WPNE

After months of broadcasting at limited power, Green Bay stations WBAY and WPNE are both back up to full broadcasting power.

The final transmission line replacement repair took place yesterday, taking WBAY off the air for about an hour.  

WBAY and Wisconsin Public Television's WPNE share a transmission line.

Over-the-air transmission of WBAY and WPNE resumed Saturday evening, but only at about 25 percent of normal power.  But repairs necessary to bring both broadcasters back to normal operation may be delayed at least two weeks, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

After being off the air for nearly six hours today, WBAY is reporting their signal and that of WPNE (Wisconsin Public Television) cannot be restored this afternoon as hoped.  Both broadcasters, which share a tower on Scray's Hill near Green Bay, had gone off the air beginning at 9 AM to diagnose transmitter problems that started to impact their signals last night.  The problem was believed by station officials to be electrical in nature.

Six local broadcast channels will go dark for six hours Friday morning to facilitate transmitter repair diagnosis.  The process will leave antenna viewers, and some cable and satellite customers, without WBAY and Wisconsin Public Television starting at 9 AM.

The repairs will also affect the two broadcasters' digital subchannels.

We're unsure how long it's been like this, but a reader writes in today to let us know that WPNE, the Green Bay affiliate of Wisconsin Public Television, is now showing up in high-definition on DirecTV.

Thanks to Bill H for letting us know!

As we previously reported, Time Warner Cable will be dramatically reordering their digital cable lineup in Northeast Wisconsin on October 6th.  At that time, there will also be some changes coming to basic/standard customers' lineups as well.

This comes in Time Warner Cable's monthly legal programming notice, published in local newspapers and on their website.

Highlights of other announced programming changes include the following:

CHANNEL NUMBER CHANGES

• WPT WI moves to 975, WPT Create to 977, Retro TV to 991 and WBAY Weather to 992.
• WBAY HD moves to 1003, WFRV HD to 1006, WGBA HD to 1007, WPNE HD to 1008, WIWB HD to 1010, and WLUK HD to 1012.
• Big Ten Network moves down to channel 39
• Cartoon Network moves down to channel 62
• Oxygen moves up to channel 68
• Versus moves down to channel 38
• HGTV moves down to channel 26
• VH1 moves down to channel 20
• CSPAN moves to Basic channel 99 in Oshkosh, Neenah/Menasha and De Pere lineups
• WGN moves to channel 9
• Info channel moves to 66 in Appleton, Green Bay, Reedsville, De Pere, and Neenah/Menasha
• EWTN moves to Basic channel 11 in Oshkosh and 12 in Marinette
• TLC moves to Standard channel 42 in Marinette

CHANNEL PACKAGE CHANGES / CHANNEL ADDITIONS

• Shop NBC moves to Basic lineup on channel 96
• Jewelry TV moves to Digital Access
• Nick2 moves to the Digital Choice package
• IFC moves to the Movie Package
• Fit TV, Investigation Discovery, Planet Green, Speed, CSPAN 3, GSN, BET J, SOAPnet, Sprout, Outdoor and NBA TV move to the Digital Variety package
• RFD TV, Military History, C&I Network, and CNN International join the Digital Choice package
• Sundance, The Word, TBN, MTV Hits, TV One, and BTN Alternates join the Digital Variety package
• Hallmark will no longer be in the Family Choice package, but will remain in the standard lineup
• Marinette will have several additional changes to the standard lineup. For a listing of Marinette area changes, please see today’s issue of the Eagle Herald or complete local lineup, which will be mailed to all Time Warner Cable customers.

CHANNEL DELETIONS

• West coast feeds of Showtime, Sho2, Showcase and Sho Extreme will no longer be on the lineup