Latest local news, weather and high school sports for Northern Michigan

VHF and UHF TV signals and antennas – What’s the difference?

The big difference is that many of your favorite local stations who have been VHF with their analog signals (like Channel 7) are now UHF with their digital signals (digital radio frequency 50).  Currently, WPBN operates its Ch 50 signal from the same physical location as the old Ch 7 but its digital signal is on UHF Channel 50.  Your converter box will change this and show a channel allocation of 7.1 and 7.2.  Please see the chart below.

Radio Frequency          Channel Allocation        Location

UHF 50                       7.1 and 7.2                   Harrietta

UHF 29                       29.1 and 29.2               Kalkaska

UHF 47                       7.1 and 7.2                   Kalkaska

UHF 35                       4.1 and 4.2                   Cheboygan

VHF 8                         8.1 and 8.2                   Goetzville        

So what does this mean to the viewers who watched Channel 7 and other VHF television stations?  The antenna that you have been using forever to watch these stations may not work well on the digital UHF stations. Even antennas that are made to cover both VHF and UHF channels could be a problem.  Many folks have already discovered that the difference in the way VHF and UHF signals travel through the air, combined with their antenna, prevent them from getting optimum reception.

The Kalkaska, Harrietta and Cheboygan digital channels are now on-the-air on UHF.  A little time and effort with your antenna system now will yield outstanding performance in the new digital television world.  Ch 8 from Goetzville is still a VHF signal.

A good resource for antennas and antenna information is www.solidsignal.com or they can be reached at 877-312-4547.  They have many small and inexpensive UHF antennas that can be mounted inside or outside.

Splitters and Amplifiers

Once you have made it over the initial hurdle and are watching over-the-air DTV, you may get ambitious and decide to connect other TV sets or converters to your antenna. To do that you will need to add a splitter and possibly a preamp.

The same rules apply to splitters and preamps that we used with antennas and coaxial cable. A preamp offers gain while a splitter creates loss. There is a delicate balancing act when it comes to the finding the right combination. We can apply a lot of math to come up with a theoretical answer but the best solution is often found by trial and error. Splitters are passive devices. There’s not a lot to know here other than how many outputs you need for the number of TV sets you have. If you lose your good working signal once you have connected all your sets together with a splitter, you will need a preamp.

Unlike splitters, preamps are active devices. Some offer astronomical amounts of gain (and a lot of noise along with it) and often cause more problems than they fix. A preamp with 10-20db of gain is generally enough to overcome the losses in your splitter and additional coax.  Placement of your preamp also requires some thought.  If you are in a distant weak signal area, the preamp can go as close to the antenna as practical.  If you are in a strong signal area, the preamp can be as close to the splitter as practical.  These are good starting points.

UPDATE: APRIL 9, 2010

The engineering team at 7 & 4 and 29 & 8 continues to make adjustments to improve the digital telelvision signal for viewers across northern Michigan. 

The newest adjustment will help improve signals in our southwestern viewing areas. 

A Channel 50 signal has been added in Harrietta to help improve coverage in our southwestern viewing area.

Please note that for viewers in this area: The Channel 50 signal will replace the current Channel 7 signal.

Viewers will need to rescan their TV’s or converter boxes to pick up this new signal or they can simply enter Channel 50 from their remote control.

Viewers may also need to check their antenna to make sure it is capable of receiving both UHF and VHF channels.

The transition from Channel 7 to Channel 50 is underway with adjustments throughout the next week.

Viewers may call the station's DTV Answer Line at 231-995-5919 with questions or concerns.  When you call this number, leave your name, location, and phone number.  An engineer will return your call promptly and try to help you with any problems.

Here are some additional tips to get the best digital signal:

• The biggest point of confusion is the antenna.  Viewers must have a VHF/UHF combo antenna to get 29&8 and 7&4. 

• VHF gets radio frequency Ch 2-13 while UHF gets Ch 14-51. 
• Standard rabbit ears are VHF only.  The ones with a circle on them add UHF but the range is short.

• Rescan is a must on most converters.  Some auto-scan from time to time.
• Usually found on a Menu or Program button on the remote control.
• Sometimes converter has to be double-scanned.  Unplug antenna from converter, scan, power cycle converter, plug antenna back in to converter and rescan converter.

• Direction

• Is the antenna pointed toward Harrietta? 
• Some people may get two 7.1 and two 7.2.  This is because they are getting both Harrietta and Kalkaska.

 Update: January 7, 2010

The engineering crew here at 7 & 4 and 29 & 8  is working hard to improve the digital television signal.  This includes maximizing our signal to reach more people. There are some updates that have been implemented which will help boost our signal. So what does this means for "you"?

If you currently get our signal but are having trouble getting a clear picture it may mean you have to rescan.  If you have not been able to get our signal, you may now be able to. If you are within 70 miles of Traverse City point your antenna toward Kalkaska and then have your TV or converter box 'auto tune' to find our improved signal.

We continue to work to improve our signal to viewers in our southern broadcast area and hope to have those improvements completed by the end of February, 2010. 

Update: December 3, 2009

Update: November 19, 2009

There are some updates being implemented in the coming days which will help boost our signal.  So what this means for "you"?  If you currently get our signal when the new equipment is installed it may mean you have to rescan if you have trouble with your television picture. If someone currently can't get our signal, they may now be able to after the switch. So please, if you have signal trouble, try re-scanning 'first' before calling the station. We will post updates when the equipment updates take place.

Update:  July 30, 2009

Barrington Broadcasting has filed an application with the FCC to increase and restore viewership to everyone in WPBN Channel 7's service area.

Update:  July 22, 2009

Barrington Broadcasting will file an application with the FCC this week to increase and restore viewership to everyone in WPBN Channel 7's service area.

Update:  July 21, 2009

WPBN (channel 7) TV's management are looking at several options to increase and restore viewership to everyone in our service area.  If you’re still having problems, please call or email us.  Please be patient as we are handling numerous calls and will respond as quickly as possible,

As soon as we receive an update about our options to increase and restore channel 7's signal, we will update this page.

Thanks you!

Thank you for your continued patience through the DTV transition.

The coverage maps listed on the left navigation provides an estimate for WGTU/WGTQ ABC 29&8 and WPBN/WTOM TV 7&4's coverage area.  We have received many phone calls and emails from viewers in the "coverage area" that do not receive a signal.

Channel 7 (WPBN) is broadcasting at full strength based on FCC's guidelines.  If you live in the following communities, you may want to call the FCC to report a loss of signal:  Baldwin, Reed City, Ludington, Evart, LeRoy, Tustin, Big Rapids, Lake City, Manistee, Tustin, Clare, Hart . . .

Channel 4 (WTOM) is broadcasting at full strength based on FCC's guidelines.  If you live in the following counties and are having a problem picking up channel 4.1, you may be able to watch WTOM on 8.2:  Emmet, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Ostego, Montmorency, Mackinac, Chippewa and Luce.   If you are unable to get channel 4.1 (NBC) and 4.2 (ABC) out of Cheboygan, redirect your antenna to Goetzville and rescan for 8.1 (ABC) and 8.2 (NBC).

Channel 29 (WGTU ABC) and channel 29.2 (WPBN NBC) are broadcasting at full strength based on FCC's guidelines.  Counties include:  Otsego, Charlevoix, Antrim, Crawford, Roscommon, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Wexford, Missaukee, and parts of Emmet, Manistee, Clare, Oscoda, Montmorency, Cheboygan and Osceola.

Channel 8 (WGTQ ABC) - We are broadcasting at full power on 8.1 (WGTQ ABC) and 8.2 (WTOM NBC). 

Phone Numbers:

• WPBN/WTOM and WGTU/WGTQ local phone numbers:  (231) 946-2504 and (800) 968-2504
• Michigan's DTV Helpline 1-888-MI-DTV-09, Monday - Friday 7am-9pm, and Saturday & Sunday 7am-3pm
• FCC:  1-888-CALL-FCC
• Converter Box Coupon info:  1-888-DTV-2009
• FCC web:  www.dtv.gov

If you don’t know if your antenna is suitable you can go to www.antennaweb.org and receive more information about applicable antennas.

If you received the Digital channels earlier and for some reason you cannot receive them today you need to do the following:

• First make sure your antenna is oriented in the proper direction towards the station.
• Secondly you need to ADD the CHANNEL or RESCAN ALL CHANNELS in your digital box.
• Review channel information above

First reports are finding that ANALOG antennas perform differently than DIGITAL antennas.  Digital signals are less prone to accept multipath than digital.  For digital signals on any antenna you need to get the strongest possible signal.

Below you'll find links to all 7&4's special reports on the switch to digital.

Digital transition day times and details

WPBN Digital Coverage Map
Find out where our coverage will reach after the digital conversion.

WTOM Digital Coverage Map
Find out where our coverage will reach after the digital conversion.