KYES-DT

KYES digital is on the air in Anchorage

KYES-TV Schedule and Other Information
Information about KYES-DTV reception, and WEALTH-TV Schedule.
KYES-DT Schedule

Channel 22.1* Wealth-TV: Wealth TV is a 24/7 HD channel. Listings are found by clicking on the KYES-DT button.
Channel. 22.2 Super Hi-Fi Music: Find super HD music Dolby AC3 audio program, on 22.2. You can also hear it on your computer at lower fidelity by clicking on this link (128 kb/s mp3) . Although the US Government now allows radio stations to broadcast digital sound (IBOC)in the FM band (88-108 MHz), digital radio is allowed limited quality/speed (96 kb/s). DTV allows digital sound up to 680k kb/s Dolby AC3 audio, making for better sound quality than US digital radio ever can have. At the time this is written, actual 22.2 sound data rate is 320 kb/s. [Note: On Sept 1, 2004, at about 6 PM, KYES 22.2 began broadcasting via a 100% digital link from CD to your home at 320 kb/s using a Lucent/Aastra/Harris DTV encoder. We believe this is the only purely digital high speed radio transmission in in North America. The CD audio you hear on 22.2 is unaltered from the original; we use no audio processing whatsoever!.]
Channel. 22.3 Alternative Radio Stations: Find local KUDO-1080 AM in FM quality as the main audio stream; KEUL FM 88.9 Girdwood is the 2nd audio program, and the Republic Radio Network from Texas is hosted for now as program #3. To select a 2nd or 3rd audio program you may need to consult your DTV receiver user guide. The DISH receiver we tested will not allow this selection.
Channel 22.4 KYES Standard Def Programs.: KYES analog programs transmitted via digital do not suffer ghosting, interference or smearing. Unlike GCI and DISH, 22.4 is digital from our hillside transmitter to your home. And it is free.

General Information

What is HDTV?: DTV transmits sound and picture to you digitally. HDTV, high definition TV, has more detail than regular, standard definition TV. See more about HDTV here .

KYES was the first in Anchorage to put DTV on the air in spite of massive problems inhibiting the effort. We are still the only High Definition signal in the State of Alaska. Two other stations are transmitting their analog low definition signal over DTV. KTVF, NBC in Fairbanks, and KDMD PAX-Home Shopping in Anchorage.

How To Receive KYES-DT

To receive KYES-DT, you will, of course, need a terrestrial digital 8vsb television receiver, and you probably will need an outdoor antenna. I use a set top box. The box receives the over the air signal, converting it to standard TV, or to 480P, 720P or 1080 line interlaced output.

As they are cheap, and ubiquitous, I'd recommend trying rabbit ears first. If they work for you, great. Any TV signal has a better chance if the receiver is on a wall or near a window facing the transmitter. If your DTV receiver has a signal strength indicator, move the antenna for best signal. If rabbit ears barely do the trick, I'd recommend the Zenith Silver Sensor Log log periodic. Flat out, I know of nothing better. This set top antenna is based upon proven basic antenna theory. Site with information on how to use the LP indoor antenna or for example… Site that sells this antenna . I got one to test from Zenith, and have been impressed with it. Where the rabbit ears barely worked and had to be held near a window, the LP worked reliably sitting conveniently on a table. If you don't get any signal lock with rabbit ears, you probably need a properly installed outdoor antenna. Read on for more info.

Transmitter Location and Reception Advice

We are operating KYES-DT under temporary authorization on UHF channel 22 at only 20 Watts from a location near the intersection of Hillside and O'Malley. See Topo map here. See location of all Anchorage region TV transmitters, including KYES-DT here. The actual location is near the intersection of Hillside and Alatna. An outdoor antenna pointed to the transmitter is pretty sure to get the signal.

In tests we have obtained signal lock from every location we tried of several in the Anchorage Bowl using a 4 foot long outdoor type UHF antenna held standing at ground level with a receiver in the back of our car. On roof tops chances of signal lock are much better. If you intend to install a roof top antenna, I found this site to be especially valuable, even though, for some reason the authors ignore DTV on VHF channels. This matters for us as KYES-DT expects to change to VHF Channel 6, and KTUU-DT, KAKM-DT and KIMO-DT plan to build DTV on channels 8,10 and 12. You must consider UHF DTV antenna capability for KTVA-DT and KTBY-DT. You probably need a rotator as plans presently call for three different transmitter sites; KYES at Eagle River, KTUU, KAKM and KIMO at Goose Bay, and KTBY-KTVA at 32nd and Minnesota.

If a large building or significant terrain is in the way, don't expect reception.

My experience thus far is that DTV requires stable signals or reception will break up. That means trees and antenna mounts whipping on windy days will spoil reception, as will reflection off people walking near an indoor antenna. Thus, a stable mount is needed as far from moving objects such as trees as possible. A good path toward the transmitter will always help.

If I had to install an antenna for DTV, I'd use a standard all band with rotator, same as analog. You can find pictures of my installation on this WWW site . Be warned. If your antenna points the wrong way, the signal doesn't just fuzz as in Analog. The signal is lost completely. As various stations in Anchorage plan DTV operations from various transmitter sites, some on VHF and some on UHF, a rotator will be required, and you will need an ALL BAND antenna, unless, of course, you don't want to get all channels.

KYES plans to soon begin construction of full power VHF-DTV on channel 6 from Eagle River, very near the analog site. We await the outcome of Superior court zoning proceedings, and we must await FCC permits before powering up DTV on channel 6. Also, we expect, in the future, to operate fill in DTV transmitters on other channels in the region, both VHF and UHF. Expect announcements here shortly.

Start Date
KYES-DT first transmitted test signals during July, 2003, shortly after neighbors and friends helped erect the 23 foot long Scala SL-8 aluminum antenna on my home roof, and then tied it down with rope (Rope is more electrically transparent than steel guy wire). Thanks to all who helped, including Rocky of Rocket Satellite, and our neighbors across the street. The test signals were "empty data", actually a digital pseudo random number test generated within the transmitter, rather than actual MPEG-2 video. The first transmission with program content was the evening of August 14, 2003, shortly after getting a satellite dish planted in our backyard. Transmission has continued with only very few momentary interruptions since that time.

-Jeremy
Nov 16,2003 - Rev Mar 03 '05

* Notes. We transmit MPEG program stream ID numbers 1,5,6,and 7. Your receiver may use those numbers to display available channels, as 22.1, 22.5, 22.6, etc. Others simply count up from 22.1 to show 22.2, 22.3, etc. We do not transmit PSIP, thus some receivers may require that you scan before you can tune the channels actually transmitted, or you must rescan to get the receiver to display new channels. We regret the Echostar HD receiver cannot tune secondary audio streams. Zenith, Samsung and HDUSA - Walmart receivers can. Some old stock HDUSA receivers as found in Anchorage may need firmware update to operate. Contact HDUSA for the update, or bring your receiver to KYES as I have the update.

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