WQED continues effort to address signal problems
Frequency change disruptive for some
Some Pittsburgh- area viewers of public television report that they are still struggling to regain “a clear, crisp signal” following a recent change of frequency. WQED wants you to know that it hears you, loud and clear, and the station’s engineers are working toward a resolution.
Viewers affected are those who watch WQED for free; public broadcast stations are required to remain available over the air. Cable subscribers are not affected.
The changes in frequency came after WQED’s sale of broadcast airwaves in the Federal Communications Commission’s reverse auction. In February 2017, it was announced the station made $ 9.9 million on the sale. But it required WQED and almost 1,000 other entities to move to new frequencies.
Pittsburgh’s public television station began moving its frequencies June 27 and completed the change last week.
According to the WQED troubleshooting information on its website, topography in our region is a challenge as engineers work on a solution by “reaching out to other PBS stations who have gone through a similar conversion,” as well as exploring remedies through the FCC.
WQED updated its troubleshooting page on Monday, offering apologies and tips. The first step for viewers, rescanning, is laid out in detail on the site, including for specific television models. Viewers must rescan every time they move their TV.
If a channel rescan does not work, repositioning antennas or extending rabbitear antennas has been successful for some viewers, the site says, but “for those of you without a signal, we are investigating whether it is a topography or antenna issue.”
Those still experiencing difficulties are asked to fill out a questionnaire at www. wqed. org/ rescan. Knowing where the signal is unavailable and the type of antennas being used will help engineers as they work toward a resolution.