Why are some digital channels on VHF?

[Scott Fybush]

Garrett Wollman wrote:
> <<On Sat, 2 Feb 2008 15:48:52 -0500, "Kevin Vahey" <kvahey@comcast.net> said:
> 
>> I am curious why in some markets some stations have been assigned
>> digital channels in the VHF band? For example WBBM-DT Chicago is now
>> on Channel 3 and will move to Channel 12 next year.
> 
> Why not?  They have to go somewhere, and bands I and III aren't
> interesting to wireless carriers so there's no big auction windfall
> waiting around the corner.
> 
>>From a technical point of view, every station would be on VHF-high
> (band III in ITU terminology) if it could, to maximize coverage while
> minimizing electricity usage.

And as we get past the analog sunset just over a year from now, we'll be 
seeing a lot more DTV operation on VHF, as many stations migrate back to 
their former analog channel for digital operation.

Mike Fitzpatrick's NECRAT site has complete lists of post-transition 
channel assignments for New England: http://www.necrat.com/dtv.html

After the dust settles, the Boston market will have stations on 7 (WHDH) 
and 10 (WWDP), Providence will have 12 (WNAC) and 13 (WPRI), NH will 
still have good ol' 9 (WMUR) and 11 (WENH), and so on.

There's not enough space in the post-transition UHF band (14-51) to 
squeeze in all the TV stations that need space on the dial.

s