Quote:
Originally Posted by
itsthemultipath! 
I question the logic in WDIV's change. True, it is better to transmit from the top of the mast than a lower point on the side, but, in their case, they had to reduce power to compensate for the additional antenna height.
Had they left their circular-polarization channel 4 antenna in place at the top, along with its transmission line, instead of scrapping the antenna, they may have been able to sell the antenna and line to a future channel 4 DT permittee for a large sum of money.
Are you saying they should have kept high power levels and lived with the distortions in coverage that a side-mounted antenna produces? That doesn't seem wise at all given that ATSC does poorly with multipath.
No one is going to want a 20 year old VHF antenna, especially one that requires increased transmitter power to utilize. While a fully cross polarized or circularly polarized antenna would solve some viewer problems, the truth is that the stations are not willing to bear the cost of increased operating expenses nor the capital expense.
Fifty years ago, the viewer had to endure the expense of outdoor antennas, towers and quality transmission line for reliable off-air reception. Those days have returned.
