Isn't Channel 1 not being used for TV because for all practical
purposes, it is the 6 meter band that we do have access to?
TV Channels actually start with ... Channel 2 ... which is 54 to 60 MHz.
I am a bit ahead of the curve for digital TV as we have been watching it
for several years now. Even with the lower power that some stations were
running at, we often were able to receive HDTV OK. But where I made a
big mistake was misunderstanding the VHF frequencies. They are not going
to refarm channels 2 -13 are they? Instead, VHF stations had an option
to keep their analog VHF allocation, set up a temporary UHF digital
allocation, and on changeover day, they will turn off the UHF digital
station, turn off the analog VHF station, and turn on the VHF digital
station. Two of our local stations made this choice.
This means that we will probably have to buy VHF antenna in addition to
our modest UHF corner reflector yagi that works well enough now. We can
barely pick up the more distant VHF station on the UHF antenna, but the
closer one is good enough. But I wonder if that will be consistently
true when we try to pick up digital. The retired Chief Engineer from one
of these stations is a long time ham and he explained that they will not
have to run as much power with digital since signals seem to go farther
than analog. It will be interesting.
73,
Rick, KV9U
Danny Douglas wrote:
Frankly, I expected the government to give us back the channel 1 TV
frequency, that they took away from us to make television to start with.
NOT
Wouldnt it be wonderful had someone, anyone, reminded them of that. Maybe
the ARRL?
