Analog Shutoff Frees Top Space on NYC Mast

By Doug Lung
published

John Lyons, the assistant VP and director of Broadcast Communications at Durst, informed me that due to the analog shutdown, the top position on the 4 Times Square tower previously used by Telefutura is now available.

"4 Times Square offers a unique opportunity for NY City's TV broadcasters," Lyons said. "How often does a top antenna location on a tall tower become available in the number 1 market?"

The tower's top is slightly higher than 1,118 feet. Lyons believes he can extend this to some 1,140 feet without FAA approval. In addition to tower space, 4 Times Square also has a broadband antenna and combiner.

4 Times Square is a "broadcaster-friendly" location. They provided space for the first urban ATSC DTS testing in 2007 – see the results in the IEEE paper available at http://www.xmtr.com/bts2007/. That DTS is back on the air with new DTS technology from Rohde and Schwarz transmitting an ATSC mobile DTV stream from WNJU.

Doug Lung
Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack. A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.