KAKZ

KAKZ is the ABN affilliate serving the Sitka community on analog channel 7. KAKZ is one of a few ABN stations in the state of Alaska still relying on analog broadcasting due to extreme limitations of HD broadcasting to reach the citizens of Sitka. KAKZ along with sister station KAJN, KSCY and KDOV still rely on videotape and microwave relay stations to beam programming to Sitka viewers. In the early days, KAKZ piggy backed on stations from Juneau, Anchorage and Cicely. Unlike most ABN stations in the contiguous lower 48 states, KAKZ and their sister stations shut down their analog transmitters at 12:00 AM Alaska time and restart the transmitters at 7:00 AM Alaska time. Over the years, KAKZ has suffered numerous blackouts. The ABN Domestic Television Corporation in conjunction with Champion Digital Broadcasting is working to get satellite HD relays to KAKZ, KAJN, KSCY and KDOV to improve the signal quality. It will take place in June of 2015.