Cannot get lower channel TV reception

[winnehonda]

Have a 2015 Class C with Samsung TV and antenna booster. When I search for channels over air I can only lock in upper UHF channels. No 2-13 channels. I called Samsung and they got terribly confused about the antenna booster. When connected to cable I can receive all available channels. Any thoughts?

[SaltiDawg]

There are a few stations that remained in the VHF range - there are two here in MD. (And they ate both in our only "big" city - Baltimore.

Far and away, most all channels are broadcasting in the UHF range.

[Gene_Ginny]

RoyB wrote:
There is NO MORE LOW BAND TV signals from 0-13. ....

Lookup WLBZ in Bangor Maine, it transmitts on RF channel 2 and displays as 2.1.

After that, lookup WVII in Bangor Maine. WVII transmitts on RF channel 7 and displays as 7.1. WFVX is a sister station on the same frequency and displays as 7.2.

Continuing, lookup WMEB which is part of MPBN (Maine Public Broadcasting Network). That one transmitts on RF channel 9 and displays as 12.1, 12.2, 12.3 and 12.4.

Sadly, when I am in the Bar Harbor area I usually can't get WLBZ (NBC affiliate) because my Batwing just doesn't do well at the bottom of the VHF band. I do get all the others.

We all thought the digital transition was going to put all the channels in the UHF band.

[SCVJeff]

FCC Post Transition Channel Allocations

Start on Page 67

[wa8yxm]

I speak of Carrier and display channels

Carrier channls are 2-69 The same as thy always have been
2,3,4,5 and 6 are VHF low, 7-13 VHF high and 14 up UHF

I have seen (in my travels) stations on 7, 12, 13 and some other VHF HI

I think I have seen one as low as 3 but could not testify to it.

But Many in the VHF-HI

Of course the station on channel 7 displays as 12 12 and 13 really were (12 and 13) the others I do not park in the area enough to be sure.

PLUS channels 3 and 4 (3.0 and 4.0, the ZERO meaning analog) are still used by some video hardware (VCR, and DVD Modulators as well as sat receivers).

[Chris_Bryant]

It doesn't sound to me like a reception problem, it sounds like a TV setup problem. A lot of TVs will still let you scan for analog channels, and you will not get any, most places (I believe there are still a few low power translators out there).
Answer- set the TV to ignore analog.
Any digital channels will be "dot" channels- locally we get 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4,6.1,6.2.... If I try to tune my TV to 2, nothing comes in.2.1 works fine.

[BruceMc]

Funny... I just posted all about antennas and channels in the Technology Section.

We have HD channels 8, 10 and 12 on high-band VHF in our area.

[SCVJeff]

Its pretty well known and documented that the Jack is a poor performer on VHF, and drops significantly as you drop from ch.13

[SkiSmuggs]

wa8yxm wrote:
What antenna do you have? the Winegard Batwing is a VHF/VHF/UHF antenna.

The Jack is not

My Jack picks up channel 13 just fine, but in general, you are probably correct.

[SkiSmuggs]

SaltiDawg wrote:
RoyB is 100% correct.

No, there are still, unfortunately, VHF channels being broadcast. Our channel 22 went from 22 to 13 during the change, making them one of the hardest to pull in and least reliable. And the lower the number of the real frequency, the worse the reception because most of today's "digital" antennas are UHF and optimized for real frequencies 14 and up. You need something VHF capable to get the lower frequencies if you have them in your area. AntennaWeb.org or TVFool will show you what is available in your area.
And here is a link comparing antennas and a section called Using UHF Antennas for VHF shows that most are not good for doing that.
Antenna Comparison

[wa8yxm]

What antenna do you have? the Winegard Batwing is a VHF/VHF/UHF antenna.

The Jack is not

[SCVJeff]

To the OP: Do you KNOW that there are any VHF-Hi or VHF-Lo channels active in your area?

What antenna are you using? This is important because allot of these new antennas have little or no VHF performance whatsoever

[SCVJeff]

SaltiDawg wrote:
RoyB is 100% correct.

The old network stations generally retained their VHF Channel designations after the change, but they are actually broadcast on UHF frequencies!

As an example, the "old" Channel Five Fox station here in DC still displays as Channel 5 Fox. However it is now broadcast at a UHF frequency associated with a UHF Channel number of 14 or higher.

I think when Roy said, "You will find them designated 2.1 3.1 etc but the new frequency band starts at the old VHF channel 14 and up." he actually meant "You will find them designated 2.1 3.1 etc but the new frequency band starts at the old UHF channel 14 and up."

Otherwise, perfect explanation.

Roy is wrong (and that doesn't happen much) and so are you.

There are TV transmitters all over the country on ALL channels all the way down to channel 2. These are not virtual channels, they are actual ATSC designations, look it up !

ADDITIONALLY, there is yet another TV repack coming and the FCC is buying out stations for hundreds of millions just to shut down and go away (off UHF). There is another option for those that are willing to vacate UHF and move to VHF will also be compensated to do so. So you'all that think there are no TV transmitters are completely misinformed.

[Old-Biscuit]

Antennaweb.org

Tequesta FL........37 channels on 14 stations.
Lowest being 5.1 (which is RF channel 12)

[SaltiDawg]

RoyB is 100% correct.

The old network stations generally retained their VHF Channel designations after the change, but they are actually broadcast on UHF frequencies!

As an example, the "old" Channel Five Fox station here in DC still displays as Channel 5 Fox. However it is now broadcast at a UHF frequency associated with a UHF Channel number of 14 or higher.

I think when Roy said, "You will find them designated 2.1 3.1 etc but the new frequency band starts at the old VHF channel 14 and up." he actually meant "You will find them designated 2.1 3.1 etc but the new frequency band starts at the old UHF channel 14 and up."

Otherwise, perfect explanation.

[MNtundraRet]

Roy?

Where did you come up with this "baloney" ?

The channels sold off covered channels 2 through 7. However; there are still stations allowed to transmit on these lower VHF frequencies. Ultimately the lowest RF frequency used should start at channel 8, but we all know how government works these days.

The OP never stated what brand of antenna he has. There either isn't any stations listing any channels in his antenna range, or the antenna has a break in a connection for it's largest element, or the TV has a faulty circuit used in the channel scan mode.