OTA channel repack information source

[NYDutch]

I imagine most of us have heard about the FCC mandated channel repack that's occurring to free up spectrum for other wireless services. To see where and when your local stations are relocating, or even if they are, click on the link below and enter your zip code. Or your full address for more accurate signal data. Clicking on the individual stations listed in the resulting screen will display various signal data, as well as the repack channel assignment and change date range if the station is affected.

DTV Reception Maps

 

[navychop]

Nice. But it would have been nice to have a note if they were relocating to a different antenna location.

 

[truckracer]

If they go back to vhf I wonder if they will be easier to receive. Not as much loss on long coax runs?

Sent from my SM-G930T using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[bnewt]

can someone explain the purpose of this "repack"? it appears from the link, most of my locals will not be doing this until 2019

 

[navychop]

Some UHF frequencies were sold to T-Mobile and others for cell phone use. TV stations in that band must relocate to lower frequencies. There’s a timeline for accomplishing this.

 

[harshness]

can someone explain the purpose of this "repack"?

This is addressed in the first sentence of the first post:

"...to free up spectrum for other wireless services".

At this point, it is years too late to worry about the why and so we speculate about the how and take the FCC's repack timeline as a hint about the earliest possible when.

The federal legislation behind the repack became law in 2012.

 

[navychop]

Some TV stations, primarily PBS I believe, have been per$uaded somehow to vacate the spectrum early, so T-Mobile can start 600 MHz service in those areas.

Initially, T-Mobile will roll it out in rather rural areas, except for a bit around NYC, IIRC. But they will later expand it to many more areas.

 

[harshness]

If they go back to vhf I wonder if they will be easier to receive. Not as much loss on long coax runs?

The impact of cable loss is inconsequential as it is relatively easy to compensate for. The high .vs. low frequency issue comes down to how well the frequencies propagate in the environmental conditions present and that discussion is awfully technical and often fraught with misinformation and misconceptions.

The goal is to have substantially the same coverage area so it will come down to how well the engineers do at making that happen with the knowledge that there's likely to be more looking out for other stations broadcasting on the same frequencies (protection) than there was before.

In my market, the stations have managed to avoid VHF-low.

 

[danristheman]

Same here Harsh. The tv stations in Fort Wayne have a room to move around a bit it will make it harder to get here in my town. I live on the outer edge of the Fort Wayne signal.

The impact of cable loss is inconsequential as it is relatively easy to compensate for. The high .vs. low frequency issue comes down to how well the frequencies propagate in the environmental conditions present and that discussion is awfully technical and often fraught with misinformation and misconceptions.

The goal is to have substantially the same coverage area so it will come down to how well the engineers do at making that happen with the knowledge that there's likely to be more looking out for other stations broadcasting on the same frequencies (protection) than there was before.

In my market, the stations have managed to avoid VHF-low.

 

[harshness]

I'd imagine the complication in Ft. Wayne would be that it is nestled in between the South Bend, Kalamazoo, Dayton, Toledo, Lima and Indy markets. Looking at the tvfool table for Ft. Wayne, a majority of the stations are already labeled with co-channel designations.

Could be interesting times (in a Chinese curse sort of way). Most of the channels are above RF25 now and most will be below RF25 after.