science

Television channel frequencies

Television channel frequencies is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Television channel frequencies rather than just read about it. In short: The following tables show the frequencies assigned to analog broadcast television channels in various regions of the world, along with the ITU letter designator for the transmission system used. The frequencies shown are for the channel limits and for the analog video and audio carriers.

Key takeaways

Television channel frequencies belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Television channel frequencies to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Television channel frequencies from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The following tables show the frequencies assigned to analog broadcast television channels in various regions of the world, along with the ITU letter designator for the transmission system used. The frequencies shown are for the channel limits and for the analog video and audio carriers. The channel itself usually occupies 6, 7 or 8 megahertz of bandwidth depending on the television transmission system in use. For example, North American channel 1 occupies the spectrum from 44 to 50 MHz. See Broadcast television systems for a table of signal characteristics, including bandwidth, by ITU letter designator. Analog television broadcasts have been phased out in most regions, having been replaced by digital television broadcasts.

International normalization for analog TV systems

International broadcasting television frequencies are divided in two part of the spectrum; the Very high frequency or "VHF" band and the Ultra high frequency or "UHF" band.

VHF

Americas (most countries), South Korea, Taiwan, Myanmar, and the Philippines

During World War II, the frequencies originally assigned as channels 13 to 18 were appropriated by the U.S. military, which still uses them to this day. It was also decided to move the allocation for FM radio from the 42-50 MHz band to a larger 88-106 MHz band (later extended to the current 88-108 MHz FM band). This required a reassignment of the VHF channels to the plan currently in use.

Assignments since February 25, 1946 System M 525 lines (most countries in the Americas and Caribbean, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines) System N 625 lines (used in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay)

FM channel 200, 87.9 MHz, overlaps TV 6. This is used only by K200AA. TV 6 analog audio can be heard on FM 87.75 on most broadcast radio receivers as well as on a European TV tuned to channel E4A or channel IC, but at lower volume than wideband FM broadcast stations, because of the lower deviation. Channel 1 audio is the same as European Channel E2 audio and the video is the same as European Channel E2A. Channel 2 video is the same as European Channel E3 video.

Japan The frequency spacing for each channel is 6 MHz as the countries above, except between channels 7 and 8 (which overlap). Channels 1 through 3 are reallocated for the expansion of the FM band.

United Kingdom, Ireland, and Hong Kong

Ireland

Channel A was never used terrestrially. The only System I Band I transmitter on Channel B was RTÉ One from the Maghera, Co. Clare transmitter during 1963–1999. Channel A was initially intended for use at Maghera but Channel B was used instead because of the risk of interference to (overspill) reception of BBC 405 line transmissions. It was moved to Channel E due to interference from distant transmitters on channel E3 and Italian channel IA via certain atmospheric conditions and other reasons. Channel C was used by a relay transmitter in Glanmire, Co. Cork. Channel B video is the same as Italian Channel IA video and Channel C audio is the same as Channel E4 audio. There are currently no Band I Channels used in Ireland (except on cable TV, and these have mostly been phased out for DOCSIS use) and no plans to resume using them. Most Irish Cable TV systems do not follow the above channel plan as their analogue (video) carriers are usually at multiples of 8 MHz (i.e. 176, 184, 192 MHz etc. in Band III)

Western Europe; Greenland; and most countries in Asia, Africa, and Oceania

Channels 1 and 1A were used for early experimental broadcasts and are no longer allocated. Channels 15 and 16 are allocated for use in the African Broadcasting Area only. Channel 2A was only ever used in Austria for the Sendeturm Jauerling to avoid interferences with neighboring Eastern European TV stations. Channel 3 in Belgium, RTBF 1 broadcast from the Liège transmitter with 100 kW until the switchover to DVB-T. Channel 12 was reserved by the military in some countries (like Germany (West Germany only)) so only relay transmitters operated on this frequency. Channel 4A audio carrier's frequency is very close to US Channel 6 audio carrier and overlaps the FM band in Europe.

France

Channel 1 used an earlier 441-line system and was discontinued in 1956.

French overseas departments and territories and former French African colonies

Italy

Channels A through H are indicated in many European TVs as Channels 13–20. Channels B, C, D, H, H1, and H2 are identical to Channels E4, E4A, E5, E10, E11, and E12, respectively. Channel A video carrier is the same as Channel E2 audio carrier and thus it used to be common that the audio from a distant TV station on channel E2 received via Sporadic E interferes with Channel A video and vice versa. Channel C audio carrier's frequency falls into the FM band in Europe, and is also identical to American A6 channel audio.

Eastern Europe, North Korea

East Germany (former DDR) In its very early days DFF made some test transmissions using the D/K standard (6.5 MHz audio) before reverting (around 1957) to System B/G (5.5 MHz audio) but using some unique frequencies.

From 1960 onwards (West) European standard channels were adopted.

Morocco

Australia

* Channels 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 5A were discontinued with the changeover to digital television. ** With the transition to digital television in 2001, Channels 10 and 11 (209.25 and 216.25 respectively) were moved up by 1 MHz to allow a full 7 MHz separation for a new channel 9A, and Channel 12 was added. Some existing services were affected, notably AMV11 in the Upper Murray region of Victoria, and VTV-11 in Western Victoria.

New Zealand and Indonesia

VHF analog TV ceased in New Zealand on 1 December 2013. Channels 10 and 11 weren't added until the late 1980s. VHF analog TV channel 1A is only used in Indonesia. VHF is currently no longer used for television in Indonesia (except in some regions until 2022) and only UHF is used for both analog and digital television, as in the UK. In Indonesia, VHF channels 4 to 11 have been reallocated for digital radio broadcasting purposes with DRM and DAB systems, in accordance with Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Regulation number 5 of 2023.

Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, and South Africa

China

Vietnam

UHF

Americas (most countries), South Korea, Taiwan, Burma (Myanmar) and the Philippines For frequencies used in the Americas (most countries), South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, refer to Pan-American television frequencies.

Notes

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Television channel frequencies

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Television channel frequencies claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Television channel frequencies before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Television channel frequencies ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Television channel frequencies

In research: Television channel frequencies appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Television channel frequencies in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Television channel frequencies is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Television technology, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Television channel frequencies outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Television channel frequencies in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Television channel frequencies means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Television channel frequencies out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Television channel frequencies in simple terms?

Why does Television channel frequencies matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Television channel frequencies?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Television channel frequencies.