Milwaukee Media’s WIWN-TV has received temporary permission from the FCC to boost its power after the station said it was having trouble reaching viewers due to its VHF Low frequency.
WIWN is licensed to Fond du Lac but transmits from Milwaukee on RF channel 5, remapping to virtual channels 68.1 to 68.8. Programming includes Cozi TV, Light TV, Quest, getTV, This TV, QVC, LATV, and SBN.
WIWN said in its request for special temporary authority that it has received numerous complaints from viewers who are unable to receive the station. It cited previous FCC acknowledgements that VHF frequencies have posed challenges for digital broadcasting.
WIWN is licensed for 9kW and was granted special temporary authority to use 35kW last month. FCC records don’t indicate whether the higher power level has been implemented.
WIWN also has an application to increase to 48kW permanently, which was filed in early 2018 and remains pending.
Among other problems, VHF Low frequencies face more manmade interference and difficulty being received with indoor antennas due to their longer wavelengths. The FCC’s spectrum auction means more stations are moving to VHF Low frequencies nationally despite these known issues.
WIWN, formerly WWAZ, was originally on UHF but a previous owner chose to move to VHF, a change which allowed WLS-TV (Chicago) take over its former UHF frequency. Moving to VHF Low also allowed the station to move its transmitter from Dodge County to Milwaukee.