Arizona TV Station Update - September 2014

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

New licenses

• KHDF-CD 19.x Las Vegas NV (Northstar Las Vegas License, LLC) has requested a license to cover its construction permit to increase power. Technical specifications: Ch 19; TL 36-0-37 N, 115-0-20 W (Black Mtn.); ERP 9.6 kW directional; HAAT 297 m.

Programming changes

• K30JD-D 5.x Prescott (Meredith Corporation) went temporarily silent due to equipment failure, but has returned to air.
• KMCC 34.x (32) Las Vegas NV (Cranston Acquisition LLC) has been reported as silent for unspecified reason. The station has not yet filed a Silent STA request.
• XHNSS-TDT 31.x Nogales Son. MX (Jaime Juaristi Santos) is on the air as the first digital TV station in Nogales. It airs Cadena Trés programming as its only subchannel in 16x9 1080i format.

Transactions

• Luke Skelton has requested to transfer his three LPTV stations to Good News Broadcasting Network, Inc., which is managed by Skelton. The following stations are part of the transfer:
  • K19IP-D Flagstaff
  • K38LW-D Payson
  • K50LV-D Prescott, operating via STA on channel 32 under temporary call sign K32LO-D.
• K48NG-D El Centro CA (Gulf-California Broadcast Company) has requested assignment of its construction permit to NPG of Yuma-El Centro, LLC. All of the other stations licensed to Gulf-California have already been reassigned to NPG of Yuma-El Centro.

Construction permits and Special Temporary Authorizations (STAs) granted

• KDTP-LP 58 Phoenix (Community Television Educators, Inc.) has requested an STA to operate on channel 48. Meanwhile, KDPH-LP, which is licensed to operate on channel 48, goes silent so that KDTP-LP can operate on that frequency. Actual effect? None. Daystar continues to air its programming in analog on channel 48 while CTE continues to attempt to secure permission to operate on channel 11 from adjacent-channel stations KSAZ-TV and KPNX.
• K14HC-D Prescott (Fox Television Stations, Inc.) requested and has been granted a construction permit to move its transmitter site from Badger Mtn. to Mt. Francis, co-locating with the most of the rest of the Prescott translators. The FCC is allowing the station to operate at a power level higher than the 1.2 kW maximum imposed on other Mt. Francis stations. Technical specifications: Ch 14; TL 34-29-35 N, 112-32-2 W (Mt. Francis); ERP 1.8 kW directional; HAAT 471 m.
• K30BQ Needles CA (Needles Community TV Club, Inc.) has been granted a digital flash cut construction permit with modifications that it had requested in July 2010. The station had been operating in digital for several years without authorization. Technical specifications: Ch 30; TL 35-2-9 N, 114-22-14 W (Goldroad Crest); ERP 0.1 kW directional; HAAT 455 m.

Construction permits and Special Temporary Authorizations (STAs) requested

• KZVE-LP 30 Littlefield (Hispanic Christian Community Network, LLC) has requested to flash cut to digital. The station, while licensed, has never been operational, and this flash cut moves the transmitter location about 30 miles south of the licensed analog location, putting it in an area where it might serve Meadview, but would most likely serve no one. KZVE also has an application for a digital companion on channel 17, which I assume will be dismissed if this application is granted. Technical specifications: Ch 30; TL 36-29-22 N, 113-55-14 W; ERP 15 kW non-directional; HAAT -125 m. (28 m. AGL).
• K41MO-D Lake Havasu (Landover 2 LLC) has requested an extension of its construction permit, citing uncertainties for LPTV caused by the repacking process.
• K43NM-D Roll (Landover 2 LLC) has requested an extension of its construction permit, citing uncertainties for LPTV caused by the repacking process.
• K50LV-D Prescott (Luke Skelton) has requested a one-year extension of its original construction permit, last extended on May 30 for six months. The station is looking to operate on channel 32 and is doing so per STA, but needs Mexican concurrence in order to formally change the channel assignment. Since the FCC doesn't generally extend permits more than six months at a time, it seems unlikely that the station would receive the full extension.
• K50LV-D Prescott (Luke Skelton) has requested an extension of its STA to operate on channel 32, which was granted on April 8. The displacement application is awaiting FCC action. The FCC has announced its intention to award the construction permit following a period for comments.
• K48NG-D El Centro CA (Gulf-California Broadcast Company) has requested an extension of its construction permit, citing uncertainties for LPTV caused by the repacking process.

Dismissed, canceled, expiring or expired

• K41MR-D Flagstaff (Northstar Media, LLC) did not build out its facilities within the time allotted and did not request an extension of time. Its construction permit has expired.

License renewals

• K17CM Duncan (Gospel Light Broadcasting, Inc.) has filed its license renewal application.
• KDPH-LP 48 Phoenix (Community Television Educators, Inc.) has filed its license renewal application.
• KDTP-LP 58 Phoenix (Community Television Educators, Inc.) has filed its license renewal application.

I'd expect XHNSS and most Mexican TV stations to have one subchannel. To broadcast multiple subchannels actually requires government approval.

Notable exceptions include some state networks in larger areas, OPMA/SPR stations (there is one in Hermosillo), IPN-operated Canal Once stations (I believe they have a kids subchannel at least in the works if not already on) and Azteca 13 stations in larger markets (which broadcast Proyecto 40 on their DT2 streams).

All Mexican stations need to get on DTV really quickly (August 15, 2015 is the date to have facilities built out) but Azteca and particularly Televisa, which often does not even have technical specs ready for digital facilities, need to get on the ball with building out their facilities. The Sonora state network Telemax also has done very little to move to DTV, and I almost suspect some of their 59 transmitters (most in Mexico for a state network) may be shuttered.

In Mexicali, The Cadena Tres station carries four subchannels, while the Azteca 13 station carries two. Like Mexicali, the Nogales Cadena Tres station is independently owned.

dhett said:

In Mexicali, The Cadena Tres station carries four subchannels, while the Azteca 13 station carries two. Like Mexicali, the Nogales Cadena Tres station is independently owned.

Click to expand...

Here's the full list of stations with approval to broadcast subchannels. XHILA and XHAQ are both on there.

K14HC-D Prescott (Fox Television Stations, Inc.) requested and has been granted a construction permit to move its transmitter site from Badger Mtn. to Mt. Francis, co-locating with the most of the rest of the Prescott translators. The FCC is allowing the station to operate at a power level higher than the 1.2 kW maximum imposed on other Mt. Francis stations. Technical specifications: Ch 14; TL 34-29-35 N, 112-32-2 W (Mt. Francis); ERP 1.8 kW directional; HAAT 471 m.

The move from Badger Mtn to Mt. Francis will leave quite a few people
without any ability to receive television. Because of terrain and power limitations,
there are parts of Prescott, Chino Valley and Diamond Valley where K14HC-D
was the only station receivable. Wondering if the KAHM transmitter move and
their FM translator also atop Badger Mtn has anything to do with it.........

I believe I specified, " Because of terrain and power limitations, there are parts of Prescott, Chino Valley and Diamond Valley where K14HC-Dwas the only station receivable." Satellite and/or cable should not be affected by terrain or power limitations, I believe.

There are many areas of Prescott where there is no possibility of line of sight to the translators, which are limited to just over one kw erp. The problem for folks in Chino Valley, where it is comparatively flat, is that most of the Prescott translators atop Mt. Francis direct the signal away from Chino Valley due to same/co-channel interference from Williams and Flagstaff. It's a huge challenge
to receive all the 30+ different channels available.

Not entirely. The Mt. Francis signals are mostly directed to the N thru NE, toward Chino Valley. The KAET and KNXV translators on channels 43 and 47, respectively, may be getting co-channel interference from the KSAZ and KAET translators on Bill Williams Mtn., but that would be the case from Badger Mtn. as well. Flagstaff doesn't figure into the mix, as Mingus Mtn. shields Prescott from the Flagstaff signals.

Still, I've found easier and better reception of signals from Badger Mtn. than Mt. Francis, so Fox's move of K14HC-D puzzles me. I always had to go up the bluff at Bucky's Casino to get decent reception of Mt. Francis signals.

Speaking of K14HC, it was off last night; I wonder if they're getting ready to make the move?

And speaking of things that puzzle, I don't understand Gannett trying to serve Prescott on ch. 6 from Mingus Mtn. Fail. Yeah, I know, they're trying to unload KNAZ Flagstaff, and having a signal on Mingus makes K06AE an easy KNAZ translator, which would probably be included in any sale.

K14HC-D remains off the air and the outage should not be weather related.
With K14HC-D off the air, were getting K14KK-D (KAET/8/Mt. Eldon) instead.
Surprisingly, K43IE-D and K47GQ-D, both Williams, as well as K30DT-D, K14KK-D
and K39FC-C, all Flagstaff, have a pretty good signal into some of the Prescott, Chino
Valley areas. I agree, it's hard to figure out why some changes occur they way
they do....... It would be nice to view NBC in H.D. in lieu of the garbage we
currently have.

Usually I wait until the month is over before I report, but with the wife and kid in Indiana over the past week, I've had an opportunity to drive around and gather signals and have been surprised by the number of changes I've found:

Programming changes

• KYMA-DT 11.x Yuma (Blackhawk Broadcasting LLC) has dropped This-TV programming from channel 11.2 and now airs only NBC programming on 11.1.
• KSWT 13.x Yuma (Blackhawk Broadcasting LLC) has dropped Tuff TV programming from channel 13.3 and now airs CBS programming on 13.1 and Estrella TV on 13.2.
• K18DD Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) has flash cut to digital with a lineup of 3ABN and local programming on channel 18.1, Amazing Facts TV (AFTV) on 18.2, full-time 3ABN on 18.3 and The Hope Channel on 18.4. It is the first digital station for the licensee.
• K19FD Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) is silent.
• K21GE Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) is on but has lost its signal source.
• K23FV Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) is silent.
• K25MK-D Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) is on but has lost its signal source.
• K47IK Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) is silent.
• K49HP Camp Verde (The Camp Verde TV Club) is silent.
• KVYE 7.x (22) El Centro CA (Entravision Holdings LLC) has dropped Zuus Latino programming and has swapped secondary programming with KAJB, losing LATV and gaining MundoFox on channel 7.2.
• KAJB 54.x (36) Calipatria CA (Calipatria Broadcasting Company LLC) has swapped secondary programming with KVYE, losing MundoFox and gaining LATV on channel 54.2.

landtuna said:

That's funny.....when my wifey is out of town I usually call the Keg Store and a few friends.

Click to expand...

Different strokes, I guess!

K14HC-D Prescott translator for KUTP/45 Phoenix,
remains off the air......

Prescott Joe said:

K14HC-D Prescott translator for KUTP/45 Phoenix,
remains off the air......

Click to expand...

In other news...Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

Analog K04AI off the air

Analog K04AI, KSAZ/FOX 10 Phoenix, on Mt.Francis
is off the air. Presumably, it will be replaced by
K14HC-D carrying KUTP/45 Phoenix.

Generalissimo Francisco Franco has come back from the dead to report that K14HC-D is back on the air, carrying the full suite of channels from KUTP My 45 Phoenix. The translator moved from Badger Mtn. to Mt. Francis, here in Prescott.