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WBBH & WZVN off the air until Feb 13th or 14th.


DENDude

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54 minutes ago, DENDude said:

WBBH NBC2 & WZVN ABC7 are off the air for over the air & satellite viewers, while they replace there 7-Ton broadcast antenna, they went off air yesterday.

NBC2 has some drone footage of the tower.

 

NBC2 Broadcast Antenna replacement article.

ABC7 Broadcast Antenna article.

Repack?

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32 minutes ago, CircleSeven said:

Probably related. They're in the process of moving RF channels in this phase of the repack (Phase 8).

 

It's a shame that they don't have a backup auxiliary facility for those OTA viewers.

Furthermore, WBBH and WZVN have been sharing a channel for more repack work.

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I'm very surprised that they would suspend OTA operations during the repack transition.  Kinda concerning they don't have a secondary transmitter, given the real annual threat of hurricanes.   I wonder if they have a plan to deal with a transmitter being damaged in the event of a hurricane/debris/high winds, etc.  

 

Then again, I know that Ft. Myers DMA has a very high number of cable subscribers.  But still, cable can easily become unreliable during a hurricane/severe wx, and especially satellite.

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2 hours ago, TheRyan said:

I'm very surprised that they would suspend OTA operations during the repack transition.  Kinda concerning they don't have a secondary transmitter, given the real annual threat of hurricanes.   I wonder if they have a plan to deal with a transmitter being damaged in the event of a hurricane/debris/high winds, etc.  

 

Then again, I know that Ft. Myers DMA has a very high number of cable subscribers.  But still, cable can easily become unreliable during a hurricane/severe wx, and especially satellite.

Keep in mind they're already down to one mux and even then they had to reduce power during the day on it. Obviously they had no choice at all. Keep in mind that this is work on the antenna elements, not so much the transmitter.

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Backup transmitters are far less common than we think.

 

Most modern xmitters are far more reliable than in the past.

 

In the olden tymes of teevee,  transmitters were cranky and needed constant attention, or they might just burn up...or explode or throw some kind of tantrum.  

 

So most stations had backup transmitters on "hot standby" You and your staff of qualified SBE certified engineers would polish and baby the backup xmitter...sending a clear message to the main transmitter that "You can be replaced".

That usually kept the main transmitter in line.

 

But now...

Everyone is sharing sites, antennas, generators and porta-pottys at the transmitter sites.

Everybody wants a backup transmitter, and waveguide...and antennas...and all the ENG crap... and all the other crap that is up on the tower...including that 7 ton antenna!

 

7 frigging TONS!!!

 

And once you decide you can have all this stuff...you need certified engineers to maintain it.

 

And all those SBE certified engineers are dying.

 

So if you want to make money...become an SBE certified  engineer, and learn computers as they apply to broadcasting.

 

Oh...

That drone video is pretty badass...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 2/16/2020 at 3:54 PM, Eat News said:

Backup transmitters are far less common than we think.

 

Most modern xmitters are far more reliable than in the past.

 

In the olden tymes of teevee,  transmitters were cranky and needed constant attention, or they might just burn up...or explode or throw some kind of tantrum.  

 

So most stations had backup transmitters on "hot standby" You and your staff of qualified SBE certified engineers would polish and baby the backup xmitter...sending a clear message to the main transmitter that "You can be replaced".

That usually kept the main transmitter in line.

 

But now...

Everyone is sharing sites, antennas, generators and porta-pottys at the transmitter sites.

Everybody wants a backup transmitter, and waveguide...and antennas...and all the ENG crap... and all the other crap that is up on the tower...including that 7 ton antenna!

 

7 frigging TONS!!!

 

And once you decide you can have all this stuff...you need certified engineers to maintain it.

 

And all those SBE certified engineers are dying.

 

So if you want to make money...become an SBE certified  engineer, and learn computers as they apply to broadcasting.

 

Oh...

That drone video is pretty badass...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The whole signing off issue for such a long time seems odd to me at these two stations. 
 

I was just reading about what’s going on here in Baltimore.  The date for phase 9 will pass by the time they can get a helicopter to lift the three TV antennas up.  So in the meantime the three Baltimore stations will be using auxiliary transmitters (that they just bought) and antennas to meet the deadline. The transmitters are brand news as are the auxiliary antennas but they are mounted below the candelabra base, so there will be a slight reduction of power.  Then the weekend at the end of May WJZ and WBAL will have to leave there buildings as it’s unsafe for them to be there as three antennas will be removed and three will be installed.  But I digress. 

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On 2/20/2020 at 6:09 AM, CubsFan79 said:

I mean WZVN my apology.

No, WBBH is owned by Waterman Broadcasting Corp, while WZVN is owned by Montclair communications.   Waterman Broadcasting holds an investment interest in Montclair Communications and operates WZVN under a local marketing agreement.   Both station file separate paperwork with the F.C.C.  

Waterman Broadcasting is Headquartered in Ft. Myers, FL  while Montclair Communications is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA.   

Montclair Communications is owned by the goddaughter of Bernard Waterman (Laura Kunkler).

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1 hour ago, DENDude said:

No, WBBH is owned by Waterman Broadcasting Corp, while WZVN is owned by Montclair communications.   Waterman Broadcasting holds an investment interest in Montclair Communications and operates WZVN under a local marketing agreement.   Both station file separate paperwork with the F.C.C.  

Waterman Broadcasting is Headquartered in Ft. Myers, FL  while Montclair Communications is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA.   

Montclair Communications is owned by the goddaughter of Bernard Waterman (Laura Kunkler).

a.k.a. a sidecar shell company of Waterman.

 

Just like how Sun Broadcasting (WXCW) is a sidecar shell company of the Fort Myers Broadcasting Company (WINK) and how Cunningham is a sidecar shell company of Sinclair and... you get it by now.

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