The Maine Association of Broadcasters and WLBZ-TV 2 in Bangor have begun a campaign to educate the public about a federally mandated switch from analog to digital television broadcasting that will take place Feb. 17, 2009.

On that date, television stations will cease analog transmissions and begin to transmit their signals exclusively in digital format.

About 87,000 Maine households will have to take action in order to continue to use their television sets.

First, television owners must determine whether each television in their home is analog or digital. Consumers can check the owner’s manual, visit the manufacturer’s Web site or look for the acronym ATSC, which means analog, somewhere on the set. Most sets sold in the last couple of years are digital. There may still be some older analog sets in stores, but retailers are required to put stickers on them warning consumers that they are analog.

For cable and satellite television subscribers in some areas of Maine, the transition will be seamless, even if they have analog television sets, according to Suzanne Goucher, president of the Maine Association of Broadcasters. No action will be necessary because the cable company can convert a digital signal into a signal that can be received by an analog television set.

Mainers who do not have cable and receive free broadcasting signals through an antenna or “rabbit ears” and have a newer digital television will be able to receive digital signals with no further action.

Consumers who do not have cable and receive their television signals through an antenna and have analog television sets run the risk of losing their signal if they do not make the transition to digital. Viewers have three options to make the transition:

. Purchase a converter box at a local electronic retailer such as Best Buy or Radio Shack. The federal government is issuing two $40 coupons per household that can be applied to the purchase of the converter boxes, which generally cost between $40 and $70. The coupons do not include Maine sales tax. Converter boxes are due on the market by the end of this month. Coupons can be requested online at www.ntia.doc.gov or by calling 888-DTV-2009. Coupons must be redeemed within three months of receipt. There is a limited number of coupons, so consumers are encouraged to request them soon.

. Purchase a digital television set.

. Subscribe to a cable or satellite television service in order to continue using an analog television set, if all desired local broadcast stations are carried by that service. Check with the cable or satellite provider for details. The satellite television companies do not carry local broadcast television signals in all areas of Maine.

Congress has mandated the switch because it will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications such as police, fire departments and rescue squads.

Consumers benefit because digital broadcasting allows stations to offer a clearer picture, better sound quality and more free channels, Goucher said. Further, digital television can provide interactive video and data services that are not possible with analog technology.

As the digital transition deadline approaches, WLBZ-TV 2 and its sister station, WCSH-TV 6 in Portland, will set up a hot line for Mainers to call with any questions. The Maine Association of Broadcasters continues to post information on its Web site, www.mab.org.