Analog LPTV Sunset

[Peter Parker]

we have probably dealt with this before but I could not find it. When must analog LPTV stations shutdown, or change to digital broadcasting?

 

[harshness]

There have been a number of deadlines that have passed. IIRC, the last stay of execution was granted in April of 2015 and was indefinite.

At some point I would imagine that testing for the repack is going to force some of these translators (those between RF 2 and RF 36) to shut down their NTSC shenanigans.

Thus far all the talk has been about the primary channels. I've seen very little talk about how they're planning on dealing with translators. I think my local big four affiliates utilize upwards of two dozen translators altogether over a rather large area and some interesting terrain.

 

[N5XZS]

Here in Albuquerque's TV market we have last 2 analog low power stations KQDF-LP rf "TV Actec Spanish" ch.25 and K38IM-lp rf ch 38 "3ABN church stuff"

 

[harshness]

It will be interesting to see whether they allow the translators to use the channels >37 until someone else wants to use them. Most translators are well outside of high density metropolitan areas.

 

[stvcmty]

Long term the only analog TV that makes sense to keep on indefinitely is CH6. The audio carrier is 87.75MHz which most radios will tune as 87.7.

I am north east of Baltimore. Depending on the time of day and what side of terrain features I am on sometimes I can get WDCO-LP which is country music from the eastern shore or WDCN-LP which is a Spanish station from DC. The 87.7 audio seems to travel quite well. WPVI should be a blow-torch of a noise source but the audio from the CH6 LPs gets through.