If WKTV analog channel 2 were to go off-the-air today, do you have the ability to receive our digital channel? Our analog channel 2 antenna is 50 years old. Exposed to all kinds of Upstate NY weather, 1,000 feet in the air on top of a hill, things are bound to be brittle and in poor condition. We've maintained it pretty well over the years at significant costs for each repair. With February looming around the corner, we probably won't invest in any major repairs if something should go wrong. The analog transmitter is over 20 years old and it's two output tubes cost in excess of $10k each. The average tube life is two years and we're past that. So if a tube fails now, we're not likely to invest over $10k to get us through a few months.
So if we had a costly failure today, what would you do? If you are watching our digital channel 2.1 over-the-air, you're all set. If you're watching us on Time Warner Cable, you're OK too. If you're watching us on channel 2 analog over-the-air, you might want to consider doing something now. You will have to on 2/17/09 anyways when the FCC will require us to turn-off our analog channel. So why not make the change to digital now?
You will need a digital TV or a converter box. Rebate coupons are still available from the federal government, up to two per household, for the converter boxes. See the DTV section of our website for details on how to obtain one. BEWARE: NOT ALL CONVERTER BOXES ARE ALIKE. I usually won't use this forum to slam a manufacturer, but I need to here. IN MOST CASES, THE MAGNAVOX CONVERTER BOXES DO NOT WORK. I'm telling you this because the major store in this area that sells this box will not give you your rebate coupon (or it's equivalent in cash) back to you if you return the box when it doesn't work for you. If you call Magnavox, they will tell you that they get many complaints, but stations aren't at full power and they should wait a few months and try again. In fact, very few stations are still at low power. WKTV has been at full power with digital for over two years.
The best chip-set for reception is made by LG and is available in the Zenith and Insignia converter boxes. They are both available locally. They cost a few bucks more than the Magnavox box, but well worth it. I have a Zenith box in my office with an antenna on the WKTV roof on Smith Hill. I receive Albany, Utica and Syracuse digital channels. You may not be able to see Albany, but with a good antenna, Utica and Syracuse will come in great.
We field phone calls and emails every day. Feel free to email with any comments or questoins about reception. engineering@wktv.com
Prepare now. You never know when analog channel 2 will go dark.
The WKTV Engineering Department has received many calls asking if reception of our digital channel will improve on February 17, 2009. Some stations in the country chose to operate their digital channels at low power until that date. WKTV chose to operate at full power right away when we brought the transmitter online two years ago. So if you're having problems receiving our digital channel now, you will still have problems after 2/17/09. The only thing that changes on that date will be the shut down of the analog channel 2 transmitter.
If you're having problems with receiving our digital channel 29 (virtual 2.1) on your new TV or converter box, the culprit is most likely your antenna. While rabbit ears may have worked to receive our analog, they will most likely not work to receive our digital unless you live close to our transmitter site in Middleville. If you're within 15 miles of our site, you might have good luck with a small panel antenna mounted on the side of your house, depending on terrain. If you're more than 15 miles from Middleville, you will probably need a rooftop antenna. Use the antenna websites shown on this blog page to find the appropriate antenna for your address. If our digital channel doesn't show up in the table for your address, you either live too far away or there is rough terrain or obstacles between you and our transmitter site. Don't give up. Check with other people in your area to see if anybody else is receiving us. If so, find out what they are using for an antenna. In fringe areas, you will need a good rooftop antenna and good wiring from the antenna to your TV or converter box. Two weeks ago we had a report of somebody receiving us in Minoa (Syracuse area).
Many have asked for technical specs of our signal. We are putting out 708kw ERP on Channel 29. The coordinates of our transmitter site are: 43-06-09.0 N Latitude, 74-56-26.0 W Longitude
Here is a link to another website to help you with antenna selection. You can see the technical specs for each of the digital stations you should be able to receive in your area. Clicking on one of the stations will show you a map of the path between you and the transmitter site of that station.
AntennaPoint.com
Here is a great link that will help you to choose an antenna for over-the-air reception of local channels. Put in your address and it will show you the channels (analog and digital) that are available where you live. Click in the colored area to the left of each channel to see what type of antenna is suggested. You can look at “Street View” to see what direction you need to point the antenna for each channel.
On February 17, 2009, analog channel 2 will no longer be broadcast over-the-air.The FCC has chosen that date for TV stations to cease broadcasting analog channels.Every station is currently broadcasting a digital channel as mandated by the commission.Some stations will continue broadcasting their digital signals on their assigned channels and others will move their digital signals to the channels that their analog signals occupied.WKTV’s current digital channel is 29 and we will remain on that channel after 2/17/09.The low frequency of channel 2 is susceptible to noise, especially AC noise created by old power grids or noisy motors and other devices nearby to receivers.In the analog world, this shows up as noise in the picture and sound.In the digital world, this noise can block the signal at the receiver.Several transmitter and transmit antenna manufacturers suggested against going back to channel 2 with our digital signal after analog transmission ends.So we will stay on channel 29.
We have the ability to brand our digital channel with our analog channel number.So even though your digital receiver or converter box will find us on the frequency for channel 29, the display on your TV will show channel 2-1.Some receivers will display a table showing the RF channel, in our case 29, and the associated virtual channel the station has assigned to it, in our case 2-1.
So as an over-the-air viewer, what do you have to do to continue to receive WKTV?
If you have one or more analog TV’s, purchase a converter box for each TV
- This will cost you approximately $10 each for the first two under the rebate program as explained in an earlier article
-The cost for each converter box after the first two will be approximately $50 each
- Connect your current antenna to the converter box antenna input
- Connect a separate cable between your converter box output and the antenna input on your analog TV
- Initiate a channel scan on the converter box – WKTV should display as channel 2-1
If you have a TV with a digital tuner (DT capable), make sure it is connected to a good antenna and the antenna is pointed in the direction of
Fairfield (north of Middleville), then initiate a channel scan
- If your TV finds WKTV, it should display as channel 2-1
- Check the signal strength – most TV’s with digital tuners have a menu item for this
- If the signal is low, your picture may cut in & out – in this case, you may need to move or upgrade your antenna
- If the signal is in the middle of the scale or above and steady, you shouldn’t have a problem with receiving us
By 8/1/08, we will be ready to transmit High Definition.At that time, virtual channel 2-1 will be WKTV HD and your TV will pickup virtual channel 2-2 which will be our CW network programming in Standard Definition (SD).NBC programming will be true HD and for the time being, all other programming will be upconverted to HD.Those with SD TV’s or converter boxes will still see the HD signal but will view it in SD or in a cropped format on an analog TV.
Our analog channel 2 transmitter is over 20 years old and the transmit antenna is the original at 50 years old.If one of these fails within the coming year and the cost of repair is excessive, we could exercise our right to end analog transmission on channel 2 before the 2/17/09 FCC deadline.So we’re encouraging our over-the-air viewers to make the change to digital now.
To cable subscribers please note, these changes do not affect you other than your cable provider will offer our HD channel by 8/1/08.Also note we are aware of the continuing problem with our audio lagging behind our video to cable subscribers.This problem is not originating at WKTV.Contact your cable provider in regards to this problem.
We have had many emails and phone calls asking us when WKTV will be offered by satellite providers.Your satellite providers have not come up with a plan to build an uplink facility in this area to provide local stations to you.Contact your satellite provider in regards to this.
The Federal Communications Commission has ruled that all analog television broadcasts in the country will end on February 17, 2009.Digital television broadcasts will take the place of the old analog broadcasts.Most television stations have already met deadlines set to start broadcasting digital signals on channels assigned by the FCC.This decision does not affect those that receive their programs via a Cable TV or satellite provider.Only over-the-air reception with an indoor or outdoor antenna will be affected.
The FCC decision will mean an end to WKTV analog channel-2 over-the-air broadcasts on the designated date, February 17, 2009.WKTV has been broadcasting a standard definition digital signal on channel-29 since May of 2005.Viewers that have been watching our digital signal have had very good reception in areas where the channel-2 analog signal is marginal.Digital signals are free from noise and ghosting experienced in analog broadcasts, thus producing a much clearer and sharper picture.In order to receive the digital signal, viewers must have either a digital television set (with a built-in digital tuner), or a converter box to receive the digital channel, then feed it as an analog channel to an analog TV.Digital tuners in TV’s or in converter boxes have a function to scan for channels.Once connected to an antenna, either indoor or outdoor, users should initiate a scan.If WKTV digital is received, the tuner or box will display as RF Channel-29 and Virtual Channel-2-1.WKTV plans to add additional Virtual Channels by August of 2008, those being WKTV HD on 2-2 and CW on 2-3 (all contained within RF Channel-29).The tuner or converter box will let you choose the virtual subchannels to view.
The Federal Government is offering each household up to two rebate coupons that they can use towards the purchase of converter boxes.These coupons are valued at $40 each.Applications for these coupons will be available during the first week of January, 2008 and the NTIA (National Telecommunications & Information Administration) will start sending the coupons on February 17, 2008.The coupons can be used at any of the NTIA certified retailers.A current list of certified retailers can be found at this link:http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/DTV_CertifiedRetailers_121107.pdf
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The Federal Communications Commission has ruled that all analog television broadcasts in the country 
