Whitehall PBS Channel 49 moved

The local Whitehall PBS TV channel 49 has moved to TV channel 36.

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) recently repurposed a block of frequencies in the upper TV band to make room for more wireless communication devices.

The present TV band is being "repacked" nationwide and all TV stations will now operate below channel 37.

Lee Good of Whitehall Lower Power TV said on Tuesday they hope to complete the channel change in less than a day and with being off-the-air for an extended period of time. Good said they have already received a new antenna that is almost 21-foot-long and replaces the present channel 49 antenna on top of the Blue Water Tank. A professional tower crew will make the antenna swap. According to Good, as soon as they receive a few more components and filters needed to make the transmitter channel change, they will be back on the air with local and PBS programming.

To receive PBS channel 36 please to into the SETUP menu on your TV and "rescan the channels" by selecting AUTO PROGRAM. If you have difficulty receiving channel 36 after rescanning, please call 287-5308.

Whitehall Low Power TV will announce when they have completed the change and are back on the air. Current antennas should still work on channel 36. Most of the other commercial TV stations in the Butte/Whitehall area will remain on their present channel.