KEJT-LP Ch 50 flash cut to digital

[CAwasinNJ]

Ch 50 is now in digital. Same programming at KULX 10.1 and almost the same coverage area too. KEJT is owned by Telemundo while KULX is owned by third party Airwaves. I wonder if that means a flip on 10.1.

[David]

I guess this change makes my two Casio 1990's handheld TV's officially obsolete. KEJT was one of two Spanish language stations that I could still receive with these analog TV's, so unless someone makes a digital converter for handheld TV's my Casios will be relegated to the scrap heap of history. So long, 90's technology!

[egnlsn]

Isn't channel 23 still around?

[CAwasinNJ]

Last time I checked Ch 23 KBTU was still analog. It's Mundofox, so maybe that's the other Spanish station David was talking about. It was sold recently so I have no idea what the new owners might do.

[David]

I can receive channel 23 but just barely. I have to rotate the internal antenna on my Casio's in two or three different directions to get the clearest picture and audio, and even with all the adjustments the color occasionally drops out and the audio becomes fuzzy. Too bad--the two Casio portables I have had above average reception and picture quality when I used to use them during power outages before the 2009 digital TV transition.

Interestingly enough, there are a couple of videos on YouTube which demonstrate how to hook up a digital converter to a portable TV. However, with the cost of a good converter box at $30-$50 on online, I think I'll just save my spare change until I can afford to buy a new digital portable TV. It's amazing how far the price of handheld TV's has fallen since my Casio units came out 20+ years ago. A good 3 1/2-4 star digital handheld set retails for under $100.00 with shipping. I think the Casios sold for about $160.00 new back in the day.

[CAwasinNJ]

One other option you might check is seeing if a thrift store near you has used ones. I've seen some there for $8-10. I use one with a backup DVR recorder where there's too much stuff to record.

[David]

I turned on my analog Casio handheld sets for the first time in months today, and for some reason the sets are still receiving channel 50. The picture is pretty clear, but I have to rotate the set about 180 degrees to get the clearest audio. It seems really strange to me that an analog TV can still receive a digital channel without a converter box. Guess maybe I'll have to check the thrift stores this weekend for a used converter as CA suggested so I can try receiving the VHF channels.

[CAwasinNJ]

Analog sets can't receive digital signals, so that's not it. It would be great if they did because that would have eliminated the whole converter box issue in the first place. Unfortunately physics isn't that kind. I'll bet what you're picking up is KULX-LP which is analog Ch 51 broadcasting from the Riverdale tower behind the Harmons. The digital companion channel relocated down to Farnsworth, but the analog hasn't changed since the 90's.

Also as an aside, there are actually no VHF TV stations anywhere near Salt Lake. They're all UHF, though many have virtual channel numbers 2-13.

[David]

Thanks for the info, CA. I live about 5-6 miles from the KULX-LP site so I'm sure that's the channel I was watching. I just saw the Telemundo icon in the lower right hand corner of the screen and assumed it was channel 50. My Casio TV's have the old-school slide rule tuning dial (like 1970's AM/FM radios), so it's very hard to tell exactly which channel I'm watching. And I know that VHF TV stations disappeared after the 2009 digital switch, but us old guys are slow to adapt to change. It's kind of like when you hear old-timers referring to Rocky Mountain Power as "UP&L", or (my personal pet peeve) Weber State University as "Weber State College." I'll get with the program one of these days!