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RePack Phase 8 started

Discussion pertaining to Detroit, Ann Arbor, Port Huron, and SW Ontario
statmanmi
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by statmanmi » Wed Mar 04, 2020 4:01 pm

SolarMax wrote:
Tue Mar 03, 2020 8:00 am

WUPW is a Phase 8 transition, March 13 cutover. The "Last Go-Around" Phase 9 is May 1, and, closing it out, Phase 10, July 3.
Except that Low Power TV stations (Non-Class A; and often abbreviated as LPTV), and Translators, are independent of the phases prescribed by the FCC. Also, Canada's repack schedule has 14 phases, with the last one concluding 1/14/2022.

Regarding the US non-phased transitions: "LPTV and TV translator stations may remain on their existing channels until they are needed by repacked stations or for those stations in the 600 MHz Band until they are notified by a new 600 MHz Band licensee that it is ready to commence operations or conduct its first field application (FFA) testing." (https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/fcc-initi ... transition)

My quick Googling isn't finding a hard and fast end date for these frequency changes. I did find this notation about how analog broadcasting is still being allowed into next year: "12 months after the completion of the 39-month transition period, or until July 13, 2021". (https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments ... 6300A1.pdf Specifically, bottom of the PDF page 7, numbered as page 6, in footnote 27.)

I'm not in the Detroit area, so I can't comment on whether any LPTV broadcasts will remain above RF36 in your area by the end of this month. Perhaps maybe one Canadian station, per what I see on the RabbitEars.Info site?


In West Michigan, there's one analog still going (the 3 Angels station in GR), using RF48. They have an approved Displacement Construction Permit to go digital on RF27, expiring in July 2021. Their analog broadcast coverage is quite small, and doesn't reach me in eastern Kent County--so I can't confirm if they're still on the air now or not.

In the Traverse City area, the WWTV Digital Replacement Translator (DRT) apparently is still on RF40, bathing the bowl of the city from on Hickory Hill with CBS/FOX/etc. WPBN saw through getting their two DRTs under RF36 in the last few months. Also, I believe the one analog (WXII-LP on RF12) is still chugging along, but with an approved Digital Companion Channel Construction Permit for RF30 valid into July 2021.

The only constant is change, it seems!

Cheers ~~ Statmanmi



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SolarMax
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by SolarMax » Wed Mar 04, 2020 9:24 pm

At some unspecified time during the day Thurs 3/5, a chopper and tower crew will be doing an antenna changeover for WPXD/31, on the WKBD tower on 11 mile road. The RF50 stick now in use will be detached from the candelabra and lifted away, then replaced with a new ch24 radiator. WKBD will be off the air while this goes on. If you're within visual range of the tower, it will be neat to watch.



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WOHO
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Location: 2965 Pickle Rd.

Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by WOHO » Wed Mar 04, 2020 11:23 pm

How long with the Franken CH6 analog stations remain on air? The MeTV FM/TV6 audio gets better ratings than WLS-AM, so that is a concern.



szmigiel
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by szmigiel » Mon Mar 09, 2020 6:14 pm

WLPC has moved from 40 to 28



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Splouge
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by Splouge » Mon Mar 09, 2020 10:15 pm

Today I got prepared for WHNE's switch. I took my old cable splitter in the basement and replaced it with a coupler connecting the living room line with the master bedroom. My plan is to get rabbit ears in the master bedroom (the only north facing room in my house with a wall plate), use my 12 dB amp, and hook it up to the wall plate.


"Wanna watch some syndicated slop with very little budget or entertainment value? You got it buddy!"

-Byron "The Broadcast Butcher" Allen

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Splouge
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by Splouge » Wed Mar 11, 2020 10:27 am

I'm getting WLPC, which I couldn't get when it was on 40.

28.2 and 28.4 have no sound, 28.4's video is glitchy on their end, and 28.1 and 28.3 are extremely loud. Why do they have class A status again?


"Wanna watch some syndicated slop with very little budget or entertainment value? You got it buddy!"

-Byron "The Broadcast Butcher" Allen

szmigiel
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by szmigiel » Wed Mar 11, 2020 11:40 am

WHNE-LD that actually tries ends up on RF 3 where many people won't even be able to pick them up. But WHPS, WUDT, WDWO, WLPC, and WULD all have better RF channels but I always delete them from my channel list.



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Splouge
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by Splouge » Wed Mar 11, 2020 1:19 pm

Anybody know when the exact time and date is that WHNE is moving? They'll probably have to move early to accomodate WTVS. They might move sometime tomorrow. It just better be after 8:00 so I can watch Red Green :rollin

Seriously, they should have got a channel sharing arrangement. But I'm sure THE LORD has a very good reason for this that will benefit us in the long run.
Last edited by Splouge on Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.


"Wanna watch some syndicated slop with very little budget or entertainment value? You got it buddy!"

-Byron "The Broadcast Butcher" Allen

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SolarMax
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by SolarMax » Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:38 pm

This today, 3/12, on the WHNE Detroit Facebook page:

ATTENTION WHNE VIEWERS:
Tonight at Midnight the WHNE transmitter will be turned off. WTVS will then take over our current channel. By tomorrow (Friday) several other TV stations in Detroit will also be broadcasting on new channels. You will need to rescan your television set to get the channels updated.
We've been working hard for over a year to get WHNE ready for tonight. We planned everything to the last detail, but our plans didn't work out. We ordered our new channel 3 antenna last fall. It was to be delivered in early January, but it's still not here!
Our new broadcast antenna was ordered from a company in Pennsylvania. They needed a custom made part for the antenna. They ordered this part from a specialty company in Italy about 6 weeks ago. Little did anyone know that because of the coronavirus this company has been all but shut down for the last 3 weeks. The custom part is supposed to be ready to ship, but they can't because of a quarantine on shipping in Italy!
Bottom line here in Detroit is WHNE will be off the air for at least another week. We are exploring all avenues to find a way to get this part or another one made somewhere to replace it.
We will keep you updated here on Facebook as to when we have finished the install and are back on the air broadcasting on our new channel 3.
Up until now, WHNE has been on channel 14, but when we return to the air, we will be found on your television on our new channel 3.
Thanks for watching WHNE TV!



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Splouge
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by Splouge » Thu Mar 12, 2020 11:59 pm

WHNE left the air at 11:52
WDIV has two of every channel, one on 32 and one on 45


"Wanna watch some syndicated slop with very little budget or entertainment value? You got it buddy!"

-Byron "The Broadcast Butcher" Allen

YpsiGuy
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by YpsiGuy » Fri Mar 13, 2020 2:33 am

The WDIV channels on RF45 are gone. They’re on RF32 now.
WTVS has flipped over to RF20.
WWJ test pattern is on RF21.



szmigiel
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by szmigiel » Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:56 am

Still needs to move probably tonight
WADL 39 to 27
WPXD 50 to 24
WWJ 44 to 21
WUDT 23 to 8

And poor WHNE is off the air till they get their new Channel 3 Antenna



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mtburb
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Location: Wyandotte, 17 miles from Southfield, 38 miles from Oregon

Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by mtburb » Fri Mar 13, 2020 9:24 am

I have confirmed that WWJ is indeed running a test pattern on RF21.


My furthest DTV tropo: KDKA Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 202 miles for three days in January 2017 and a night in September 2017 with only an Antennas Direct C2V!

Current setup: Antennas Direct C2Max (2018-present)

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SolarMax
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by SolarMax » Fri Mar 13, 2020 12:22 pm

Following the changeover, WDIV on 32 is lousy at my location, lots of dropout and tiling.
Perhaps they're on a side mount 32 Aux, until the top of tower ch 45 gets replaced.

WADL had announced that their changeover would be after 1pm 3/13.
Don't know when WWJ is shutting down 44 and moving programing to 21. Still bars 'n' tone on 21 at noon.



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RingtailedFox
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Re: RePack Phase 8 started

Post by RingtailedFox » Fri Mar 13, 2020 1:14 pm

WWJ and WPXD have moved in the past 5 minutes....


~ The Legendary Raccoon-Fox has spoken!

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