Now that all the analog TV transmitters are history, we are
lucky in Oklahoma as no digital TV signals are on Channels 2-6.
When the bands are dead, it is just hiss out there. In my case,
it is hiss plus my computers plus power line noise + several
other un-identifiable RF sources in the neighborhood, but no
local broadcast signals.

	The last analog signal in Oklahoma City was KOCO Channel
5 and that 30-day "nightlight" nonsense ended last Monday so all
frequencies between 54 and 88 MHZ are now free from United
States analog TV.

	Yesterday, July 16, there were hours of Spanish-language
TV which I am sure was mostly from Northern Mexico, audible in
North-central Oklahoma.

	I know Mexico has 6-meters and I am pretty sure most of
the other Central American and Caribbean countries have 6 so 6
should have been open. The Mexican TV went all the way up to
Channel 5 which is 81.75 MHZ for the audio. I don't know if it
went any higher because I was at work and had a receiver hooked
to a computer to log the signals. I am not even sure what time
of day the opening started, but the programming was
afternoon-type stuff like cartoons and entertainment-industry
programs along the line of "Entertainment, Tonight," only in
Spanish.

	There were 2, possibly 3 transmitters audible so the
opening was to a large area. One transmitter had quite normal
sound while at least one of the others had really hot deviation
to the point of distortion.

	One of the hot transmitters may have been in New avo Lion
which is along the boarder with us. I caught a little snatch of
an ad thanking people for voting. I am not sure if it was for
how they voted in the last election or for how they should vote
in the next election, but it was a campaign ad of some type.

	My Spanish isn't that good and even if it was, it was
quite a job sorting out about 3 fast-moving streams of sound.

	Anyhow, if you have analog TV sound reception
capability, keep listening as Canada and Mexico have not made
any digital switch yet. This should all pretty much die away by
August so enjoy it while you can. The next bit of activity will
be around Christmas time.

Martin McCormick WB5AGZ  Stillwater, OK 
Systems Engineer
OSU Information Technology Department Telecommunications Services Group