[NLRS] OT DTV Station Output Powers and counts per channel

[John (JK) Kalenowsky, K9JK]

Continuing the Off Topic-ness...

While there are quite a number of DTV Stations presently authorized 1 
Megawatt ERPs, all of those are in the "UHF" Channels 14 through 51. 
Channels 52 through 69 are "gone" (or, more correctly, "will be 
gone"), becoming the "700 MHz" Land Mobile bands. Also remember that 
"Channel 37" (608-614 MHz) is assigned to no TV stations, since it is 
reserved for Radio Astronomy.

The highest ERP authorized (presently) for a VHF Station is 160 kW and 
there are only SIX of them authorized over 100 kW (according to the 
list and subject to possible "maximization" in the future as Phil 
mentions). In the "Low VHF" range, the highest ERP authorized 
(presently) is 45 kW and only TEN of them are authorized more than 10 
kW.

Also, looking at the distribution of assignments to the "new" 
channels, that Table that I mentioned has 1814 lines. 490 of them are 
VHF (2-6 and 7-13), the rest (1324) are 14-51.

Of the 1324 assignments to Channels 14-36 and 38-51, Channel 19 is the 
most popular, with 48 stations assigned.

Of the 490 VHF, 'only' 40 are "Low VHF" (2-6), leaving 450 stations 
assigned to 7-13 and those DO remain the channels with the highest 
counts of stations assigned, 77 to Channel 13 (likely continuing to be 
a "challenge" for the 1.25 meter band) and 69 assigned to Channel 7. 
Channels 11 and 12 are tied for the lowest counts in those channels, 
with 56 assignments each.

Among the 40 assignments to the 5 "Low UHF" channels, Channel 5 is the 
most popular with 15, Channel 4 only has TWO assignments, Channel 6 
has 9 and Channels 2 and 3 are tied with 7 each, pretty much 
confirming Phil's comment about these channels being less desirable to 
the TV broadcasters. (And if "we" could just get those TWO stations 
with Channel 4, 66-72 MHz, assignments to find OTHER channels, that 
sure sounds like a NICE place for a 70 MHz/4 meter amateur band! 
OOPS! Sorry, that is a bit of "ON-Topic-ness", please excuse me for 
that.)

Besides more "quiet" for the Amateur 6 meter band, I wonder if this 
"movement" to NOT have TV Broadcasting in the 54-88 MHz range (or 
certainly have LESS of it there) might also benefit HF operating, 
where harmonics of the 20, 15 and 10 meter bands (even properly 
suppressed, down 40dB and greater, within radio 'state-of-the-art') 
will not fall within local television channels (OR will the "typical 
quality" of broadbanded consumer electronic receiving devices STILL 
respond to such signals?).

We now return the reflector to it's "regular" ON-topic-ness ;-).

73, JK
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phil Hejtmanek" <p_hejtmanek at yahoo.com>
To: "NLRS" <nlrs at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 10:57
Subject: Re: [NLRS] OT DTV answer?


>
>
> I bet 6 meters is going to be a whole lot quieter, once the analog 
> stations go away.  I think anyone who parses through the channel 
> allocations for DTV will find that there are going to be only a 
> small handful of DTV's operating on channels 2 or 3.  This is 
> because broadcasters found that low band VHF channels (2-6) are not 
> very friendly to DTV signals, due to increased co-channel 
> interference and increased levels of noise from powerlines and 
> lightning.  Most stations (like channel 2 in Chicago, for example) 
> that were given DTV channels in this range are fleeing to higher 
> frequencies, for the final transition.
>
> Incidently, the next big push for broadcasters will be 
> "maximization."  This will result in a bunch of applications for 
> higher DTV power levels, once the analog stations in the spectrum 
> clear out.
>
>
> 73,
>
> Phil   kf9us
>
>