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Post by Skaggs on Jul 14, 2005 15:07:28 GMT -5
WXXA Chief Engineer Sarge Cathrall told me he has ordered transmission equipment, even though WXXA has not received a construction permit from the FCC yet. If they do not have the construction permit by Oct 1, 2005, they will request a Special Temporary Authority for reduced power operation until the construction permit is in hand.
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Post by Skaggs on Aug 23, 2005 20:27:49 GMT -5
From the FOX 23 website: Status of WXXA-DT as of 8/16/05 The FCC has assigned channel 7 as a DTV channel for Albany, NY. This assignment was challenged by broadcast stations in New York City and Watertown, NY. The FCC has dismissed the requests for reconsideration that had been filed against the commission decision to award channel 7 to Albany, NY. WXXA-TV has submitted a construction permit application to operate on channel 7 at a power level of 10 kilowatts effective radiated power. The approximate air date for WXXA-DT will be 120 days after the FCC approves our construction permit application. WXXA-TV currently feeds a HD feed via fiber to Time Warner Cable where it is carried on channel 1808. WXXA-TV has placed an order for a Digital Television Transmitter. Projected DTV broadcast date is October 15, 2005. Just in time for the World Series on FOX in HD. |
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Post by tom1178 on Sept 7, 2005 0:52:20 GMT -5
Just checked the fox23news webiste today, now they are saying the projected DTV broadcast date is 12/01/05
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Post by Skaggs on Nov 14, 2005 17:08:34 GMT -5
WXXA Chief Engineer Sarge Cathrall told me today that the transmitter is still in transit, expected next week.
Since next week is a short one due to Thanksgiving, and the following Thursday is December 1st, it seems WXXA will be hard pressed to meet their 12/1/05 "projected" startup date.
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Post by Skaggs on Nov 22, 2005 19:23:28 GMT -5
WXXA's Sarge Cathrall informed me today the digital transmitter is still on a ship in the Atlantic and is scheduled to arrive in Baltimore, VA on November 25, 2005.  He does not expect it to arrive here in Albany until the "first week in December". He hopes to have it operating by, "...December 15th or so..."  Good thing the Superbowl is on ABC this year & not FOX.  Keep checking here at AlbanyHDTV.com for the latest WXXA OTA news. |
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Post by Skaggs on Dec 9, 2005 21:08:08 GMT -5
Update from WXXA Chief Engineer Sarge Cathrall on Friday, December 9, 2005:
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Post by Skaggs on Dec 13, 2005 16:12:10 GMT -5
Sarge told me this afternoon that the equipment was delivered today at 3PM. They have started installing the equipment.
He still hopes to begin OTA transmission on December 20th.
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Post by zekmoe on Dec 14, 2005 17:56:14 GMT -5
Just curious Skaggs, but what do you think the percentage of over the air HD customers a station gets in this area? I have no idea, but I'd say it's way below the national average of like 5%. It seems like a losing investment for the stations.
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Post by Skaggs on Dec 14, 2005 18:46:26 GMT -5
Just curious Skaggs, but what do you think the percentage of over the air HD customers a station gets in this area? I have no idea, but I'd say it's way below the national average of like 5%. It seems like a losing investment for the stations. I don't know the percentage, but I would guess that it is in the 5% range. Heck, I wouldn't even care if I didn't have an HDTV. It was more of a big deal (at least for me) when you could get HD via OTA but not via TWC. This was the case with WRGB. But, now that we can get all of the local HD stations via TWC, the OTA issue has virtually gone away, except for us HD junkies. The stations are required to switch to digital transmissions by the FCC. The date at which all digital transmissions must begin has been debated by the US government many times. Once the TV stations (across the US) can transmit digitally, the FCC can resell the analog frequencies these TV stations are currently using for big $$$. Some of these frequencies have been promised to emergency service providers. |
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Post by downriver on Dec 16, 2005 9:06:44 GMT -5
What will be the digital broadcasting power of WXXA OTA relative to the other Albany stations?
I live in the City of Hudson and have merged my OTA signals from my rooftop antenna into my 2 DirecTV HD boxes for over 2 years. According to ANTENNAWEB I am about 28 miles from the various towers.
For the most part I get solid signals WRGB, WTEN, WNYT, and WMHT. I cannot receive WEWB.
My WRGB signal, though generally good goes into funk at times with severe checkering. Right now it is bad. I don't know where the problem lies, at tower, antenna, cableing, etc. Any suggestions?
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Post by Skaggs on Dec 19, 2005 21:40:27 GMT -5
WXXA Chief Engineer Sarge Cathrall sent me an email this evening concerning the new digital OTA transmitter:
So, check your OTA STB's on Tuesday (12/20/05) evening. Please post your observations here.
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Post by Skaggs on Dec 20, 2005 16:51:26 GMT -5
WXXA-DT OTA is on the air!
I had to manually tune channel 7 and then it mapped to channel 23-1.
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Post by ebo on Dec 20, 2005 17:16:42 GMT -5
Coming in very well in Delmar. As strong as any of the others, and stronger than some. 93% on the MyHD card. Not bad, considering I'm using a UHF antenna (4-bay bowtie in the attic) and it's on VHF channel 7.
No PSIP program info, but hey, they just got on the air. How long has WMHT been on, and they still don't have any. WRGB doesn't either, although I think they used to. Which shows how much I use it (hardly at all).
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Post by MasterFX1 on Dec 20, 2005 18:09:15 GMT -5
I'm getting a rock-steady signal over by Balt Mt in Troy. I'll have to check back during primetime to see some 720p.
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Post by Skaggs on Dec 20, 2005 19:00:52 GMT -5
Email from WXXA engineer Sarge Cathrall:
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