Ten communities on the Big Island and Maui may lose over-the-air television with the DTV conversion at noon tomorrow, when Hawaii's full-power TV stations turn off their analog signals in favor of all-digital broadcasting.

That is, even if viewers have properly hooked up analog-to-digital converter boxes.

Many more communities around the state are likely to receive only one or two stations after the government-mandated change. Hawaii is the first in the nation to make a statewide switch.

The DTV switch will not affect households with cable or satellite TV service.

Any loss of over-the-air signals will be caused by the shutoff of the stations' transmitters atop Haleakala. New digital transmitters are at a lower elevation at Ulupalakua, which decreases stations' signal coverage.

The tower relocation also was government-mandated, though for reasons involving military and scientific equipment on the Maui mountain.

The Federal Communications Commission's projections of signal loss and diminished reception are based on computer models that may not completely reflect what the new reality will be.

“;All those studies are good to a point,”; said Bob Vaillancourt, director of engineering for KHON-TV.

However, “;until (DTV) is in real use, in full practicality, your neighbor might be picking it up and you might not,”; he said.

The FCC authorized KGMB-TV to fire up its digital signal Monday night to test signal coverage in worrisome areas.

For technical reasons, KITV and other stations will do what is called a flash-cut, turning off analog signals and immediately switching on digital transmission facilities.

“;So far the signal is covering the Hamakua Coast better than we had expected,”; said Mike Rosenberg, president and general manager of KITV and longtime head of the broadcasters' committee charged with relocating the Haleakala TV towers.

“;It looks like folks from Honoka'a to Laupahoehoe will continue to get the digital signal over the air if they have a good outdoor antenna,”; he said. Outdoor and indoor antennas will help converter boxes pull digital signals out of the air, as they did with analog signals.

Indoor antennas used for digital signals should be the type that sit atop the TV, as opposed to the built-in type, Vaillancourt said.

Chris Leonard also was encouraged by the receipt of signals in parts of Haiku and Upcountry on Maui. He is president of the Hawaii Association of Broadcasters and president and general manager of radio group New West Broadcasting on the Big Island. He was anxious to hear from contacts about other reception points yesterday.

Following tomorrow's noon transition, over-the-air viewers will need to repeat the scanning process on their converter boxes, as some of the station's channel assignments will have changed.

The boxes and remotes will remember the channels.

“;If you have issues ... contact the FCC call center at 541-2388,”; Leonard said.

Government coupon redemption has picked up significantly, with 2,361 redemptions for converter box purchases from Jan. 5 to Sunday, he said. The previous week, 1,469 coupons were redeemed.

A total of 16,044 coupons have been redeemed statewide. Officials have estimated the total of over-the-air TV households at 22,000. Some 53,055 coupons were requested, Leonard said.

For residents who no longer receive free, over-the-air television, the fix will not be easy or quick.

They must either wait for broadcasters to install expensive additional equipment to boost their signals, which also requires a lengthy and labyrinthine application process through the FCC and land-use agencies.

Alternately, many may choose to pay to subscribe to cable or satellite services, if offered in their areas.

“;We are making a special offer, to help those who are not used to paying (for TV),”; said Alan Pollock, vice president of marketing for Oceanic Time Warner Cable.

The company is offering a basic cable package of 22 channels, including 13 local stations for $9.95 a month, for the first year.

Oceanic expands its service each year but it is not available in all rural areas, particularly on the neighbor islands, he said.

Satellite service DISH Network is offering a local-channels-only package for $9.99 a month for Hawaii customers, while DirecTV does offer service, but apparently no special promotions, according to a customer service supervisor.

The FCC is continuing its DTV outreach activities this week on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. FCC staff members will answer questions from 1 to 7 p.m. tomorrow and Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m Saturday at the Makiki Recreation Center; Maui's Queen Kaahumanu Center, Hilo's Prince Kuhio Plaza; and at Old Kona Airport. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, the FCC will answer questions in Honoka'a, at 45-690 Pakalana St.