[Trip in VA]

The FCC database is a licensing database, not necessarily a "current status" database. The license to cover filed for WPVN-CD on Hancock has not yet been granted, so the old license on Trump Tower from before the repack remains active.

On RabbitEars, I manually adjust which records are active to show things that are either operational or coming in the future. The top record in the Technical Data section of the RabbitEars listing should reflect the operating facility. (If it has a DRT or something like WBBM used to have on 26, then that would appear immediately below the primary license and should also be the operating DRT.)

- Trip

 

[sebenste]

That made me laugh out loud. Of all of the sources of info I would expect the FCC to be the most accurate.

Does anyone else use aluminum foil for their bowties? I have found that most of the time using foil behind the reflectors improves reception. And one night when I was too lazy to get out of bed to adjust the antenna position I extended a telescoping metal back scratcher and touched it to various parts of the antenna and found, to my delight, when the claw touched a part of one of the reflectors reception was noticeably improved. lol Every night is a science experiment at my place.

I put aluminum foil on the back of my reflector for the ChannelMaster 4228 in my attic. It helped a bit, probably a db or so. It gets me barely over the "digital cliff" on the low power stations in winter.

 

[PhilJSmith67]

After starting to receive KPDS-LD Wolcott, IN recently, my curiosity compels me to wonder... This low-power station was first assigned the callsign W49DS-D back in 2014. The station has always been licensed to Wolcott, IN -- as far as I could tell looking through correspondence (apps, info, legal notices, etc.) this station wasn't a "move in" from across the Mississippi River, nor was any move across the river planned. Along with a change in ownership to HC2 Holdings in 2017, a callsign change was granted as KPDS-LD: See Public Notice or Callsign History.

So... Why would the FCC grant a station in Indiana a change from a W* call to a K* call? Was there any recent change to dissolve the geographical separation for K and W for mass media TV and radio stations? I know that mistakes have occurred in the past, such as with KTGG Okemos, MI for which an FCC employee misinterpreted "MI" for Missouri, but this couldn't have resulted from another mistake. I mean, I doubt that "IN" could be misinterpreted as Idaho or Iowa.

 

[zippyfrog]

I am looking at the Scripps announcement today:

Scripps takes first steps to realize ION synergies with multicast networks move - Scripps

CINCINNATI – The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) will begin to migrate its multicast networks Bounce, Court TV, Court TV Mystery, Grit and Laff to carriage on the company’s newly acquired ION stations beginning March 1. The rolling transition will continue as those networks’ affiliation...

scripps.com

Qubo, Ion Plus, and Shop Ion are gone Feb 28. So 38-2, 38-3, and 38-4 are going to be gone. No mention of QVC (38-5) or HSN (38-6) so I assume those will still be there. Earlier it was mentioned that LAFF won't be moving yet, but is there any chance Bounce, Grit, or Court TV gets moved in those 3 slots on Mar 1?

 

[KyL416]

The first paragraph in the release says the migrations will take place as affiliation agreements expire over the next 5 years. In Chicago Laff, Grit and Mystery are affiliated with Univision owned stations, their contract doesn't expire until 2024. Bounce is affiliated with Weigel's WCIU, while their newest network CourtTV is affiliated with the Nexstar owned WGN, who inherited the deal from Tribune after they agreed to have their stations be the launch partners for CourtTV, no word on how long those deals are for.

The initial filings also said QVC and HSN will be leaving, and they already started replacing some of them with Laff in markets where the ABC O&O still has Laff like NYC, LA and Philly.

The next moves will likely be happening in markets where the Katz networks are currently on Scripps owned stations, along with markets where they are affiliated with LPTV signals like the HC2 owned stations, since those contracts are usually short term, compared to the 5-7 year long term contracts Katz signed with Univision and other broadcasters.

 

[zippyfrog]

The first paragraph in the release says the migrations will take place as affiliation agreements expire over the next 5 years. In Chicago Laff, Grit and Mystery are affiliated with Univision owned stations, their contract doesn't expire until 2024. Bounce is affiliated with Weigel's WCIU, while their newest network CourtTV is affiliated with the Nexstar owned WGN, who inherited the deal from Tribune after they agreed to have their stations be the launch partners for CourtTV, no word on how long those deals are for.

Thanks for that info. I didn't know that Grit and Mystery were a part of the 2024 deal - I know you mentioned LAFF being on Univision until 2024, but it is good to know those others are all in the same deal.

 

[Sam29]

TheGrio TV is launching tomorrow. Looking at the website it looks like it will launch at 9 AM. Not sure what time zone it is though

 

[andyross63]

I guess the launch happened. It's also available on Comcast as channel 365, which is where Light TV used to be (yes, I know both are 32.3).

 

[ChipsDK]

Looks like Grio runs mainstream informercials outside of their core hours which start quite late in the morning compared to other channels.

 

[Dx1019]

Just curious, is WAOE/WCHU-LD 59.2 also broadcasting The Grio?

Also, is anyone receiving WAAA-LD from Valparaiso on RF16? If so, is it showing any programming? On RabbitEars, it's listed as on the air with 3 blank subchannels.

 

[retromzc]

Just curious, is WAOE/WCHU-LD 59.2 also broadcasting The Grio?

Also, is anyone receiving WAAA-LD from Valparaiso on RF16? If so, is it showing any programming? On RabbitEars, it's listed as on the air with 3 blank subchannels.

Yes, WAOE/WCHU 59.2 is currently broadcasting The Grio as is WFLD 32.4.

 

[PhilJSmith67]

Just curious, is WAOE/WCHU-LD 59.2 also broadcasting The Grio?

Also, is anyone receiving WAAA-LD from Valparaiso on RF16? If so, is it showing any programming? On RabbitEars, it's listed as on the air with 3 blank subchannels.

Looking at the 51 dBu contour map for WAAA-LD, I am a little surprised I get no hint of signal on UHF ch16, but right now my antenna is aimed North and Valpo is almost directly East of me (I am just past the end of IL-394). I'll try turning my antenna 90° and see if I get a lock on it.

 

[PhilJSmith67]

Regarding WAAA-LD, turning my antenna East I get something on RF 16 but not enough to lock any data. There is indeed an ATSC pilot on 482.31 MHz (ch16 lower bound + 310 kHz) but it’s really weak.

BTW, for the past two weeks I was getting KPDS-LD Wolcott on RF 9 with a solid enough lock to view its subchannels. Since Tuesday I am still getting the same adequate signal strength, but it will not lock until I hold the antenna up to the ceiling — and even then I get a sporadic lock but never any PSIP data. Is anyone else within range of this station getting similar issues? It kind of reminds me of WYIN’s data encoding problems from a couple years back, solid signal but garbage data.

 

[Sam29]

Did a rescan and found WPVN-CD 24-7 broadcasting a blank screen

 

[PhilJSmith67]

Did a rescan and found WPVN-CD 24-7 broadcasting a blank screen

Same... 24-1 through 24-6 are fine, 24-7 has no video or audio data at all

 

[WLXT60]

Yes, WAOE/WCHU 59.2 is currently broadcasting The Grio as is WFLD 32.4.

New signal for WAOE 59 is now identified in their hourly ID: W27EB-D Sugar Grove.

Top of hour ID now reads as follows:
WAOE Peoria | W27EB-D Sugar Grove
WCHU Oakwood Hills

I have no OTA reception on Ch. 27 from 1.5 miles SW of Willis Tower (indoor UHF antenna 20ft above ground level), however (same with other stations from DuPage County; WYIN is the most distant OTA signal received with this set-up).

Additionally, there is a construction permit to relocate the Ch. 27 transmitter to the Trump Tower (from DuPage County).
FCC link: W27EB-D - TV Station Profile - FCC Public Inspection Files

 

[retromzc]

New signal for WAOE 59 is now identified in their hourly ID: W27EB-D Sugar Grove.

Top of hour ID now reads as follows:
WAOE Peoria | W27EB-D Sugar Grove
WCHU Oakwood Hills

I have no OTA reception on Ch. 27 from 1.5 miles SW of Willis Tower (indoor UHF antenna 20ft above ground level), however (same with other stations from DuPage County; WYIN is the most distant OTA signal received with this set-up).

Additionally, there is a construction permit to relocate the Ch. 27 transmitter to the Trump Tower (from DuPage County).
FCC link: W27EB-D - TV Station Profile - FCC Public Inspection Files

I noticed last night that WAOE was also now on rf 27. Now I have 3 choices if I ever wanted to watch WAOE, rf10, rf7, & now rf 27.

WLXT60....ah memories of my youth.