WJFB Update
- Posted December 7th, 2019 at 4:05pm
I e-mailed my contact in the company yesterday, and I got a reply back today. I asked about the status of WJFB, if it was finished and at full power, and he said that "Minor work still to be performed.". So maybe that means that WJFB is still not running at full power yet, because I can receive it fine, but not like I did a few weeks ago when they turned it on and I received it very well then. Until more news breaks, that's all for now.
19 Comments
n2radio
- Posted on December 7th, 2019 at 7:41pm
I was receiving 44 pretty well this past week, but not as good as before the repack. Since last night, I’ve not had any signal again.
videohead311
- Posted on December 8th, 2019 at 12:12am - Edited
They are just not at full power yet no doubt. About channel 31 WJDE they must have ran into some problems? They were suppose to be back on the air this week.
botts_w
- Posted on December 8th, 2019 at 10:42am
I am still receiving full bars on all 44 channels day and night on my living room antenna which is a 6 foot long 20 year old antenna. I have full signal in bedroom which uses a $10 outside chinese antenna that looks like just the front part of a large antenna. I live in monroe county, Kentucky. I am about 45-55 miles away I think. maybe a little more but I am receiving good. I still however can't get Dabl, but do get the other 58 channels.
stilgar
- Posted on December 11th, 2019 at 8:06pm
Anyone seeing any improvements from WJFB so far? Still not receiving them down in the Spring Hill area.
leavenfish
- Posted on December 12th, 2019 at 8:05am
Might I ask for the email address of someone - anyone at WJFB - I need to contact the station and have been unable to find such. Thanks!!
gregsfc
- Posted on December 13th, 2019 at 4:52am - Edited
I'm getting WJFB with 2 bars with ocassional, brief pixelation just north east of Cookeville; first time that I've received a sustained signal on 44 since, not the repack date, but that day in September when MeTv moved there. However, since their eventual full strength should be near 100K watts, and considering their closer distance to me than the rest of the Nashville market stations, I'd concur that they are probably not at full strength; at least I hope not.
gregsfc
- Posted on December 13th, 2019 at 3:03pm
44.1 MeTV; 44.2 Heroes and Icons; 44.3 StartTV; 44.4 Decades; 44.5 M! (Movies); 44.6 TCT; 44.7 LIght. Really good to get back 44. It's a much different and varied station that it was before. Of course if you get 40, you're getting the same programming I think. The Movies channel has some old classics that were some academy award-winning movies back in their day such as "An American in Paris", which is showing this month; not just run of the mill old movies.
itgrouch
- Posted on December 15th, 2019 at 11:12pm - Edited
I finally performed a re-scan after some folks have posted here they are getting good reception of WJFB's signal on 44.x. For me, they are still extremely weak and pixelated. I live in Sumner county and my antenna is pointing west-southwest so that I can receive the Nashville stations. I still get extremely good reception of WJFB on 40.x, so I am happy.
gregsfc
- Posted on December 16th, 2019 at 12:43pm
For you, 44 may be a challenge without a rotor due the angle and your aim, but I think I'm right in stating that 40 is a retrans broadcast with identical programming, and so if that's true, you don't need it. For me, Rabbitears shows 44 on the south end of my aiming point; I'm aiming at 270; the Nashville towers are from 262-275 from me; so WJFB is in that array, however, since they are 20 miles closer that may make the angle tougher. I'm not sure; that's getting pretty technical for my mind. Anyway, if they are still lacking some eventual power, I should be good here in Rickman, because I'm 98% reliable already.
stilgar
- Posted on December 20th, 2019 at 8:33am
Just checking in if anyone had heard any news regarding WJFB or had seen and changes in the signal. I'm starting to fear that those of us down in Spring Hill area might not ever see it again (which before all this started had a strong signal). So now I'm just hoping for a Festivus miracle.
stilgar
- Posted on December 20th, 2019 at 10:30am
A really quick update. I got a fast reply from my email to Kurt regarding the signal strength and here is a snippet of his reply: ".. there will be some additional minor power increases happening over the next several weeks but it will not increase dramatically."
gregsfc
- Posted on December 24th, 2019 at 4:55am - Edited
For at least a full day, even as I'm receiving 6 channels / subchannels on WJFB, aka 44, albeit still only 2 bars, I've not been receiving 44.5 (Movies!). I'm receiving programming data on my tuner, but no picture and no sound. Anyone else noticing this phenomenon? I've emailed Kurt regarding this issue and will report back if I get a reply.
NashDigie
- Posted on December 24th, 2019 at 2:41pm
Thank you for e-mailing. I was just about to do that myself. Since, you did, I won't. Just let all of us know what he says. Thank you.
gregsfc
- Posted on January 5th, 2020 at 3:24pm
I tried to send this on the contact form but it wouldn't submit; maybe Nashdigie will see this and send an update to news. Kurt Hanson sent me an email that is probably closer to a more detailed explanation than it is a status change. To paraphrase he said that the antenna work and all the outdoor work is complete. There is some RF plumbing work to be completed inside the transmitter building that will result in a nominal increase in signal power. He literally used the word "nominal". For those southwest of Lebanon, my guess is that what you've got is all you're going to get, and due to your location, 44 is your best hope for MeTv and the subchannels. They have good power output at 950 kw and they transmit on a rather low RF frequency for UHF, which are good things. But the FCC shows their tower height from average terrain at only 528'. The list that I made out for myself shows that all other high power stations that I receive or can't currently receive are over 1,000' above average terrain. This may be our best explanation as to why that signal is weak to many of us despite their good power and rather short distance. I get only 2 bars. It's 56 miles. I pick up a Crossville station that is 59 miles and in the opposite direction as my antenna is pointed. It's also 2 bars. I can get an identical antenna. I wonder if it would help my cause to gang them together; any increase in gain or capture area. They have to be joined carefully. I'm not sure how to find out how to do it. I'm afraid of going to a yagi as it may be too directional as compared to my current set up where I'm getting stations mostly from 265-281 degrees magnetic from my home but also one at 169 degrees and one at 105 degrees with no rotating necessary.
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