Entering the Digital Age

So, the official DTV-Day has finally come. As I had anticipated, just as with the WTIC - WFXT situation, we've now lost WCVB --- channel 5 (real-channel 20) from Boston. This is, no doubt, because WTXX in Hartford was also allocated to real-channel 20. (I have written about this in further detail previously). We've lost FOX (not that we ever really had it) and the most reliable ABC. These situations represent an abject failure of the FCC to fulfill its original purpose, which was to stop people from broadcasting on the same frequencies w/in a specified coverage area. Sent a note about this situation to a New York Times reporter who wrote an article on the digital switch today.

I think I may try ganging the XG-91 antennas to see if it helps. Pain in the rear end to keep having to go up on the roof and tinker with things. All too often it doesn't do anything but waste my time.

On the plus side, WBZ 4 out of Boston is coming in again after being lost to us for the last couple of weeks. They increased their ERP (signal strength) from 825kW to 915kW, and that seems to have pushed us back over the threshold.

As of this writing, WHDH 7 broadcasting from Boston hasn't yet done their so-called "cold switch" of turning off their analog signal on channel 7 and moving their digital signal from real-channel 42 to channel 7. Many stations seem to have done their switching already, but perhaps their engineers are waiting until the midnight deadline for some reason.... Perhaps to show Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Pittsburgh just scored, increasing their lead to 2-0. For the record, I've been rooting for the Penguins in this series. Underdogs have to stick together.