BUTTE — Call it an office with the best view - High above the Mining City, crews are busy working to improve your television experience.
Working at dizzying heights on one of the towers on the East Ridge, crews installed a new 70-foot-long, 1,600-pound transmitter.
“It’s going to be great to get some new stuff for a viewers, they will love to see us better and as we go into the new future of everything and keeping up with the new technologies,” said KXLF Broadcasting Engineer Tiffanie Wood.
Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the upgrade process! Click to watch our video on the new transmitter installation in Butte.
This is part of a multimillion-dollar project to upgrade towers across the state by Scripps, and once this one is complete, viewers can expect better reception and a better picture.
Crews are upgrading the transmitter from VHF, very high frequency, to UHF, Ultra-High Frequency. UHF will increase over-the-air reception because higher frequencies penetrate structures better.
UHF will also be compatible with next-generation digital television.
"They are investing a lot of money in Montana. It really is for over-the-air broadcasting in Montana, for many years to come," says Mark Huller.
Huller is a part of the engineering team for Scripps, the parent company of MTN News stations like KBZK and KXLF. Huller explains that the company is making the switch from VHF radio frequency to UHF.
"The picture will basically look the same, but it will be better for indoor reception—that’s the #1 reason," he says.
UHF has a higher frequency range, giving it better coverage, penetration, and environmental suitability. Huller says this better positions the company for the future of TV broadcasting in Montana.
"People are cutting the cable. They’re going more and more to antennas for free television. So this just makes that a better product for them," he says.
As engineers bring down part of the old tower to make room for the new, viewers who get their news over the air will have to bear with some outages.
Don't Lose Your KXLF Signal! Essential Tips for a Smooth Transition
This new transmission tower will allow thousands more people to receive our signal over-the-air.
If you "lose" our signal, please rescan your TV.
For more information, call 406-922-2499 and watch KXLF.com, our KXLF app, and Facebook page for updates.
Cable and satellite customers will not be affected by the change.
TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS:
- Re-scan for channels
- Re-orient directional antennas to the south or southwest
- Move antennas away from electrical devices. Do not place behind TV, near wireless routers, etc.
- If still having trouble, unplug antenna from TV. Re-scan for channels. Turn TV off. Plug antenna back in. Turn TV on and scan for channels again.
- For further troubleshooting assistance, call 406-922-2499
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