IMHO: UHF is more robust than VHF (was Re: Digital TV reception problem)

[Peter Q. George]

Personally, I think WHDH-TV would be better off on UHF Channel 42 than on VHF Channel 7.  For DTV signals (in this area), UHF propagates better than both VHF-lo and VHF-hi.  I was also told, by another engineer, that during the analog days of color TV, UHF provided a much robust signal for color transmission than VHF could ever do.  He compared the color of the old WGBH-TV (Channel 2) and WGBX-TV (Channel 44).  He found he prefered the color on 44 better than 2.  So, I'm wondering if the reason for UHF's better quality color analog pictures is the same reason why UHF is a better fit for DTV than VHF could ever be.  I would not be surprised if WHDH-TV just might turn off Channel 7's DTV signal and stay with 42.  It will still "map" to 7-1 and 7-2.  It's a no brainer.


Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
Whitman, Massachusetts
"Scanning the bands since 1967"
radiojunkie3@yahoo.com
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--- On Sat, 6/20/09, Rick Levy <rlevy@broadcastsignallab.com> wrote:

> From: Rick Levy <rlevy@broadcastsignallab.com>
> Subject: Digital TV reception problem
> To: "Boston-Radio List" <boston-radio-interest@lists.BostonRadio.org>
> Date: Saturday, June 20, 2009, 5:46 PM
> Quoth Maureen Carney,
>  >>
> I now have another strange issue - the box picks up WHDH on
> both 7 and 42 
> and shows it twice (using virtual mapping to 7.1 & 7.2
> for channel 42). So 
> if I am sequentially going through the channels it will go
> 6.1, 7.1, 7.2, 
> 7.1, 7.2, 10.1 and on. Anyone else picking up
> both?<<
> 
> It's not your equipment.  WHDH-DT is currently
> simulcasting on channels 7 
> and 42.  After filing an urgent application last
> Monday to revert 
> temporarily to 42 (in addition to operating on 7), they
> received permission 
> on Tuesday to do so, and switched 42 back on again. 
> You are evidently not 
> among the viewers unable to receive 7 despite
> rescanning.  The station 
> reportedly had *lots* of calls over the weekend, prompting
> the FCC 
> application.
> 
> Rick Levy
> Broadcast Signal Lab, LLP
> Cambridge, Mass.
> www.broadcastsignallab.com
> www.rfsigns.com 
> 
>