# Picking up MTV over the air?



## Kevin

My friend installed a small 6" TV in his car with an antenna and for some reason he can watch MTV over the air. He said it comes in clear like any other NYC station. Does anyone have any idea how this is happening?


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## Geronimo

Well here is the first question. What channel does it come in on?


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## TopCat99

I used to get QVC on some oddball channel on one television in the house. That was back when the cable system leaked like crazy tho


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## Kevin

My local cable company is in the process of upgrading their systems and changing channel lineups. I think that Cablevision might be "leaking" the signal like TopCat99 said.


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## TopCat99

If you have access to a scanner (the radio kind--not image ), tune to 145.250. It seems that many (most? all?) leaky cable systems can be heard as either a strong buzz or just a strong empty carrier there (that'll sound like something's "on the air" but no one is saying anything).

This wreaks havoc with me, as I used to frequent a repeater on 145.27. My cable leaks so bad that the squelch is always open on any frequency near 25


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## Nick

Also scan local OTA UHF channels for low-power stations. I once found a UHF channel broadcasting a previously unkown (to me) music video call-in request program. 

Related Question: When and why did the FCC reassign UHF TV channels 70-83?


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## bryan27

> Related Question: When and why did the FCC reassign UHF TV channels 70-83?


When: The early 80's
Why: 70-83 was never used for regular television. There was only 1 licensed full power station on the band and that station was in Bowling Green Ohio. 70-83 was allocated as translator band, and there were only about 20 translators that ever broadcasted there.

Kevin, I found your station. It is WLBX-LP and airs MTV-2. It could be on either channel 22 or channel 46 (depending on if they built their CP or not).


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## Jacob S

MTV-2 (M2) is or was in the free on C-Band


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## Geronimo

Yeah but I dont think he has C band in that car.


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## DarrellP

> _Originally posted by Geronimo _
> *Yeah but I dont think he has C band in that car. *


Maybe this is why: :lol:


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## raj2001

> _Originally posted by TopCat99 _
> *If you have access to a scanner (the radio kind--not image ), tune to 145.250. It seems that many (most? all?) leaky cable systems can be heard as either a strong buzz or just a strong empty carrier there (that'll sound like something's "on the air" but no one is saying anything).
> 
> This wreaks havoc with me, as I used to frequent a repeater on 145.27. My cable leaks so bad that the squelch is always open on any frequency near 25  *


The strong buzz is an AM video signal, and yes, cable channel 18 is in the spectrum used for the 2 meter ham band. Cable companies are supposed to keep their leakage (egress) to a minimum according to the FCC but of course nothing's perfect, especially with the cable company.


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## raj2001

> _Originally posted by bryan27 _
> *When: The early 80's
> Why: 70-83 was never used for regular television. There was only 1 licensed full power station on the band and that station was in Bowling Green Ohio. 70-83 was allocated as translator band, and there were only about 20 translators that ever broadcasted there.*


As you said, 70-83 was wasted spectrum, and the FCC found it far more useful for AMPS phones and trunked radio systems.


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## raj2001

> _Originally posted by Geronimo _
> *Yeah but I dont think he has C band in that car. *


While that's true, you can have DBS mobile, using a special automatically rotating dish antenna. (seriously).


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## Kevin

> _Originally posted by bryan27 _
> *Kevin, I found your station. It is WLBX-LP and airs MTV-2. It could be on either channel 22 or channel 46 (depending on if they built their CP or not). *[/QUOTEI've never heard of this station. Where does it broadcast from? How come it is not offered in the Dish locals package or carried by my local cable company?


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## raj2001

> _Originally posted by Kevin _
> *
> 
> 
> 
> Originally posted by bryan27
> How come it is not offered in the Dish locals package or carried by my local cable company?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Dish and Direct or the cable company are not required to carry Low Power (LP) stations. There are quite a few around here in NYC.*


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## Tomsoundman

If it shows MTV 2 then it is on your Dishnetwork...


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## bryan27

Kevin,

WLBX-LP Cranford NJ Channel 22
Licensed
ERP=9.42 Kw
40 ° 42' 42.00" Latitude
74 ° 21' 22.00" Longitude

WLBX-LP Manhattan NY (NYC) Channel 46
Construction Permit
ERP=50.00 Kw
40 ° 44' 46.00" Latitude
73 ° 58' 52.00" Longitude



> If it shows MTV 2 then it is on your Dishnetwork...


Tomsoundman, Ha, Ha, very funny  Many LPTV Stations air cable channels. We have two MTV-2 stations here in the Pittsburgh area. It's on WIIC-LP Channel 29 and WPTG-LP Channel 69. We also have a ShopNBC station on WNEU-LP Channel 63.


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## Geronimo

> _Originally posted by raj2001 _
> *
> 
> While that's true, you can have DBS mobile, using a special automatically rotating dish antenna. (seriously). *


yes you can I was commenting on the post about MTV on C Band. I just don't think it explains mobile rteception. In other words I was kidding around. this is what I get.


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