KLRA-LP 16 Update: Signal Decoded, MundoFOX Arrives In Central Arkansas

KLRA-LP 16 with decoding video showing ( PSIP 'call" of 'KMYA-LP') converter box diagnostics.  Decoded August 7, 2012

No program information in PSIP, but bugs for MUNDOFOX shown 4x3 safe.  The PSIP time is an hour off (should show 4:26am) but the date is correct.

MeTV also available as a KLRA-LP 16 subchannel as "49-1".

This is not your father's "FOX 16".  Yes it broadcasts on (RF) channel 16, and the main channel is from FOX/NewsCorp but this is the new Spanish language OTA network from FOX called MundoFOX which will compete with Univision and other Hispanic OTA networks and cable channels.  Not sure if Comcast in Little Rock carries MundoFOX yet but for those with rabbit ears in parts of the Little Rock metro it is now.  The displayed call on the PSIP display is "KMYA-LP" on the main 47-1 subchannel.  MeTV is also a second subchannel on 49-1 (this may confuse some TV's which cannot store two of the same subchannels).

Digital Transition: CBC Analog TV, RIP

Last loggings of CBC television in analog via Sporadic E's on July 25, 2012.  The CBC at midnight (in the various time zones) August 1, 2012 ended analog TV service nationwide and in most areas not replacing with digital.

Channel 16 Returns To The TV Airwaves....As A Digital Channel

KLRA-LP recently was reactivated as a digital channel on channel 16 (once occupied by KLRT during the analog era).  KLRA-LP operates at 800 watts from a tower at Cantrell Road and Mississippi in Little Rock AR.  Screenshot is from this morning.

Bad news for TV DX'ers in metro Little Rock as another open channel is no more.  RF channel 16, once occupied by the former analog signal of KLRT from 1983-2009 is now being used for digital broadcasting.  LPTV station KLRA, which for several years broadcast Univision programming on analog channel 58 went off the air in the second half of 2011.  Univision programming has since moved to RF channel 20 as KKYK-CD 20 "20-1".   Unfortunately, the only loggings of KLRA as a DTV station have been PSIP only (no video) unattended on both Monday morning, and Tuesday morning.

What is interesting is that it appears KLRA-LP is broadcasting(?) MeTV programming on "49-1".  The current owners of KLRA as well as KKYK-CD, and KMYA-LP  have placed MeTV programming at one point this spring and summer.  But network choices tend to be very fluid on these former Equity stations as they were during the Equity era.

Stay tuned....there should be more developments.

Updated:  New screenshot with video at 9:36pm CT July 31, 2012.

Subchannels: KLRT Pulled The Cool TV From 16-2 And Replaced With THIS

The subchannel network THIS returns to the Little Rock TV market after a three year absence.  KLRT (RF 30, 16-2) replaced programming on the 16-2 subchannel dumping the music video channel, The Cool TV for THIS, a channel of mostly older movies and some classic TV programming.  I noticed THIS programming on Monday night.

 Screenshot for KLRT "16-2" on July 31, 2012.  The PSIP was still showing "COOL TV" indicating the music channel network aired on KLRT until this weekend.  A check this evening indicates KLRT has changed the PSIP listing.

THIS isn't the first appearance in the Little Rock market for the digital subchannel.  THIS appeared on KKYK-CA channel 20 Little Rock (and KKYK 49 Camden AR) during the winter of 2009 but was dumped for the in-house network Tuff TV.   THIS is broadcast in many markets including Tulsa, Memphis, Shreveport, Jackson MS.

Breaking News: KASN, KLRT To Be Sold To Mission Broadcasting

According to a post seen at noontime via the Arkansas Times news blog, KLRT 30 (16-1 FOX, 16-2 The Cool TV), and KASN 39 (38-1 The CW, 38-2 The Country Network) are going to be sold to Mission Broadcasting, a holding company for Nexstar Broadcasting.  Nexstar outright owns KARK  (NBC) and KARZ in the Little Rock market and this will give Nexstar/Mission four stations.

 http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/07/19/fox-16-sold-to-ohio-media-company

 Also, an article from TV Newscheck (thanks to fellow WTFDA member Jim Thomas for the link).

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/60876/nexstar-mission-buying-12-newport-stations

FM News, Radio History: 98.5 FM in Little Rock Turns 40

A good history of the early days of the former KLAZ 98.5 Little Rock AR is in blog glory on the Mighty 1090 Blog.  Its not a new article but Saturday (June 7, 2012) marks 40 years since what is now KURB 98.5 first went on the air.

Spring 2012 Sporadic E's Rewind:Mexico

UNid channel 2 station from Mexico.  Low VHF analog stations are still common in Mexico and while some digital stations operate there the majority broadcast NTSC analog color. 

It wouldn't be Sporadic E's opening without the usual gaggle of Mexican relayers.  Stations from the networks of Televista (Channel of the Stars/XEW, Canal Cinco/XHGC) or Azteca-7 and Azteca-13.  These are among the pick of the litter.  There are a couple of notable stations in Mexico that are rather easy to ID:  XEPM channel 2 Juarez, and XHRIO channel 2 in Matamoros.  XHRIO is a modern day Border Blaster and the only analog affiliate of the US based FOX Television Network.   

Spring 2012 Sporadic E's Rewind:Canada

This quirky character on NCIS isn't seen just on CBS in the US and syndicated reruns. NCIS is also shown in Canada via the Global Television Network.  CKND-TV-2 (channel 2) Minnedosa MB, which relays the main CKND in Winnipeg MB.   Received near Star City AR on June 19, 2012.

The 2012 Spring/Summer Sporadic E's season took a while to get cranked up but it did late in May and into early June before the "June Lull" came to pass around June 14.   Unlike in previous years, I'm not blogging "real time" with DX posts.  Instead, the DX "tips" are being Tweeted which saves time...especially during a hot opening.  Follow me on Twitter (@fritzehp) for those juicy real-time tweets and DX openings.

This post concerns Sporadic E's DX from Canada.  In about 6 weeks (July 31), the CBC plans on shutting down all of it's remaining analog transmitters which number in the hundreds.  Many are located in small rural communites where there is no other OTA TV services.  A few high power CBC (and its sister French-language network Radio-Canada) analog transmitters remain on the air.  Global and CTV will continue to broadcast in analog for the near future.  These are logs from late May through June 19, 2012.

Live From Rapid City, Its Sunday Morning DX

KOTA RF channel 2 as seen with its native channel and also its PSIP assingment.  KOTA is the ABC affiliate in Rapid City SD and also has MeTV and THIS subchannels.   Since KOTA is a Low-VHF station, its subject to Sporadic E propagation (and interference).  KOTA formerly operated its analog service on channel 3 prior to the 2009 Analog Shutdown.   This very short DX session lasted from 8:30AM to 8:40AM and both DTV (vhf native channel 2) and FM Broadcast were heard.

KOTA 3-2 which broadcasts MeTV.  Programing breaks from usual retro tv format for what appears to be mandated E/I programming (usually relegated to Saturday and/or Sunday mornings on many stations).

Not seen in Little Rock in several years, THIS lives on the Rapid City SD airwaves via subchannel KOTA 3-3

And the main course, KOTA 3-1 serves up ABC News This Week in what appears to be in real time (instead of delayed broadcast as is the case on Little Rock's KATV).

In addition, the MUF (Maxium Usable Frequency during the Sporadic E event) rose to part of the FM Broadcast band.  KBHE 89.3 Rapid City (part of South Dakota Public Broadcasting) was heard with RDS despite some tropo interference from WYPL 89.3 Memphis (which was heard and seen w/RDS when KBHE dropped down in fades).

Digital TV On The "Down Low": LPTV DX April 2-3

Monday's openings not only included some full power stations from Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi but some stations that are legally considered by the FCC as Low Power stations.

LPTV stations were originally just repeater stations (or "Translator" stations) of distant TV stations for a small and/or isolated community. In the 1980's, stand-alone LPTV stations were permitted. Although a few of these stations (such as the late KIPB-LP channel 65, Pine Bluff AR) did originate original programming, most just relayed bird-fed (satellite fed) programming. This is the case today. LPTV stations were exempt from the 2009 US Digital TV Transition although those remaining analog stations must convert before mid 2015.

On Monday evening and also on Tuesday evening, favorable tropo propagation permitted both regular (high power) and low power TV DX reception. The following logs and screenshots share one common theme. All of these are low power (under 15KW ERP UHF) digital TV broadcasters.

Major TVDX Tropo Opening: Kansas, Oklahoma into Southeast Arkansas April 2, 2012

"KOOD" Smoky Hills Public Television's flagship station in Hays, KS become a relog near Star City, AR? Yes it did for several hours on the morning of April 2, 2012. KOOD-TV (RF 16) is the longest DTV log via tropo ducting logged at this location. KOOD was last logged in September 2010. KOOD 9-1 is the SDTV simulcast (shown en letterbox) of KOOD 9-2 (HD), and there are two other subchannels: A 24/7 feed of PBS World and PBS Create.

The year's best tropo opening brought about some major relogs and first time OKC DTV logs. Read and see more below the fold

Little Rock Public Radio Station KUAR 89.1 Moving To KATV Towerr

It was announced via Facebook, Twitter, and yesterday via KUAR's website that the Central Arkansas NPR affiliate is making some changes to its transmitting location. Currently, KUAR is broadcasting from the KATV Tower site on reduced power on a new antenna. But within about two weeks, the station will be transmitting at full power.

Almost a year ago on April 2, a fire severely damaged (was originally thought to destroy) the KUAR transmitter. But the main transmitter was repaired and put back in service although the destroyed IBOC (aka "HD Radio") and Radio Data System (RDS) equipment was never put back in service.

KUAR will operate with slightly less power than at the old location but the increased antenna height will overall improve the signal and coverage. And yes, IBOC will return to KUAR.

Out Of Season Sporadic E's In Late March

Somewhat surprising Sporadic E's reception of Mexican TV on channel 2 (the actual, RF assignment on low-VHF). Several Mexican stations, all UNids except for XEPM channel 2 Juarez Mexico made the trip tonight. Glenn Hauser of World Of Radio (via HCDX mailing list) and fellow WTFDA member and radio amateur Peter Baskind (via the WTFDA list) gave alerts via email about a possible opening earlier today. While I was unable to monitor the late morning-early afternoon opening, a trip to the hamshack and monitoring ch2 analog just before 7:30pm CDT proved fruitful.

Arkansas HS Basketball Finals On Terrestrial TV, Radio

This year Nexstar's sister station of KARK, KARZ will carry the finals of the Arkansas HS Basketball finals, both boys and girls, but.... there is a catch. An article via the PB Commerical and also via "Preps 24/7" indicated that Bounce TV will carry the Thursday and Friday games. Both articles failed to mention that this is only on the Little Rock BounceTV affiliate, KARZ 42-2 (subchannel) and even the OTA channel number (42-2). This is due to KARZ 42-1 carrying the Thursday and Friday games of the Big XII Men's Basketball tournament (via the Big XII network-much like the SEC Network carried by KATV).

Thursday and Friday's games (starting in mid afternoon) via KARZ 42-2 (BounceTV programming will be preempted)

Saturday's games (starting at 11AM CT) via KARZ 42-1

Note, DirecTV and Dish Network DO NOT carry "42-2" (BounceTV). Some cable systems in Central AR do carry 42-2, and that channel is availible OTA.

Note #2. Star City vs Farmington (4A Girls Final) will be on at 11AM on KARZ 42-1 Over The Air (antenna) and Channel 42 on DirecTV and Dish Network customers in the Little Rock TV market only. Community Cablevision in Star City (per TitanTV listings) DOES NOT CARRY KARZ OR KARZ SUBCHANNEL BOUNCE TV IN ITS CHANNEL LINEUP!

Radio coverage (on Saturday) will be on KABZ 103.7FM Little Rock AR

The Return Of Winter Sporadic E's

So-called "short skip" or Sporadic E's reception of Band I VHF channels (mostly 2, and 3) this past weekend and early this week. The secondary season for Sporadic E reception is generally during before and after the Winter Solstice. The screenshot above from from the Televista-owned Mexican TV network Canal Cinco (5) on a channel 2 UNid relayer. Although a few ATSC (digital) stations are know to be operating in Mexico, nearly all terrestrial TV broadcasting is still in analog.

This past weekend saw the return of Sporadic E's reception of Mexican, Canadian, and Cuban television in Southeast Arkansas. Although the Cubans were observed earlier this week, the dominant stations come from Mexico and the large remenant of Canadian TV broadcasters still operating analog. These Canadian analog stations are mainly from rural areas which were made exempt from the "Mandatory Market" requirements last Summer.

And since Sporadic E's are "bidirectional", there was a logging from Arkansas in Canada. No, KARK has long quit broadcasting on channel 4 but a low power digital station in Clarksville AR -- K04RA-D (PSIP 32-n) transmitting on channel 4-- was logged by WTFDA member William Hepburn. Congrats to him for getting Arkansas his DTV log. (My only DTV log on low VHF from Arkansas was KETS-DT when the AETN flagship station operated pre-transition on digital channel 5).

I didn't attempt to DX any digital stations via E's but did pull in a few in analog. Enough talk, its on to the screenshots. Enjoy.

KCABMI

KCABMI ("I'm back" spelled backwards)

I'm Back from the SOPA/PIPA Internet blackout. On Tuesday evening at 11pm CT (midnight ET), I blocked public access to SEARK Media And DX Report in support of the protests against the proposed SOPA and PIPA acts now before the US House and Senate. Although the entire Internet did not take part in the protest (Twitter and Facebook were business as usual), many other sites either blacked out or had certain changes to their site layout.

If you have contacted your member of Congress, please do so and urge them to oppose these bills that will destroy legal free-expression on the Internet and do nothing to combat real Piracy and other illicit activity.

SMDXR Closing For January 18 In Support Of Protests Against SOPA

At 11pm (Central Time/ 0500 UT) this evening, give or take a few minutes Southeast Arkansas Media And DX Report will "blackout" in support of protests against SOPA. Therefore those reading this after the fact will realize what has happened. To my readers running across this post this evening, please understand my reasons. I will have more concerning this in a few days.

Fritze
Editor, SMDXR.

ABC's Work It Gets The Pink Slip

There are fails, then there are epic fails. ABC's mid-season replacement sitcom Work It is such an epic fail. Panned by critics and many LGBT groups, the sitcom staring two unemployed men whom pose as women to gain employment was given the high heel boot off the ABC schedule per several sources yesterday.

As a public service, I only watched the first episode and kinda expected a bad show but it was in all honestly much worse. And I had to watch that episode online since local ABC affiliate KATV tape delayed the show until early AM (overnight) the next day due to a Razorback men's basketball game. KATV's only in-pattern airing of this show was on Tuesday January 10th (which I DID NOT watch).

SMDXR will not be mourning the loss of Work It from the ABC schedule. Work It should have never been hired in the first place.

Another Soap Opera Headed To The Gallows: One Life To Life (ABC)

With one ABC soap gone in recent months (All My Children), another is taking its trip up to the gallows. ABC's remaining SDTV (albeit in 16x9 screen format) soap, One Life To Live will have its last episode broadcast tomorrow on Friday the 13th. A macabre ending date for a dying program genre.

When OLTL leaves the air, the only soaps remaining will be CBS's The Young And The Restless, NBC's The Days Of Our Lives, ABC's General Hospital, and CBS's The Bold And The Beautiful. Much has been made of the the reasons for the demise of the soap: changing audience tastes, explosion of digital cable/satellite channels, the aging of the audience, decreased time to devote to a daily soap, and fewer "homemakers". Soaps were also very slow to adopt HDTV--for years only The Young And The Restless broadcast in 16x9 and HDTV, and many "classic soaps" such as As The World Turns never broadcast a second in HD.

Although I'm no fan of soaps, I will say this. Those shows had staying power. I don't see those talk shows staying around for 30-40 years.

Preemption Season Begans On KATV: SEC Men's Basketball Trumps ABC Sitcoms

Its the silly season on KATV once again on Wednesday nights as the Little Rock ABC affiliate bumps the 7-9pm (usually a few minutes after 9pm) ABC schedule for syndicated SEC Network men's basketball. Its been that way for years and if KATV has its way it will be for years to come.

For the past several years the games broadcast on KATV have been a source of irritation for viewers (especially HDTV) of such programs as Lost. But with KATV getting HD recording equipment and also the rise of ABC posting shows online the next day its been a somewhat easier pill to swallow. Still, DVR's have to be manually set for the odd start times early in the AM if one wants to view the programming on their DVRs and TV's.

If the University of Arkansas men's basketball team has a decent showing, the complaints won't be as deafening as they were during the late 00's as hardcore Lost fans in Central Arkansas had to settle for SDTV recordings of the show at odd start times, often viewers could never get the show recorded on their DVRs. However, last night seemed like a continuation of the recent "bad old days" of Hog BB, as the team lost (yet again) at Ole Miss's "Tad Pad" (Tad Smith Coliseum).

Morning TV: CBS Fights Back Again, 30 Years After Captain Kangaroo's Forced Exile

CBS (via KTHV RF12/11-1 Little Rock AR) yesterday morning debuted yet another attempt at morning TV news. CBS This Morning, debuted with a trio of anchors with former PBS talk show host Charlie Rose, ex CBS The Early Show co-anchor Erica Hill and new tri-anchor Gayle King (yes, that Gayle King). For 30 Years, CBS has been in full battle with the other two old-line broadcast networks for ratings but have mostly fallen short.

FM News: North Central Arkansas Gets ESPN Radio Affiliate; Silent Station on 105.7MHz Reactivates

A couple of FM Radio items from last week that I noticed via Radio-info (dot) com, then confirmed by bandscanning.

KBCN-FM 104.3 Marshall AR flipped from its nearly two decade old country music format to sports talk. KBCN is the newest ESPN Radio affiliate in Arkansas and also broadcasts much of the network's schedule ("Mike And Mike In The Morning", "The Herd", etc) as opposed to KABZ Little Rock which treats ESPN Radio content as overnight and weekend filler between games, infomercials and local sports talk. KBCN can be heard well into parts of Central Arkansas in the car and even here via favorable conditions on an outdoor FM antenna. Much of KBCN advertising as a ESPN Radio affiliate as was the case during its country music era is from Harrison AR businesses.

Meanwhile a former hot A/C station that went silent a year ago is back on the air. KHAN 105.7 (formerly KFNV) Kensett AR has returned to the airwaves targeting the Searcy AR area with a country music version of the "Variety Hits" radio format. "Hank 105.7 FM" is running jockless and during a bandscan last week was playing some forgotten oldies from the late 1970's-1980's I've not heard since KSSN played them as new songs. KFNV can potentially be heard in the northern fringes of the Little Rock metro area via the car radio, but its doubtful the station will gain many listeners from KMJX 105.1 "The Wolf" which of course blankets Central Arkansas with a "classic country" (sort-of) format.