LPTV and TV translator licensees, effective immediately, may file a minor change application to switch their stations from analog to digital transmission on the same channel. The applications can be electronically filed at any time using the February 2005 versions of FCC Form 346 or, for Class A stations, Form 301-CA. Stations that have an application on file, a construction permit or a license for an on-channel DTV facility will not be allowed to file for a companion digital channel in a future filing window. The FCC said this window "will be announced in the near future."
In my August 4, 2004 RF Technology column, I showed that due to different interference ratios, some full power TV stations would not be able to return to their analog channel. LPTV or TV translator licensees planning to file applications for an on-channel conversion should verify they can do that without causing unacceptable interference to another low power, Class A or full power TV station.
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