(Yeah yeah yeah I know, not directly radio related. BUT: isn't TV technically a type of radio?? At least I am keeping it local.)

Did somebody fall asleep at the control panels or what?

-Channel 12 (KPTV) has no SAP audio at all and its stereo signal constantly drops out (can't get a decent lock.) Matter of fact KPTV's SAP channel, for some reason, has actually moved north........instead of being centred on 78.61kHz, it seems to now be centred around 100kHz! Not a PRO channel (at least as I can tell) but the SAP is actually being carried where it oughtn't!! (Problem found out on Panasonic PV-9662 VCR and re-discovered on SCA-equipped Sony ICF36.)

-And Channel 12 (KPTV)'s stereo signal seems to have been absent periodically the last few weeks. Is it even sending a pilot tone??

-Channel 14 (Vancouver KPDX-Fox49 transmitter) has no audio at all, neither stereo, SAP or mono main channel. Just static. (At least we have closed-captioned but that's another story.....)

-Channel 20 (America's Store/Home Shopping Club feeds) also is suffering from the static-soundtrack syndrome (a disease commonly referred to as SSS.) Same deal, no stereo (and they DO broadcast a stereo track, oddly enough) no SAP (they also broadcast a SAP as well) or mono.

Even weirder, the SAP indicator on my VCR and the other TV indicates both 14 and 20 are, in fact, broadcasting a SAP channel but they are all static!

Channel 47 (KPOU, Univision affiliates, for as little as I watch Univision, anyways) is so L-O-U-D I almost need to wear earmuffs. And no, it's not the new rock bands premiering on Sabado Gigante, in case you were wondering. The audio volume is incredibly loud on all shows it seems.


It should be noted that on the above-mentioned UHF's this was observed on a stereo Panasonic PV-9662 connected to a "rooftop antenna" (in quotes because it's actually on my balcony!) and getting a very high-quality picture. It was also observed at my neighbour's in the unit right next to mine (on amplified rabbit ears, but still a very good picture) on an archaic 1980's JCPenny TV connected to his JVC VCR and the TV itself, with no noticeable improvement.

We are located in an apartment complex on a hill in southern Vancouver near I-205, with a very clean line of sight of Portland (and on a clear non-hazy day, the transmitter sticks themselves.)

What's going on at the stations/transmitters, anyways?

Gotta wonder how many people watch UHF channels off-air. The few people I know that don't have either cable or satellite, restrict their viewing to Channels 2-13. And most cable/satellite providers have direct feeds from local stations and satellite feeds from non-local stations. Admittedly, I cannot speak specifically for Portland.

You don't need much of a signal to get stereo audio. In the late '80s, when I lived 35 miles from downtown Edmonton, I used to get Oakland, CA on Channel 2 most of the summer, in stereo.

I watch UHF off air, but my problems is one of what is on that I would want to watch? Occasionally, I'll watch Southpark reruns on channel 49. Once in a blue moon, I'll watch the iTV translator on channel 54 or channel 32.

Speaking of loud programming, it should be noted that Dolby has come up with a way to make commercials the same perceived level as the TV show you are watching! I believe it's called Dolby Volume and they're trying to get it into all the receivers. As long as I'm interrupting, I'd also like to say that the final date for analog TV to cease is February 17, 2009. I had previously heard that it was being tacked on to a senate bill but that the main bill had been pulled at the last minute. I never heard anything more and thought the date was still in limbo. Apparently, this is not the case and we now have just over 2 years left.

That's really cool!

Of course it would be so much easier if they just didn't HAMMER the PROCESSING on those.

In McMinnville i get
KGW - 8
KOPB - 10
KPTV - 12
KPHG - 22
KRCW - 32
KPDX - 49
with indoor amplified antenna.
I also get:
KVAL - 13 - Eugene
K18EL - 18 - KPDX
and sometimeS:
KWVT-LP - 52 - Eola, OR.
If i get it just right
KATU - 2
KOIN - 6
with a barely usable picture.

From the last story that I read about that dreadful day in 2009, only full-powered analog broadcasts will be required to go off the air. Your existing NTSC TV will still be able to receive LPTV stations.

"Your existing NTSC TV will still be able to receive LPTV stations."

And some have wondered why some full power stations have bought an LPTV station in their market. Hmmmmm.

Aren't all those LPTV's and translators in the process of switching to digital?

On the upside, NTSC's Not The Same Color syndrome will be slightly less problematic with digital signal. (Or NOT!)

HDTV is moving forward a little slower in Canada.

Canada Mulls HD Dilemma

Never
Twice
Same
Color (Colour for those north of US border)

I stand corrected -- too much time spent on RADIO boards these days!

Jimbo:

Pay
Alot for
Luxury

(if you live east of the Atlantic! ;o)

NTSC = Not The Smart Choice

SECAM = Something Entirely Contrary To American Methods

PAL = Perfection At Last

About 15 years ago, I was the project design engineer for a test system we sold to American Airlines maintenance depot in Tulsa. It tested all the modules in the DC-10 aircraft. Anyway, one time while I was site there, a few of their techs would stand around and tell me all the different meanings for all the airline abbreviation. Not the "real" ones but the ones that they made up, just as above for TV standards. There were some good ones. I wish I could remember them but..... memory fades.
I do remember TWA - Try Walking Again, though.

"SECAM = Something Entirely Contrary To American Methods"

Yeah, but blows NTSC's ass right out of the water! Then again, there's the old-skool Analogue HDTV but that's another story............

Back to audio for a moment:
Now today, Channel 14 has mono baseband audio but no stereo! Also channel 8 is transmitting a SAP and apparently a stereo pilot (indicator lights up on my VCR) but all the programming sounds like it is merely being down-mixed to mono. What's up with that?)

Vgis:
I remember a few years back, at my (real) home near Evergreen HS I was actually able to receive KVAL crystal-clear on a 1995 RCA VR625HF, using a Channel Master mounted on the chimney. If I remember correctly this was in the late fall, maybe about five years ago or so.

And we're talking crystal-clear colour picture, stereo and a SAP to boot! (The skip/ducting must have been exceptional that night, as it was blasting in like a local station for several hours then.) And Eugene's probably a good 60-75 miles away from East Coove!

I remember watching a football game on there after I finished watching "Star Wars" that night.........

I thought it was 110 miles from Portland to Eugene.

I have some trouble picking up Channel 49 in the City sometimes.

2-12 come in just dandy.

I find my self watching South park and Star Trek on channel 49, and the stereo audio is just fine.

On HD it's a different story. Channel 49 usually is with out any trouble, but once in a while it does give me fits. I don't watch any of the HD programming that Channel 49 shows (although I wish they would show Star Trek in HD.)

I wish they would show Star Trek without the excessive # of commercials!

The newly "remastered" versions really do look nice crisp and clean on regular analog tv.

The new Star Trek "remastered" has been cleaned up in HD, Channel 49 just isn't showing it in true HD for whatever reason.

I still need to get a new HD convertor box.......

Semoochie:
"I thought it was 110 miles from Portland to Eugene."

Probably, I don't know for certain. I was just taking a wild guess there.

They seem to be a bit unclear about HD:

"Will the episodes be broadcast in 1080i 4:3 HD and 5.1?
At the current time, the majority of affiliate stations cannot handle HD transmission unless they are live events (sports, news, etc.). As stations develop their capacity to air things in HD, CBS/Paramount TV will certainly be working with them towards that goal. "

http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/25055.html