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| Polnet's WPVN TV To Move To Stronger Transmitter |
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| Written by Larz | |||
| Thursday, 08 September 2011 17:41 | |||
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Polnet Communications Ltd's low-powered television station WPVN-LD, will eventually be a whole lot less low-powered. Polnet is in the process of moving its transmissions from a weak transmitter in Schaumburg to a more powerful one in downtown Chicago.
On March 28th of this year, Polnet Communications filed an application with the FCC to move its transmitter for WPVN to the top of the Trump International Hotel & Tower in downtown Chicago. On August 30th, permission from the FCC was finally granted. Polnet now has a Construction Permit with the FCC to build a 15 kw digital transmitter high atop a downtown Chicago skyscraper, up from a 10kw digital transmitter low to the ground in the western suburbs. Details of the FCC approval and specifics of the new transmitter can be found on the FCC's website at this direct link HERE. This will be the first transmitter of any television or radio station on the Trump International Hotel & Tower since it opened in 2008. It is the second tallest building in the United States (with Chicago's Willis Tower being the tallest). Once completed and activated, the new transmitter will greatly improve WPVN's range and clarity, both of which have been spotty at best in the last year. The new range will have WPVN seen clearly throughout all of Cook and DuPage Counties, large portions of Lake and Will Counties, small portions of Kane and Kendall counties, and into northwestern Lake County, IN. A map comparing the current and new coverage areas can be seen below. A request to Polnet Communications as to an expected completion date for the new transmitter has not yet been responded to. However, WPVN's website does state that work has begun. CRM has learned that all parts and materials have already been purchased, in anticipation of the FCC approval. The purchase of WPVN-CA/WPVN-LD by Polnet Communications Ltd was completed in March 2010. Polnet purchased the Class A television station from Nelson TV, Inc. for $1.6 million, in a transaction put together by Bob Heymann, Director of the Chicago-based offices of Media Services Group, who served as the exclusive broker for the seller. After months of dead air, Polnet's WPVN became the Retro Television Network (RTV) affiliate for the Chicago market on November 13, 2010. WPVN currently airs RTV on channel 24.1, and is also airing programming on 5 sub-channels. Tuff TV is on 24.2, ethnic public access is on 24.3, Polnet's own Polvision is on 24.4, KUBS-TV is on 24.5 and MC-TV is on 24.6. (Analog broadcasts are actually on Channel 20, with the digital virtual broadcast received on Channel 24.) In other recent Polnet Communications news, Polvision, the Polnet-owned Polish television network seen locally on Channel 24.4, has now been picked up Comcast Cable systems in Chicago, being shown 24 hours a day on Comcast channel 397. Polnet Communications Ltd., the Chicago-based media company owned by Walter Kotaba, owns eight AM radio stations, four of which are located in the Chicago suburbs: WEEF, WNVR, WPJX and WKTA. It also own two television stations: WPVN-LD in Chicago and WPVS-LP in Milwaukee, WI (currently silent). (A tip of the hat to Media Services Group's Bob Heymann for his assistance with this article.)  
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