TV Technical Profile: WDBB

Channel:

18

17 (STA)

Programming:

17.1 - CW HD

17.2 - CW SD

Transmitter Location:

On the "tall tower" with WOWC-FM, located between Tuscaloosa and Jasper, a few miles east of Alabama 69.

Power (ERP):

350 kW

16 kW (STA)

Height Above Average Terrain (HAAT):

2,213 feet

548 feet (STA)

Antenna:

Directional

Directional(STA)

Other Information:

41 dBu protected service contour, from the FCC.

41 dBu protected service contour, from the FCC. (STA)

Simulcasts WTTO-TV 21, Birmingham

Station History:

Originally a Tuscaloosa station, WDBB (DuBose Broadcasting, named for the owner, David DuBose) originally was a small independent station with a tower off Jug Factory Road on the hill behind the Food World Plaza (now where the Wal-Mart Supercenter is.)  WDBB built the now-famous tall tower that houses a few amatuer radio repeaters and WDXB-FM, which serves practically every square inch of central Alabama. The TV station achieved good coverage of Tuscaloosa and Birmingham.

 

At one point (date unknown) WDBB went back off the tall tower and went to a much lower power on a tower practically all the way to Moundville, south of Tuscaloosa. The off the air coverage of the station in Tuscaloosa was poor at this location. The station's file now says "Bessemer" for the city of license; in early 2000, the station was back on the tall tower, serving Birmingham again. The station currently carries The WB and Fox Kids through a local marketing agreement (LMA) with the WTTO-TV Homewood (Birmingham). In fact, the WB21 logo appears on screen!

 

The original WDBB tower is still standing. It currently handes a low power TV station and at least one low power FMtranslator; it also appears to have a few public safety band antennae on it.

 

Along with WTTO, the station switched to CW in September 2006.

 

On February 17^th 2009 the station discontinued standard analog broadcasts and aired "nite lite" programming consisting of information on how to aquire and setup a digital converter box.  That ceased after the new digital transition date in June 2009.  This station may be operating under an Special Temporary Authority on RF channel 17.