The national end of analog broadcasting on TV translators meant the beginning of a digital ABC signal in three northern Minnesota communities.
Hubbard Broadcasting notified the FCC in the past week that it has converted KSAX-ABC translators K28DD (Bemidji), K32FY (Park Rapids), and K17FE (Wadena) to digital. All three transmit at 15kW, the maximum for TV translators, expanding all of the stations’ coverage areas from their previous analog facilities.
July 13 was the deadline for analog TV broadcasts to end nationally.
A viewer reported that the Bemidji translator is carrying KSAX’s main ABC channel on channel 28.1 but no other channels; that may only be temporary since co-owned translator K16BQ-D (Brainerd) carries all three of KSAX’s channels.
KSAX is a satellite of KSTP-TV (St. Paul) and KSTC-TV (Minneapolis), carrying ABC from KSTP and 45TV and MeTV from KSTC.
The Park Rapids and Wadena translators are the only strong local signals in their areas, with reception of regional full-power stations carrying WCCO-CBS and KAWE-PBS available with rooftop antennas. Bemidji has the same regional signals along with a local signal carrying KMSP-FOX.