February 2012 status of broadcast TV at Trumbo.
Several years ago the "translators" (re-broadcast of Miami TV on local Key West frequencies) were powered down due to a funding issue. Now there are only a few local transmitters.
In February of 2012 the local transmitters had local cooking, local "buy at this store" or infomercial shows, another station ran the same b/w movie over and over.
But.. there is a little hope.. When the atmospheric conditions are correct a phenomenon known as "ducting" or "tunneling" or "skipping" may occur. When "ducting" occurs the temperature differences in the lower atmosphere create a small "tunnel" for the TV signals to follow and bend with the curvature of the earth (or bounce with the curvature of the earth). With out "ducting or tunneling" the Miami TV signals are too high above us for our antennas (line of sight antenna to tower).
So.. if you are in the "field" at Trumbo.. crank up the antenna, turn on the amplifier (boost button) and be glad that you added the "Wingman" to the antenna.. aim it at Ft. Lauder dale (Miami UHF towers) and do a channel scan. The best time to do this is at X0700 (when the morning coffee generators fire up). We found that the "duct" was best from 0700 to 0800 (maybe earlier but we had no power until 0700) and we had morning news every day with our coffee.. (sun rising, warming the water and air at different rate, "duct" forms while the temperature change is getting it's atmospheric act together. Once together, the TV stops receiving)
Note: All ATs, ETs, CTs, RMs and other comm types.. It worked, I received the morning news in HD, every morning.
The rest of the day was a whole nuther sad story of 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off..
