Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow

The bird is the word...

It is true...due to the nesting habits of the endangered Brown-Rumped Petrel, Hawaii Television goes digital on January 15.

Many have asked me why are we doing this...and I have to reply that a bird is the reason why.  When further queried, I explain that the migration and nesting habits of the petrel gives us a short time frame in which to demolish our analog transmission site atop Haleakala....specifically January and February.  All other months are off limits for construction vehicles to be in the area for fear that the equipment could run over nesting petrels.

For the TV broadcasters this means that we shut-off analog TV on Maui and replace it with digital broadcasts from a new site...Ulupalakua, almost 6000 feet lower in elevation.  This loss in elevation will have major consequences for over-the-air viewers on Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii.

Because the Maui transmitters broadcast the same signal as that on Oahu, instead of trying to explain what is happening on each island in a :30 second PSA, we, with blessings from the FCC, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters and the National Association of Broadcasters, have decided that all full power transmitters (Honolulu, Wailuku and Hilo) will broadcast in digital and thus making it such that we can issue one statement to Hawaii TV viewers: HAWAII GOES DIGITAL ON JAN. 15.

So chalk it up to a bird to make all of us agree on this one thing...Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow!

Comments

[Random]

"This loss in elevation will have major consequences for over-the-air viewers on Maui, MOLOKAI, Lanai and Hawaii."

Major consequences???

I feel like I'm being railroaded to fewer options and they're not free.

Even worse, I input my (Molokai) street address in Antennaweb.org so I can get a better sense of what rooftop antenna I need, and it doesn't have an answer for me.

I'm all for digital but it feels like Hawaii have moved too slow in resolving this due to our terrain/environment to meet the Federal deadline. Couldn't our government step in and help broadcasters in Hawaii to make sure their constituents are getting digital TV coverage?

Maybe not only put transmitter on Maui but on all the other islands as well?

Could they have chosen a better site for the new digital transmitter on Maui, one that guarantees to reach not all of Maui residents but their county residents on Molokai and Lanai?

I'm all for digital but if I can't catch it, then I'd rather stick to analog. Right now, I feel envy for Kauai.

[lwilcox]

Random...I feel your pain and wish there was a better answer for your situation, though I believe with an outdoor antenna and amplifier, you will be able to receive either the Oahu or Maui transmission.

Unfortunately, these days most people do not want a TV tower in their backyard, the cultural activist and environmentalist actively lobby against any new tower and probably the biggest reason...it costs upwards of $500,000 to get a site established and working...sorry there aren't better answers...let's just hope the digital signal is better than we think...

[Random]

In terms of picture quality it may be better than analog. But what about range? From what I hear, digital signal range is no better and no worse than analog. It all depends on how much power you can put into the signal, and the FCC isn't going to make it easier for broadcasters to increase their power output for transmission.

Unless someone can prove me otherwise.

Anyhoo, I just bought a long-range rooftop antenna with a 60-mile range for VHF signals. I hope that is enough for the Maui-Ulupalakua's tower to be in range of my antenna from Kaunakakai, Molokai ... assuming that on January 15, digital signals will broadcast in the channels between 2 and 15.

[Patrick Moser]

We've been shut out by the recent change to Digital. Our location is a ridgetop in Ha'iku Maui at 800'. Even with a converter box and a VHF antennae we get no signal.

What happened to the public airwaves and why did someone choose a sucky location of Ulupalakua for the tranmitter? Maybe the residents of Kahoolawe will get a good signal.

[indoor antenna]

So since the date has past by how did the transition turn out?

[Steve Sparks]

Patrick Moser, what ridge do you live on? I am on the downhill side of Kuloli Hill and have lost my reception. I am trying to figure out if it is worth trying to get a new antenna or raising it, amps, etc.

[Daphne Ladia]

I live in Waiehu and get poor reception. I only have rabbit ears on our TV's (2 older sets have the digital boxs, 2 newer ones shouldnt need, but the boxes seem to provide better reception).

Im hesitant to buy a rooftop antenna incase it isnt much better (and not sure where to buy one anyway)

I have 4 TVs in my house and some catch KGMB, KHON, Public TV, and KITV. Others wont catch KGMB, and none of them catch KHNL (missed the superbowl!)

[Steve Komori]

Daphne...from what I read, your situation with digital signals is better than a lot of others in your area. I believe with an outdoor antenna, you may end up receiving all the channels better...it just depends on where you mount it. A more directional antenna (rabbit ears are omni-directional) will also improve your chances for reception. You can buy a VHF/UHF directional antenna at Radio Shack or on-line...use a pre-amplifier for the antenna and finally distribute your signal through a distribution amplifier. This way all your TVs will get the same signal.

[Grant @ frequency standard]

Switching to digital is not only a good idea because of the extra bandwidth and channel capacity, but because it is more robust and hardier than analogue, as you can tell thanks to those birds!