Thin-Air ATSC (And NTSC): A Two-Plus Mile High Perspective

Past posts in this writeup series have discussed my inability to tune in Reno, NV’s ABC affiliate, KOLO, from my Truckee, CA location even though I can solidly receive (in an antenna-assisted fashion) the broadcasts coming from CBS affiliate KTVN and KRNV…and specifically in spite of the fact that all three stations’ towers are located atop the exact same Sierra peak, Slide Mountain. Yesterday, I finally got a chance to see Slide Mountain up close and personal. Although the root cause of the reception disparity between KOLO and its competitors still isn’t clear to me, I gained a greater appreciation for my ability to tune in any of the stations’ broadcasts.

Here I am on top of Mt. Rose, the third-highest peak in the Tahoe Sierras at 10,776 foot above sea level, along with my friends Amy and Eric:

And here’s my studly 11-month old ’son’, Moo Shu, who joined us on the summit, and who ’slept like a log’ last night after we successfully returned to the 8,900 foot trailhead and headed for home:

Here’s two other summit shots of yours truly, in a woefully underclothed state (it was windy up there…I donned fleece shortly thereafter) with Lake Tahoe behind me to the southwest:

To my right (aka your left) is Slide Mountain, southeast of Mt. Rose. Note the television (and other) antennas up top:

For those of you who’ve ever driven the stunningly beautiful Mt. Rose Highway between Reno and Incline Village, NV, Slide Mountain is to the east when you’re at the summit sign, while Mt. Rose is to the northwest. Take a look at Google Maps (I recommend the Terrain view) for additional perspective clarity.

Here’s the key takeaway. Slide Mountain’s summit, at 9,650 feet, is more than 1,000 feet below the summit of Mt. Rose. And it’s on the other side of the Carson Range crest (notably comprising Mt. Rose, 10,482 foot high Mt. Houghton, and 10335 foot high Relay Peak) from me in Truckee.