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Monterey, CA - HDTV

120K views 781 replies 116 participants last post by  KeithWE6R 
#1 ·
Currently we are receiving KSBW8 (NBC) on digital 10. We also receive KNTV11 from San Jose, but this is also NBC. CBS and FOX will begin there digital broadcasts from the same tower in Salinas in mid February (estimated).
 
#477 ·
Here is some good (well not good) but accurate information as to why COmcast HD is soooo limited in Santa Cruz. Many THanks to Mikef5 and "Mr. J." for sending this to me.


About Santa Cruz....


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I hope you don't mind the private email but I've talked with Mr. J. directly about the Santa Cruz situation and he's given me the reason for the problem with Santa Cruz getting the World of More so far. This is directly from him and I hope this gives you a good idea of the problem.


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The situation in Santa Cruz is in a word, complex. And requires some background details to set the stage.


Most of us know that Santa Cruz is hemmed in by the Pacific Ocean and the mountain range that separates it from the Santa Clara Valley. Prior to the establishment of the cable television industry less than a handful of over-the-air television signals could be received, and those were located in Monterey. The picture quality suffered and permits to build new antennas to help boost signals, combined with no access roads and electrical power supplies to serve these over-the-air antennas on top of the mountains made the idea of even getting 7 channels to the area a pipe dream.


In the 1970’s when the cable television industry was first established in Santa Cruz a group of folks were concerned that the cable television technology, (with its ability to offer 30 channels!)could establish a “monopoly” and elected to use the federal courts to provide them safeguards. The end result…a “law” was put in place that to this day is still in force and adds an extra layer of regulations, rules and procedures that any cable company who does business in the area must comply with. Despite the leaps in technology that over the years have brought satellite dishes, 3G/4G wireless signals and the internet into the mix the rules set up in the 1970’s are still applicable.


Given the unique geographic circumstances outlined above the United States Government put in place a “federal consent decree” on top of the franchise agreements, state laws and federal laws that govern cable television. In my 15 years as a telecommunications professional I know of no other city/region in the country that has a “federal consent decree” like Santa Cruz’s and I’ve literally spoken to the best federal telecommunications attorneys across the country who have come across similar results. The old saying “only in Santa Cruz” must have started with this law.


The bottom line, the “consent decree” is still in place, we are unable to make any changes to our analog channel lineups (which remain under these regulations) without going to federal court and amending the decree and/or revising the franchise agreements with the City & County of Santa Cruz. I’ve aware of only once such amendment to the consent decree since my tenure here, but we are currently in discussions with a large group of folks/attorneys to try and hammer out a change in the local franchise that may result in us getting the opportunity to boost the Santa Cruz lineup.


So we didn’t “skip Santa Cruz”. We are deeply involved in negotiations to make it happen. Simply put, in Santa Cruz we face a singularly unique situation that is a remnant of the 1970’s and forces us to take a different, and longer route, to get to our destination.


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I hope this helps explain the situation for you. The reason I did this by private email was I believe you are the only Santa Cruz person in this forum but if you think it might be advantageous to post this in the open forum, in case there are other Santa Cruz people, then I will do that but I thought that you deserved to know first since you posted your concerns to the forum.


Anyway, I'm sorry about your situation in Santa Cruz but maybe you can get others in your area to get the franchise people to have this law amended to help expedite the upgrades to your area. It's what I did about 5 years ago when I was told Milpitas would never be upgraded pass the 550 MHz system that we had, we are now a 1GHz system.


Laters,

Mikef5
 
#480 ·
A new digital channel has started broadcasting on channel 39 in the Monterey area. The call sign is KMMD-LD and the logo in the bottom corner shows MTV tr3s.


The programming appears to be oriented toward the latino community but the programming I've seen so far has been in English, one program had Spanish subtitles and some commercials have been in Spanish.


It appears to be transmitting from Mt. Toro.
 
#481 ·
Thanks for the tip. As I expected, I can receive it up here in Calaveras County some 130 miles away. It's a bit stronger than KION. Even though it is Tr3s, the programming is different from KMMW-LD, my local affiliate on 28.1.


Next one to look for is KOTR showing up on 41.


Chuck
 
#489 ·
I was looking at low power analog stations from areas that I can receive them and I see 6 remaining in Salinas/Monterey. Looks like KOTR is the only one that's likely to go digital.


KMUV and K29AB have expired construction permits.


K15CU, KLFB, and KMCE have not even filed an application for a digital station.


Someday those might just go off the air.


Chuck
 
#490 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by franklyfred /forum/post/17911571


Capitola location here. Have a indoor radio shack antenna can get all the local HDs with a little adjustments. But want to go to an outdoor antenna to get rid of the rabbit ears and cables in the front room. Any suggestions nothing to big have a Directv dish to work with also. Thanks

I bought an HD outdoor antenna Model A-2805 by Lava off of ebay for 35 bucks, Installed it pointing it to Monterey, and as of now I'm getting 20 Hd channels: 8.1, 8.2, 25.1, 25.2, 25.3, 27.1, 27.2, 27.3, 27.4, 35.1, 38.1, 38.2, 38.3, 38.4, 39.1, 46.1, 46.2, 67.1, 67.2, 67.3, hope this helps
 
#492 ·
Unfortunately, yes. There are four subchannels 19.1 to 19.4. 19.1 is "THIS" tv showing old movies. The other subchannels have color bars. Now I've lost KOFY channel 20 which also transmits on channel 19.


Another junk channel replacing a good one. I lost KRON a few months back when channel 38 started.
 
#496 ·
Can you all check and help us figure out what is wrong on ch27. On 2 of my receivers the field where you would normally see THIS or MEX or KYMB etc is BLANK! On my VIP622 I cannot add the station at all as it says it is channel 0 (zero). PGDave said he deleted one subchannel and could not add it back, indicating that they once DID transmit the info correctly. I have been in contack with the owner, Gary. They could use more input. Thanks.

Keith
 
#497 ·
There were a couple of new station authorizations released by the FCC for the Monterey Bay area for a low power and a translator station.


Channel 2:

-- Gonzales KOTR-LP analog power increase to 840 w

-- Morgan Hill new station K02QX-D digital 300 w


Channel 19:

-- Monterey K19HW-D city of license change from Templeton to Monterey


From August 2010 VHF-UHF Digest
http://www.wtfda.org

Worldwide TV-FM-DX Association


Larry

SF
 
#498 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Kenney /forum/post/19026530


There were a couple of new station authorizations released by the FCC for the Monterey Bay area for a low power and a translator station.


Channel 2:

-- Gonzales KOTR-LP analog power increase to 840 w


Larry

SF

I read their application and actually they are going to lower their power from 3KW to 840W and rotate their antenna away from Gonzales to Monterey. This pattern will conform more closely to their proposed channel 41 digital antenna pattern. Maybe they're doing this in preparation for bringing their digital station on the air so that both stations have more or less the same coverage.


I'll keep on eye out for this change as right now they have 300 mW (0.3W) in my direction and after the rotation it'll be nearly 100W. I should be able to see a big difference.


Chuck
 
#500 ·
We are no longer in our home that had a working Winegard SquareShooter on it and are now in new rental home - the house has some line of sight issues to Fremont Peak and Monterey, but it shouldn't be much different than my old location (3 blocks away).


However, on this rental the owner doesn't want me drilling holes or mounting anything to the roof, and he has already let a DirecTV Dish be added - so my question is what type of indoor antenna could I use to get decent 8-1, 35-1, & 46-1?


I could pull the existing single RG6 coax out of the wall and run an additional small diameter coax line into the hole with the RG6 and connect that to an antenna mounted on a fence if I need to - there is a house just next door with a squareshooter on their upstairs deck...Also there is some coax running around the house from old Comcast installs that I could tap into for better routing and possibly feed that in with my DirecTV signal and then split it back out, but I am not sure about doing that yet. My idea is to head to the Shack and pick up one of their cheap HDTV amplified indoor antennas and try it - anyone have other ideas???? Thanks!
 
#501 ·
Here are a couple of new items of interest regarding upcoming stations, as shown in the latest W9WI listing:


KOTR has requested a couple of changes for their digital channel: a change of city of license from Gonzales to Santa Cruz and a channel change from channel 41 to channel 11. The FCC site no longer has a map available showing the transmitter site location, but if anyone has a way to figure out the coordinates, the channel 11 transmitter will be at 37-06-39/121-50-37 at a height of 2726 feet running 74 watts.


Also, a new translator has been approved for channel 2, K02QQ-D, in Monterey running 60 watts at 36-33-09/121-47-17 from 525 feet.


Larry

SF
 
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