Home base TV Antenna

dieseltruckdriver wrote:
I know we should probably take this to a new post, but still, wa8yxm is correct. I actually just checked my 5er tv since I am in it, and it does indeed give the channel number.

In case anyone is still reading this and wondering what Gdetrailer means, I have "channel 6-1" on currently, but the actual physical channel is 29, so it is UHF even though looking at the displayed channel it would seem to be a VHF channel.

In other words, your 6-1 is not transmitting on the same frequency as it did when it was analog channel 6 which was in VHF channels.

Move to a different broadcast market and that 6-1 could be actually transmitting on the old analog Channel 6 frequency..

Per HERE

"The real frequency assignments and the virtual channel on-screen display on the TV is the most confusing issue pertaining to the digital transition. The 2.1 virtual channel number no longer has anything to do with the real channel frequency in use to broadcast the signal. The real channel 33 broadcast frequency (2.1 in NYC) can be coded so the TV's on-screen channel number can display any virtual channel number from 2.1 to 69.1. The 2.1 or any virtual channel on-screen display is no longer a frequency it's a recognition number so the viewer can identify what channel they're viewing. In some cases the virtual number and the real channel frequency are the same. For an example in NYC channels 11.1 CW and 13.1 PBS have both the real and virtual channels the same. Channel 11 broadcast on real channel frequency 11 and displays 11.1 and 13 does the same broadcasts on 13 and displays 13.1 but all other stations broadcast on one frequency and display another ."

So, in reality, you cannot depend on the tuner channel number to determine actual broadcast channel frequency. There is no way to know if the channel is UHF or VHF unless you search the Internet which is why wa8ym's advice is not exactly realistic troubleshooting for the OPs situation.

As far as determining the "type" of antenna to use, yes wa8yxm's advice is spot on, but that isn't the OPs issue right now.

Besides, because many broadcast markets have been repacked multiple times and FCC has opened up VHF Lo (2-6) to broadcasters to use it makes zero sense to buy a UHF only antenna and in many markets you will be disappointed with your results using a compact UHF only antenna to pick up the stations that moved back to VHF Lo/Hi bands.

The smartest thing to do is to buy a VHF/UHF antenna and don't sucked into the small compact UHF only antenna marketing double speak..

That is the reason I never changed my VHF low/Hi/UHF combo antenna to a UHF only antenna.. And it was a very good move on my part since most of my local broadcasters moved back to VHF Lo and VHF Hi. Takes much less power to transmit further on VHF low than it does for VHF Hi or UHF and broadcasters save money on costs of equipment and power bills..

But once again, the issue the OP is having is not in antenna selection, it is a wiring problem, in reality unless you are in deep fringe viewing area even a metal clothes hanger connected to the TV should pick up a few stations..