Some Hawaii households receiving television over the air may be left without service after noon on Jan. 15, when Hawaii's full-power TV stations turn off their analog signals.

Any disruption will be the effect of moving broadcast towers from atop Haleakala, on Maui, farther down in elevation to Ulupalakua Ranch. The signals will not emanate from as great a height, possibly causing some pockets of population to lose signals.

Computer modeling shows the number will be smaller than feared, said Jonathan Adelstein, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, and Chris Leonard, president of the Hawaii Broadcasters Association.

There are “;potential signal differences that'll be addressed at the field level,”; Leonard said.

There is no way to know the exact number or location of households that will be affected until analog signals are shut off, Adelstein said, but added the FCC and broadcasters are working to minimize the impact.

“;Hawaii is showing this bold leadership”; in going a month ahead of the rest of the country, Adelstein said.

Earlier in the day, Adelstein turned teacher at the first of his DTV public outreach meetings planned around the state.

“;This is the biggest change in television, probably ever,”; he said in a meeting room at Blaisdell Center.

Cable and satellite subscribers need do nothing for the transition. Likewise, households with digital TV sets or HDTV sets receiving signals over the air need make no changes.

However, households with older, analog sets using rooftop or rabbit ears antennae will need a converter box to continue to watch TV after the transition. There are an estimated 20,000 such homes in Hawaii, but there is no way to know how many analog sets are in use, said Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona at an afternoon news conference.

A handful of consumers attended Adelstein's morning meeting and listened intently, some taking notes as he talked them through the transition.

FCC staff members helped some apply for $40 coupons for discounts on $40 to $70 converter boxes that will allow analog TV sets to keep working. One attendee won a free converter box from satellite service DISH-TV, in a drawing.

“;If you don't get it right, your TV will stop working ... we recommend people don't wait,”; Adelstein said.

At the news conference, Aiona described hooking up a converter box at his Kapolei home as “;a nice adventure ... next thing you know the reception is fabulous.”; He also receives additional signals.

The process is slightly technical though, and not everybody gets it, but volunteers are available and are being sought.

There are thousands of amateur radio operators, including retired FCC engineers on Oahu, willing to hook up converter boxes for the elderly, disabled, immigrants or technically impaired, said John D. Peters, president of the Honolulu Amateur Radio Club. The local FCC office will coordinate that effort.

The commission is also offering micro-grants of up to $3,000 to nonprofit, school or government organizations interested in providing similar service, said Lyle Ishida, FCC project manager. The FCC will provide training, so “;the consumers win, it helps us get out to the community and it helps the organization. Win, win, win,”; he said. Groups can call the local FCC office at 541-2388 or 541-2389 or send an e-mail to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

One Kalihi resident in his mid-70s at Adelstein's session had trouble hooking up his converter box. He declined to provide his name, but was pleased to learn of HAM radio operators' availability.

“;This kind of in-house help will be a question of have-or have-not reception,”; he said.

Karen Ah Hee, 64, lives in Hilo but commutes to Honolulu, where she works. She has cable in Hilo but uses rabbit ears in her Moiliili home. After yesterday's program she was more confident about the process.

“;Now I know more than my husband,”; she laughed.

Ishida helped Ah Hee apply for a coupon on his laptop, while others filled out mail-in forms.

Nearly 40,000 coupons have been requested by Hawaii residents. Not quite 9,000 coupons have been redeemed, Leonard said, though the number of redemptions is up week to week. Coupons expire after 90 days and recipients cannot reapply, but family members or friends may apply and give them replacements. It is not fraud nor is it illegal to get replacement coupons from friends or family because they are transferable, Adelstein said.

Kauai residents are not affected by this transition, but their signals eventually will go digital, so the commission will be on the Garden Isle this week encouraging residents to take advantage of the coupon program.

“;We recommend people don't wait”; to apply for coupons, buy their converter boxes, or hook up the boxes and scan to find all the stations currently broadcasting in digital, said Adelstein.

After noon Jan. 15, viewers will have to repeat the scanning process as some stations' channel assignments will change.

The commission expects a crush of phone calls at its local and national offices and efforts to staff up call centers are under way.

The analog broadcast spectrum has been partly allocated to public safety agencies to enable first responders to communicate using interoperable two-way equipment.

The rest has been auctioned to wireless communication providers for $20 billion to expand capacity for mobile devices such as iPhones, Adelstein said.

His next public outreach meetings will be today from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Kaunoa Senior Center, 401 Alakapa Place in Spreckelsville on Maui and tomorrow from 10 to 11 a.m. at Aunty Sally's Luau House at 799 Piilani St. in Hilo.