WGBH-TV coverage after August 2

[Scott Fybush]

There was never any intent to use the freed-up former analog spectrum for
new licensees. So it's not correct to say "none showed up." No new
allocations were created and no auction/application window was held after
the 2009 digital transition.

On Sat, Aug 3, 2019, 11:09 AM Ben Levy <LostCluster@lostcluster.me> wrote:

> They needed VHF in order to fit all of the analog and digital stations at
> first. Then the former stations were reserved for new stations, but no new
> owner showed up so now the unused space is reserved for 5G cell phones.
>
> This “repack” is annoy OTA viewers everywhere… but there are some hidden
> gems out there like the new CourtTV channel which is 27.5.
>
> BTW, anybody see a Univision logo on 27 and a UniMas logo on 66… those two
> swapped everything over two years ago..
>
> Sent from Mail for Windows 10
>
> From: A Joseph Ross
> Sent: Saturday, August 3, 2019 2:34 AM
> To: boston-radio-interest@lists.BostonRadio.org
> Subject: Re: WGBH-TV coverage after August 2
>
> I don't understand why the FCC didn't simply delete the VHF band
> entirely and put all off-air TV on UHF with the conversion to digital TV.
>
> On 8/1/2019 10:03 AM, Bob DeMattia wrote:
> > All of that may be true, but what they will definitely lose is people who
> > are viewing off-air with receiving equipment
> > that cannot pick up the VHF-LO signal.   Maybe some of those people will
> > switch to live streaming, but people
> > viewing off-air already have that option and thus far haven't felt
> inclined
> > to avail themselves of that option.
> >
> > BTW, I'm live streaming now in NH where off-air is not an option.  The
> > picture quality does not compare to off-air.
> >
> > -Bob
> >
> > On Thu, Aug 1, 2019 at 9:48 AM Ken VanTassell <kenwvt@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I am going to disagree. Cord cutting is becoming rampant, people are
> >> really sick of paying huge cable bills. There is a non-profit called
> >> locast.org that has a roku app with the local Boston stations for free
> (5
> >> per month suggested donation). I know several people using this. I
> think we
> >> have resurgent times for OTA TV ahead.
> >>
> >> -Ken
> >>
> >> On Thu, Aug 1, 2019 at 9:46 AM Bob DeMattia <bob.bosra@demattia.net>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Not to mention many off-air viewers are probably using UHF-only
> antennas.
> >>> Even if they have VHF antennas, the only DTV in this area on VHF up
> until
> >>> now was
> >>> on VHF-HI.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Thu, Aug 1, 2019 at 9:39 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
> >>>>
> >>>>
>
> --
> A. Joseph Ross, J.D. · 1340 Centre Street, Suite 103 · Newton, MA 02459
> 617.367.0468 · Fax:617.507.7856 · http://www.attorneyross.com
>
>