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WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Discussion pertaining to Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Battle Creek, Big Rapids, and Michiana
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MWmetalhead
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WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by MWmetalhead » Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:23 am

Look at this!

WZPX has filed an app to relocate to the WOTV tower site located near the intersection of Norris Rd and Mullen Rd (south end of Gun Lake) in Orangeville Twp.

Their antenna would be mounted about 50 meters on the tower structure below where the WOTV antenna is located. I presume the antenna would be mounted on the side of the structure that faces Grand Rapids.

Maximum ERP would be 400 kW from 278 meters HAAT.

While the signal in Grand Rapids and Holland would improve by leaps and bounds, the signal in Battle Creek and to a lesser degree Kalamazoo would be weakened. In the Lansing market, the signal would become much weaker, with Lansing area viewers needing an outdoor antenna and Jackson area viewers likely losing access altogether. (Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe ION is already carried on a .2 or .3 of WLNS-TV anyway.)

A sharply directional radiation pattern is proposed, whereby only ~18 kW of power would be sent in the direction of Battle Creek & Kalamazoo. On the opposite end of the spectrum, about 345 kW would be sent in the direction of Grand Rapids

The move would be contingent upon all FCC repack activity in the West Michigan and northern Indiana areas being complete. WZPX's post-repack channel all along has been RF 21; they would still be assigned to RF 21 from the WOTV site.

Proposed: https://fccdata.org/?lang=en&appid=2507 ... acid=71871
Currently approved repack specs: https://fccdata.org/?lang=en&appid=2507 ... acid=71871



fuzzpower
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by fuzzpower » Sun Mar 31, 2019 6:16 pm

It’s similar to what WPXD did when they moved to Southfield. Ann Arbor is in the city grade, but barely. Looks like Battle Creek is covered with a little more leeway, but not nearly what it is now.

Is WZPX still must carry in the Lansing market due to the current tower location? If so, they will lose that.



kc8yqq
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by kc8yqq » Mon Apr 01, 2019 6:38 am

MWmetalhead wrote:
Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:23 am
(Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe ION is already carried on a .2 or .3 of WLNS-TV anyway.)
ION isn't in the Lansing-Jackson area unless it's doing share time on WLAJ's .2 with CW. WLNS is on .3 and ABC is on .1. In the Jackson area, we lost ION when WPXD left the tower near M-52/N. Territorial Rd. north of Chelsea. WZPX was weak in the analog days and since the digital switchover, not receivable any more.



innate-in-you
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by innate-in-you » Mon Apr 01, 2019 1:18 pm

fuzzpower wrote:
Sun Mar 31, 2019 6:16 pm
It’s similar to what WPXD did when they moved to Southfield. Ann Arbor is in the city grade, but barely. Looks like Battle Creek is covered with a little more leeway, but not nearly what it is now.

Is WZPX still must carry in the Lansing market due to the current tower location? If so, they will lose that.
The city service contours expanded greatly when DTV replaced NTSC.

On UHF, the contour actually is realistic. On high VHF, they are a little overrated.

On low VHF, they're a joke.



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MWmetalhead
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by MWmetalhead » Mon Apr 01, 2019 7:16 pm

ION's web site says the network is still carried on the ".3" channel of WLNS-DT.

Evidently, that info is a little dated. :)

While ION gets low ratings by broadcast network standards, the ratings are halfway decent by cable network standards. Perhaps ION feels WZPX will still receive cable system carriage in mid-Michigan even after the TX move is complete?

If this move ever takes place, I wonder what will become of the big 1000 ft. tower near Vermontville?



kc8yqq
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by kc8yqq » Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:18 am

Out of Curiosity I checked ION's website. I put in my zip code, 49201, and it came up with 6.3 as you said MW. There is no 6.3, but maybe something is planned due to the lack of coverage in the area. WLNS and WLAJ combined a while ago and are on actual 25. Here's the layout:

25.1 is WLAJ ABC, virtual 53.1
25.2 is WLAJ CW, virtual 53.2
25.3 is WLNS CBS, virtual 6.1



tvradiojunkie
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by tvradiojunkie » Wed Apr 03, 2019 12:32 am

WLNS 6.3 went away when they began sharing the WLAJ frequency last year.



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Calvert DeForest
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by Calvert DeForest » Wed Apr 03, 2019 2:12 pm

WLAJ 53.1 and 53.2 are both 720p HD streams. I believe WLNS 6.1 is a 1080i HD stream. That's a lot of bandwidth for a single channel. Doesn't leave much real estate for additional SD streams without infringing on the quality of the existing HD.


Shortwave is the ORIGINAL satellite radio.

statmanmi
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WOTV location approved: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by statmanmi » Tue Jun 18, 2019 7:32 pm

Approved!

Last Tuesday (6/11) the FCC approved WZPX's filing from 3/11 to place their repack equipment on the WOTV tower:

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/datae ... c&goBack=N


Another forum site had postings that tipped me of to ION having to do the same thing in the Lexington, Kentucky market:

https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/datae ... ttachments

Apparently their tower landlord(s) aren't agreeable to whatever compensation or situations are being offered up by ION.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Given that ION has these examples of requesting waiver of the freeze to accomplish having the repack construction permits relocate to other towers, one would think WMKG could take the same approach. All their recent Special Temporary Authority filings mention that the tower they currently use can't even be replaced to adequately support the intended RF 31 antenna.

Cheers ~ Statmanmi



fuzzpower
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by fuzzpower » Tue Jun 18, 2019 11:20 pm

How long before WZPX is dumped on Lansing market cable systems?



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HD74
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by HD74 » Wed Jun 19, 2019 12:13 pm

"25.1 is WLAJ ABC, virtual 53.1
25.2 is WLAJ CW, virtual 53.2
25.3 is WLNS CBS, virtual 6.1"

Ummm, no. WLNS is on 6.1, but not 25.3.
While the signals are muxed if you were to actually look at the streams, WLNS is .1, the others are .2 and .3.
CBS has the most bandwidth, as they are at 1080i with the largest portion of the signal.
6.2 and 6.3 as well as 53.3had to go in order to ensure quality streams from the main networks.
ION was a casualty of bandwidth, as was Justice and Get.
The ION station has several streams, WLNS only carried the main ION channel, which was too bad, as I like to watch Theodore Tugboat.


You're never too old to learn something stupid.

ftballfan
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by ftballfan » Thu Jun 20, 2019 9:16 am

fuzzpower wrote:
Tue Jun 18, 2019 11:20 pm
How long before WZPX is dumped on Lansing market cable systems?
I think WZPX remains as Lansing doesn't have an ION affiliate.

When CMU shut down WCMZ, Xfinity gave it the heave-ho (they must have thought Mt. Pleasant is in the Traverse City-Cadillac market) but Spectrum (even on their northern/western Detroit market systems!), Uverse (in the Flint market), and the dishes kept WCMU.



innate-in-you
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by innate-in-you » Thu Jun 20, 2019 10:12 am

I've been wondering if PBS is available OTA in Flint Proper.
I guess it is near-fringe to three PBS stations, equidistant WKAR, WTVS and WDCQ.
I believe there is or was a Channel 9 LPTV in Flint, and it would be nice if a PBS station could run a subchannel of it (or some other translator).



Jason Kragt
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by Jason Kragt » Fri Jun 21, 2019 7:48 am

innate-in-you wrote:
Thu Jun 20, 2019 10:12 am
I've been wondering if PBS is available OTA in Flint Proper.
I guess it is near-fringe to three PBS stations, equidistant WKAR, WTVS and WDCQ.
I believe there is or was a Channel 9 LPTV in Flint, and it would be nice if a PBS station could run a subchannel of it (or some other translator).
Probably something best for the Flint board.

Flint does look like a PBS wasteland now when using an indoor or city antenna. If you leave the city in just about any direction you can pick up one of the others, but the city itself looks like it's in a void. It would be nice if WDCQ could move south to fill it since they are practically in the bay, but I assume things are going to be too tight after the repack to allow for anything like that.



cs15
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Re: WZPX (ION) files app to move closer to Grand Rapids

Post by cs15 » Fri Jun 21, 2019 11:15 am

I'm just south of Flint in Grand Blanc and I can pick up both WTVS & WDCQ. This is with a homemade 4 bay antenna mounted on the roof of my ranch home.



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