Arizona TV Station Update - April 2012

As always, questions, additions, comments and corrections welcome.

New licenses

KPSN-LP 22 Payson (Multimedia Holdings Corporation) requested a license to cover its flash cut to digital. Technical specifications: Ch 22; TL 34-17-23 N, 111-11-26 W (Diamond Point); ERP 3.3 kW directional; HAAT 289 m.
KNBX-LD 31.x (14) Las Vegas NV (Mako Communications LLC) has been granted a license to cover its displacement construction permit. Technical specifications: Ch 14; TL 35-56-46 N, 115-2-34 W (Black Mtn. Arden site); ERP 15 kW directional; HAAT 548 m.

Programming changes

KTVP-LD 22.x Phoenix (Mako Communications LLC) has made multiple changes to its programming. First, a problem with the Almavisión satellite signal resulted in a DISH 500 message airing on channels 22.1 and 22.5. That was soon followed by Good News TV on 22.1, and color bars on 22.5. Meanwhile, the announcement message on 22.4 was replaced by Más TV, as advertised.
KPHE-LD 44.x Phoenix (Lotus TV of Phoenix LLC) has begun running a crawl on channels 44.2 and 44.3, notifying viewers that Más TV and Good News TV are now on channel 22 and will be leaving channel 44 soon. The contract between Good News TV/Más TV and KPHE-LD expires at the end of May.
KFPB-LD 50.x Phoenix (Globe LPTV LLC) changed its lineup briefly, then reverted to the previous lineup. ESNE TV replaced Video Zona TV on channel 50.2, while an ESNE Radio feed appeared on channel 50.12. ESNE TV - El Sembrador Nueva Evangelización - is a Spanish-language Catholic station that airs on KDOC and part-time on KXLA in Los Angeles, on channel 16 in San Diego and on channel 38 in Salinas CA.
KEEN-CD 17.x Las Vegas NV (Christian Media Associates International, Inc.) has added three subchannels to its main feed: AMG TV on channel 17.6, PBJ on channel 17.7, and videos on channel 17.8.
KHDF-CD 19.x Las Vegas NV (Una Vez Más Las Vegas License, LLC) has added three subchannels to its lineup. Channels 19.1 - 19.3 air the same For Lease slide that appears on UVM's Phoenix station, while 19.4 has Azteca América programming.
KTUD-LD 25.x (20) Las Vegas NV (VegasTV, LLC) added an HD feed on channel 25.2 and VAsian TV on channel 25.3, a local production.
KVPX-LD 28.x Las Vegas NV (Mako Communications LLC) went to color bars on all three subchannels, then resumed SonLife Broadcasting Network on channel 28.1.
KEGS-LD 30.x (24) Las Vegas NV (Mako Communications LLC) went to color bars, then resumed SonLife Broadcasting Network on channels 30.1 and 30.3. Channel 30.2 was a little more interesting, starting with the DISH 500 slide that had aired on Mako's Phoenix station, then going dark, followed by Enlace programming that usually appears on channel 41.1. Finally, channel 30.2 began airing a message that the satellite signal was being acquired.
KNBX-CD 31.x (14) Las Vegas NV (Mako Communications LLC) went to color bars on all four subchannels, then added an endless loop of the TV show 26 Men from HOT TV on channel 31.4.
K41IO-D 41.x Las Vegas NV (Trinity Broadcasting Network) changed to broadcasting an empty packet, then resumed Enlace programming late in the month.

Disclaimer: Vegas stations, especially the Mako group, seem to be changing programming almost daily. Your mileage may vary.

Transactions

The FCC has approved the appointment of Lee W. Shubert to succeed Harry Pappas as head of the liquidating trust, transferring KSWT 13.x Yuma to Shubert. The transaction has been consummated.
The FCC has approved the sale of KUDF-LP 14 Tucson (Una Vez Más Tucson License, LLC) to LM Media Group, LLC.
K51IO Bullhead City (MMTC Broadcasting LLC) has obtained FCC approval of its sale to Digital Networks - Southwest.
KEEN-CD 17.x Las Vegas NV (Christian Media Associates International, Inc.) has received approval from the FCC to transfer its license to Landover Wireless Corp.
The FCC has approved the appointment of Lee W. Shubert to succeed Harry Pappas as head of the liquidating trust, transferring KIAZ-LP 14 Gallup NM to Shubert. The transaction has been consummated.

Construction permits and STAs granted

K02HR (3) Bullhead City (Mohave County Board of Supervisors) has been granted a modification to its digital flash cut construction permit, allowing it to increase power. Technical specifications: Ch 3; TL 35-12-46 N, 114-33-18 W (Katherine Landing); ERP 0.021 kW directional; HAAT -137 m (6.1 m AGL).
K09KV Prescott (Meredith Corporation) has been granted a modification to its construction permit, moving its antenna to a different location on Mt. Francis, reducing ERP, and changing its signal source from KPHO Phoenix to K40AD Cottonwood. Although the ERP has been reduced, it still exceeds limits recently placed on the site by the US Forest Service. Technical specifications: Ch 30; TL 34-29-25 N, 112-32-0 W (Mt. Francis); ERP 2.1 kW directional; HAAT m.
KLVX-DT 10.x (11) Las Vegas NV (Clark County School District) has been granted a modification to its license, switching from an RCA antenna to one manufactured by SPX, at a lower position on the tower. Technical specifications: Ch 11; TL 36-0-27 N, 115-0-24 W (Black Mtn.); ERP 105 kW non-directional; HAAT 367.5 m.

Applications filed / STAs requested

Fort Mohave Television, Inc. has amended its application, changing from an off-the-shelf Jampro antenna to a Scala composite antenna, and reducing power from 15 kW to 1.25 kW. Technical specifications: Ch 23; TL 34-57-50 N, 114-34-13 W (Mesquite Creek); ERP 1.25 kW directional; HAAT -50 m (55 n AGL).
K45LU-D Window Rock has amended its application, changing the applicant from Kee Long to The Navajo Nation.
K40AD-D Cottonwood (Meredith Corporation) has requested to modify its construction permit to increase in power from 2.3 kW to 12.6 kW. The station will serve as source for K09KV Prescott and K50HU Flagstaff and the power increase will help to provide a more reliable signal to those stations. Technical specifications: Ch 40; TL 34-41-12 N, 112-6-59 W (Mingus Mtn.); ERP 12.3 kW directional; HAAT 773 m.
K27KS-D Globe (Meredith Corporation) has requested to change its antenna from an off-the-shelf Bogner, which is no longer supported, to a composite Scala. The application also corrects the location and height of the antenna. Technical specifications: Ch 27; TL 33-20-31 N; 110-52-12 W (Madera Peak); ERP 1.0 kW directional; HAAT 676 m.
KNJO-LP 6 Holbrook (KM Communications, Inc.) has requested a Silent STA, claiming that its transmitting equipment was vandalized and that it cannot afford to fix it at this time. Although the application claims that the station went silent on 4/27, it has actually been silent for a long time. The date is probably when the engineer found the station offline.
KPVY-LD 45.x Prescott (KM Communications, Inc.) has requested a Silent STA, claiming that its satellite reception equipment was damaged and that it cannot afford to fix it at this time. Although the application claims that the station went silent on 4/26, it has actually been silent for a long time. The date is probably when the engineer found the station offline.

Canceled, Denied, Dismissed, Expired or Expiring

The FCC has dismissed a proposed modification to its digital flash cut construction permit that would have raised the power level of K02HR (3) Bullhead City from 0.002 kW to 0.029 kW, claiming that it still would interfere with KSNV 3.x (2) Las Vegas NV.

Comments

1. On Friday, May 4 2012, 16:30 by dhett

And here are corrections and updates already:

* KPDF-CD 41.x Phoenix: The "For Lease" screen on 41.4 is now a black screen.
* KPFB-LD 50.x Phoenix: Casa TV on 50.1 was a frozen frame for several days and now is a blue screen.
* KHDF-CD 19.x Las Vegas: Azteca programming is actually on channel 19.1, which is program 5. Channels 19.2 - 19.4, which are color bars, are programs 2 - 4.
* KVPX-LD 28.x Las Vegas: The station has only one subchannel, on which it is airing SonLife Broadcasting Network. I had it mixed up with another station.
* KNBX-CD 31.x (14) Las Vegas: Channels 31.2 and 31.3 are now a black screen.

2. On Saturday, May 5 2012, 14:52 by dhett

Another programming change to report, although no one can access it yet. KPPX has dropped iSorpresa! from Program 303 and replaced Airbox 2 on Program 200 with the NFL Network.

In Houston, KPXB is offering Teleformula, iSorpresa!, GolTV, Pasiones, CineMexicano, the Airbox barker channel, and NFL Network for $10/mo., with the Starz movie channel for an additional $10/mo.

3. On Wednesday, May 9 2012, 15:49 by Zeke_D

K34EE transmitting from Mingus Mt. has been silent for a few days now.

4. On Thursday, May 10 2012, 02:02 by dhett

On 5/7, K34EE applied for and on 5/8, received FCC authorization to cut their digital ERP from 2.7 kW to 1.6 kW. Could they be digital very soon? Maybe already?

5. On Thursday, May 10 2012, 12:13 by Zeke_D

not as of yesterday, I did a digital scan, and it did not show up. I will check it out this weekend and let you know.

6. On Thursday, May 10 2012, 12:40 by Zeke_D

Looks like K34EE is up as KASW-DT with a virtual channel of 61-1 as of 9AM local time. Figures... another channel I don't watch. The ones I really want to go digital are K40AD, & K36AE. K42AC would be nice eventually but only if the 3 sub channels are included. K16BP will probably never happen in it's current facility.

7. On Thursday, May 10 2012, 23:38 by dhett

All of the Cottonwood/Clarkdale network stations are translators, meaning that with very few exceptions (such as when K38AI was running a scroll last Thanksgiving announcing their impending switch to digital), a translator must rebroadcast exactly what they receive from the primary station. But even if they were LPTVs and not translators, those stations are all owned by their primary stations, so they would broadcast the whole stream anyway.

One useful thing that having K34EE in digital does give you is that the mobile stream of 3TV is now available in Verde Valley and Prescott Valley. 3TV's mobile signal broadcasts on KASW.

Fox has a CP for K16BP - to convert to DTV from its current facility. The analog station broadcasts 5kW and the digital station will too - meaning its coverage should be much better.

Today, K40AD was granted the mod to their CP that will boost DTV power from 2.3 kW to 12.6 kW, allowing the station to act as the source for K30JD-D Prescott (or K09KV-D, depending on what the FCC decides with KCFG) and K50HU-D Flagstaff. I wouldn't be surprised to see CBS 5 in digital before long.

8. On Friday, May 11 2012, 20:52 by w9wi

Do we know that the M/H fully survives being translated?

I'm sure the MPEG-4 stream gets translated, but I'm not sure the strict packet timing would make it through. Don't understand the protocol fully enough to know for sure one way or the other.

I do know the Hauppague sticks & Decontis software will decode M/H even if the packet timing isn't right..

=============

I was very surprised to see that scroll on K38AI. (was that your picture?) Interesting that they had the ability to run that only on the translator.

9. On Friday, May 11 2012, 21:36 by dhett

I have Decontiis on my laptop and the M/H feeds not only survive but come through true. The ones that aren't scrambled at least.

10. On Friday, May 11 2012, 23:00 by w9wi

Yeah, that's what I mean -- the Decontis will decode M/H feeds even with feeds that don't fully meet the standard.

(we had some trouble with the deployment here in Nashville & didn't immediately support the packet timing portion. The Decontis software still decoded it fine, but an actual M/H receiver didn't, until we got the exciter fixed.)

11. On Friday, May 11 2012, 23:15 by dhett

I see - unfortunately, I don't own a smart phone, so I wouldn't be able to try the M/H signal there.

12. On Friday, May 11 2012, 23:21 by dhett

RE: K38AI - yeah, that was a video cap I did from Cottonwood on Thanksgiving Eve. Unfortunately, the subject matter being broadcast was tragic.

I know that translators are allowed to run such scrolls for announcements such as this, and for local emergency information, but like you, I don't recall having ever seen it actually done before. As you're well aware, it's one of the specific few instances where a translator is allowed to deviate from the primary station's programming.