i hate digital tv

[landtuna]

It's amazing that the "new" technology doesn't carry the signals as far as the "old" technology. 
Too many variables, too many compaints..

And the signals it does carry are not nearly as robust as the old technology.

Not a huge surprise when you have politicians masquerading as engineers.

[flashback]

It's amazing that the "new" technology doesn't carry the signals as far as the "old" technology. 
Too many variables, too many compaints..

proof that change is not always good.

[Mark]

I wish CBS would build it's translator for WBBM. I am amazed by the number of stations having to build translators for digital stations where none were needed for analog.

What is this? Is the power limitations for digital? I think I read something like 1 million watts for digital is the same as 5 million for analog.

What IS clear is they need to really get their stuff together and work out on the allocations and power levels. Kind of like back in the 50s when the VHF were spaced too close and they had to move a bunch of channels to avoid the interference.

[Dave]

I wish CBS would build it's translator for WBBM. I am amazed by the number of stations having to build translators for digital stations where none were needed for analog.

What is this? Is the power limitations for digital? I think I read something like 1 million watts for digital is the same as 5 million for analog.

What IS clear is they need to really get their stuff together and work out on the allocations and power levels. Kind of like back in the 50s when the VHF were spaced too close and they had to move a bunch of channels to avoid the interference.

WBBM-TV would need to find another UHF channel for a translator, as their request for 26 went nowhere.  If they were lucky enough, they would find a UHF channel that could be used for full power service, which would then make the immediate Chicago area an all UHF market for full power stations.  WOCK-CD is the only Class A digital station on the VHF, & WWTO is the only full power VHF station that's too far from Chicago to be picked up in most of the market.  Now sure if they got their power increase or not.  If WWME-CA decided to go digital exclusively on channel 39, channel 23 could possibly be used for full power service (providing it won't interfere with WSBT South Bend Indiana & WVCY Milwaukee Wisconsin, both on channel 22)

As for power output, 1000kw digital is supposed to be equivalent to 5000kw analog.  It seems to hold true, as most of the testing was done on UHF.  Another message board mentioned that WBBM-TV try to seek a power increase.  A reply to that mentioned that they'd have to go directional in order to protect a Fort Wayne, IN station (WINM), since they're also on 12.  I don't remember the maximum power for VHF stations, but I thought VHF-Lo was 50kw & 80kw for VHF-Hi. 

[tripinva]

Power limits are on a sliding scale.  The absolute power limit in Zone I (where Chicago is located) is 305m 10 kW on low-VHF (2-6) and 305m 30 kW on high-VHF (7-13).  Given WBBM's height, the power limit for them would actually be 5.9 kW, though they could increase power more using FCC rule 47CFR73.622(f)(5), which allows stations to expand in coverage to match the "largest station in the market," which in Chicago is WPWR.

I'd be curious to see if WBBM faces larger interference problems with KIIN than WINM.  I dug up their original channel 12 application and KIIN was noted as receiving 0.45% interference to WINM's 0.38% or so (I don't remember the exact number).  Since that application was filed, KIIN increased power from 17 kW to 57 kW, while WINM has remained the same; KIIN increasing power likely served to decrease the amount of interference WBBM causes KIIN.  In KIIN's application, WBBM was actually the limiting factor in how far they could increase power, with WBBM set to receive 0.499% interference from KIIN.

- Trip