In the November 15, 2002, edition of RF Update we reported on DTV reception tests from an alternate transmit site to the Denver market's Lookout Mountain. (See DTV stations looking at alternate sites and testing new technology.)
All of the major Denver television stations sit on Lookout Mountain.
All of the major Denver stations are sited on Lookout Mountain. With the exception of KWGN, all are members of the Lake Cedar Group consortium.
According to John F.X. Browne, P.E., of John F.X. Browne & Associates, PC, this site was, is, and will continue to be their site of choice. We reported that a number of DTVs had their CPs revoked. This information was based on local sources and the FCC's Web site that indicated that KUSA-DT has a DTV CP rescinded.
Browne said that all DTV stations currently have valid construction permits on Lookout Mountain; the rescinded permit for KUSA-DT was based on an administrative error made by the FCC. The permit was for a change to an existing construction permit and should not have been granted because the CARE group had filed an objection to all the applications filed by the Lake Cedar Group members prior to the CP grant date; since the FCC had not disposed of that petition, it should not have granted the modification of the existing CP in the first place.
The location of KDBI - used for the DTV measurements - is not the same site as being proposed by Squaw Mountain Communications, Browne said. The site is considerably higher and approximately a mile away. Browne expressed concern about the applicability of measurements made from this site vis-à-vis real world performance from the actual site being proposed by Squaw Mountain Communications. Furthermore, the test conducted with an on-channel booster does not appear to have included areas of signal overlap (from main and booster transmitters) so the usefulness of the data is questionable.
For more information visit www.fcc.gov.
