WDTA-LP
Encyclopedia
WDTA-LD is a low-power
television station in Atlanta
, owned by Word of God Fellowship. It is an affiliate
of Daystar
. Broadcasting from the SunTrust Plaza
in downtown Atlanta
, its city of license
is Atlanta
. The office is located with WPXA-TV next to Six Flags White Water
on Cobb Parkway
(U.S. 41) in Marietta
, and it uses a wireless studio/transmitter link
.
, over 100 km away. The station changed to channel 53 (with a negative frequency offset
) and became W53BR in the early 1990s, and later moved northeast into metro Atlanta
around 1995, becoming WDTA-LP in 2001. The station antenna had the exact geographic coordinates and height of WANN-CA, indicating they were diplexed into the same antenna. Broadcasting from the Bank of America Plaza
in midtown Atlanta
, its city of license at the time was Fayetteville, Georgia
, a significant distance beyond its coverage area.
Because all stations are being forced from channels above 51, the station had a construction permit
for channel 28, and an application to modify their permit for a much stronger upgrade on channel 50. This application was approved as a construction permit, and would move the station antenna a few blocks south into downtown Atlanta
to become the first broadcaster on the SunTrust Plaza (One Peachtree Center
) building. It would also have given it an omnidirectional broadcast range, as opposed to its previous cardioid
directional antenna
with a sharp null
in its radiation pattern
to the northwest. However, this permit, granted in 2005, expired in 2008.
Additionally, the licensee applied for a digital facility on channel 47 from the same building, but only at 2kW, equivalent to only 10kW analog. This was later changed to channel 35 at 1.5kW, for which a CP was issued in late January 2009 for the standard period of three years. In August 2009 it applied for 15kW, and its permit was modified by the FCC in early September. The station's effective radiated power
was 112kW on 53, and would have been 150kW with beam tilt
(116kW in the horizontal plane
) on 50. Being at exactly the same height and location, this indicates that both the analog and digital transmitter
s would have been diplexed into the same antenna.
The station switched to digital in late spring 2010, using 53.1 as its virtual channel
, and ending analog transission after several months of crawls notified viewers it would eventually do so (though a date was never given). In late October, it was granted a broadcast license
to cover the changes, and its broadcast callsign suffix was changed from -LP to -LD.
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
television station in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, owned by Word of God Fellowship. It is an affiliate
Affiliate
An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity.- Corporate structure :A corporation may be referred to as an affiliate of another when it is related to it but not strictly controlled by it, as with a subsidiary relationship, or when it is desired to avoid...
of Daystar
Daystar Television Network
The Daystar Television Network is an American evangelical Christian television religious broadcasting network headquartered near Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Bedford, Texas...
. Broadcasting from the SunTrust Plaza
SunTrust Plaza
SunTrust Plaza is a 60-story skyscraper in downtown Atlanta. Built as part of the Peachtree Center complex, construction was finished in 1992, and has been the second-tallest building in Atlanta since then. When completed, it was the 28th tallest building in the world, and 21st tallest building...
in downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is the location of many corporate or regional headquarters, city, county, state and federal government facilities, sporting facilities, and is the central tourist attraction of the city...
, 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....
is Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. The office is located with WPXA-TV next to Six Flags White Water
Six Flags White Water
Six Flags White Water is a water park located northwest of Atlanta, in unincorporated Cobb County. Originally opening in 1984 as White Water Atlanta, the park became part of the Six Flags family of parks in 1999...
on Cobb Parkway
Cobb Parkway
Cobb Parkway is a major arterial road which runs northwest and southeast through Cobb County, Georgia. It concurrently carries both U.S. 41, and the much less-recognized Georgia 3...
(U.S. 41) in Marietta
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
, and it uses a wireless studio/transmitter link
Studio/transmitter link
A studio-transmitter link sends a radio station's or television station's audio and video from the broadcast studio to a radio transmitter or television transmitter in another location....
.
History
Originally W22AH on channel 22, it was licensed in 1988 to serve Columbus, GeorgiaColumbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
, over 100 km away. The station changed to channel 53 (with a negative frequency offset
Frequency offset
In radio engineering, a frequency offset is an intentional slight shift of broadcasted radio frequency , to reduce interference with other transmitters.- Interference :...
) and became W53BR in the early 1990s, and later moved northeast into metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta
The Atlanta metropolitan area or metro Atlanta, officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metro area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States...
around 1995, becoming WDTA-LP in 2001. The station antenna had the exact geographic coordinates and height of WANN-CA, indicating they were diplexed into the same antenna. Broadcasting from the Bank of America Plaza
Bank of America Plaza (Atlanta)
Bank of America Plaza is a skyscraper located in the SoNo district of Atlanta, Georgia. At the tower is the 53rd-tallest building in the world. When it first opened, it was the 9th tallest building in the world, and 6th tallest building in the United States...
in midtown Atlanta
Midtown Atlanta
Midtown is the second largest financial district in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown and SoNo to the south and the affluent residential and commercial district of Buckhead to the north...
, its city of license at the time was Fayetteville, Georgia
Fayetteville, Georgia
Fayetteville is a town in Fayette County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,945. The city is the county seat of Fayette County. Fayetteville is located approximately 22 miles from the city of Atlanta....
, a significant distance beyond its coverage area.
Because all stations are being forced from channels above 51, the station had a construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
for channel 28, and an application to modify their permit for a much stronger upgrade on channel 50. This application was approved as a construction permit, and would move the station antenna a few blocks south into downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is the location of many corporate or regional headquarters, city, county, state and federal government facilities, sporting facilities, and is the central tourist attraction of the city...
to become the first broadcaster on the SunTrust Plaza (One Peachtree Center
Peachtree Center
Peachtree Center is a multi-block neighborhood located in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Most of the buildings that make up the district were designed by Atlanta architect John C. Portman, Jr.. Many of the buildings are connected by a network of enclosed pedestrian sky bridges...
) building. It would also have given it an omnidirectional broadcast range, as opposed to its previous cardioid
Cardioid
A cardioid is a plane curve traced by a point on the perimeter of a circle that is rolling around a fixed circle of the same radius. It is therefore a type of limaçon and can also be defined as an epicycloid having a single cusp...
directional antenna
Directional antenna
A directional antenna or beam antenna is an antenna which radiates greater power in one or more directions allowing for increased performance on transmit and receive and reduced interference from unwanted sources....
with a sharp null
Null (radio)
In radio electronics, a null is an area or vector in an antenna's radiation pattern where the signal cancels out almost entirely.This can be an advantage, as nulls in the horizontal plane can be used to protect other transmitters from interference. If not carefully planned however, nulls can...
in its radiation pattern
Radiation pattern
In the field of antenna design the term radiation pattern most commonly refers to the directional dependence of the strength of the radio waves from the antenna or other source ....
to the northwest. However, this permit, granted in 2005, expired in 2008.
Additionally, the licensee applied for a digital facility on channel 47 from the same building, but only at 2kW, equivalent to only 10kW analog. This was later changed to channel 35 at 1.5kW, for which a CP was issued in late January 2009 for the standard period of three years. In August 2009 it applied for 15kW, and its permit was modified by the FCC in early September. The station's effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
was 112kW on 53, and would have been 150kW with beam tilt
Beam tilt
Beam tilt is used in radio to aim the main lobe of the vertical plane radiation pattern of an antenna below the horizontal plane.The simplest way is mechanical beam tilt, where the antenna is physically mounted in such a manner as to lower the angle of the signal on one side...
(116kW in the horizontal plane
Horizontal plane
In geometry, physics, astronomy, geography, and related sciences, a plane is said to be horizontal at a given point if it is perpendicular to the gradient of the gravity field at that point— in other words, if apparent gravity makes a plumb bob hang perpendicular to the plane at that point.In...
) on 50. Being at exactly the same height and location, this indicates that both the analog and digital 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...
s would have been diplexed into the same antenna.
The station switched to digital in late spring 2010, using 53.1 as its virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
, and ending analog transission after several months of crawls notified viewers it would eventually do so (though a date was never given). In late October, it was granted a broadcast 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...
to cover the changes, and its broadcast callsign suffix was changed from -LP to -LD.