KYES-DT
KYES Digital Information
New Alerts:
10-05-2008 - Try to tune KYES UHF DTV channel by entering 22.1 on your remote control. Channel 5 will be testing DTV at times. This will require turning off the analog signal. You may try tuning the test signal by entering 5.1 on your remote control.
10-26-2008 - Outdoor Antenna at my house fails, rabbit ears work.
Having excellent analog reception, I noted 27-30 dB DTV SNR using rabbit ears, but
hooking the outdoor antenna,
the Zenith fails to see any signal at all,
and at best I get 22 dB SNR on the USB DTV. Probably signal overload, in spite
of an FM trap. I live on the Hillside and am line of site to every transmitter except Channel 5.
KYES-TV Schedule and Other Information
Information about KYES-DTV reception.
Channel 5.1 KYES Analog Simulcast
Channel. 5.2 To Be Determined
Channel. 5.3 Wealth TV
Channels. 5.50 & .51 Alternative Radio Stations: Find local KUDO-1080 AM in FM quality and; KWMD-FM 90.7-104.5
General Information
What is HDTV?: DTV transmits sound and picture to you digitally. HDTV, high definition TV, has more detail than regular, standard definition TV. See more about HDTV here .
KYES was the first in Anchorage to put DTV on the air in spite of massive problems inhibiting the effort. To see a list of other DTV broadcasts see our entry page.
How To Receive KYES-DT
DTV signals travel on a different channel number. KYES, at the moment, is on channel 22. KAKM is on 8; KTUU on 10, KIMO on 12, KTVA on 28 and KTBY on channel 20. An ordinary antenna is as good for digital as analog. However, the shorter wave length of UHF channels 14 and higher may require a UHF antenna.
To receive KYES-DT, you will, of course, need a terrestrial digital 8vsb television receiver, and you probably will need an outdoor antenna. I use a set top box. The box receives the over the air signal, converting it to standard TV, or to 480P, 720P or 1080 line interlaced output.
As they are cheap, and ubiquitous, I'd recommend trying rabbit ears first. If they work for you, great. Any TV signal has a better chance if the receiver is on a wall or near a window facing the transmitter. If your DTV receiver has a signal strength indicator, move the antenna for best signal. If rabbit ears barely do the trick, I'd recommend the Zenith Silver Sensor Log log periodic. Flat out, I know of nothing better. This set top antenna is based upon proven basic antenna theory. Site with information on how to use the LP indoor antenna or, find a site that sells this antenna . I got one to test from Zenith, and have been impressed with it. Where the rabbit ears barely worked and had to be held near a window, the LP worked reliably sitting conveniently on a table. If you don't get any signal lock with rabbit ears, you probably need a properly installed outdoor antenna. Read on for more info.
Transmitter Location and
Reception Advice
We are operating KYES-DT under an LPTV authorization on UHF channel 22 at low power from a location near the intersection of Hillside and O'Malley. See street map here. See location of all Anchorage region TV transmitters, including KYES-DT here. The actual location is near the intersection of Hillside and Alatna. An outdoor antenna pointed to the transmitter is pretty sure to get the signal.
In tests we have obtained signal lock from every location we tried of several in the Anchorage Bowl using a 4 foot long outdoor type UHF antenna held standing at ground level with a receiver in the back of our car. On roof tops chances of signal lock are much better. If you intend to install a roof top antenna, I found this site to be especially valuable, even though, for some reason the authors ignore DTV on VHF channels. This matters for us as KYES-DT expects to operate on VHF Channel 5, and KTUU-DT, KAKM-DT and KIMO-DT operate on channels 8,10 and 12. You must consider UHF DTV antenna capability for KTVA-DT-28 and KTBY-DT-20. You probably need a rotator as stations broadcast from different transmitter sites; KYES at Eagle River, KTUU, KAKM and KIMO at Goose Bay, and KTVA at 32nd and Minnesota, and KTBY from the Hilton roof. KYES plans to also broadcast digital from Mt. Susitna on channel 18, and post transition (Feb 18 2009) on VHF channel 5 from its present analog site.
If a large building or significant terrain is in the way, don't expect reception, but try anyway.
My experience thus far is that DTV requires stable signals or reception will break up. That means trees and antenna mounts whipping on windy days will spoil reception, as will reflection off people walking near an indoor antenna. Thus, a stable mount is needed as far from moving objects such as trees as possible. A good path toward the transmitter will always help.
If I had to install an antenna for DTV, I'd use a standard all band with rotator, same as analog. You can find pictures of my installation on this WWW site .
Be warned. If your antenna points the wrong way, the signal doesn't just fuzz as in Analog. The signal is lost completely. As various stations in Anchorage plan DTV operations from various transmitter sites, some on VHF and some on UHF, a rotator will be required, and you will need an ALL BAND antenna, unless, of course, you don't want to get all channels.
KYES plans to soon begin construction of full power VHF-DTV on channel 6 from Eagle River, very near the analog site. We await the outcome of Superior court zoning proceedings, and we must await FCC permits before powering up DTV on channel 6. Also, we expect, in the future, to operate fill in DTV transmitters on other channels in the region, both VHF and UHF. Expect announcements here shortly.
Start Date
KYES-DT first transmitted test signals during July, 2003, shortly after neighbors and friends helped erect the 23 foot long Scala SL-8 aluminum antenna on my home roof, and then tied it down with rope (Rope is more electrically transparent than steel guy wire). Thanks to all who helped, including Rocky of Rocket Satellite, and our neighbors across the street. The test signals were "empty data", actually a digital pseudo random number test generated within the transmitter, rather than actual MPEG-2 video. The first transmission with program content was the evening of August 14, 2003, shortly after getting a satellite dish planted in our backyard. Transmission has continued with only very few momentary interruptions since that time.
-Jeremy
Nov 16,2003 - Rev Mar 03 '05 and again 8/4/2008
* Notes. Some DTV receivers and converter boxes do not allow you to scan one channel so as to orient an antenna.
Email DTV@kyes.com for more info
All Original Information on This Site Copyright © 2008 - Fireweed Communications LLC.
All Rights Reserved
As they are cheap, and ubiquitous, I'd recommend trying rabbit ears first. If they work for you, great. Any TV signal has a better chance if the receiver is on a wall or near a window facing the transmitter. If your DTV receiver has a signal strength indicator, move the antenna for best signal. If rabbit ears barely do the trick, I'd recommend the Zenith Silver Sensor Log log periodic. Flat out, I know of nothing better. This set top antenna is based upon proven basic antenna theory. Site with information on how to use the LP indoor antenna or, find a site that sells this antenna . I got one to test from Zenith, and have been impressed with it. Where the rabbit ears barely worked and had to be held near a window, the LP worked reliably sitting conveniently on a table. If you don't get any signal lock with rabbit ears, you probably need a properly installed outdoor antenna. Read on for more info.
