vhf on dish

i have a new TERK HDTVo Amplified Directional HDTV Antenna and i can get all the uhf stations like 5-12-19- is there a programing trick to pick up ch9 vhf

thanks

jeff:hithere:

Trial an error is the only way to find the right antenna, this is my third and this antenna picks up everything so now I'm good: http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Performance-Amplified-Indoor-Antenna/dp/B000ES8EG0/ref=pd_sim_dbs_e_img_5
I found mine at walmart.

Not having your zipcode, the channel numbers you give may be real or virtual so there is no way of really telling what frequency they are or from which direction they come.

If you have both VHF-high and UHF real channel frequencies I recommend a Winegard HD7694P or larger.

Cute little antennas are notorious for not receiving VHF frequencies.

the ant. Listed above in my 1st post is a UHF/VHF one so it will pick up both. My zipcode is 47006. I get 5-12-19 becuse they are UHF and ch9 is VHf. I do a scan for new ch's and it picks up just the UHF ch's. there has to be a setting in dish programing ??

The Terk is really not very much antenna.

You would be better served to get a good VHF-high/UHF antenna without an amplifier like the Winegard HD7694P.

the antenna is not the problem im close enough to the ch's im getting - the problem is getting dish to look for the ch 9 VHF - it has no problem getting the UHF ones -

Do you have another ATSC tuner with which you can test for channel 9?

Channel 9.1 (10) is a two edge diffraction reception situation, so, I'd be surprised if that little antenna is powerful enough to pull it in consistently.

The Terk is really not very much antenna.

You would be better served to get a good VHF-high/UHF antenna without an amplifier like the Winegard HD7694P.

He said he gets Ch 5-12-19 on dish I would not reccommend a VHF-high/UHF antenna. I would reccommend a VHF/UHF. That is VHF-low VHF-high/UHF. I put up a Radio Shack VU90XR $59 VHF/UHF outside antenna. It works great. I don't know about his area but in this area all VHF stations will be using their current VHF channels for digital. We have Ch 5-8-11-13 on VHF. I have read that a lot of CH 5,s will be going back to that channel after feb 17. That is why I would reccommend VHF low-high/UHF antennas whether they be indoor or outdoor.

Ron

5, 12, and 19 are virtual channels actually on UHF frequencies.

His only VHF is 9.1 on channel 10.

5, 12, and 19 are virtual channels actually on UHF frequencies.

His only VHF is 9.1 on channel 10.

After feb 17 I would think Channels 5 and 12 will be actual channels. Most stations with virtual vhf ch numbers are moving their digital transmissions to actual vhf channels. Currently on UHF channels they are transmitting about 500,000 watts to cover the same area that they can cover on 8 to 10,000 watts. Great savings on power bill, much more profits using about 1/50 th of the electricity.

Ron

After feb 17 I would think Channels 5 and 12 will be actual channels. Most stations with virtual vhf ch numbers are moving their digital transmissions to actual vhf channels.

Most? Not true at all. In my area none are moving back to VHF and nationwide very few (about 35) are moving back to the VHF-Lo band (channels 2 to 6).

In the OP's area NBC (virtual 5.n, real 35) will stay on channel 35 after Feb 17, but CBS (virtual 12.n, real 31) will move back to channel 12. His problem station (virtual 9.n) will stay on channel 10, so he'll need an antenna with VHF-Hi capability.

Most? Not true at all. In my area none are moving back to VHF and nationwide very few (about 35) are moving back to the VHF-Lo band (channels 2 to 6).

In the OP's area NBC (virtual 5.n, real 35) will stay on channel 35 after Feb 17, but CBS (virtual 12.n, real 31) will move back to channel 12. His problem station (virtual 9.n) will stay on channel 10, so he'll need an antenna with VHF-Hi capability.

Then it won't be a virtual channel it will be 35. He can get by with a vhf-high/uhf. How many markets have low power VHF stations that might require a vhf-low antenna in order to receive over the air?

Ron

I still need to find out how to get dish network to look for Vhf ch9

The bad news is that the Dish OTA receiver DOES scan the VHF channels. It sounds like you are not receiving enough DTV signal on channel 10 or are receiving interference. If you are using an amplified antenna and there are one or more strong FM stations near your antenna you may find that the amp is overloading and producing interference on channels 9 & 10. On the analog channel 9 you will see a herringbone pattern. On DTV 10 your receiver will not lock on to the digital carriers - you won't see the channel at all. I used to live in Fairfield by the river and used a VHF/UHF yagi with a distribution amp. I found that I had to trap out an FM station to keep WCPO-TV clean.

Then it won't be a virtual channel it will be 35. He can get by with a vhf-high/uhf. How many markets have low power VHF stations that might require a vhf-low antenna in order to receive over the air?

Ron

Digital channels are Virtual Channels by definition to reflect the fact that they do not necessarily indicate the actual RF channel. They amount to nothing more than "name tags". It is likely that the NBC station will still refer to itself as "Channel 5" despite being broadcast on channel 35 because that is the "Name" it has been known by to its viewers for years. That is what the stations in my area have stated that they plan to do unless the FCC mandates otherwise. There is no technical requirement for the stations to change their "names".

Digital channels are Virtual Channels by definition to reflect the fact that they do not necessarily indicate the actual RF channel. They amount to nothing more than "name tags". It is likely that the NBC station will still refer to itself as "Channel 5" despite being broadcast on channel 35 because that is the "Name" it has been known by to its viewers for years. That is what the stations in my area have stated that they plan to do unless the FCC mandates otherwise. There is no technical requirement for the stations to change their "names".

I didn't realize that. All the the VHF stations here 5, 8, 11, 13 are going to move from their UHF channels to their original VHF channels. I think our UHF channels are doing the same. Moving their digital to their original channel nos. That will do away with all virtual channel nos in this area.

Thanks
Ron

I didn't realize that. All the the VHF stations here 5, 8, 11, 13 are going to move from their UHF channels to their original VHF channels. I think our UHF channels are doing the same. Moving their digital to their original channel nos. That will do away with all virtual channel nos in this area.

Thanks
Ron

They will still be called virtual channel numbers but their Major Channel numbers will be the same as the conventional RF channel being used. 3.n is always a virtual channel number regardless of the actual RF channel used. The traditional fixed link between a channel number and the frequency used does not apply in digital TV broadcasting.

Before October 4, 2004 there was no single standard in use for what Major Channel number a station used. Some stations used their analogue channel number while others used the actual RF channel. The FCC thought this was too confusing for viewers and issued the mandate that the Major Channel number used by each station must agree with their analogue channel number. Whether or not the FCC will issue a new mandate requiring the Major Channel Number to agree with the actual RF channel remains to be seen. However, from a technical standpoint the Major Channel Number can be any number the station wants to use.

They will still be called virtual channel numbers but their Major Channel numbers will be the same as the conventional RF channel being used. 3.n is always a virtual channel number regardless of the actual RF channel used. The traditional fixed link between a channel number and the frequency used does not apply in digital TV broadcasting.

Before October 4, 2004 there was no single standard in use for what Major Channel number a station used. Some stations used their analogue channel number while others used the actual RF channel. The FCC thought this was too confusing for viewers and issued the mandate that the Major Channel number used by each station must agree with their analogue channel number. Whether or not the FCC will issue a new mandate requiring the Major Channel Number to agree with the actual RF channel remains to be seen. However, from a technical standpoint the Major Channel Number can be any number the station wants to use.

Whether virtual or actual the local stations here will be actually transmitting their digital signals on their original channels, frequencies. I realize 8-1 and 8-2 are virtual nos. They will be transmitted on ch 8 after the transition along with channnel 8 digital which will show as 8-0.

Ron

Menu - Setup - Local Channels - add locals button. Here you tune any rf channel you want (10) and see how much signal you have at that frequency.

I believe your problem is that while your antenna is vhf/UHF and cannot adequately capture VHF frequency 10 at the distance 9.1 is.

You need a better antenna. All your signals are at best in the Yellow or fringe signal level area. (TVFool profiles attached)

I recommend the Winegard HD7694P.