Why KTFA LP is back on the air?

[N5XZS]

Little shocked to see weak analog NTSC color on rf ch. 48 in Albuquerque's TV market! They were off the air for 2 plus years and now after all this time now sending color bars. The signal is very weak about P 2 signal strength. Any legal reasons they can do this? I thought their license was expired. Any ideas? Hoping Trip could answer and hope is not a rouge station.

 

[harshness]

They have a construction license for a digital LP station. Maybe they don't have an appropriate modulator yet but they want to evaluate their propagation.

I doubt there's much chance that they'll run afoul of a translator that appears to be around 60 miles away.

 

[N5XZS]

Now, the old TV band is now allocated for cellphone freq, surely they must be off the the old ch. 48 move to some new channel that I forget for some time?

Right now they are still testing but for how long? Will check back in later to see what's new by then.

 

[harshness]

Now, the old TV band is now allocated for cellphone freq, surely they must be off the the old ch. 48 move to some new channel that I forget for some time?

The CONUS repack hasn't officially started yet. Phase 1 starts September 14th. I believe that Albuquerque is scheduled for completion on June 19th of next year (Phase 3).

The repack will be completed before Independence Day 2020 if you're a raging optimist.

 

[navychop]

Stations have already started moving, though. It’s enabling T-Mobile to start 600MHz service in about 1,000 places so far.


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[Trip]

Beats me. They turned in their license around the first of the year.

- Trip

 

[harshness]

Stations have already started moving, though.

Perhaps they're trying to beat the rush. Stations that are buddying up don't count as repacks in my interpretation because they sold or otherwise gave up their frequencies and aren't moving to their own new frequency.

 

[navychop]

Some were per$uaded to move early.


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[harshness]

Some were per$uaded to move early.

Aren't most of those in sparsely populated markets where T-mobile service isn't an irreconcilable embarrassment?

 

[navychop]

Lot of truth there. But NYC is on the list- just not sure when.


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[N5XZS]

For those of you out still wondering is station still testing? Yes but for how long?. Wonder of all mystery, I would say to at least for the time being...

 

[N5XZS]

Still sending color bars. They sure like throwing money away. Sending out test signals make no sense to me.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Still sending color bars. They sure like throwing money away. Sending out test signals make no sense to me.

Well it appears people are watching it. Now to monetize those color bars.

 

[N5XZS]

It's my imagation or not that I am seeing analog NTSC video's carrier rf power level creeping up past couple of days. Is the transmitter running loose cranking up the rf juice TX power by itself? The analog picture's quality is slowing getting little better each days. I would not be surprised if the transmitter came on the air by itself sort like a AI being in the history past. If so that would be rare to say at least.

 

[N5XZS]

For you folks are still curious about our local station still sending analog NTSC color bar in test mode.

Still sending weak signal but for how much longer they have to go on?

Never ceases to amaze me when they do silly stuff like this...

 

[Peter Parker]

Low power stations can still broadcast in analog. Not sure why they want to at h. 48 but it is still legal.

 

[harshness]

Low power stations can still broadcast in analog. Not sure why they want to at h. 48 but it is still legal.

Don't you suppose that an RF48 wouldn't survive the repack regardless of the modulation scheme employed?

 

[Peter Parker]

Don't you suppose that an RF48 wouldn't survive the repack regardless of the modulation scheme employed?

yes I would----which explains my comment in my earlier post. Oncve again while analog TV is still out there I have no idea why anyone would want to start it up now at that frequency.

 

[andy_horton]

Aren't most of those in sparsely populated markets where T-mobile service isn't an irreconcilable embarrassment?

WDSI was on physical 40, moved to 14 Sept 1st..but T Mobile is abysmal here. 35 miles south of Chattanooga broadcast towers. Even AT&T is bad..can't get service off of main "drag" here. Verizon is king in this area. WFLI is on physical 42 so I would assume they'd be moving sooner rather than later

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[harshness]

If T-mobile management had to wear clothing made out of their coverage maps, they would be arrested in many localities for indecent exposure.

Stations don't have to move until their assignment comes up and if they don't have an assignment (and someone isn't using their existing channel), things may take longer. Much has been made about what happens with auction participant stations but there still seem to be a lot of unknowns about those who weren't invited (or chose to give regrets).