Greenville, SC - HDTV - Page 105

Bugs during network programming are not controlled by the station, but by the network. The white FOX bug and the local station bug are storied on the splicer and network decides which bug is to be used and when. During non network programming, the station has control.

What's the latest update on WLOS and their power situation? The 70-80% they were operating at for their last update still isn't cutting it for me. It's going to have to go 100% before I have a prayer of picking it up.

We are still at 25Kw when we should be at 30Kw. We proofed the transmitter again last week and it does seem to be alot better now after the work was performed on it about a month ago. Hopefully, we are going to try to go up to our full power in the next week or so. We are installing some new equipment at our studio, as well as moving a bureau this week and into next... so the timeframe is not yet set.

If you are getting our signal now, but low signal strength, the increase in power might help you... but anything worse than that and I doubt the extra boost is going to help you enough. Where in SC are you located?

I'm located in Cherokee County... in your "Fringe" area for your DT signal pattern. At the moment I get a two bar signal that fluctuates, but at other times of the day/night it drops off to one bar and is too weak to pick up at all.

I was hoping the extra power would boost it enough to recieve it at least, especially with ABC adding Saturday Night College Football next year

Hey all,

I am new to this forum but have been a member of audioholics for a while now. I have a question for all you folks that in in western North Carolina. I live in Sylva, NC 28779 and have looked up my address on antenaweb and it says that I cannot get off the air HD channels in my area. However, I can get signal from all of the SD towers in asheville, greenville and knoxville. I am 25 miles from WLOS tower and 40 miles from WYFF. Is thier anything to do to get Off the air HD in my area.

Thanks


Naves

Buy an OTA HD receiver, a long range UHF antenna, a pre-amp, and a rotor and see what happens. Hopefully you dont have a mountain between your location and the towers. I think you may be suprised at your results. Good luck.

I have a samsung hlr-5667w it has the so I dont need the receiver. Now can I get an antenna from radio shack you that would work?

Thanks


Jason

[quote=Naves]I have a samsung hlr-5667w it has the so I dont need the receiver. Now can I get an antenna from radio shack you that would work?

Thanks


] Ask your local RS if they carry Channel Master, many do, and I believe you would be happier. Also keep in mind that some of the "locals" will return to their vhf channel number with their hd signal, when standard is gone. So those of us who depend on ota will need a vhf antenna in addition to the uhf we currently use.

The FCC database lists you as authorized to run at 1000 kW on ch 56.

It does list you at about 30 kW for your proposed digital signal on ch 13, after analog shutdown.

I believe Mr. Stratton is talking about actual transmitter output, while the FCC listings are for "effective radiated power" which is [transmitter power - transmission line loss x antenna gain]. A typical non-directional transmitting antenna has a gain of about 28-30, while a directional may be as high as 60. If the transmitter is at 30 KW, you need a net gain (gain minus losses) of 33 to reach 1000 KW ERP.

Richard

If WLOS is hoping to achieve 30 kw at max on the uhf ch. what would the other three be shooting for? I believe ch. 4 dt is 1000 kw erp. Why such a big difference between the two station's power output?

This has to do with the difference in coverage on VHF (13) vs UHF. In the analog world, the max on ch 7-13 was 316 KW, and the max on UHF was 5,000 KW.

Since Ch. 4 is intending to stay on UHF, they will have a higher permitted power level.

The next obvious question is, why only 1,000 Digital, if they were at 5,000 analog? Two reasons:

1: In analog, the power was peak power at the Sync. pulse, while on Digital it is average.

2: The receiveability of the DTV signal was determined to be about 12 dB better than on analog.

Combining these gives power levels intended to replicate the coverage of the old analog system

If my understanding is correct, WLOS will broadcast their dt signal on uhf 56, at 30 kw (maybe) for the next two years, or until standard is gone. During this time, this means their signal will continue to have constant audio and video dropouts in my area because they are under-powered on uhf. Is this an fcc mandate, or a Sinclair decision?

You have to remember that the number the FCC is concerned about is the ERP number or Effective Ratiated Power. According to the FCC database, that number is 1000 kw (or 1 million watts). In order to reach that 1000 kw number, it takes 30 kw of power from the transmitter (TPO or transmitter power output). The antenna through phasing and shaping the signal can create a signal that looks like to your receiver it is being produced by a 1 million watt transmitter. Hence the name "EFFECTIVE."

So the answer to your question is yes, WLOS will be broadcasting 30kw from their transmtter on channel 56 until they move back to channel 13 for digital. What that means in with 30kw of transmitter power (TPO), they will be making 1 million watts out of the antenna (ERP).

This is what is on file with the FCC for their 1 million watt pattern on channel 56.



This is their channel 13 digital pattern. It is slightly different than their current channel 13 analog pattern.

Ah, I didn't realize the network controlled it. It'd be nice if they just used the white FOX bug like they do on the SD feed.

While flipping through my DTV receiver's program guide, I noticed that 62-1 and 7-3 are now coming up as WYCW-DT and WYCW-SD respectively, instead of WASV-DT and WASV-SD. Since it was near the half hour, I waited for the station break to see what the new logo would look like. But I didn't see a new logo! Instead, I saw the old WASV 62 logo, or one of them anyway, accompanied by the text WYCW-TV/DT in small print at the bottom. Looks like they're starting to market their new CW network affiliation.

I wonder if WBSC is going to get new call letters too. WWWB in Charlotte has already changed to WMYT.

No, that's from their temporary permit for 14.9 kW. Here's the map for 1000 kW:



On this map, I'm right at the edge of the service contour, but on the one for 14.9 kW, I'm thirty miles outside.

On their proposed ch 13 map, I'm about 10 miles outside, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

At least I still have WOLO-DT in Columbia. Even though Laurens County isn't part of their market area, I'm a few miles inside their service contour. I get a pretty good signal from them, except that impulse noise is a problem sometimes.

[quote=jtbell]
At least I still have WOLO-DT in Columbia. Even though Laurens County isn't part of their market area.

Since Clinton is not in the WOLO dma, you must be in the WLOS dma? If so, looks as though you guys may be out of luck.

I am just inside the current ch 56 full power contour, and the same with the proposed 13 hd signal when the time comes. Lots of drop outs.

Are these maps ever confirmed in the field, or just pure "should be" ?

How is your 13.1 signal these days???

As far as I know, Laurens County is part of the Greenville / Spartanburg / Asheville / Anderson DMA, and WLOS is the ABC affiliate that serves that DMA. It's a bit weird because I've visited Asheville (as opposed to just driving through on my way up north) maybe three times in the twenty years I've lived here, so their local commercials are useless to me. I do watch WLOS local news sometimes, just for the scenery. For real news, I usually use WYFF or WOLO depending on whether I'm in the mood for Greenville or Columbia news. I visit both places regularly.

I get a very good signal from WLOS on ch 56. It's not as strong overall as WOLO's signal, but it's strong enough, and steady, and isn't affected by impulse noise like WOLO's VHF signal. With impulse noise, I get occasional-to-frequent brief glitches, usually localized to small areas of the picture. It varies from day to day depending on the weather. In wet weather I get no impulse noise, but on warm dry days I can get lots of it.

Impulse noise??? I've looked at several sites to explain "impulse noise" as I seek a solution to my problems with 13.1. My signal is fairly good, around 75, but constant glitches both video and audio, both seem electrical , no pixel drop out, just a small tear in a portion of the picture, audio has a pop .....but I'm no engineer. I looking at the Monster htfs 500 to correct. Anyone else using a power conditioner???? Any suggestions?

Don, Impulse Noise may reach your system either by way of the power line, or directly from the antenna. The most common source is a cracked or broken insulator on a power line. If you tune to an analog channel, you should see it in the picture. If it shows up as a line across the screen, crawling slowly upward, then it is power-line related. If it is random, it most likely comes from a brush-type motor somewhere in your area.

Normally, impulse noise is worst on the low VHF channels (2-6) which is why most stations do not want to use those channels for DTV. Seeing it on UHF is very rare.

As far as power conditioning is concerned, there are some good units out there, but I would recommend something different....

Be on the lookout for a Liebert Uninterruptible Power Supply in the GXT series. I have a 2 KW one, which powers three HD-TiVos, a 61" RP HDTV, all the audio components, and two computers. The beauty of these is that the output is always coming from the UPS, and never from the power line. The line only provides DC to keep the batteries charged, so there is complete isolation from any line problems.

In over a year, I have never had a TiVo lockup, reboot, or any other problems, which is in stark contrast to most other TiVo users. If the power goes off, I just shut off the TV and audio, and let the TiVos run. Usually the power is back quickly, and I don't even lose the recordings.

I got mine on eBay for about $60 plus shipping (another $50 - these are heavy) and bought new batteries for it, about another $60, but it has been a great investment!!

If you look on eBay for item 9729660116 you will see a similar unit for sale now. It is a 1 KW.

Regards,

Was WLOS out tonight??? On the season finale of LOST?????? For shame!

It was fine here...just finished watching it.. (and deleted it - - sorry!!)

I don't get it. WUNF was coming in fine, and WLOS, which has been rock solid for weeks now, did not come in at all! Of all the nights for this to happen...I was pi**ed!!! I just don't understand it.

I had no trouble tuning WLOS last night for LOST with my HDTV (Zenith c32v37), but my HTPC with MCE running two digital tuners could not tune into WLOS (signal strengh should have been adequate - around 75% with little fluctuation according to my TV's strength meter). It would pick up the other stations, but not WLOS which means I could not record it . So perhaps there was something wrong with the transmission that effected some tuners, but not all.

Does anyone know or heard if Charter will be getting ESPN2 in HD anytime soon. It pisses me off that the semifinals in NCAA lax in going to be in HD on ESPN@ but i cant watch it.

My tuner is a MCE PC card as well! Maybe it was a crappy MS thing?!

Speaking of Charter, I have been having problems with my Moxi, so I called Charter care to see what was up. They said it may be a week or more before a tech could get out, so I was told to take it on down to the local office for a switchout. Of course, when I got there I was told they were out, and I drove from Weaverville to Arden for nothing. The interesting thing is that the ldy said they only had a few left for swap outs, as they are no longer offering them for new customers. I wonder if there is a new box on the horizon, or if she was totally wrong.