FCC Spokesman: VHF Issues Solvable
John Eggerton -- Multichannel News, 6/17/2009 10:22:00 AM
The Federal Communications Commission is redeploying forces to some major urban areas to deal with post-DTV transition reception and education issues, but spokesman Rick Kaplan said the agency remains in mop-up mode, and "definitely not" panic mode.
Kaplan said the problems appear solvable, and are being addressed on a market-by-market basis.
Some stations that moved from UHF to VHF digital channels are having trouble reaching apartments, condos and buildings in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston, for example. Kaplan said the problems have tended to be mostly in urban areas.
Kaplan confirmed that WHDH Boston was permitted to simulcast in its pre-transition UHF channel assignment Tuesday. while its engineers work on its reception problems. Due to the differing propagation techniques, UHF signals have an easier time penetrating buildings, while VHFs do better negotiating rolling terrain, according to the commission.
The FCC has sent more staffers to Chicago to help ABC's WLS with its now well-documented reception issues, as well as to Philadelphia to help out with ABC's WPVI.
"We have a lot of people on the ground in Philadelphia and they are trying to arrange a power arrangement with other stations for [WPVI] to go up in power," said the agency spokesman.
More staffers are headed to New York as well, Kaplan said, but that is more to help the education effort about rescanning or moving rabbit ears. He added that the FCC has the flexibility to redeploy because they can be moved out of places where there are "barely any complaints."
He said that WBBM Chicago was also having reception issues, but that it ramped up its call center effort, emphasized the FCC's double re-scanning advice, and that that had solved most of the problems. The commission has been pushing viewers to clear their converter box memories then re-scan again to make sure the equipment can find all the channels.
But some of the issues won't be solved by consumer education or rescanning. For those, according to Kaplan, stations may need to boost power, allow for fill-in translators, or even changing channels if there is one available.
There have been reports of reception problems in the commission's back yard, at WUSA for example, according to The Washington Post. Kaplan said that the FCC hadn't gotten a lot of calls about the station. "In most places you can get it," he said.
He said the FCC looked at the VHF reception issue after Feb. 17 and there were "barely any reported problems." But he conceded the problems in big cities where it is harder for VHF signals getting through buildings. He said there were also some problems in Nashville with reception close to the transmitters, but not further away, which he said may also be a building issue.
"We're seeing more problems with VHF stations...but it has not been a widespread issue," he said. "There are plenty of places that are doing just fine."
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We are in Apex, NC, and we had received WTVD well as a digital broadcast before and after the switch on June 12th until sometime around the end of June/beginning of July when something changed, and we lost the signal altogether. I've put in an amplified distributor, which has enabled us to receive at least a poor signal (often loses audio, pixillates), but it's not up to the quality of the other channels. Since the switch to DTV, however, ALL of the channels are subject to more interference than when they were analog. Winds and storms make it almost impossible to receive watchable signals -- how helpful will that be during hurricane season? I agree with others' comments that this is a problem that should be resolved for those of us who rely on OTA television.
Ross Donnelly - 7/26/2009 11:16:10 AM EDT -
I too have rescanned more than once. I followed WTVD's instructions and STILL can't get ABC. Do not want to connect kitchen television to cable but want to watch news in AM and PM. This issue needs to be resolved.
Linda G. Dale - 7/22/2009 1:37:11 PM EDT -
We live in Chapel Hill and have not received the WTVD signal since the digital switchover in June. Before that time we had been receiving the WTVD digital signal. We are now watching Winston-Salem's ABC station when we can get it. We have tried all rescanning techniques recommended by WTVD and the FCC. None have worked. If WTVD does not fix this problem, it will permanently lose viewers to WRAL and NBC-17 and to Winston-Salem's ABC station.
Tom Linden - 7/13/2009 6:17:51 PM EDT -
We are in Granville Co. NC and received Channel 11 (the 11 tower in the same line as channel 5 and 17 and others that we receive just fine) until 6/12. I understand it went VHF--fine but why did not anyone tell us? I applied for the free antenna offered by channel 5, since we are 3 miles west of Stovall, NC in the middle of nowhere being led to believe it was the proper antenna. Now after my husband that has had a heart attact climbed on the roof and installed the new antenna (by the way, not having VHF)I find I will never get 11--because we were missled by Channel 5--my oly solution is to go buy another antenna and have my husband spend another 4 hours on the roof! Well, we live on SS and because of medical bills are unable to splurge--how can the government allow this to happen, why is the rural resident less of a citizen than urban?
Gayle Kuhlberg - 6/30/2009 9:38:40 AM EDT -
We have an situation in Raleigh. At home using an indoor antenna. We receive all the local channels with the exception of WUNC (PBS).
However, at the airport where I work, the TV in the breakroom gets all the channels except WTVD 11 (ABC). This TV also uses an indoor antenna.
The difference in signal reception must have something to do with location and terrain. I hope they boost the signal for both soon.
Ian Jellico - 6/29/2009 8:41:06 PM EDT
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