(meteorobs) Fwd: Digital TV

[Ed Majden]

Thomas Ashcraft wrote:

PS:  The future of tv forward scatter in the US may be coming to an end
in the next year as the tv broadcast system moves to digital.


Begin forwarded message:

> From: Mark Kardos
> Date: December 13, 2007 2:14:29 PM PST
> To: Ed Majden <epmajden at shaw.ca>
> Subject: Re: Digital TV
>
> Hi Ed,
>
>         As far as I know, don't count on the currently used 
> frequencies. CBC has one Digital TV transmitter in operation, in 
> Vancouver. It is listed as CH 58VL, at 734.31 Mhz. The equivalent UHF 
> frequency is CH 58 at 734.25 Mhz. As far as I know, there wont be any 
> signals broadcast in the current low-band VHF (CH-2 to CH-6).
>         I haven't seen any paperwork yet on what the new systems will 
> be like, because Vancouver Island will be getting only one 
> transmitter, for Victoria, and that project hasn't started yet.
>         Everything else will be off the air as of August 31, 2011, 
> according to Industry Canada.
>         As for the characteristics of the carriers, the current 
> carrier you are monitoring is just an AM modulated signal. DTV will 
> look more like the signal you currently get off of Expressvu or 
> Starchoice, where multiple channels can be multiplexed through the 
> same transmitter.
>         The big push in the industry is to get the transmitters on the 
> air, as who-ever does it first will then be able to lease space to 
> other broadcasters. It's cheaper than everyone setting up their own 
> site.
>
>
> At 12:23 PM 13/12/2007, you wrote:
>> Hi Mark:
>>         With my forward scatter meteor detection setup I monitor CH3 
>> at 61.26 Mhz.  What is going to happen when TV switches to digital 
>> broadcasting?  Will the carriers remain at the same frequencies with 
>> the same characteristics or will this render forward scatter systems 
>> obsolete?
>> This question came up on meteorobs so I thought I would ask your 
>> opinion.
>> Thanks:
>> Ed
>