WCGV channel move DENIED!

[Gilbert]

Hey gang,

I now see that WCGV, which had a negotiated agreement with WVTV to move their DTV channel from 25 (current) to 24, has been disapproved by the FCC as of June 24, reasons unknown.

That means that WCGV will have to stay on 25, so they're fine. BUT...

WVTV is on channel 61, and they were, in the agreement, to go to channel 25
after the shutdown when WCGV vacated. But this now leaves WVTV without a final DTV home, since channel 61 is "out of core". And round #2 ends August 8th...and they have to pick another channel before then. Now what do they do?
Am I reading the FCC stuff correctly here? Need help from the MilwaukeeHDTV
brain trust... :hug:

Gilbert

[Jimboy]

The reasons are known.
Check this thread.... http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5216

[StarvingForHDTV]

Try for channel 26 maybe. Become 25/26?

[Gilbert]

Jimboy,

Missed that thread altogether. Sorry 'bout that! So I wonder if they will
go back to 18. We'll find out in a few weeks!

Gilbert

[Jimboy]

Jimboy,

Missed that thread altogether. Sorry 'bout that! So I wonder if they will
go back to 18. We'll find out in a few weeks!

Gilbert

18 is the next choice....pending FCC approval of course.

[GBK]

as a consumer I don't really care what channel they're on as long as it works the way it should. 18 sounds fine to me. :wave:

[John L]

18 is the next choice....pending FCC approval of course.

That means if WVTV has to go to channel 18 rather than 25, it would mean that having to dish out more money for another antenna. Where as if you could have used both channels 24 and 25, you would get by using one antenna for both signals.
So going to channel 18 will cost more as opposed to going to channel 25.

-John L.

[Jimboy]

That means if WVTV has to go to channel 18 rather than 25, it would mean that having to dish out more money for another antenna. Where as if you could have used both channels 24 and 25, you would get by using one antenna for both signals.
So going to channel 18 will cost more as opposed to going to channel 25.

-John L.

Yep! Option #2 will involve shutting down channel 61 and swapping out the antenna for channel 18 operation just prior to the analog drop dead date. But we still have to wait for FCC approval for channel 18 operation first.

[tazman]

The reasons are known.
Check this thread.... http://www.milwaukeehdtv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5216


So......... the use of channel 24 is out because it will interfer with channel 23 WBAY, 108 miles away in Greenbay. Neither WVTV 18 or WCGV 24 can use channel 24. Am I correct on this? Yet the FCC allows WITI, WISN and WMVT all to opperate on chanels 33, 34, 35, all within a few hundred yards of each other. :rolleyes: Go figure! {fart} Sure am glad we don't experiance any interference problems with that setup. :rofl:

[John L]

Yep! Option #2 will involve shutting down channel 61 and swapping out the antenna for channel 18 operation just prior to the analog drop dead date. But we still have to wait for FCC approval for channel 18 operation first.

Here is another thing for an advantage of WVTV moving to channel 18 rather than 24 or 25. What if Sinclair Broadcasting decides to sell either WCGV or WVTV. Should that happen, and someone else buys the other station, that means it will become a competitor to the Sinclair owned and operated station. Therefore it would become difficult to allow a competitor to use the Sinclair facilities. Also I realize that WCGV and WVTV studios are housed into one building on 35th & Capitol. Should they sell the one station, eventually that station would have to move out of the building.

Course an example would be is when Hearst Corp. sold WISN 1130 and WQBW 97.3 to Clear Channel, but kept WISN-TV. After awhile the AM and FM station moved out of the WISN-TV building on Wisconsin ave.

Oddly enough the TV and AM station still share the same call letters which many people today still think ch. 12 and WISN 1130 are still owned and operated together.

-John L.

[Gilbert]

Yep! Option #2 will involve shutting down channel 61 and swapping out the antenna for channel 18 operation just prior to the analog drop dead date. But we still have to wait for FCC approval for channel 18 operation first.

Hi Jimboy,

Quick Q...when are you going to high power? I can get you occasionally down here in the burnt-out cornfields of DeKalb, 60 miles west of Chicawgohhh...

Gilbert

[Jimboy]

Hi Jimboy,

Quick Q...when are you going to high power? I can get you occasionally down here in the burnt-out cornfields of DeKalb, 60 miles west of Chicawgohhh...

Gilbert

We have until July 1st, 2006. Everything is in place and ready to go except the IOT's (output tubes) and of course the higher power bill. Plans are currently in progress.

[Gilbert]

We have until July 1st, 2006. Everything is in place and ready to go except the IOT's (output tubes) and of course the higher power bill. Plans are currently in progress.

Jimboy,

Thanks for the info! OK, off-topic, but...

As a ballpark figure, if a TV station is at 5 million watts ERP, or 1 mil for
digital, what can a broadcaster expect to pay per month for a power
bill? Do they get a cut rate from the power companies because of, eh,
"bulk rate"?

But, even if that's the case, why do I still get the feeling *I* wouldn't want to pay for it? ;)

And I bet you hate these: {storm}
Gilbert

[Jimboy]

Jimboy,

Thanks for the info! OK, off-topic, but...

As a ballpark figure, if a TV station is at 5 million watts ERP, or 1 mil for
digital, what can a broadcaster expect to pay per month for a power
bill? Do they get a cut rate from the power companies because of, eh,
"bulk rate"?

But, even if that's the case, why do I still get the feeling *I* wouldn't want to pay for it? ;)

And I bet you hate these: {storm}
Gilbert

Two digital transmitters at full power = $16,000 per month (approximate, but pretty close)
Now factor in two more high power analog transmitters.

[John L]

So......... the use of channel 24 is out because it will interfer with channel 23 WBAY, 108 miles away in Greenbay. Neither WVTV 18 or WCGV 24 can use channel 24. Am I correct on this? Yet the FCC allows WITI, WISN and WMVT all to opperate on chanels 33, 34, 35, all within a few hundred yards of each other. :rolleyes: Go figure! {fart} Sure am glad we don't experiance any interference problems with that setup. :rofl:

Apparently some people have had troubles getting WITI, Fox 6. So its obvious that when WISN 34 is full power with Fox 6 putting out a measely low power signal MOST people are unable to get Faux 6!

Thou I have no problems getting Fox 6 here at all in Muskego.

-John L.

[tazman]

Apparently some people have had troubles getting WITI, Fox 6. So its obvious that when WISN 34 is full power with Fox 6 putting out a measely low power signal MOST people are unable to get Faux 6!

Thou I have no problems getting Fox 6 here at all in Muskego.

-John L.


Aaa... I was just being sarcastic. Ya gotta kinda wonder what the FCC is thinking when they won't allow a Milwaukee station to use a frequency thats is 1 off from a station 108 miles away, but allow 3 stations here in Milwaukee to operate on 3 consequtive frequencies all within a few hundred yards or if at most a mile of each other. Like you said in the other post, it may just as well be to one or the others advantage if one or the others station is sold. Keeps use from ranting about down time for antenna installations. :)