First atsc 3.0 station in Seattle market switches on

I have a second home in Olympia. I'm here every two or three months or so, for a month or two at a time. Thanks to the advice from folks on the forum at TVFool.com many years ago, I bought a large TV antenna and have been enjoying OTA for many years. I've received all four major networks (CBS, ABC, FOX, PBS, and NBC) for many years. In the past four months or so, I have not been able to tune in KING-TV from Seattle (virtual channel 5.1). There's just no signal there at all. I have done my research, and the KING-TV broadcast antenna seems to be the same one (or mounted at the same site) as ABC (4.1) and CBS (7.1). Would anyone know why I am not getting the KING-TV signal? Do I need a new ATSC 3.0 tuner to receive the KING-TV signal, or should I still get the KING-TV signal with my old antenna and tuner setups (HDHomeRun, a couple of HDTVs with ATSC tuners). Yes, I have rescanned several times.

 

Not sure. I still receive KING-TV just fine after the repack.

What are the additional 5 channels?

I suspect there's no press release because the official word is that ATSC 3 is still "coming soon" for the Seattle area.

 

Hi BLueSS: Do you still get KING-TV on channels 5.1, 5.2, etc? I realize that these are the virtual channels but believe that after rescanning, my TVs should get KING-TV on channels 5.1, 5.2 etc still. Thanks!

 

Yes! They are still on 5.1, 5.2, 5.3.

Do you have an amplifier in use, or anything to help your signal? You're about 50 miles (depending on where in Olympia) from the antennas, so if you're getting KOMO-4, I'd be surprised as well. You're not in a great location for OTA.

 

My antenna is a big one and dtvmaps shows I am 39 miles from the KING, KOMO, and KIRO antennas. I forget the exact model, but yes, it's big and it took a while to get right. It worked for years without an amplifier (I tried an RCA but it did worse than just the antenna and required me to install it outside by the antenna, a PITA), but in recent years I've had a Mohu Jolt amplifier in the house right before the Electroline ED2400 splitter. I usually get all four major networks with any tides over 4 feet or so. I'm getting KOMO and KIRO right now and it's a 2.2 foot tide. Thanks! Hey, just realized that I should try it without the Mohu Jolt amplifier (but it has worked wonders in my other house).

 

Try doing a rescan for channels, then take out the amp and try rescanning.

 

Yep, tried this about three times over the past few days. I get 4.1, 7.1, 9.1, 11.1, 13.1 (the main broadcast channels); all except 5.1 KING-TV. There's nothing there that my antenna can see. And it used to pick up 5.1 just fine.

 

Are they simulcasting ATSC 1 and ATSC3 ? If not I'm not sure WHERE you can find a consumer ATSC3 tuner right now.
Edit -
Ok - I just did a Google search for ATSC3 tuner, and it found one article that had a system -for $2000 - $3000 (as they stated - prosumer). That article also stated that simulcasting ATSC1 and ATSC3 is required. So the issue is what does TV Fool have to say about your location and that station (the ATSC1 version) RIGHT NOW ?