Television Channel 1

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

While Cecil is right about TV Channel 1 being dropped to make room for other users, he neglects to mention that the stations that were “Channel 1” were quite happy to move. There are some propagation problems at those frequencies that don’t bother a low-power, short-term user like a police conversation, but would bother a broadcaster. Depending on the weather and sunspot activity, a high-power Television signal in that frequency (40 mHz) can be seen quite well half-way around the world, but unable to be recieved 10 miles away. This effect can come and go very quickly. A bit of a bother if you’re watching “Seinfeld” - or maybe not. A two-way radio user can just ask for a repeat.

It’s a similar effect to the “skip” in AM and Shortwave, but the cause is different.

Mark Tomlonson
Chief Engineer, WMUK
Kalamazoo MI

2

Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment.
Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site.
To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space before and after the text of the URL).

Cecil’s column can be found on-line at this link:

Why is there no Channel One on television?

3

Massive hijack here…

Could you explain your user name? Misspelling? On Purpose?

Just curious, I won’t invade his thread, just curious.

4

The column can also be found on pages 372-373 of Cecil Adams’ book “The Straight Dope”.