WCES-TV
Encyclopedia
WCES-TV channel 20 is a non-commercial educational
television station
licensed
to Wrens, Georgia
, USA
. WCES-TV is part of the Georgia Public Broadcasting
public television network and carries programming from PBS
, GPB and other sources. The station serves Augusta
and the surrounding east-central Georgia
and west-central South Carolina
area, along the Savannah River
valley (also known locally as the "Georgia-Lina" region). WCES-TV's transmitter
and radio antenna are located in Wrens, its city of license
.http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=TV114929.html
The station chose to keep its digital on channel 2 in the first-round digital channel election
, but requested channel 6 in the third round. This is because the low VHF (band I
) has a lot of RF noise
, which is worst on the lowest channels.
The radio tower
is a 446.7-meter-high guyed mast, located at 33°15'34"N and 82°17'8"W. It was built in 1966.http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=121133
, in areas where coverage from a full-powered GPB transmitter is insufficient, due to the distance from the main transmitters and the hilly terrain in northeast Georgia.
W22AC was temporarily off-air
for two months in early 2008, when GPB broadcast engineers had to borrow its TV transmitter to get WACS-TV
back on-air. That station was destroyed by a tornado
in March 2007, and had to begin broadcasting again within a year, or its license
would have been automatically canceled by law.
(NET) TV network and on October 5, 1970 it and all nine stations affiliate
d to NET in Georgia became part of the new Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) Public television network. Its digital TV signal on channel 2 started in 2003.
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Non-commercial educational
The term non-commercial educational applies to a radio station or TV station that does not accept on air advertisements , as defined in the United States by the Federal Communications Commission . NCE stations do not pay broadcast license fees for their non-profit uses of the radio spectrum...
television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to Wrens, Georgia
Wrens, Georgia
Wrens is a city in Jefferson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,187 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Wrens is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 0.33% is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. WCES-TV is part of the Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Broadcasting is the public broadcasting radio and television state network in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is operated by the Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission....
public television network and carries programming from PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
, GPB and other sources. The station serves Augusta
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
and the surrounding east-central Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and west-central South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
area, along the Savannah River
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
valley (also known locally as the "Georgia-Lina" region). WCES-TV's transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
and radio antenna are located in Wrens, its city of license
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
.http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=TV114929.html
The station chose to keep its digital on channel 2 in the first-round digital channel election
Digital channel election
A digital channel election was the process by which television stations in the United States chose which physical radio-frequency TV channel they would permanently use after the analog shutdown in 2009. The process was managed and mandated by the Federal Communications Commission for all...
, but requested channel 6 in the third round. This is because the low VHF (band I
Band I
Band I is the name of a radio frequency range within the very high frequency part of the electromagnetic spectrum.Band I ranges from 47 to 88 MHz, and it is primarily used for radio and television broadcasting....
) has a lot of RF noise
Electromagnetic interference
Electromagnetic interference is disturbance that affects an electrical circuit due to either electromagnetic induction or electromagnetic radiation emitted from an external source. The disturbance may interrupt, obstruct, or otherwise degrade or limit the effective performance of the circuit...
, which is worst on the lowest channels.
The radio tower
Radio masts and towers
Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. They are among the tallest man-made structures...
is a 446.7-meter-high guyed mast, located at 33°15'34"N and 82°17'8"W. It was built in 1966.http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=121133
Translators
Both translators are or were located near the state's border with South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, in areas where coverage from a full-powered GPB transmitter is insufficient, due to the distance from the main transmitters and the hilly terrain in northeast Georgia.
- W11DD-D HartwellHartwell, GeorgiaHartwell is a city in Hart County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,188 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Hart County.-Geography:Hartwell is located at . It sits upon the southern border of Lake Hartwell...
& RoystonRoyston, GeorgiaRoyston is a city in Franklin, Hart, and Madison counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 2,493 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Royston is located at ....
, replaced analog W22AC on 22 W60AEElbertonElberton, GeorgiaElberton is the largest city in Elbert County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,743 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Elbert County and serves as a hub for industry and small business in Northeast Georgia...
, applied for digital on 10, deleted in 2007
W22AC was temporarily off-air
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
for two months in early 2008, when GPB broadcast engineers had to borrow its TV transmitter to get WACS-TV
WACS-TV
WACS-TV, part of the GPB network, is Georgia's ninth public television station, and primarily serves the southern part of the Columbus market, including Dawson and Americus. WACS' transmitter is located north of Parrott, Georgia...
back on-air. That station was destroyed by a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
in March 2007, and had to begin broadcasting again within a year, or its license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
would have been automatically canceled by law.
History
WCES-TV channel 20 began on September 12, 1966 on the National Educational TelevisionNational Educational Television
National Educational Television was an American non-commercial educational public television network in the United States from May 16, 1954 to October 4, 1970...
(NET) TV network and on October 5, 1970 it and all nine stations affiliate
Network affiliate
In the broadcasting industry , a network affiliate is a local broadcaster which carries some or all of the television program or radio program line-up of a television or radio network, but is owned by a company other than the owner of the network...
d to NET in Georgia became part of the new Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
(PBS) Public television network. Its digital TV signal on channel 2 started in 2003.
External links
- GPB website
- GPB stations map — includes WCES coverage area
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