This is why the FCC should have left some analog TV stations

[mahatmakanejeeves]

across the U.S. The distribution should have been such that there would have been enough to allow for complete coverage of the country.

These people were out making a video of last week's tornado in Oklahoma, apparently for broadcast use. I hear the audio of a TV station, so maybe they were sent by the station.

Wow, that's scary.

Back in the '60s and '70s, multiband portable radios that covered lots of different kinds of broadcasting were common and inexpensive. Often, they covered AM, FM, weather frequencies, some VHF public service and land mobile frequencies, and maybe even aircraft frequencies. With VHF coverage, they included the audio from TV channels 2 through 13, usually split into the low VHF stations, channels 2 through 6, and the upper VHF stations, channels 7 through 13. I have a GE multiband with all that and CB too.

With a radio like that and a low-power local analog TV station, you would be able to get information in life or death situations such as this.

Multiband radios that receive digital TV audio? I'm not aware of any. Further, the method of digital TV broadcasting used in this country is susceptible to interference from moving branches and leaves, exactly what happens in this situation.

In the days of analog, I could attach a portable TV to a motorcycle battery and not miss a thing, except that I'd be watching in black and white. Granted, there are some set-top digital converters that run on DC; I have two of them, which I got new in the box for $5 each IIRC at a yard sale about two months ago. They are not common though. So, most people who watch over the air TV lose information just when they need it the most.

[Doremus]

1. K&R nt

[MineralMan]

2. While I agree with you to a certain extent,

portable digital TVs are available for as little as about $40. A local analog TV station would be very likely to be out of service when power failures occur, too, just like the digital ones are. During emergencies, radios are the most effective way to find out what is going on, and can receive analog signals from both AM and FM stations.

Local, low-power analog TV stations would be fairly unreliable during such emergencies in any case.

Do a search for portable digital television and you'll find a wide range of models that will do the job you're requesting. Your battery operated radio will also serve you well during local emergencies. There will almost always be an AM station broadcasting emergency information, wherever you live.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. Reviews of those haven't been too good.

Thanks for bringing that up. I see those at the CVS; the brand name might be Haier or something like that.

I am a member of a DC-area scanner-listening group. A lot of the members have amateur operator permits and some technical savvy. One member discussed his experience with one of those receivers. He lives in Arlington, Virginia. From his location in a high rise, he can see the TV transmitter towers near the National Cathedral in DC. Total line of sight, nothing in the way. The portable TV set he was using couldn't get a signal.

It's not that the TV stations go off the air. They have some nice Caterpillar generators, and it's hard to knock them out. The problem is the kind of digital transmission used in this country. It is susceptible to signal loss during stormy conditions. What we use here is called 8VSB.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8VSB#Disputes_over_ATSC.27s_use

For some period of time, there had been a continuing lobby for changing the modulation for ATSC to COFDM, the way DVB-T is transmitted in Europe, and ISDB-T in Japan. However, the FCC has always held that 8VSB is the better modulation for use in U.S. digital television broadcasting. ... {A 1999} FCC report also acknowledged that COFDM would "generally be expected to perform better in situations where there is dynamic multipath," such as mobile operation or in the presence of trees that are moving in high winds.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8VSB#8VSB_vs_COFDM

The previously cited FCC Report also found that COFDM has better performance in dynamic and high level static multipath situations, and offers advantages for single frequency networks and mobile reception. Nonetheless, in 2001, a technical report compiled by the COFDM Technical Group concluded that COFDM did not offer any significant advantages over 8VSB. The report recommended in conclusion that receivers be linked to outdoor antennas raised to roughly 30 feet (9 m) in height. Neither 8VSB nor COFDM performed acceptably in most indoor test installations.
....

The debate over 8VSB versus COFDM modulation is still ongoing. Proponents of COFDM argue that it resists multipath far better than 8VSB. This is important property of the modulation for receiving HDTV in e.g. moving vehicles that is not possible with 8VSB. Early 8VSB DTV (digital television) receivers often had difficulty receiving a signal in urban environments. Newer 8VSB receivers, however, are better at dealing with multipath, but a moving receiver can still not receive the signal.

I have to acknowledge that set-top boxes almost certainly do not have the latest generation of converters. Once everyone had used his coupons to acquire one or two, there went the market. I think they are gone from Best buy bricks and mortar stores, but I think the Rite Aid still has them. Further, I use rabbit ears, not a 30-foot antenna.

As for portable radios, I agree that they "serve {me} well during local emergencies." But TV has the advantage of the map. Every local channel has doppler radar. You just can't get that from radio. They all name the radar something clever, but every station has it. They interrupt normal programming to put that on. Then they zoom into block-by-block coverage of weather cells HEADED RIGHT AT YOU!!!!

For a bad weather junky, it is doppler porn. I can't define it, but I know it when I see it.

Thanks for writing.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Teh inter tubes give me ANY local station's storm tracking...

Out here in the boon docks, when I had tv, I had to use satillite.
Which goes out when rain moves in.

So, once we got rid of the tv a few years ago, I found, via the internet, local tv stations all across the country have live streaming during big weather events.
Sat here and watched the Tuscaloosa tornadoes touch down, then a bit later watched them hit Birminghan area,
and the Mobile tv radar streams bad weather that covers my area.
As you say, they are indeed doppler porn.

I tried the weather alarm radio.
Once.
Damn thing blares out every 3-4 minutes, to repeat the same info over and over.

Internet works so much better.

[Jkid]

8. ATSC portable digital tv's can't be viewed while mobile.

They have to be viewed while not moving, otherwise it will pixelate to high heaven.

[dumbcat]

3. National Weather Service VHF warning radios

They are reasonable and probably give better warning and data.

This is the one I use:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2651533&utm_term=Radio+Shack+Weather+Radio&utm_source=Bing&gclid=CNj6jt-GsrcCFdSD7AodaisAAA&utm_medium=PPC&gclsrc=ds&utm_content=Broad

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. Another good suggestion.

Last edited Tue May 28, 2013, 08:51 AM - Edit history (1)

Thanks for that. I have a few. Everyone should have one.

Mark Trail was plugging them a few weeks ago in the comics. This strip is from 2003.

http://www.education.noaa.gov/Special_Topics/Mark_Trail.php?cat=NOAA%20Weather%20Radio



I see yours has the SAME feature.

The Midland® WR-300 tunes in weather/AM/FM bands and is capable of receiving local SAME alerts from NOAA. Includes 23 programmable county codes. Displays date and time and can also be used as an alarm clock.

I am aware that there are now ATSC {digital TV} receivers that plug into USB ports on computers. I haven't gone looking for reviews of them. I suppose that with those and smartphone apps, people can't say they don't have coverage.

Thanks for writing.

[dimbear]

6. The FCC did leave some analog stations. There are two at least on the air here in Lake County.

However, it would be best for enjoyment if you speak Spanish.

[KLS]

9. Dumb move!

Analog TV actually worked when you needed it most, as in an emergency situation caused by climatic conditions, natural disaster, fire, riot, war, where lines may be down, power out, etc. Digital TV is totally useless where you are more than 3 to 5 miles from the transmitter and only a weak over-the-air signal is available from a more distant station. It is difficult to believe the U.S. government actually promoted the end of analog TV. What a huge screw-up, a government inflicted disaster. All over the air stations should be required to provide an analog signal in addition to the digital signal.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

10. Welcome to DU.

Thank you for writing.

When analog went away, those 5-inch screen size battery-powered TVs, so great for emergencies, were turned into paperweights.