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 Analog television broadcasts have been phased out in most regions, having been replaced by digital television broadcasts.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)
+ VHF low-band (band I) Channel Lower edge ATSC 1 pilot Video carrier ISDB-T/Tb center Audio carrier Upper edge 1 44 44.31 45.25 47.142857 49.75 50(Gap in band plan used by amateur radio 6-meter band) 2 54 54.31 55.25 57.142857 59.75 60 3 60 60.31 61.25 63.142857 65.75 66 4 66 66.31 67.25 69.142857 71.75 72(Gap in band plan used by aeronautical navigation) 5 76 76.31 77.25 79.142857 81.75 82 6 82 82.31 83.25 85.142857 87.75 88 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.
+ VHF high-band (band III) Channel Lower edge ATSC 1 pilot Video carrier ISDB-T/Tb center Audio carrier Upper edge 7 174 174.31 175.25 177.142857 179.75 180 8 180 180.31 181.25 183.142857 185.75 186 9 186 186.31 187.25 189.142857 191.75 192 10 192 192.31 193.25 195.142857 197.75 198 11 198 198.31 199.25 201.142857 203.75 204 12 204 204.31 205.25 207.142857 209.75 210 13 210 210.31 211.25 213.142857 215.75 216
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.
+ VHF low-band Channel Lower edge Video carrier ISDB-T center frequency Audio carrier Upper edge J1 90 91.25 93.142857 95.75 96 J2 96 97.25 99.142857 101.75 102 J3 102 103.25 105.142857 107.75 108
+ VHF high-band Channel Lower edge Video carrier ISDB-T center frequency Audio carrier Upper edge J4 170 171.25 173.142857 175.75 176 J5 176 177.25 179.142857 181.75 182 J6 182 183.25 185.142857 187.75 188 J7 188 189.25 191.142857 193.75 194 J8 192 193.25 195.142857 197.75 198 J9 198 199.25 201.142857 203.75 204 J10 204 205.25 207.142857 209.75 210 J11 210 211.25 213.142857 215.75 216 J12 216 217.25 219.142857 221.75 222
United Kingdom, Ireland, and Hong Kong
+ System A 405 lines (discontinued in 1985) Channel Upper edge (MHz) Video carrier (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) Lower edge (MHz) B1 45.25 45.00 41.50 40.25 B2 52 51.75 48.25 47 B3 57 56.75 53.25 52 B4 62 61.75 58.25 57 B5 67 66.75 63.25 62 B6 180 179.75 176.25 175 B7 185 184.75 181.25 180 B8 190 189.75 186.25 185 B9 195 194.75 191.25 190 B10 200 199.75 196.25 195 B11 205 204.75 201.25 200 B12 210 209.75 206.25 205 B13 215 214.75 211.25 210
Ireland + System I 625 lines Channel Lower edge (MHz) Video carrier (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) Upper edge (MHz) EA 44.5 45.75 51.75 52.5 EB 52.5 53.75 59.75 60.5 EC 60.5 61.75 67.75 68.5 ED 174 175.25 181.25 182 EE 182 183.25 189.25 190 EF 190 191.25 197.25 198 EG 198 199.25 205.25 206 EH 206 207.25 213.25 214 EI 214 215.25 221.25 222 EJ 222 223.25 229.25 230 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.Channel Inquiry 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 + System B 625 lines Channel Video carrier (MHz) DVB-T/T2 (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) E1 41.25 43.5 46.75 E1A 42.25 44.5 47.75 E2 48.25 50.5 53.75 E2A 49.75 52 55.25 E3 55.25 57.5 60.75 E4 62.25 64.5 67.75 E4A 82.25 84.5 87.75 E5 175.25 177.5 180.75 E6 182.25 184.5 187.75 E7 189.25 191.5 194.75 E8 196.25 198.5 201.75 E9 203.25 205.5 208.75 E10 210.25 212.5 215.75 E11 217.25 219.5 222.75 E12 224.25 226.5 229.75 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.ITU, Final Acts of the Regional Administrative Conference for the planning of VHF/UHF Television Broadcasting in the African Broadcasting Area and Neighbouring Countries 1989, ITU, 1990 page 60 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 + System E 819 lines (discontinued in 1986) Channel Video carrier (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) 1 46.00 42.00 2 52.40 41.25 3 56.15 67.30 4 65.55 54.40 5 164.00 175.15 6 173.40 162.25 7 177.15 188.30 8A 185.25 174.10 8 186.55 175.40 9 190.30 201.45 10 199.70 188.55 11 203.45 214.60 12 212.85 201.70
Channel 1 used an earlier 441-line system and was discontinued in 1956.
+ System L 625 lines Channel Video carrier (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) L1 47.75 41.25 L2 55.75 49.25 L3 60.50 54.00 L4 63.75 57.25 L5 176.00 182.50 L6 184.00 190.50 L7 192.00 198.50 L8 200.00 206.50 L9 208.00 214.50 L10 216.00 222.50
French overseas departments and territories and former French African colonies + System K 625 lines Channel Video carrier (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) K2 52.25 58.75 K3 60.25 66.75 K4 175.25 181.75 K5 183.25 189.75 K6 191.25 197.75 K7 199.25 205.75 K8 207.25 213.75 K9 215.25 221.75 K10 223.25 229.75
Italy + System B 625 lines (discontinued in 2009) Channel Video carrier (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) IA 53.75 59.25 IB 62.25 67.75 IC 82.25 87.75 ID 175.25 180.75 IE 183.75 189.25 IF 192.25 197.75 IG 201.25 206.75 IH 210.25 215.75 IH1 217.25 222.75 IH2 224.25 229.75
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 + Original OIR assignmentsSystem D 625 lines Channel Video carrier (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) I 41.75 48.25 II 49.75 56.25 III 59.25 65.75 IV 77.25 83.75 1 145.25 151.75 2 153.25 159.75 3 161.25 167.75 4 169.25 175.75 5 177.25 183.75 6 185.25 191.75 7 193.25 199.75 8 201.25 207.75 9 209.25 215.75
+ Assignments since 1965System D 625 lines Channel Video carrier (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) R1 49.75 56.25 R2 59.25 65.75 R3 77.25 83.75 R4 85.25 91.75 R5 93.25 99.75 R6 175.25 181.75 R7 183.25 189.75 R8 191.25 197.75 R9 199.25 205.75 R10 207.25 213.75 R11 215.25 221.75 R12 223.25 229.75
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.
Channel Channel limits (MHz) Vision carrier (MHz) Main sound carrier (MHz) Notes1 (Pre 1957)41.00–49.0041.7548.25 Identical to old OIR Ch I, also overlaps of Australian channel AU02 (Pre 1957)58.50–66.50 59.2565.75 Identical to old OIR Ch III (Overlaps western channels E3 and E4 and Australian channels AU1 and AU2) 3 (Pre 1957)99.15–107.1599.90106.40 Overlaps part of Western FM radio broadcast band and Australian channels AU4 and AU54 (Pre 1957)144.50–152.50145.25151.75 Overlaps 2m Amateur radio band 1 (1957–1960)58.00–65.0059.2564.75 Same video freq as pre-1957 Ch 2 (but 5.5 MHz sound) Overlaps western channels E3 and E4 2 (1957–1960)144.00–151.00 145.25150.75 Overlaps 2m Amateur radio band 3 (1957–1960)154.00–161.00155.25160.75 Overlaps Marine VHF radio band E5174.00–181.00175.25180.75 Identical to western Channel E5, overlaps Australian channel AU6 E6181.00–188.00182.25187.75 Identical to western Channel E6, overlaps Australian channel AU7 E8195.00–202.00196.25201.75 Identical to western Channel E8, overlaps Australian channel AU9E11216.00–223.00217.25222.75 Identical to western Channel E11, overlaps Australian channel AU11
From 1960 onwards (West) European standard channels were adopted.
Morocco + System B 625 lines Channel Video carrier (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) M4 163.25 168.75 M5 171.25 176.75 M6 179.25 184.75 M7 187.25 192.75 M8 195.25 200.75 M9 203.25 208.75 M10 211.25 216.75
Australia + System B 625 lines (7 MHz / channel) Channel Video carrier (MHz) Audio carrier (MHz) Center (QAM) frequency (MHz) 0* 46.25 51.75 48.5 1* 57.25 62.75 59.5 2* 64.25 69.75 66.5 3* 86.25 91.75 88.5 4* 95.25 100.75 97.5 5* 102.25 107.75 104.5 5A* 138.25 143.75 140.5 6 175.25 180.75 177.5 7 182.25 187.75 184.5 8 189.25 194.75 191.5 9 196.25 201.75 198.5 9A** 203.25 208.75 205.5 10** 210.25 215.75 212.5 11** 217.25 222.75 219.5 12** 224.25 229.75 226.5 * 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