Arizona TV Station Update - April 2013

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

New licenses

K35EE Moccasin (Mohave County Board of Supervisors) has been granted a license to cover its flash cut to digital. It is unknown whether the station on the air. Technical specifications: Ch 35; 36-54-22 N, 112-48-48 W (Moccasin Peak); 2.52 kW directional; HAAT 371 m.

Programming changes

KNAZ-TV 2.x (22) Flagstaff and its translator, K06AE-D Prescott, (Multimedia Holdings Corporation) have begun broadcasting in 1080i, 16:9 aspect ratio.
KTVP-LD 22.x Phoenix (Mako Communications LLC) has lost the Dish Network feed of AlmaVisión and is displaying color bars on channel 22.5.
KPHE-LD 44.x Phoenix (Lotus Communications LLC) has dropped Multimedios programming from its lineup. Channels 44.1 and 44.3 now air CNN Latino from 3pm until 11pm weekdays and from 5pm until 10pm weekends. The remainder of the programming is either Telemax, local programming or infomercials. Channel 44.2 airs a mix of Telemax and local programming while channel 44.1 is airing CNN Latino.
KHDF-CD 19.x Las Vegas NV (Una Vez Más Las Vegas License) has restored its "For Lease" slides on channels 19.3 and 19.4.

Construction permits and STAs granted

K19IP-D Flagstaff, K38LW-D Payson and K50LV-D Prescott (Luke Skelton) filed for and were granted extensions of their original construction permits. The stations had requested an extension until 9/1/2015, but the FCC granted them the standard six-month extension. The stations cited difficulties in getting investment for construction, due to uncertainties over the spectrum auction and the repacking plan. The stations' construction permits had been set to expire on June 3 and are now extended through December 3.

Applications filed / STAs requested

KYUM-LD 2.x (15) Yuma has modified its construction permit, reducing power from 15 kW to 1.8 kW, in order to comply with new power restrictions at the Telegraph Pass electronics site. Broadcast specifications: Ch 15; TL 32-40-22 N, 114-20-11 W (Telegraph Pass); ERP 1.8 kW directional; HAAT 384 m.
K03ID-D 3.x Flagstaff has requested an extension of its original construction permit, citing uncertainty due to the coming FCC TV band repack. The station wants to be certain it will be able to build and to do so on its original intended channel.

Canceled, Denied, Dismissed, Expired or Expiring

KNJO-LP 6 Holbrook (KM Communications, Inc.) has been silent for more than 12 months; having filed a Silent STA effective 4/27/2012 and not having filed a Resumption of Operations since then.
KVFA-LP 6 Yuma (KM Communications, Inc.) has been silent for more than 12 months; having filed a Silent STA effective 4/30/2012 and not having filed a Resumption of Operations since then.
KPVY-LP 6 Holbrook (KM Communications, Inc.) has been silent for more than 12 months; having filed a Silent STA effective 4/27/2012 and not having filed a Resumption of Operations since then.

Comments

1. On Thursday, May 2 2013, 16:54 by dhett

• KTVP-LD 22.x Phoenix (Mako Communications LLC) has lost the Dish Network feed of AlmaVisión and is displaying color bars on channel 22.5.

This seems to be a Mako or AlmaVisión issue. Las Vegas is reporting the same thing with KEGS-LD channel 30.2, and I'm hearing the same thing out of Dallas with their Mako channels that air AlmaVisión.

2. On Friday, May 3 2013, 11:06 by dhett

Another update:

• K18DN-D Kanab UT (Western Kane Co Special Service Dist #1), K36FT-D Santa Clara UT (Brigham Young University) and K39JZ-D St. George UT (Brigham Young University) are now showing BYU-TV International instead of Create on channel 11.3, as a result of changes at primary station KBYU-TV Provo UT.

3. On Saturday, May 4 2013, 14:22 by dhett

And more late updates:

• K17JQ St. George UT (R & D Media Group) has been granted a license to cover its original construction permit. It is an analog station, which raises the question of whether it is actually on the air. Technical specifications: Ch 17; TL 37-3-48 N, 113-34-1 W (Webb Hill); ERP 0.794 kW non-directional; HAAT 15 m.
• K40KZ St. George UT (R & D Media Group) has been granted a license to cover its original construction permit. Another analog station, with the same question as K17JQ. Technical specifications: Ch 40; TL 37-3-48 N, 113-34-1 W (Webb Hill); ERP 0.794 kW non-directional; HAAT 11 m.

• K25DM Phoenix (Mako Communications LLC) now has a blank, black screen on channel 25.2 instead of QVC. Channel 25.1 continues to be MIA. Hooray for remote station management!

4. On Sunday, May 5 2013, 10:02 by RDvegas

KEEN-17.1 Las Vegas is now broadcasting the World Harvest Network, while their simulcast on KNBX 31.2 Las Vegas has converted to broadcasting the Walk Network. Therefore, the simulcast is now history.

5. On Monday, May 6 2013, 10:26 by RDvegas

KHDF 19.2 Las Vegas has reverted from the normal infomercials to a "For Lease" billboard. Therefore 19.2, 19.3 and 19.4 are all displaying the same billboard.

6. On Tuesday, May 7 2013, 22:59 by Zeke_D

It looks as if the KNAZ signal on 6.1 & 22.1 is unencryptable.

7. On Wednesday, May 8 2013, 02:02 by Zeke_D

Nevermind, they just moved to 6.2 & 22.2. I wish they would stop screwing around with it.

8. On Friday, May 10 2013, 16:32 by Bleen_Gloob

Could someone list all the Phoenix TV stations in order and their effective radiated power? I want to know who has weak signals as I may need to upgrade in the Antenna department. Also why is it that Cox in Phoenix does not carry hardly any of the subchannels. Cox in Vegas carries lots of them and a bunch of the lower power stations too. I have confronted them about this and they say they will get back to me, but don't. Finally is there a rule that Full Power stations need to use the digital subchannels. It appears that Belo does not on 61 and 5 does not. I don't call that lame weather channel using anything. 12 does the same thing. If they don't use them, is there a way to lodge a complaint with the FCC, afterall the airwaves belong to everyone. They need to be forced to air more programming, or give up the extra bandwidth.

9. On Sunday, May 12 2013, 23:50 by w9wi

Bleen:
- It's probably not helpful to have a list in order by power. Unless you're in a quiet location a considerable distance from South Mountain, your reception problems stem from interference and multipath reflections. Both are mostly a function of conditions near your antenna, not at the transmitting station.

Besides, most stations are directional, so their effective radiated power depends on where in Phoenix you are. Channel 3, for example, is more powerful to the northeast than it is to the southwest.

- No, there is no rule requiring stations to use subchannels. Stations are given a 19.2Mbps datastream which they may divide up any way they want.

Adding programs ("subchannels") requires stations to more heavily compress existing programs, reducing the picture quality. Most engineers believe one HDTV program and one standard-definition program can coexist pretty well. Going beyond that generally forces some sacrifice in picture quality on at least one program. Some engineers believe you can't really add any programs if you already have a HD program.

If all the programs are SD you can usually get away with more. TBN stations like channel 21 run five SD programs & the picture quality isn't half-bad. But the nature of the programming also matters. Sports doesn't compress as well as a lecture -- the programs on channel 21 can tolerate compression better than the programs on channel 5.

Note also that Trip lists channels 10, 12, and 61 carrying mobile/handheld (M/H) programs. These are not visible on ordinary TVs but do require bandwidth. (roughly, as much as a SD subchannel)

Finally, as you note, Cox doesn't carry most subchannels. It's hard to justify launching a subchannel most viewers can't receive!

10. On Tuesday, May 14 2013, 09:56 by RDvegas

While KEGS 30.1 Las Vegas is currently airing color bars, it is usually the home of Punch network programming. That network is changing their name to VU Television, and has already changed their Facebook page.

11. On Tuesday, May 14 2013, 20:19 by Bleen_Gloob

For your information....it looks like Fox 10.2 will have a new channel starting on May 27, 2013. It will be called Movies! I am sending the article from Wikipedia.org...... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movies!

Also in the fall, Univision and Sony will make a new channel and it will be carried either on 33.2 or 35.2 called GetTV. It will air movies as well and will be in English. I am sending the article from Wikipedia.org...... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GetTV#...

12. On Tuesday, May 28 2013, 14:37 by Bleen_Gloob

Looks like Fox decided to not put Movies! on 10.2. They elected instead to shuffle the lineup on 45. They made 45.2 Movies! and added 45.3 and made it Bounce.

13. On Saturday, June 22 2013, 20:32 by TJKing

Does anyone know a website that just lists all of the subchannels for Phoenix for basic cable? I am looking for Turner Classic Movies which Cox says they provide as a digital channel if your TV has a cable card.

For example, 79-1 is TBS HD and 79-3 is WGN HD. I'm looking for TCM HD but a full list would be even better.