Signal improvements mean less interference to free antenna TV service

Changes have been in the works to make antenna TV viewing in the area better for residents.

The Region One Translator Association TV service provides free antenna TV to Phillips, Yuma and Sedgwick counties.

Ed Lake, owner and operator of RF Systems, LLC, said improvements have been made to the Holyoke tower, which in turn have improved the signal to the Pleasant Valley and Haxtun towers.

Lake said that prior to the changes, the old system was a daisy chain of signals that traveled from Denver to Anton to Yuma and then to Holyoke. From there, the signal went to towers in Haxtun, Pleasant Valley and Sedgwick County.

Each of those hops along the chain was susceptible to interference. The new system gets a signal directly from the internet in Holyoke.

"That eliminates the interference between the towers," Lake said. High speed fiber optic internet at the Holyoke tower was up and running last October and the digital signal started being delivered after Thanksgiving.

In the past, the interference would come across as "snow" on the TV screen, but it could still be viewable. About 12 years ago, the signal was converted from analog TV to digital. Lake said that when it comes to a digital signal, it's all or nothing. Interference causes the picture to either come across pixelated or not show at all.

Lake noted that with that change, the interference became more pronounced as a problem and that's why an upgrade was sought.

Some improvements were made by changing how signals are received at the tower locations. These improvements also provide the capability for communities to share local information and could potentially broadcast local events in the future.

"Everyone in Holyoke should have everything they had and more," Lake said, adding that there should be a clearer picture, less interference and major network channels from Denver like Fox, NBC, CBS and ABC. Other channels include programming like classic TV shows, documentaries from the Discovery Channel and more.

"We deliver a much cleaner signal at Holyoke, which means the signal is much cleaner after," Lake said.

Tom Timm, chairman of the Board of Phillips County Commissioners, said he has the service and noted that reception has been great. He also pointed to the fact that more channels have been added.

Phillips County Administrator/Planner Laura Schroetlin said that with the increasing cost of streaming, the service provides a free option for the viewing of local channels.

An ultra-high frequency antenna is needed for reception of the signal. An outdoor directional antenna works best and a signal amplifier or booster should be mounted as high outside as possible to minimize obstruction between the antenna and the tower.

The Holyoke tower is southwest of town. "If they're in Holyoke, they should aim southwest for the best reception," Lake said.

The Haxtun tower is located along Highway 6, just a couple miles west of town on the north side of the highway along County Road 95. "Some folks, especially out to the east of town, may have a good line of sight to the Holyoke tower also," said Lake.

Digital tuners are also needed for the signal, but these are already in most modern TVs.