Re: How will the US local area stations commerate the end of System-M?

"G-squared" <stratus46@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:b26a4bc1-01d5-4159-a169-161523864f64@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 May 3, 8:18 pm, "Sal M. Onella" <salmone...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:
 > "Doug Smith W9WI" <w...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in  messagenews:pan.
2008.05.04.03.11.23.250029@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 >
 >
 >
 > > On Fri, 02 May 2008 21:44:57 -0700, Sal M. Onella wrote:
 > > > KCAL and KCBS are a duopoly, that is owned by the same company.
I had
 > heard
 > > > that on Day Zero KCBS-DT might move to Ch 9 and KCAL-DT might
stay on Ch
 > 43.
 > > > KCBS-DT must vacate Ch 60 on Day Zero and going digital on Ch 2
would
 > seem
 > > > to be a bad move, given the known low-band noise problems. We
shal see.
 >
 > > KCAL-DT has filed to return to channel 9 on Transition Day. Same
tower as
 > > their current analog facility but it looks like they're going to
use a
 > > different antenna. (a directional antenna 7m lower than their
existing
 > > analog one) The permit hasn't been issued yet but 9 is their
assigned
 > > channel in the FCC's post-transition channel table.
 >
 > > KCBS-DT has received a permit to take over KCAL-DT's channel 43
facility
 > > on Transition Day. The power will increase about 10% but the
same antenna
 > > will be used.
 >
 > > (one might guess that will confuse those viewers who don't
realize they
 > > need to rescan: suddenly, when they punch up channel 9 on their
remotes
 > > they're going to get channel 2!)
 >
 > Thanks, Doug.
 >
 > I saw that as another possibility and it means my life is just a
skosh more
 > complicated, since I need a phased pair of antennas to put a local
LPTV
 > outlet in a deep null on Ch 43 if I want to keep KCBS-DT as
reliable as it
 > has been on Ch 60. KCAL-DT is only "in" about 20 percent of the
time due to
 > the co-channel interference.
 >
 > I already made one phased antenna pair for Ch 36 so I can get KNBC-
DT.
 > (It's the same situation -- analog LPTV co-channel. It works
perfectly.
 > The LPTV disappears.)
 >
 > My house already looks like a pincu****on with antennas, so I guess
another
 > mast won't collapse the roof. (I need a tower.)
 >
 > I wonder ... if I spaced the antenna pair for a frequency mid-way
between Ch
 > 36 and Ch 43, would partial phase cancellation be satisfactory on
both 36
 > and 43? I doubt it but it's cheap to try.
 >
 > "Sal"
 > (really KD6VKW)

You may have seen this earlier but it sounds likeit may be helpful.
The page 2 garbage can version might work as well if it were made like
a shopping cart in welded wire and would offer much less wind loading.
Of course you could always put a 4 bay Channel Master in an actual
shopping cart. Heck homeless people take them. Might look a little
funny on the roof though.

http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~wn17/

GG

That is wonderful!  I had not seen it before tonight.

I've toyed with using some sort of screen on the side of the antenna from
which the interfering signals arrive but not known how well it would work.
Apparently it's OK and needs exploring here.

There is however, the little matter of explaining to my neighbors why I
have
a garbage can on the roof of my typical single family tract home.  (The
guy
in Atlanta had a flat roof, like maybe a condo building.)

I have a solution.  If they whine about the garbage can, I'll just say
(completely without context), "Hey, would you rather it be a shopping
cart?"
(Reminds me of the joke about the guy with the celery in his ear.)

OK, all kidding aside, I clearly have some more building to do.  Watch
this
space.