Analog Q: Is it just me, or.....?

[cd637299]

Hi

Something tells me that some of the existing (supposed) full power analog TV stations are reducing their power. Has anybody noticed that?

Here in Miami, it looks like WPBT 2, WFOR 4, and WBEC 63 have significantly reduced power. Would that possibly be a ploy to get people more anxious to convert their existing sets to digital?

Maybe it's all in my mind.......Is this the case anywhere else?

Inquiring minds....

cd

[w9wi]

Hi

Something tells me that some of the existing (supposed) full power analog TV stations are reducing their power. Has anybody noticed that?

Here in Miami, it looks like WPBT 2, WFOR 4, and WBEC 63 have significantly reduced power. Would that possibly be a ploy to get people more anxious to convert their existing sets to digital?

Maybe it's all in my mind.......Is this the case anywhere else?

Inquiring minds....

cd

Quite a few analog stations are in fact reducing power early to accommodate DTV construction. However, the three stations you list aren't among them.

I do note that WFOR has a construction permit for an analog auxiliary (backup) transmitter of 88kw, later modified to 57kw, and with a lower antenna. It's possible they're testing that transmitter, Also, they share a tower with WTVJ-DT, WLTV-DT, WSFL-DT, and WBFS-DT; it's possible one of these stations is doing antenna work (especially the latter two) and WFOR is required to reduce analog power while the work is going on, to protect the tower workers.

I can't explain the other two stations that way though.

My comment that these stations aren't reducing power is however based on the contents of their DTV Transition Reports to the FCC. Sometimes, stations which have planned to remain on the air at full analog power through February 17th have had to change their plans when their analog transmitters have suffered expensive failures. It's possible one or more of these stations has suffered such a failure & either is awaiting parts, or has decided it's not worth the $$ to fix the problem this close to transition.

[cd637299]

Well I called the CE of WFOR, and he told me that it wasn't them. I told him I had a converter box, and he told me to try running the cable to "bypass" the box. I cannot do this right now, but what I *did* do, was to run the cable into my *other* box & TV.....the picture seemed OK there!

Seems that there is a problem with either the cables themselves, or that the performance on "lowband" is lessening on the living room TV (the one with the problem). Thank the Lord that the living room TV is not the DX tool, like the other one is.

I'll have to have it looked at further. But apparently it is not the stations.

cd