Question about a Dark UHF channel in Boston...

[Bob DeMattia]

The channel 68 "scrambling" technique was very primitive and lead to
rampant piracy
(it cost about $20 in parts to build the descrambler).  The channel 27
technique was
more elaborate.

Piracy may have been part of the problem, but widespread growth of cable and the
multiple premium services they offered was probably more of a blow.

I was able to pick up the HBO microwave service from the Prudential in
the mid 80's.
I moved to the Baltimore area in 1984.  When  I came back two years
later either my
equipment was broken or it was gone.

BTW Baltimore also had a subscription TV station, WNUV.  Those call letters are
still being used by that station today, though now it is a CW affiliate.

-Bob