Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554

In the Matter of ) ) CHANNEL 33, INC. ) MB Docket No. 20- ______) RM - ____ Petition for Rulemaking to Amend the ) DTV Table of Allotments for ) Station KHSV(DT), Las Vegas, NV ) (Facility ID No. 69677) )

PETITION FOR RULEMAKING

CHANNEL 33, INC., licensee of television station KHSV(DT), Las Vegas, Nevada

(Facility ID No. 69677) (“KHSV” or the “Station”), hereby requests that the Commission commence a rulemaking pursuant to Section 1.401 of the Commission’s rules1 in order to amend the DTV Table of Allotments by allotting UHF Channel 21 to KHSV in lieu of low-band

VHF Channel 2 consistent with the technical parameters as set forth in the attached

Engineering Statement.2 As demonstrated herein, the proposed channel substitution for KHSV from low-VHF Channel 2 to UHF Channel 21 would allow KHSV to significantly improve its over-the-air service to the Station’s viewers in the Las Vegas market. As shown below, the proposed channel change from Channel 2 to Channel 21would result in a substantial increase in signal receivability for KHSV’s core viewers and enable viewers to receive the Station’s signal with a significantly smaller antenna.

The proposed channel substitution would serve the public interest because KHSV has had a long history of dealing with severe reception problems since the Station was licensed on

1 47 C.F.R. § 1.401.

2 See Engineering Statement of John E. Hidle, P.E., In Support of a Petition to Amend the Table of Allotments for KHSV, Las Vegas, Nevada (Sept. 18, 2020) (“Engineering Statement”). Channel 2, beginning in 2005.3 The reception issues were exacerbated by the analog to digital conversion. This is not surprising as the Commission has long recognized that “VHF channels have certain characteristics that have posed challenges for their use in providing digital television service,” including “propagation characteristics of these channels [that] allow undesired signals and noise to be receivable at relatively farther distances,” the tendency of

“nearby electrical devices … to emit noise in this band that can cause interference,” and the fact that “reception of VHF signals requires physically larger antennas that are generally not well suited to the mobile applications expected under flexible use, relative to UHF channels.”4 The

Commission has also specifically stated with respect to operation on low-VHF channels that:

use of the low-VHF channels 2-6 for digital service could be particularly difficult because of the generally higher levels of background noise on those channels … We note that many indoor antennas are not marketed for reception of low-VHF channels. As indicated above, the engineers participating in our Broadcast Engineering Forum indicated the view that the options for improving TV service on the VHF channels, especially those in the low-VHF band, are limited. They indicated that while practical power increases could marginally improve reception there are physical and practical limitations to achieving any significant reception improvement. Their general opinion was that the effect of a power increase would not be sufficient to compensate for reception problems caused by the increased RF noise level in the band and physical limitations on the size and efficiency of the transmit and receive antennas.5

These sound conclusions by the Commission have proven to be absolutely correct and are entirely consistent with the experience of KHSV operating on low-VHF Channel 2. Indeed,

KHSV has received numerous complaints from viewers unable to receive the Station’s over-the- air signal, despite being able to receive signals from other local stations. Permitting KHSV to

3 See LMS File No. BLCDT-20050824ABJ.

4 Innovation in the Broadcast Television Bands: Allocations, Channel Sharing and Improvements to VHF, NPRM, 25 FCC Rcd 16498, 16511 ¶ 42 (2010) (“VHF Improvements NPRM”).

5Id. (internal citations omitted).

2 operate on UHF Channel 21 instead of low-VHF Channel 2 will alleviate the Station’s reception issues and will improve service to local viewers in the public interest.

Importantly, the proposal will result in more effective building penetration for indoor antenna reception and will also greatly improve the Station’s ability to provide ATSC 3.0 service to homes and portable devices, to the ultimate benefit of the Station’s viewers in Las Vegas. As is common knowledge, even if low-VHF antennas were readily available for consumers, which they are not, the large size of any such antennas would not be suitable for consumer use. Further, as the Commission is aware, VHF antennas that were commonly available for consumers for analog reception have consistently exhibited extremely poor performance on the low-VHF channels.

As an initial matter, for the Station’s signal to be received at all by viewers, it would require an antenna gain of at least 4 dB (according to planning factors) and an antenna elevated

30 feet above ground! As further evidence of why the requested channel change from low VHF

Channel 2 is absolutely necessary, attached are charts taken from the instruction manuals for Potomac

Instruments Field Strength Meters, which are used to determine the actual physical size of the wavelengths of digital VHF and UHF channels. These charts are specifically utilized to adjust the length of the reference dipole antennas associated with each instrument according to the frequency being measured. As shown in the chart for VHF channels, the dipole antenna length for Channel 2 would be an enormous nine feet for a portable device! An antenna of this size is obviously unrealistic for use in a portable mobile device. In contrast, the chart for the UHF frequencies indicate the dipole length for Channel 14 to be only 10.2 inches, which is used in portable devices capable of UHF signal reception which are currently being manufactured. Consequently, the ability of broadcast television stations to use the groundbreaking new ATSC 3.0 technology, which will dramatically enhance the television viewing experience for mobile consumers, depends on those stations being able to broadcast

3 on UHF channels. This fact alone should justify the requested channel change as being overwhelmingly in the public interest.

Thus, the Station’s current Channel 2 signal on a map amounts to untold numbers of fictitious “viewers” since it goes without saying that few, if any, viewers have an antenna 30 feet above the ground with a 4 dB gain. In this case, in light of the persistent coverage and reception issues that the Station has historically faced on low-VHF Channel 2 to the detriment of the

Station’s viewers in KHSV’s core coverage area, any nominal population loss in outlying areas of the Station’s contour would be more than outweighed by the substantial improvement in the

Station’s actual over-the-air reception within its community of license and in other core portions of its service area. Consequently, the proposed move to Channel 21 would serve the public interest by giving Las Vegas viewers significantly improved access to KHSV’s signal.

As show in the attached Engineering Statement, KHSV has determined that the proposed migration to Channel 21 will be a favorable arrangement of allotments based on the enhanced signal levels that will be delivered to a majority of the population within the station's

"protected service area". For example: The percentage of population receiving a signal greater than 100 dBu is only 13.6% for Channel 2, while the percentage that is predicted to receive a signal greater than 100 dBu is a significant 96.8% for Channel 21. The populations predicted for each channel and signal levels are shown in the attached map exhibits. As a result, the

Station believes that changing KHSV to operate on Channel 21 will solve a vast majority of its current reception problems and is therefore in the public interest.

Now that Phase 10 has been completed and the repack has wound down, grant of the instant Petition would have no impact on the Post-Transition Table of DTV Allotments or otherwise affect the analysis of repacking methodologies. Indeed, the Media Bureau already

4 permitted full power, Class A, and low power stations to propose substitutions of their assigned channels as part of the post-auction transition.6 Additionally, as shown in the attached

Engineering Statement, KHSV’s proposed move from Channel 2 to Channel 21 protects all operating and approved post-Auction facilities in accordance with the Commission’s rules.

Further, KHSV has confirmed with its vendors that they have the capacity to supply the antenna and transmitter equipment necessary for KHSV’s proposed Channel 21 facility without adversely impacting any other station’s repack progress. KHSV’s proposed channel substitution thus does not in any way obstruct the Commission’s repacking process, making the instant Petition ripe for Media Bureau approval and grant.

Accordingly, the public interest would be best served by promptly granting KHSV’s request to move from Channel 2 to Channel 21 with the specifications set forth in the

Engineering Statement, so that Las Vegas-area viewers may benefit from substantially improved over-the-air broadcast television service as soon as possible, consistent with §73.622(i) of the

Commission’s Rules.

6 See Incentive Auction Closing and Channel Reassignment Public Notice the Broadcast TV Incentive Auction Closes; Reverse Auction and Forward Auction Results Announced; Final TV Band Channel Assignments Announced; Post-Auction Deadlines Announced, Public Notice, 32 FCC Rcd. 2786 ¶ 71 (2017); Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau Announce Post Incentive Auction Special Displacement Window April 10, 2018, Through May 15, 2018, And Make Location and Channel Data Available, Public Notice, 33 FCC Rcd. 1234 ¶ 6 (IATF and MB 2018).

Conclusion

For the foregoing reasons, the proposed amendment to the DTV Table of Allotments will clearly serve the public interest. Petitioners therefore respectfully request that the DTV Table be amended in accordance with the specifications set forth in the attached Engineering Statement.

Respectfully Submitted,

CHANNEL 33, INC.

By: /s/ Colby May Colby May, Esq., PC PO Box 15473 Washington, DC 20003 (202) 544-5171 [email protected]

Dated: November 27, 2020

0 330 30 1.0 AZIMUTH PATTERN 0.9 Horizontal Polarization 0.8 0.7 Proposal No. C-71563- 300 0.6 60 0.5 Date 5-Aug-20 0.4 Call Letters KHSV 0.3 Channel 21 0.2 Frequency 515 MHz 0.1 Antenna Type TFU-25EST/VP-R C170 270 0.0 90 Gain 1.54 (1.88dB) Calculated

TFU-CT150

240 120

210 180 150

Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value 0 0.997 36 0.909 72 0.989 108 0.810 144 0.263 180 0.446 216 0.357 252 0.925 288 0.956 324 0.931 1 0.996 37 0.908 73 0.992 109 0.796 145 0.262 181 0.442 217 0.373 253 0.933 289 0.953 325 0.933 2 0.995 38 0.907 74 0.994 110 0.781 146 0.264 182 0.437 218 0.390 254 0.941 290 0.949 326 0.937 3 0.993 39 0.906 75 0.996 111 0.766 147 0.267 183 0.432 219 0.407 255 0.948 291 0.945 327 0.940 4 0.992 40 0.906 76 0.997 112 0.751 148 0.271 184 0.426 220 0.425 256 0.955 292 0.942 328 0.943 5 0.990 41 0.906 77 0.998 113 0.735 149 0.277 185 0.419 221 0.443 257 0.962 293 0.938 329 0.946 6 0.988 42 0.906 78 0.999 114 0.718 150 0.284 186 0.412 222 0.462 258 0.968 294 0.935 330 0.949 7 0.986 43 0.906 79 1.000 115 0.701 151 0.292 187 0.404 223 0.481 259 0.973 295 0.931 331 0.952 8 0.984 44 0.907 80 1.000 116 0.684 152 0.301 188 0.396 224 0.500 260 0.978 296 0.928 332 0.955 9 0.981 45 0.908 81 1.000 117 0.667 153 0.310 189 0.387 225 0.518 261 0.982 297 0.925 333 0.959 10 0.979 46 0.909 82 0.999 118 0.649 154 0.319 190 0.378 226 0.537 262 0.986 298 0.922 334 0.962 11 0.976 47 0.911 83 0.998 119 0.631 155 0.329 191 0.369 227 0.556 263 0.989 299 0.919 335 0.965 12 0.974 48 0.913 84 0.997 120 0.612 156 0.339 192 0.359 228 0.575 264 0.992 300 0.917 336 0.968 13 0.971 49 0.915 85 0.995 121 0.594 157 0.349 193 0.349 229 0.594 265 0.995 301 0.915 337 0.971 14 0.968 50 0.917 86 0.992 122 0.575 158 0.359 194 0.339 230 0.612 266 0.997 302 0.913 338 0.974 15 0.965 51 0.919 87 0.989 123 0.556 159 0.369 195 0.329 231 0.631 267 0.998 303 0.911 339 0.976 16 0.962 52 0.922 88 0.986 124 0.537 160 0.378 196 0.319 232 0.649 268 0.999 304 0.909 340 0.979 17 0.959 53 0.925 89 0.982 125 0.518 161 0.387 197 0.310 233 0.667 269 1.000 305 0.908 341 0.981 18 0.956 54 0.928 90 0.978 126 0.500 162 0.396 198 0.301 234 0.684 270 1.000 306 0.907 342 0.984 19 0.952 55 0.931 91 0.973 127 0.481 163 0.404 199 0.292 235 0.701 271 1.000 307 0.906 343 0.986 20 0.949 56 0.935 92 0.968 128 0.462 164 0.412 200 0.284 236 0.718 272 0.999 308 0.906 344 0.988 21 0.946 57 0.938 93 0.962 129 0.443 165 0.419 201 0.277 237 0.735 273 0.998 309 0.906 345 0.990 22 0.943 58 0.942 94 0.955 130 0.425 166 0.426 202 0.271 238 0.751 274 0.997 310 0.906 346 0.992 23 0.940 59 0.945 95 0.948 131 0.407 167 0.432 203 0.267 239 0.766 275 0.996 311 0.906 347 0.993 24 0.937 60 0.949 96 0.941 132 0.390 168 0.437 204 0.264 240 0.781 276 0.994 312 0.907 348 0.995 25 0.933 61 0.953 97 0.933 133 0.373 169 0.442 205 0.263 241 0.796 277 0.992 313 0.908 349 0.996 26 0.931 62 0.956 98 0.925 134 0.357 170 0.446 206 0.263 242 0.810 278 0.989 314 0.909 350 0.997 27 0.928 63 0.960 99 0.915 135 0.342 171 0.450 207 0.265 243 0.824 279 0.987 315 0.910 351 0.998 28 0.925 64 0.964 100 0.906 136 0.327 172 0.452 208 0.269 244 0.837 280 0.984 316 0.912 352 0.998 29 0.922 65 0.967 101 0.896 137 0.314 173 0.454 209 0.275 245 0.850 281 0.981 317 0.913 353 0.999 30 0.920 66 0.971 102 0.885 138 0.302 174 0.455 210 0.282 246 0.862 282 0.978 318 0.915 354 0.999 31 0.918 67 0.975 103 0.874 139 0.291 175 0.456 211 0.291 247 0.874 283 0.975 319 0.917 355 0.999 32 0.915 68 0.978 104 0.862 140 0.282 176 0.455 212 0.302 248 0.885 284 0.971 320 0.920 356 0.999 33 0.913 69 0.981 105 0.850 141 0.275 177 0.454 213 0.314 249 0.896 285 0.967 321 0.922 357 0.999 34 0.912 70 0.984 106 0.837 142 0.269 178 0.452 214 0.327 250 0.906 286 0.964 322 0.925 358 0.998 35 0.910 71 0.987 107 0.824 143 0.265 179 0.450 215 0.342 251 0.915 287 0.960 323 0.928 359 0.998

This document contains proprietary and confidential information of Dielectric. It is to be used solely for the purpose for which it is provided. No disclosure, reproduction, or use of this document or any part of it may be made without the written permission of Dielectric. 0

330 1.0 30 AZIMUTH PATTERN 0.9 Vertical Polarization 0.8 0.7 Proposal No. C-71563- 300 0.6 60 Date 5-Aug-20 0.5 Call Letters KHSV 0.4 0.3 Channel 21 0.2 Frequency 515 MHz 0.1 Antenna Type TFU-25EST/VP-R C170 270 0.0 90 Gain 2.26 (3.54dB) Calculated

TFU-CT150 V

240 120

210 180 150 Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value Deg Value 0 0.542 36 0.333 72 0.419 108 0.388 144 0.177 180 0.204 216 0.234 252 0.418 288 0.390 324 0.379 1 0.539 37 0.331 73 0.421 109 0.384 145 0.173 181 0.202 217 0.241 253 0.420 289 0.387 325 0.386 2 0.536 38 0.329 74 0.423 110 0.380 146 0.170 182 0.200 218 0.248 254 0.422 290 0.383 326 0.393 3 0.532 39 0.328 75 0.425 111 0.375 147 0.168 183 0.198 219 0.255 255 0.423 291 0.379 327 0.400 4 0.528 40 0.328 76 0.426 112 0.371 148 0.166 184 0.196 220 0.262 256 0.425 292 0.376 328 0.407 5 0.524 41 0.328 77 0.428 113 0.366 149 0.164 185 0.194 221 0.269 257 0.426 293 0.372 329 0.415 6 0.519 42 0.328 78 0.429 114 0.361 150 0.164 186 0.191 222 0.276 258 0.428 294 0.368 330 0.423 7 0.514 43 0.329 79 0.430 115 0.356 151 0.163 187 0.188 223 0.283 259 0.429 295 0.364 331 0.430 8 0.508 44 0.331 80 0.431 116 0.351 152 0.164 188 0.185 224 0.290 260 0.430 296 0.360 332 0.438 9 0.502 45 0.332 81 0.431 117 0.346 153 0.164 189 0.182 225 0.297 261 0.431 297 0.357 333 0.446 10 0.496 46 0.335 82 0.432 118 0.340 154 0.166 190 0.179 226 0.303 262 0.431 298 0.353 334 0.453 11 0.489 47 0.337 83 0.432 119 0.334 155 0.167 191 0.177 227 0.310 263 0.432 299 0.349 335 0.461 12 0.483 48 0.340 84 0.432 120 0.328 156 0.169 192 0.174 228 0.316 264 0.432 300 0.346 336 0.468 13 0.476 49 0.343 85 0.432 121 0.322 157 0.172 193 0.172 229 0.322 265 0.432 301 0.343 337 0.476 14 0.468 50 0.346 86 0.432 122 0.316 158 0.174 194 0.169 230 0.328 266 0.432 302 0.340 338 0.483 15 0.461 51 0.349 87 0.432 123 0.310 159 0.177 195 0.167 231 0.334 267 0.432 303 0.337 339 0.489 16 0.453 52 0.353 88 0.431 124 0.303 160 0.179 196 0.166 232 0.340 268 0.432 304 0.335 340 0.496 17 0.446 53 0.357 89 0.431 125 0.297 161 0.182 197 0.164 233 0.346 269 0.431 305 0.332 341 0.502 18 0.438 54 0.360 90 0.430 126 0.290 162 0.185 198 0.164 234 0.351 270 0.431 306 0.331 342 0.508 19 0.430 55 0.364 91 0.429 127 0.283 163 0.188 199 0.163 235 0.356 271 0.430 307 0.329 343 0.514 20 0.423 56 0.368 92 0.428 128 0.276 164 0.191 200 0.164 236 0.361 272 0.429 308 0.328 344 0.519 21 0.415 57 0.372 93 0.426 129 0.269 165 0.194 201 0.164 237 0.366 273 0.428 309 0.328 345 0.524 22 0.407 58 0.376 94 0.425 130 0.262 166 0.196 202 0.166 238 0.371 274 0.426 310 0.328 346 0.528 23 0.400 59 0.379 95 0.423 131 0.255 167 0.198 203 0.168 239 0.375 275 0.425 311 0.328 347 0.532 24 0.393 60 0.383 96 0.422 132 0.248 168 0.200 204 0.170 240 0.380 276 0.423 312 0.329 348 0.536 25 0.386 61 0.387 97 0.420 133 0.241 169 0.202 205 0.173 241 0.384 277 0.421 313 0.331 349 0.539 26 0.379 62 0.390 98 0.418 134 0.234 170 0.204 206 0.177 242 0.388 278 0.419 314 0.333 350 0.542 27 0.372 63 0.394 99 0.415 135 0.227 171 0.205 207 0.181 243 0.391 279 0.417 315 0.335 351 0.544 28 0.366 64 0.397 100 0.413 136 0.221 172 0.206 208 0.186 244 0.395 280 0.415 316 0.338 352 0.545 29 0.361 65 0.400 101 0.410 137 0.214 173 0.207 209 0.191 245 0.398 281 0.412 317 0.342 353 0.547 30 0.355 66 0.404 102 0.408 138 0.208 174 0.208 210 0.196 246 0.402 282 0.409 318 0.346 354 0.547 31 0.350 67 0.406 103 0.405 139 0.202 175 0.208 211 0.202 247 0.405 283 0.406 319 0.350 355 0.548 32 0.346 68 0.409 104 0.402 140 0.196 176 0.208 212 0.208 248 0.408 284 0.404 320 0.355 356 0.547 33 0.342 69 0.412 105 0.398 141 0.191 177 0.207 213 0.214 249 0.410 285 0.400 321 0.361 357 0.547 34 0.338 70 0.415 106 0.395 142 0.186 178 0.206 214 0.221 250 0.413 286 0.397 322 0.366 358 0.545 35 0.335 71 0.417 107 0.391 143 0.181 179 0.205 215 0.227 251 0.415 287 0.394 323 0.372 359 0.544 This document contains proprietary and confidential information of Dielectric. It is to be used solely for the purpose for which it is provided. No disclosure, reproduction, or use of this document or any part of it may be made without the written permission of Dielectric. ELEVATION PATTERN Proposal No. C-71563- Date 5-Aug-20 Call Letters KHSV Channel 21 Frequency 515 MHz Antenna Type TFU-25EST/VP-R C170 RMS Directivity at Main Lobe 23.3 ( 13.67 dB ) Beam Tilt 0.75 deg RMS Directivity at Horizontal 16.2 ( 12.10 dB ) Pattern Number 25E233075 Calculated 1 1

0.9 0.9

0.8 0.8

0.7 0.7

0.6 0.6

0.5 0.5

0.4 0.4

0.3 0.3 0.9 0.2 0.2

0.1 0.1

0 0 -3 -2 -101234567891011 -100 102030405060708090 Degrees Below Horizontal Degrees Below Horizontal

Angle Field Angle Field Angle Field Angle Field Angle Field -10.0 0.078 10.0 0.067 30.0 0.033 50.0 0.030 70.0 0.028 -9.0 0.090 11.0 0.096 31.0 0.049 51.0 0.017 71.0 0.036 -8.0 0.067 12.0 0.046 32.0 0.014 52.0 0.037 72.0 0.041 -7.0 0.124 13.0 0.085 33.0 0.042 53.0 0.041 73.0 0.041 -6.0 0.067 14.0 0.051 34.0 0.043 54.0 0.025 74.0 0.037 -5.0 0.157 15.0 0.059 35.0 0.012 55.0 0.020 75.0 0.030 -4.0 0.126 16.0 0.065 36.0 0.044 56.0 0.038 76.0 0.023 -3.0 0.211 17.0 0.033 37.0 0.037 57.0 0.041 77.0 0.020 -2.0 0.232 18.0 0.069 38.0 0.015 58.0 0.028 78.0 0.021 -1.0 0.326 19.0 0.028 39.0 0.045 59.0 0.020 79.0 0.025 0.0 0.833 20.0 0.055 40.0 0.035 60.0 0.034 80.0 0.028 1.0 0.985 21.0 0.049 41.0 0.014 61.0 0.042 81.0 0.030 2.0 0.645 22.0 0.029 42.0 0.042 62.0 0.037 82.0 0.029 3.0 0.322 23.0 0.059 43.0 0.037 63.0 0.024 83.0 0.027 4.0 0.286 24.0 0.022 44.0 0.013 64.0 0.022 84.0 0.023 5.0 0.146 25.0 0.047 45.0 0.038 65.0 0.034 85.0 0.019 6.0 0.163 26.0 0.046 46.0 0.041 66.0 0.042 86.0 0.014 7.0 0.112 27.0 0.019 47.0 0.017 67.0 0.040 87.0 0.010 8.0 0.113 28.0 0.053 48.0 0.029 68.0 0.032 88.0 0.005 9.0 0.103 29.0 0.028 49.0 0.043 69.0 0.025 89.0 0.002 90.0 0.000