Digital Television
DTV - HDTV Channel List
San Francisco Bay Area
(within 100 miles of San Francisco)
Listed by Virtual Channel
All full power analog stations have gone off the air, except for those transmitting "Nightlight Service" (see below).
The only analog stations remaining that offer programming are low power stations.See notes below for explanation of header information.
Virtual
ChannelTransmitter
ChannelCall
LettersNetwork/
ProgrammingCity of
LicenseTransmitter
LocationERP
kWAntenna Information
HAAT-ft
and Notes2.1 41.1 KOTR ? Gonzales Mt. Toro 15 2487 L - N 2.1 44.1 KTVU FOX Oakland Sutro Tower 400 1680 A - H - T 2.2 44.2 LATV 2.? 42.1 K42IT FOX Oakland Monument Pk 3 ? L - H - N - T 2.? 42.2 LATV L - N 3.1 35.1 KCRA NBC Sacramento Walnut Grove 1000 1900 H - T 3.2 35.2 NBC-WxPlus 3.1 39.1 KMMD MTV-TR3S Salinas Mt. Toro 15 2418 L - N 4.1 4.1 K04QR ? Esparto NW Rio Linda 0.24 151 L - N 4.1 4.1 K04QR KTVU Lakeport Bald Mt/NW Esparto 0.1 1001 L 4.1 38.1 KRON MyNetTV San Francisco Sutro Tower 1000 1679 A 4.2 38.2 MyNetTV A - H 5.1 5.1 K05MI ? Berkeley Burdell Mtn.-Novato 0.3 1276 L - N 5.1 5.1 K05MI KICU Lakeport NE Kelseyville 0.3 1969 L 5.1 29.1 KPIX CBS San Francisco Sutro Tower 1000 1679 A - H 6.1 9.1 KVIE PBS Sacramento Walnut Grove 33 1958 H 6.2 9.2 PBS 6.3 9.3 V-me 6.1 6.1 KEFM ? Sacramento Sutter Buttes 0.3 2123 L - N 7.1 7.1 KGO ABC San Francisco Sutro Tower 23.8 1686 A - H 7.2 7.2 Live Well A - H - R 7.3 7.3 AccuWx A 8.1 8.1 KSBW NBC Salinas Fremont Peak 20.6 2493 H 8.2 8.2 NBC-WxPlus 8.1 8.1 KDAS Daystar Guerneville Mt. St. Helena 0.2 2963 L - N 8.1 8.1 KDTS Daystar San Francisco Mt. Diablo 0.22 2835 L - N 8.1 51.1 KBTV Asian Sacramento Downtn Sacto 15 285 L - N 9.1 30.1 KQED PBS-HD San Francisco Sutro Tower 710 1679 A - H - Sched. 9.2 30.2 KTEH-SD-PBS San Jose 9.3 30.3 PBS World 10.1 10.1 KXTV ABC Sacramento Walnut Grove 34.5 2008 H 10.2 10.2 ABC-AccuWx 11.1 12.1 KNTV NBC San Jose Mt. San Bruno 103.1 1237 H 11.2 12.2 NBC-WxPlus 11.3 12.3 Universal Sports 13.1 25.1 KOVR CBS Stockton Walnut Grove 1000 2014 H 14.1 51.1 KDTV Univision San Francisco Mt. Allison 476 2300 14.1 36.1 KAZV Independent Modesto Mt. Oso 0.5 1214 L - N 14.1 14.1 KMMK MTV-TR3S Sacramento Rt 49-S of Placerville 2.3 804 L - N 14.1 3.1 K14MW Religion Petaluma Mt. Tamalpais .3 2195 L - N - T 14.1 14.1 K14MW Religion Petaluma NE of Santa Rosa 4 919 L - N - T 15.1 31.1 KMUM MTV-TR3S Sacramento Sutter Buttes 15 410 L - N 18.1 18.1 K18IJ KQED Salinas Mt. Toro 0.1 2254 L - N 19.1 18.1 KUVS Univision Modesto Angels Camp 500 1821 19.2 18.2 Univision 20.1 19.1 KOFY Independent San Francisco Sutro Tower 463 1601 A - H 20.4 19.4 Azteca A 22.1 23.1 KRCB PBS Cotati Sonoma Mtn. 299 2068 H 22.2 23.2 PBS Create 22.3 23.3 KRCB-FM91 22.1 42.1 KAXT Religion-Spanish Santa Clara - San Jose Mt. San Bruno 0.61 1234 L - N - T 22.1 42.1 KAXT Religion-Spanish Santa Clara - San Jose Mt. Allisom 15 1916 L - N -T 23.1 15.1 KBSV Armenian Ceres Mt. Oso .421 1890 23.1 11.1 KMUV TMD Monterey Fremont Peak 0.3 2365 L - N 23.1 23.1 KEZT Telemundo Sacramento Downtown Sacto 4.5 279 L - N 25.1 25.1 KQET PBS-HD Watsonville Fremont Peak 81.1 2292 H 25.2 25.2 KTEH-SD-PBS 25.3 25.3 V-me 26.1 27.1 KTSF Independent San Francisco Mt. San Bruno 858 1323 26.2 27.2 MBC America 27.1 27.1 KEXT Telefutura Modesto Mt. Oso 15 1214 L - N 27.1 27.1 KYMB MGM-This Monterey SE of Monterey 5 574 L 27.2 27.2 MegaTV 27.3 27.3 CoastalTV 27.4 27.4 AmericaOne 28.1 28.1 KFTL Shopping/Religion San Francisco Mt. San Bruno 15 1243 L 28.1 28.1 KMMW MTV-TR3S Stockton Angels Camp 15 1831 L 29.1 48.1 KSPX Ion Sacramento Walnut Grove 1000 1604 29.2 48.2 Qubo 29.3 48.3 Ion Life 29.4 48.4 Worship 29.1 29.1 K29AB KICU Monterey Fremont Peak 3.1 2228 L - N 31.1 21.1 KMAX CW Sacramento Walnut Grove 1000 2014 H 31.1 31.1 KMUM MTV-TR3S Sacramento NW of N.Highlands 15 410 L - N 32.1 33.1 KMTP News-Arts San Francisco Sutro Tower 500 1627 A 32.2 33.2 World Ch. 32.4 33.4 SCITV 32.5 33.5 NTDTV 33.1 5.1 KCSO Telemundo Sacramento Angels Camp 0.3 1955 L - N 34.1 20.1 KACA Daystar Modesto W of Ripon 15 440 L - N 35.1 13.1 KCBA FOX Salinas Fremont Peak 19.75 2362 H 36.1 4.1 KTVJ Independent Petaluma Mt. Tamalpais 0.3 2188 L - N 36.1 36.1 KICU Independent San Jose Monument Pk 550 2251 H - T 36.2 36.2 Korean Programs 38.1 39.1 KCNS Shopping/Asian San Francisco Sutro Tower 1000 1679 A 38.2 39.2 Shopping/Asian 39.1 39.1 K39JM ? Sacramento Sutter Buttes 3 2123 L - N 40.1 40.1 KTXL FOX Sacramento Walnut Grove 950 1972 H 40.2 40.2 LATV 40.1 40.1 KMMC MTV-TR3S San Francisco Mt. San Bruno 3.2 1283 L - N 42.1 14.1 KTNC TuVision Concord Mt. Diablo 40 3156 42.1 42.1 KBKF ? Glen Arbor Santa Cruz Mt. 15 1581 L - N 42.1 42.1 KMSX ? Sacramento S. of Colfax 15 584 L - N 43.1 43.1 900312KG Religion Sacramento Rt 49-S of Placerville 100 1010 L - N - T 44.1 45.1 KBCW CW San Francisco Sutro Tower 1000 1609 A - H 44.1 34.1 KRJR Daystar Sacramento Downtown Sac'to 15 302 L - N 45.1 45.1 K45HC TBN Sacramento Walnut Grove 15 587 L - N 46.1 32.1 KION CBS Monterey Mt. Toro 46 2487 H 46.2 32.2 CW 47.1 47.1 K47LC MTV-TR3S Salinas Fremont Peak 15 2300 L - N 48.1 49.1 KSTS Telemundo San Jose Mt. Allison 257 2257 48.2 49.2 Telemundo H 49.1 44.1 K49EO TBN Modesto WNW of Ripon 15 436 L - N 49.1 49.1 KSAO CoastalTV Sacramento SE of Folsom 15 341 L - N 50.1 32.1 KFTY Independent Santa Rosa Mt. St. Helena 19.9 3045 54.1 50.1 KTEH KTEH-SD-PBS San Jose Monument Pk 1000 2178 T 54.2 50.2 KQED-SD-PBS 54.3 50.3 PBS Life 54.4 50.4 PBS Kids 54.5 50.5 V-me 58.1 46.1 KQCA MyNetTV Stockton Walnut Grove 600 1903 H 58.2 46.2 MGM-This 60.1 43.1 KCSM PBS San Mateo Sutro Tower 500 1678 A - H 60.2 43.2 MHzWorldview 60.3 43.3 Jazz TV 64.1 26.1 KTFK TeleFutura Stockton Walnut Grove 850 1952 65.1 41.1 KKPX Ion San Jose Mt. San Bruno 1000 1371 H 65.2 41.2 Qubo 65.3 41.3 Ion Life 65.4 41.4 Worship 66.1 34.1 KFSF TeleFutura Vallejo Sutro Tower 330 1637 A 66.2 34.2 KDTV-Univision San Francisco 67.1 31.1 KSMS Univision Monterey Fremont Peak 1000 2299 67.2 31.2 KDJT-TeleFutura 67.3 31.3 LATV 68.1 47.1 KTLN TLN Novato Burdell Mtn. 1000 1319 NOTES:
"Virtual Channel" is the channel to which the signal is aliased. A signal transmitted by the station causes this number to be used on viewers' sets. Stations are required by the FCC to use their former analog channel number as their Virtual Channel since viewers are familiar with that numbering system and station identification.
"Transmitter Channel" is the channel number the station actually transmits on. See the Transmitter Channel Listing for a station list by transmitter channel number.
Several sub-channels (programs) can be transmitted on each digital television channel. To distinguish a station's sub-channels, decimals or dashes are added after the channel number - for example 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3, or 7-1, 7-2 and 7-3. Most tuners will not show any digital signals at all until you've had the tuner do a "scan", and if a station has made changes in its lineup, these tuners will not show those changes until you scan again.
Most tuners only show stations on their virtual channels, but some tuners show stations on their actual transmitted channels as well. A few tuners show stations only on their transmitted channels. This is why we show both channels in our list. (Note, too, that knowing transmitted channels is important when you select antennas, coax, and preamplifiers, since virtual channels are meaningless when you design your antenna and signal distribution systems.)
All tuners will show all of a station's sub-channels if you receive the station well enough to receive any one of its sub-channels, but on the transmitted channel, some tuners may not show sub-channels on the same sub-channel numbers (such as .1, .2, or .3) that appear on the virtual channel and which appear in our list. Some stations do not begin their sub-channels with .1 on their transmitted channel, so you may find nothing on .1 or .2 and find sub-channels on .3 and above. Therefore, if you are watching a transmitter channel, and the sub-channels don't match our list, tune through all of the sub-channels to find the program you want.
The television band now only consists of channels 2 through 51. The frequencies above channel 51 have been auctioned off for public service, cell phone and other services.
Channels 2 through 13 are VHF.
Channels 14 through 51 are UHF.Although still authorized for television, channels 2 through 6 have been found to be poor for digital service. Electrical interference from power lines, motors, lightning, etc. causes the loss of digital bits and the loss of signal. Only 40 full power digital stations are on these channels in the entire country; only one in California, channel 3 in Eureka.
VHF signals propagate more readily than UHF signals, so VHF stations need to transmit with less power to cover the same area.
The actual frequencies of the various channels can be seen on the CSG Network Television Frequency Table.
Congress passed the "DTV Nightlight" bill giving authorized broadcasters an extra 30 days past the June 12, 2009, transition date to air DTV education messages on their analog signals. Broadcasters will need to air the messages in both Spanish and English. They will also get to transmit emergency weather or public safety information that airs on the digital signal. The stations in this area that are airing "Nightlight Service" are KCRA 3, KVIE 6, and KNTV 11.
Clicking on the call letters of a station in the list above will take you to that station's records on the Federal Communications Commission site.
ERP = Effective Radiated Power
HAAT = Height Above Average Terrain
A = Antenna Sutro Tower - Station will operate on present temporary antenna until new antenna is ready. During daytime periods when antenna work is in progress, station will operate at reduced power from their auxiliary antenna. Completion date is said to be October, 2009.
H - Transmits in High Definition (HDTV)
L - Low Power or Translator Station
N - Not Yet On The Air
R - Reruns earlier programs from main channel
T - See notes below for special transition information for this station
Major San Francisco sites are in red.
Major Sacramento site is in green.
TRANSITION INFORMATION:
Virtual Channel - Notes
All stations transmitting from Sutro Tower in San Francisco - 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 20, 32, 38, 44, 60 and 66 -
see note A above for further information.
2-KTVU has applied for 1000 kW on channel 44 and a 3 kW translator on channel 42 at Monument Peak.
3-KCRA will operate at 93% power until September 15, 2009.
14-K14MW has an application submitted for channel 3 and is licensed for channel 14.
22-KAXT has a construction permit for Mt. San Bruno and an application submitted for Mt. Allison, both for channel 42.
28-KFTL has a construction permit for channel 24 and has also applied for a station on channel 28.
36-KICU will change to new transmitter and antenna and run full power at later date. Station has applied for 1000 kW on channel 36.
43-900312KG - callsign pending winner of lottery for channel.
54-KTEH will be increasing power from 290 to 1000 kW.
San Francisco Bay Area-Sacramento-Monterey Digital Channel Lists:
- Listing by Virtual Channel - (Printer Version) - full information and details, sorted by virtual channel
- Listing by Transmitter Channel - (Printer Version) - full information and details, sorted by transmitter channel
- Post Transition Analog Listing - analog channels that have remained on the air after the transition on 6/12/09
- Post Transition Changes - a summary of the changes seen during 2009
SPACING REQUIREMENTSTransmitter Channels 7-13:
Prohibited on same channel: 0-170 mi
Prohibited on adjacent channel: 14.29-68.35 miTransmitter Channels 14-51:
Prohibited on same channel: 0-139 mi
Prohibited on adjacent channel: 14.91-68.35 miNote on spacing requirements:
The "doughnut" shaped exclusion zone for adjacent channels recognizes
that adjacent stations only present a problem when there is a strong
station right next to a weak station you want to watch.The source for most of this information is the FCC web site.
Data on this page was compiled by:
Larry Kenney, WB9LOZ, Retired engineer, KGO/ABC
Bill Choisser, K9AT, Registered Professional Engineer, CaliforniaThere are very active HDTV forums on line for the Bay Area and the nation. Visit our Broadcasting Page for links to them.
These charts will be updated as required.
Last updated on June 30, 2009.Accuracy is not guaranteed but is correct to the best of our knowledge.
Larry Kenney
Corrections are welcome.
Bill & Larry's Broadcasting Page