acted on it. The reason to move to DC proper is that would give Entravision Communications, who owns WJAL and a number of Univision & Telefutura - including WFDC 14 and WMDO-CA 47 - another full power station in the DC market. They probably would put Telefutura programming on WJAL if it was moved to DC.

As far as I can tell, WWTD-LP 49 is still off the air. The low power station was supposed to provide WJLA 7 programming in analog after the original Feb 17 shutdown date. Anyone know if WJLA is planning to still do that after June 12? If WWTD-LP is totally dependent on WJLA 7 to go on the air, that does not bode well for it. That would open UHF 49 for another DC station.

[Digital Rules]

Originally Posted by afiggatt

As far as I can tell, WWTD-LP 49 is still off the air.

Correct,

There is presently nothing being broadcast on channel 49 . It's been off the air for a few months.

[joblo]

WUTB-24 crawl says they will cease analog at 11:59 AM.

WMPT-22 has been added to the nightlight list. Through June 26. They also filed an updated termination notice with the FCC to terminate between 12:01 PM and 6 PM, so presumably they will switch to nightlight during that time.

Full revised nightlight list here: http://www.fcc.gov/DA-09-1303A2.pdf

[wmcbrine]

All the station crawls I've seen seem to be saying noon -- or rather 11:59 (the "morning" group), or 12:01 (the "afternoon" group).

I bid a personal farewell to WUTB, the last analog I kept in my regular lineup. Your digital coverage sucks.

[Trip in VA]

Originally Posted by afiggatt

WJAL 68 filed an petition several years ago (or longer?) to move to Silver Spring and operate on channel 16. The FCC has never acted on it.

The FCC dismissed it, then WJAL filed a petition for reconsideration. That has yet to be acted upon.

And it dates to before they had elected to move to channel 39, so I don't know that they'd move to 16 in DC.

- Trip

[aaronwt]

Well it's finally here. I've been waiting eight years for it. At least there should be some humorous news stories today about the switch.

[systems2000]

Just over two hours to go for the mayhem to begin. Too bad I don't have a Spectrum Analyzer to record the transition. Would be cool to see all the channels going and coming.

[joblo]

WDCW-50 has made the switch. Not sure exactly what time, but it was at the end of some program produced by NBC/Universal Studios, because that was the frozen screen on Cox Fairfax around 0945 this morning. Cox has now retuned its receiver and service is restored.

[CycloneGT]

Wow, today is the day that all TV becomes HDTV.

Funny how many times we have heard that over the years.

[systems2000]

Not "…HDTV…," DTV.

Not "…all tv…," Low-Power, Class "A," and translator stations will continue to broadcast analog.

As of 10:00, WMAR-TV and WRC-TV are gone from my system (I'm getting a CBS station on RF4). It also looks like WTTG-TV, WBAL-TV, WJZ-TV, & WUTB-TV have reduced power.

[Trip in VA]

Apparently there's a huge e-skip window on low-VHF today. I wish it was on another day when I could see it!

- Trip

[gomo657]

Originally Posted by joblo

WDCW-50 has made the switch. Not sure exactly what time, but it was at the end of some program produced by NBC/Universal Studios, because that was the frozen screen on Cox Fairfax around 0945 this morning. Cox has now retuned its receiver and service is restored.

DCW through comcast/DC is showing 480i through cable box other channels 720p/1080i. I noticed the past few days local commercials would switch to 480i the switch back afterwards.

[joblo]

Originally Posted by joblo

WETA’s web site says it will end analog at noon.

WUSA’s web site says it will end analog and move digital from 34 to 9 at noon.

WTTG’s web site says channel 5 will switch to nightlight service at 12:01 PM.

I expect all the other DC stations that selected morning or afternoon on their FCC forms will also switch at noon or 12:01 PM. This includes 4, 5, 7, 9, 20, 26, 32, and 50.

WJZ’s web site reports it will switch at 12:30 pm. Expect WMAR and WBAL will switch at the same time.

WRC-4 onscreen countdown to noon.
WJLA-7 web site says “Mid-Day”.
WDCW-50 already gone.
WMAR-2, WBAL-11, and WJZ-13 crawls all say 12:30.
WUTB-24 crawl says 11:59 AM.

[machpost]

WJLA just made the switch. I'm getting a much better digital signal from 7 than I ever did from 39. Is VHF less susceptible to multipath interference than UHF? That's always been my problem here, as I'm on the lower floor of a tall building, where the only windows face the opposite direction from where most of the DC signals are broadcasting.

[ajnabi]

channel 4, 5, 7, 9, 20, 26, 32 just went down.

Finally I get Mhz channels clearly now... the best part for me has been that my small attenta actually picked up vhf 7 and 9 for which i wasn't sure if it was going to work or not.

[joblo]

20, 26, 32 also gone

[systems2000]

Originally Posted by Trip in VA

Apparently there's a huge e-skip window on low-VHF today. I wish it was on another day when I could see it!

- Trip

I'm seeing it.

[systems2000]

24 is gone.

I'm still getting WMAR-TV, WGAL-TV, WTAJ-TV, WBAL-TV, WJZ-TV, 22, 31, & 67

[joblo]

And now the cool stuff:

With WUTB-24 now gone, WNVC has started transmitting on 24.

RF24:
30-1 MHz1 Worldview
30-2 MHz2 NHK (English)
30-3 MHz3 Metro Chinese Network (Mandarin?)
30-4 MHz4 Russia Today (English)
30-5 MHz5 bvn (Dutch?)

RF30:
30-6 MHz6 SABC (South Africa -English)
30-7 MHz7 France 24 (English)
30-8 MHz8 NTA (Nigeria – English)
30-9 MHz9 VTV4 (no idea –something Asian, maybe Vietnamese?)
30-10 MHz10 Euronews (English)

[mdviewer25]

I'm getting a much stronger signal for 66 on RF 34. WJLA's signal sucks for me. WUSA right now is only at 55-65% and I have two 9-1's and 9-2's. one is blank the other has programming.