We have been fielding a lot of calls and e-mails regarding the DTV transition and viewers not receiving KCTS 9. If you haven't re-scanned your DTV converter box or digital TV since Friday, June 12, please do so immediately.
KCTS 9, along with KSTW (11) and KCPQ (13) transitioned from their pre-transition UHF channel assignment to their VHF channel for DTV transmission. KING, KIRO, KOMO, and KONG all remained on their UHF DTV channels. This means you may have received our DTV signal on UHF 41 in the past but can't receive it now that we are on VHF channel 9. If this is the case, the first thing you need to do is make sure you have an all-band VHF/UHF antenna. There is no guarantee that what works for one person will work for everyone because there are so many variables, but I'm going to give some general guidelines here in this space.
For all of the below suggestions you will need to try adjusting your antenna to increase signal strength. Some converter boxes will let you see a signal strength on a channel it didn't find using the meter. Other boxes require you to adjust the antenna and then perform a full scan or partial scan to find the channel before you can call up the signal strength. Other boxes allow you to manually add a channel using the RF channel, our RF channel is 9. Once you can bring up the signal strength make adjustments to the antenna in one direction or the other with small changes and let the signal strength meter respond. Indoor antennas with rabbit ears may work best if they are about 20 inches long. Also, try closing the rabbit ears down all the way or about 6 inches long to see if that works. Try turning the antenna 90 degrees again while watching the signal strength.
If you are within 5 miles of our Capitol Hill (Seattle) transmitter you should be able to receive KCTS 9 with a non-amplified VHF/UHF indoor antenna. We have talked to some people that have had trouble using an amplified VHF/UHF antenna. The problem here is that the amplifier gets overloaded by the signal if you are really close to our transmitter - which is located at 18th and Madison. If you are on Capitol Hill and live really close to the transmitter tower, you may find a straightened paper clip to work best as an antenna.
If you live farther than five miles from our transmitter, or if a non-amplified antenna doesn't work for you, the first thing to try is a VHF/UHF amplified antenna. Again, follow the instructions for re-scanning or adding the channel manually to view the signal strength to maximize the signal by adjusting the antenna. Amplified indoor antennas top out at about 15-20 miles from the transmitter, which again, is located on Capitol Hill near downtown Seattle. The amplified indoor antenna's range is only an estimate and other factors can cause problems with its reach as well. You can also try adding an extension to the antenna coax so you can move the antenna around the room. If you have a balcony or window, try placing the antenna outside as a test. Lastly, if you have an amplified antenna be sure it is plugged into the wall for power.
There are some antennas being sold as "HDTV" antennas that have VHF/UHF amplifiers but the antenna is designed for UHF. These have been marketed by different companies and sometimes mislead consumers that it is a VHF antenna.
A true VHF/UHF indoor antenna will have two extendable elements often referred to as "rabbit ears". These antennas are similar to your old "rabbit ears" but they have a UHF antenna as well that is usually round in shape. The knob that some antennas have usually only adjusts the UHF antenna.
If you have tried an amplified antenna and it didn't work by adjusting it and moving its location, then you probably need an outdoor antenna. The size of the outdoor antenna determines how far away it can receive a signal. www.antennaweb.org and www.tvfool.com are good resources to help determine what size of antenna you need. If you have an outdoor antenna and is not working you may try an antenna pre-amplifier (more info in next paragraph) or a bigger outdoor antenna. We are the lowest frequency station in Seattle since KING, KIRO and KOMO are all on UHF. You really only need an antenna that can receive channels 7-69. This is also labeled as high VHF thru UHF. WINEGARD makes several antennas that can be acquired online that are high VHF thru UHF. This link has pictures of different types of antennas. Beware of the UHF-only outdoor antennas as they don't work very well at all for channels 9 and 11.
Another option to increase the signal for outdoor antennas is to use an antenna pre-amplifier. This is a two piece device -- the amplifier goes just below the antenna on the antenna mount and the power supply device is installed in the house. Be sure to install both devices and plug the power supply into an outlet. If you have multiple splitters in your antenna feed, try removing them as a test. Also, if you have a splitter with multiple unused outputs, replace it with a splitter that has only the number of you outputs you need, maybe two or four. Each splitter reduces the signal to each TV and the more outputs a splitter has the more it reduces the signal.
If you need help installing an outdoor antenna or adjusting an indoor antenna the federal government has contracted with Installs Inc. They can be contacted at 1-800-582-4250 or dtvhelp.install.com.
If you still can't receive ch. 9, we would like you to complete one of our TV Reception forms for over-the-air antenna viewers. The FCC would also like consumers to contact them with reception issues at 1-888-225-5322 or fill out this FCC form.
At this time, KCTS 9 has no plans of adding translators or repeaters and we are operating at our full licensed power. We also will not be moving back to UHF channel 41. We are not authorized by the FCC to operate on channel 41.
Comments
Posted by Doug (not verified) on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 9:38pm
bought my box on time
got nine point one two and three
watched too much TV
standing on a chair
wave the antennae in vain
guess i'll go complain
website is all tech
new yankee dude come over
fix this crap right now
freedom isn't free
unless I can watch sienfield
during the pledge drive
pbs is gone
won't press rescan anymore
digital is dumb
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Posted by Ron (not verified) on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 9:26pm
I'm surprised. Before June 12, I received 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3 just fine. After the transition I haven't been able to get any of your channels. What gives? I live on the Bellevue/Redmond border.
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 6:31pm
You and I spent some time on the phone the other night trying to figure out why I could receive every local station except Channel 9. I have added a C/M7777 pre-amp to my antenna, and done some re-adjusting. I now have great signals from all the local stations, including 11 and 22, which I understand are also broadcasting VHF, but despite repeated rescans, no Channel 9. As an ardent fan of some of your programming, it's very frustrating.
You had mentioned coming out to the house to test your signal strength here; just let me know when and I'll be glad to help solve this dilemma.
I do hope I don't have to spend my yearly pledge money on another new antenna...
Posted by Jody Rodgers (not verified) on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 4:41pm
I am very disappointed that KCTS made no effort to explain this it's viewers that this was going to occur. Why was this not part of your communication strategy? KCTS was the only channel group I watched and now it is not coming in as I guess my antennae isn't all-band VHF/UHF. Even after doing a rescan I can't get in 9.1, 9.3, 9.5, or 13.1/13.2. Not sure about 11.1.
I guess I am going to have to give my hard earned cash to Best Buy instead of the next KCTS pledge drive.
This is as bad as you guys dropping 9.5 without notice. You would think that an organization that is viewer and tax dollar supported would pay a little more attention to the people who keep their lights on.
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 8:52pm
I am so unhappy to have lost Create! It was just about the only really terrific channel we had, and it came in so well until this! Of course we live in an apartment in downtown Bellevue and cannot get any channels that changed to the VHF signal, even though we have the recommended antenna and have done the various suggested forms of rescanning. What a bummer. And I can't seem to find any cable company that understands there is a Create channel....very very poor planning and information regarding what a charade this was going to be.
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 8:02pm
This is simply frustrating! Those of us who 4 years ago were getting beautiful PBS, and live less than 3 miles from the tower (I live in Capitol Hill!) aren't able to get PBS after scanning 10-15 times. I'm a scientist, and I know a fair amount about electronics...I'm an early adopter, and I have a UHF/VHF antenna! I literally live within walking distance to the tower...
Ever single other station comes in perfectly, better than before, in fact! Yet PBS 9-1, 9-2, and 9-3, which I used to get perfectly before Friday do not! And then you will respond by telling me to call your hotline. Come to find out your hotline is 10-4pm. Hmmmm...Lets see, I work during the day like 90% of other Americans, and so I'm not at home to sit and adjust my antenna on a hotline.
It sounds simple to me, you switched to a weaker signal, and you couldn't afford to stay on the one you were on. Why, I don't know, but it is a shame, and it WILL effect your contributions, unless you give us concrete OBJECTIVE solutions!
PBS is a gem, there is no excuse for this!
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 7:36pm
This is in reply to the 2 posts above me about the signal post-transition. The new signal is VHF vs. the old signal which was UHF. You need to make sure your antenna is capable of receiving VHF signals. A simple TV rabit ears set is a VHF antenna and the broad-side of the dipoles should be facing the tower, with the dipoles spread as much horizontally as possible. Optimally the rods should be extended to only about 15" to receive KCTS's signal because it is in the VHF-high band.
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 6:42pm
Hello....I was a digital viewer on UHF 41 in Mt. Vernon pre 6/12. After 6/12 no more signal, even after rescan since you moved to chn 9.
Same issues with channel 11.
Channel 13 (luckily) & higher no problem. Still enough channels though to avoid cable for me. I guess I was surprised how many stations moved back to VHF, wasn’t expecting that. Yes, I have a UHF only antenna. Thought that was going to be good enough.
Nice explanation though.
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 4:05pm
Glad to see the antenna dilema finally fully explained (how tedious & complicated & difficult it all is) - too bad KCTS gets the weakest signal and that for many they spent money on useless or inadequate equipment. Mine is working finally after 4 frustrating days (the FCC help-line was no help, by the way). This would have been great to have known on Friday night - better late than never.
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