Erie's DTV update

By Tom Lavery

Erie-Meadville: Here is some information regarding the status of Erie's digital TV stations according to files from the FCC. (Of course now pending if the DTV transition will be extended to June 12th.) I have already updated you earlier on the WQLN situation but I can also say that both WSEE DT 35-1 (16) and WFXP DT 66-1 (22) are up and running at full power. Meanwhile, there is some news regarding both WJET DT 24-1 (58) and WICU DT 12-1 (52). First, WJET which signed on in 1966 will be shutting down it's analog signal on February 15th, which is two days before the February 17th deadline. (The station will be moving to DT 24-1 since it's current station on DT 58 is out of the digital core of channels 2-51.) This is being done in order to facilitate the WJET DT buildout. A tower crew is expected to arrive around January 15th in order to prepare for antenna installation. Of course with Erie's weather, there could be some delays with the installation and time will be of the essence with the deadline a month away. Jet will also be getting a new transmitter for the higher powered digital signal. WJET is currently feeding both Time Warner and Dish Network it's digital signal. Meanwhile, WICU which first signed on as Erie's first TV station in 1949 will keep it's analog signal on the air up until February 17th. The station is installing it's new digital transmitter this month but apparently will be using it's current digital antenna since there is no notice of any antenna needed to be installed at the Donation Road tower site. WICU will also flash cut from DT 52-1 to DT 12-1, which will make WICU Erie's only VHF digital station.

Erie-Meadville | three comments | Link To This Entry

Posted at January 07, 2009 at 6:16 pm by






Readers’ Forum

WICU will be reusing their ANALOG antenna for digital operation. Channel 12 is channel 12, whether analog or digital.
Trip Ericson (URL) - January 07, 2009 at 6:30 pm

That certainly makes sense. With that said, I’m surprised that Jet is not doing the same thing with their analog antenna since they will be digital on channel 24.
Tom Lavery (URL) - January 07, 2009 at 7:18 pm

From what I was told, some antennas were built to favor the specific frequencies used by the audio, video, and color. Since digital TV requires a level signal across the 6 MHz TV channel, some antennas have to be replaced in order to create that level signal.
Trip Ericson (URL) - January 07, 2009 at 9:15 pm

  
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