BUTTE - You can get quite a crick in your neck looking up at this crew working over 8,000 feet in the air on KXLF’s broadcast tower. 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.
Curious about the upgrades to your favorite Montana TV station? Watch our video to see crews working 8,000 feet in the air on KXLF’s broadcast tower!
“Our ownership, Scripps, has put millions of dollars into free, over-the-air television for Montana. They would not be making this type of investment if they didn’t plan to be here for a long, long time,” said Scripps Engineer Mark Huller.
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.
“It’s been an ongoing problem where people don’t wish to or can’t put a major antenna outside of their house, so they have rabbit ears or a panel antenna inside. UHF will be better for that type of reception,” said Huller.
UHF will also be compatible with next-generation digital television.
“Better pictures, more data, more viewer interface where they can actually tie into the internet, they can get links off the television,” he said.
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.
No timeline has been set for when the new transmitter will go online, but the transfer from the VHF to UHF will involve a brief interruption of broadcast. Viewers will be notified before the transition occurs.
