Local HDTV Channel Update,Queen Kaahumanu Highway Phase I Widening Update,Federal Economic Stimulus Legislation A Dud ?,HB 1174 Passes a Key Legislative Hurdle,Act 221 Survives Another Day,Hawaii Ceded Lands Litigation Heats Up

KGMB and KHON responded to my question asking why I couldn’t watch the local HDTV channels via my TV’s QAM tuner.

“Good Day Aaron,

If I interpret your question correctly you’re currently on Oceanic Time Warner Service. The “must carry” rules do not include HD service at this time which is probably why you’re not picking up these channels in the clear. That being said however, Oceanic does move it’s station line-ups from time to time which puts the HD service feeds in the clear ex: KHON on a Sony HDTV set can be picked up on 89.3 here on Oahu but I’m not sure where it would be found on the Big Island. This is one of the reasons why Oceanic insist on customers to use their HD converter boxes. I would try to perform a rescan on your TV so as to allow your set to look for any new channels and possibly find the HD channels in the clear.

Although this is probably what you didn’t wish to hear, unfortunately Oceanic Time Warner is independant from our station and we do not hold the keys to their channel line-ups.

If you have further questions, please do not hestitate to ask.

Thank you for taking the time to write and for being a KHON viewer.

Regards,

Bob Vaillancourt
Director of Engineering – KHON/KAII/KHAW”

“Hi Aaron,
You are correct that all the local HD channels can be found free and clear on Oceanic’s system. If you are already a digital cable customer you can request an HD cable box to get the local HD channels. Oceanic used to provide them at no additional charge but I don’t know if they still do. If you’re just a basic cable customer then you need your own digital cable receiver to decode the HD signals. Most newer HDTVs have built in digital receivers that work with cable, otherwise known as a QAM receiver. QAM channels that are not encrypted like the local HD stations are known as “Clear-QAM” channels. The tricky part is that QAM channel numbers often don’t make much sense, can vary from TV to TV, and can change suddenly without warning. Since the cable company would prefer you subscribe to their HD package they don’t publish the QAM channel numbers. Here is what I have for some of the locals at last check…

KGMB 113.1
KHNL 83.3
KHON 85.3

These numbers work for most digital TVs and Receivers, but not all.

Hope this helps.

Aloha,
-Mike McCarthy
Chief Engineer – KGMB9″

I received this update in regards to the completion of Phase I of the Queen Kaahumanu highway widening project :

“Aaron,

The current project schedule (2-18-09) has the Palani Road intersection substantially complete (except for striping and signing items) by the end of March 2009. We are working with HELCO to relocate their poles on the mauka approach and all the pieces are in place, but completion of this approach will be delayed if HELCO does not relocate their poles by mid-March.

Electrical work (transfer of temporary to permanent power for traffic signals and street lights) at other intersections are shown to be completed by mid-April 2009.

Completion of the Henry Street intersection and the highway segment between Henry Street and Malulani Drive has slipped to mid-April 2009. There also is a portion of the sidewalk work that was discovered to be outside of the State right-of-way at the Henry Street intersection that may impact that intersection’s completion. Hawaiian Dredging is working directly with the landowner to resolve this issue.”

The Pacific Business News had a spot on op-ed calling the recently federal economic stimulus legislation a dud.

HB 1174 has passed a key legislative hurdle, according to this HTH article.This bill would strip the BLNR’s legal authority to oversee the astronomy activities occurring on Mauna Kea and give it to the University of Hawaii. Talk about the rooster watching the hen house. The University of Hawaii has done a poor job in managing the astronomy development on Mauna Kea. Thus oversight of the astronomy activities on Mauna Kea should remain with the BLNR.

I’m very happy that the legislature has not completely scrapped Act 221.Act 221 gives tax credits to high technology firms wishing to start up business here in Hawaii.

Lastly, the Hawaii ceded lands litigation discussion is heating up :

1.There will be a vigil condemning this appeal in front of the state capital on the same day as the oral arguments in this case will be held at the US Supreme Court.

2. The SCOTUSblog had a interesting synopsis of this case here (Hat tip attorney Robert Thomas).

3. The acting US Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler doing the oral arguments on behalf of State of Hawaii on Wednesday.OHA had hoped that President Obama’s administration would taking the reigns of this appeal. However that has not transpired probably since the federal government also has a vested interest in the outcome of this case (they own 300,000 acres of Hawaii ceded land).

4. Attorney Charley Foster blogged about some miscellaneous Hawaii ceded lands news here.

5.Lastly, according to KGMB the State house has killed the legislation which barred the State of Hawaii from transferring or selling Hawaii ceded lands. However the State senate passed a less comprehensive bill that would merely restrict the transfer or sale of Hawaii ceded lands.