WCGV & WVTV Shutting Off Analog Transmitters

[John L]

I am assuming that at 11:59pm Tuesday, March 3  WVTV, ch. 18 and WCGV-TV, ch. 24 will probably be shutting down their analog transmitters for good. This will be the end of the Nightlight Service that they offered for 2 weeks.

This identical video that they aired will probably air repeatedly for a solid 30 days on analog WTMJ-TV, ch. 4 and WITI-TV, ch. 6 starting June 13th until July 12th. Unfortunately WISN-TV ch. 12 will have to go off the air immediately so that WBBM-DT can take over ch. 12 right away.

-John L.

[AndrewP]

IUnfortunately WISN-TV ch. 12 will have to go off the air immediately so that WBBM-DT can take over ch. 12 right away.

-John L.

John, why it is unfortunately:)

[techguy1975]

OK...so...let me see if I got this straight..   The delay was already pushed back, stations are airing the notifications almost constantly, and will only increase as we get closer to 6/12, so.. stations will still be in analog airing the informational video on a loop for ANOTHER month after that??   WHY?   If anyone doesn't know whats happening on 6/12, they are just dumb. :bang:

[WPXE ION]

I'm sure the FCC will come up with another set of "rules" before June 12th.

[John L]

John, why it is unfortunately:)

In a way I hate to see analog go. Gosh! I remember watching ch. 12 the most when I was a kid. Because they would air Capt. Kangaroo weekday mornings, Pop's and Lippy Lucy in the afternoon along with "Leave It To Beaver" reruns and later "Gilligan's Island".  In the 70s it was William Shattner in "Star Trek" at 4pm all on WISN-TV, ch. 12.

Oh yeah, I also loved watching Howard & Rosmary Gurnett and "Dialing For Dollars".

Ya know with today's technology, ch. 12 could set up a 12-2 sub-channel and air syndicated reruns and "Dialing For Dollars" and Bruce Bennet with "Bowling For Dollars". Also Bruce Bennet hosted a scary movie on late Saturday nights.

LOL!:rof:

In a way, I sorta hate to  see analog go, thats all.

-John L.

[techguy1975]

I agree, I will miss analog in away...definitely the end of a era.  I wonder if any of the stations here will do any special tributes for the analog shutoff

[LoadStar]

Heh - they're late. 12:15 a.m., they're still on the air.

I know, technically they signed off 2 weeks ago, and the "nightlight service" is not really normal programming... but I was kind of hoping for a formal "We now conclude our broadcast day" signoff before going to snow, sort of like WMTV in Madison:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_hBMtTaDg

Edit: 12:40, still on the air. Forget it, I'm out... I don't think I can watch this analog nightlight program one more time. Although if I do, I might actually start to learn spanish from this.

[ArgMeMatey]

I think I read in Tim Cuprisin's column yesterday or today that the shutoff was delayed until noon today.  I suppose they figured it would be cheaper to spend on the 12 hours of electric power than have someone there on OT to shut it off.

[John L]

I think I read in Tim Cuprisin's column yesterday or today that the shutoff was delayed until noon today.  I suppose they figured it would be cheaper to spend on the 12 hours of electric power than have someone there on OT to shut it off.

It could be that Jimboy doesn't feel like making a special trip from home to the transmitter sites in the wee hours of the morning.  He probably has done enough of that in time.  Therefore doing it during business hours makes sense.

-John L.

[Jimboy]

It's just for convenience sake to shut off at noon.

[John L]

Heh - they're late. 12:15 a.m., they're still on the air.

I know, technically they signed off 2 weeks ago, and the "nightlight service" is not really normal programming... but I was kind of hoping for a formal "We now conclude our broadcast day" signoff before going to snow, sort of like WMTV in Madison:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_hBMtTaDg

Edit: 12:40, still on the air. Forget it, I'm out... I don't think I can watch this analog nightlight program one more time. Although if I do, I might actually start to learn spanish from this.

I stayed up too, but because of my cold I fell asleep shortly before Midnight with the TV on. When I woke up about 12:10am I saw both channels still on...I then turned it off and went to sleep.

I checked at 5:30am this morning and it still was on.

Cuprisin mentioned in this morning's article that they are going off at Noon today.

So its a good thing I said in my lead message "I am assuming" because I don't know, unless giving info from a reliable source.

What I am wondering is, are both transmitters going down at the sametime, or several minutes apart?  It depends if its 2 people, 1 at each transmitter site. Because WCGV and WVTV transmitter sites are at least 1 or so mile apart from each other.

-John L.

[Jimboy]

Remote control is a wonderful thing.

[Dick Nitelinger]

Remote control is a wonderful thing.

Did Dennis do the honors? When I saw him at the SBE meeting in January, it sounded like he might, given his 46+ years there.

- Dick :OnAir:

[Jimboy]

Did Dennis do the honors? When I saw him at the SBE meeting in January, it sounded like he might, given his 46+ years there.

- Dick :OnAir:

For 18....yes.

[LoadStar]

I wasn't able to watch - did they just do an abrupt shutdown of the transmitters, or did they actually do a signoff?