WGBH-TV coverage after August 2

[Scott Fybush]

I expect the 2.1 programming will end up being transmitted over WGBX's UHF
signal, sooner or later.

I also expect the VHF 5 signal will become WGBH's test bed for ATSC 3
experimentation.

On Thu, Aug 1, 2019, 9:38 AM Norm Pierce <npierce.aq3h@dappermapper.com>
wrote:

> After a lifetime of watching Channel 2, I'm wondering if those days are
> numbered.
>
> Looking at the application for their construction permit for the new RF
> channel 5 assignment [1], it appears that the WGBH engineers have done
> their best to give the strongest signal that the FCC rules allow them to
> do on that channel.
>
> According to the "Post Auction Baseline" spreadsheet [2], the baseline
> population served by WGBH-TV, as limited by terrain, is given as
> 7,633,586.  In WGBH's application for a construction permit for the new
> RF channel 5 assignment, they give a slightly higher number of 7,669,250
> because of the change of tower, and the fact that they were able to
> increase the ERP from 5.3 kW to 6.7 kW without exceeding the geographic
> coverage area of the largest station within the same market (see
> §73.622(f)(5)) -- something they are apparently allowed to do because
> the proposed coverage contour may extend beyond that of the CCRPN
> parameters for a station that changes bands (see §73.3700(b)(1)(iii)).
>
> But even with the higher ERP, does anyone think that the population
> served won't actually be much smaller than it currently is, given the
> problems with DTV on VHF?  Will it really reach an over-the-air audience
> slightly larger than it currently does on RF channel 19, and comparable
> to channels 4, 5, and 7, or do the above coverage numbers suffer from
> gross optimism?
>
> Norm Pierce
>
>
> [1] WGBH-TV_reassignment_initial_minor_mod_application_ENG_06-18-2017.pdf
>
> https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/25076f915c78b6bf015cbcb83aa224c3
>
> [2] "Post Auction Baseline" spreadsheet"
>
> https://data.fcc.gov/download/incentive-auctions/Transition_Files/Post_Auction_Baseline.xlsx
>
> "Incentive Auction Closing and Channel Reassignment Public Notice"
> (CCRPN) (DA 17-314)
> https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-17-314A1.pdf
>
>