Auction Opening Bid Prices Announced

[Robz]

It seems to be a well kept secret what frequencies TV stations actually use. The only way I know of, is to do research on the internet.

The FCC maintains a list of all TV,AM,FM stations in the CDBS database. The entire data base can be downloaded in a few minutes with a high speed internet connection. You only need a few files for TV. Each file is a pipe "|" delineated CSV text relational file. Its possible to derive a list of analog, actual digital, branded digital channel fand center frequency for every broadcaster in the US. I first started using dbase file structure; but now I find it easier to use sqlLite 3 database. It's also possible to use SQL; but full blown SQL command set is not necessary.
http://www.sqlite.org/

There is no server required for sqlite 3 data base just drop sqlite3.dll anf sqlite3.def into your project folder. There are many applications that will let you build a relational data base to view the data.
http://www.sqliteexpert.com/

The engineering database includes many parameters making it possible to determine expected signal strength, using point to point Longly and Rice irregular terrain method, between transmitter and receiver. The engineering data base does not directly contain callsign; but can easily linked using the application_ID field. Remember, even though it looks like a "|" pipe delineated CSV file it does have relational link fields.


CDBS files can be found at:
https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/cdbs-database-public-files

 

[Mister B]

The above is great information for users of this site and this thread in particular. I was actually referring to information that is common knowledge to the average OTA viewer. I have helped several friends and relatives put up an antenna since the digital conversion, and it is very difficult to explain why they do not need an antenna for channels 2-6 anymore. The typical response is that "channel 4 is my favorite channel". I have to try to explain, "yes, but they are actually on channel 18 although they never mention it". I just wondered if viewers in Mexico are a bit better informed in that at least once an hour, channel 5 posts XEJ canal 50 in the corner of the screen.

 

[harshness]

I have helped several friends and relatives put up an antenna since the digital conversion, and it is very difficult to explain why they do not need an antenna for channels 2-6 anymore

Now you're going to have to change how you "advise" your friends.

Given what was decided (versus what was under discussion), it was probably never a good idea to advise against VHF-low.

 

[Mister B]

Given what was decided (versus what was under discussion), it was probably never a good idea to advise against VHF-low.

This is true. My main reason for wanting to avoid low-VHF antennas in this area are the high winds which many times will bend the long rods back over the VHF-high section of the antenna, thus shorting out the whole array. I see that there are no plans in the auction for the El Paso DMA at this time and Juarez is planning on staying all UHF. I do have an old 2-83 channel antenna under the house and would gladly go back and help any friends add low-VHF if it comes to that.

 

[jerryez]

Here in Pensacola, the only low VHF channel is Fox and their reception is the worst out of 32 channels. We even have one UHF channels that has 4 sub channels that provide better reception than Fox.

 

[Trip]

WALA is on high-VHF, not low-VHF.

- Trip

 

[localclassictvfan]

low vhf is 2-6 and high vhf is 7-13....right....

 

[localclassictvfan]

Hopefully the channels that are over 37 in my area stay at a lower uhf channel....

 

[Nascarken 91xg]

Hi Larry Kenney I have a Question, I Wood like to get into the DXers hobby,now I have 2,HDB91X HO,HORIZONTALLY STACKED SIDE BY SIDE 90Ft high,A G L,45,and I have TWO VHF HI GAIN#30-2476,now my question is should I stagger stack them vertical,or horizontal stack them SIDE BY SIDE,at 85Ft,A G L,45, with a Johansson amplifier kit that has one vhf in at 30B and two uhf in at 40B and one to the tv, with a 150Ft of 18 Gage solid copper RG 6 with a Ham ROTOR, Will it work FINE?

 

[larrykenney]

Sorry, I'm not familiar with those antennas so can't recommend one way or the other. Perhaps one of the other readers would be able to give you some advice.

 

[harshness]

I Wood like to get into the DXers hobby,now I have 2,HDB91X HO,HORIZONTALLY STACKED SIDE BY SIDE 90Ft high,A G L,45,and I have TWO VHF HI GAIN#30-2476,now my question is should I stagger stack them vertical,or horizontal stack them SIDE BY SIDE,at 85Ft,A G L,45, with a Johansson amplifier kit that has one vhf in at 30B and two uhf in at 40B and one to the tv, with a 150Ft of 18 Gage solid copper RG 6 with a Ham ROTOR, Will it work FINE?

I would suggest that you open a dedicated thread to this topic rather than hyjacking threads about the future of the ever-narrowing TV band.

Who can say if DX will even be possible after the repack and if ATSC 3.0 is the modulation scheme of the day. I'm guessing that with every TV station crowded down into the 2-30 range by the repack, DXing is going to be very, very hard, if possible at all. You'll almost certainly need to add some VHF-low to your antenna array as neither of the current pairs are set up for that band.

I think it is distinctly possible that DX will be a memory within the next eight years.

 

[ncted]

IMHO, this will end my ability to get everything I want OTA. I can currently only get 1 VHF High station in my DMA, and barely at that. If any of the remaining big networks move to lower frequencies, I am screwed. Google Fiber is currently being installed in my neighborhood. It will be hard to resist trying the Google TV service out when the time comes knowing there are OTA changes coming.

 

[Nascarken 91xg]

Sorry about that didn't mean to do that, !!! but sence I have everyone's attention on this subject!!! we all need to notify !!! the F c c on this matter or in 8,years it will be sorry for what I did, but I will be on the phone with the F c c ,,in the morning and give them he'll,, we'll thanks everyone and have a good day,ps sorry!!!

 

[FTA4PA]

Sorry about that didn't mean to do that, !!! but sence I have everyone's attention on this subject!!! we all need to notify !!! the F c c on this matter or in 8,years it will be sorry for what I did, but I will be on the phone with the F c c ,,in the morning and give them he'll,, we'll thanks everyone and have a good day,ps sorry!!!

Just click POST NEW THREAD here > (http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/forums/digital-over-the-air-television-talk-by-rabbitears.46/) and hopefully someone can give you an answer.

 

[harshness]

IMHO, this will end my ability to get everything I want OTA. I can currently only get 1 VHF High station in my DMA, and barely at that.

Are you using a full-range antenna or are you whining without having even tried?

 

[ncted]

Are you using a full-range antenna or are you whining without having even tried?

Yes, I am using a full range antenna. WTVD (VHF 11) comes in well enough that it is watchable, but there are regular drops that are annoying at times. I am not really sure what causes them as the signal will be solidly at 72 (that is about as good as it gets on the Roamio signal meter) on my Roamio OTA for minutes at a time, and then all of the sudden drop to zero for a few seconds. My best guess is the airport between my house and the transmission tower. If I had to endure that on most or all of the channels I watch, it would be much less bearable.

Thanks for the condescending tone, btw. It is always nice to have a reminder of what the Internet does to what I assume are otherwise normal, cordial people.

 

[harshness]

Yes, I am using a full range antenna. WTVD (VHF 11) comes in well enough that it is watchable, but there are regular drops that are annoying at times.

Given that WTVD is so close to WNCN in both location and power, I'm inclined to suspect your antenna. You've also got quite a spoke pattern with respect to the direction various stations come from.

 

[ncted]

Given that WTVD is so close to WNCN in both location and power, I'm inclined to suspect your antenna. You've also got quite a spoke pattern with respect to the direction various stations come from.

It actually was much worse with other antennas I tried. Here is my tvfool report:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id=e2cbff10f182b0

In theory, I should have no trouble receiving any of the mainstream channels. In reality, WTVD is much less reliable than any of the UHF stations. I spent a lot of time getting this to work as well as it does. As I have a job and other things going on in my life, I don't really have much interest in spending that much more time on my roof when/if other channels go to VHF and when/if reception degrades.

 

[riffjim4069]

I have two UHF antenna pointed in different directions (Washington DC and Richmond VA) and was perfectly...until a few years ago when several stations, in both markets, moved back to VHF and left me with an incomplete local viewing solution. No worries since I have Cable/Tivo and the local "Must Carry" stations were included at no-charge...until last year when a separate mandatory location broadcast fee was charged to each and every basic cable customer. The way I see it...why and the hell should the local broadcasters pay millions and millions to lease spectrum from the FCC and millions and millions more in operating expenses when they can merely distribute their broadcast via fiber to the MVPDs? To me, this sounds the death knell for broadcast television in many markets.

Anyway, I haven't been keeping-up with the stuff lately. Can someone tell me what spectrum is going to be reclaimed and how it is going to be used going forward. A link to a summary article would be fine THX.

 

[harshness]

It actually was much worse with other antennas I tried.

Since the report suggests successful reception with a set-top antenna, I have to wonder if you've done all you can. I live almost twice as far away from my "local" towers and I can pick up channels 8, 10 and 12 at 100%. Admittedly I don't have stations coming from all directions and I can see the lights on the towers from my dining room. I should also mention that I don't have any pre-amps or DAs.