old question: why isn't there a Channel 1?

[ChrisW6ATV]

None of those cable-ready Channel 1 sets are tuning the "real" 44-50 MHz channel, though. I think I have even seen a "channel zero" on some kind of cable-ready device once.

A local digital TV station here, thanks to the abilities of the PSIP system, calls its channels "one-dash" various numbers.

[Jon A.]

Originally Posted by ChrisW6ATV

None of those cable-ready Channel 1 sets are tuning the "real" 44-50 MHz channel, though. I think I have even seen a "channel zero" on some kind of cable-ready device once.

My Jerrold StarCom III has "channel zero".

[Colly0410]

Channel 1 in Britain & New Zealand & channel 0 in Australia were in the mid 40 Mhz part of low band (band 1). London's Crystal Palace transmitter blasted 200 KW's of ch 1 to South East England. Ch 1 was also used in Northern Ireland in the Belfast area & Cornwall in South West England.

All of the High power low band (band 1) transmitters in Britain used vertical polarization & most (but not all) medium & low power ones used horizontal polarization. they did this to try & reduce co-channel interference which was a big problem at the time.

VHF TV on 405 lines was gradually shut down in the early 80's & the last transmission was in January 1985. Most people stopped using VHF TV in the early 70's as the old 405 lines only TV's wore out & were replaced by 625 lines UHF only sets, also colour was only broadcast on 625 lines UHF..

[NoPegs]

Originally Posted by Colly0410

London's Crystal Palace transmitter blasted 200 KW's of ch 1 to South East England.

It also ran interference for Britain in the battle of the beams against the Nazi's 3rd attempt at radio-navigation and bombing, known as Y-Gerät. The Germans happened to pick ~45MHz for their system, and with minimal tweaking, London had one hell of a countermeasure available.

[Colly0410]

Originally Posted by NoPegs

It also ran interference for Britain in the battle of the beams against the Nazi's 3rd attempt at radio-navigation and bombing, known as Y-Gerät. The Germans happened to pick ~45MHz for their system, and with minimal tweaking, London had one hell of a countermeasure available.

Ah yes NoPegs an interesting subject. I've read a few books on the 'Battle of the beams' fascinating stuff. The BBC shut down the transmitter just before war was declared, 'to prevent German aircraft using it as a beacon' they said! But did they know what was coming & so might need it for something else? The BBC radio programs on long wave & medium wave (AM) were made a single frequency synchronized network to prevent them being used as radio beacons..