Understanding & Measuring Video TV-RF Signals(II)

Understanding & Measuring Video TV-RF Signals

By Glen Kropuenske, CET, Sencore Application Engineer

Editor’s Note: This is the second part of a three-part article.

 

RF-TV Channel Frequencies – Channel Plans

There are multiple TV-RF channels being broadcast to an antenna or available on a cable television system. For multiple TV-RF channels to exist each must occupy a specific 6MHz channel or frequency band.

TV stations and cable systems are assigned 6 MHz wide frequency bands by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in which TV-RF signals can be transmitted or transported. Channel numbers are assigned to these frequency bands for identification.

Channel 2 is assigned a frequency range of 54-60 MHz, channel 3 a range of 60-66MHz and channel 4 of 66-72 MHz as shown in Figure 8. Each channel has a video or picture carrier with luminance, chroma and sync modulation. Each channel has an audio or sound carrier with modulated audio.

Fig. 8 - Channel frequency allocations for channels 2, 3 and 4.

For most FCC assigned channel frequency bands there are channels directly above or below the channel. The channel directly below the channel is called the lower adjacent channel and the channel above it the upper adjacent channel. For example, channel 2 is the lower adjacent channel for channel 3. The upper adjacent channel is channel 4.

A TV receiver tuned to channel 3 must provide adequate filtering of the adjacent channel signals to produce a good picture. Strong signal levels on the adjacent channels or improper TV receiver operation, rejection of adjacent channel signals, may cause picture lines or interference.

Fig. 9 - Channel number designations and bands for VHF/UHF and cable channels. Cable channels 126-134 are not shown.

Television broadcast stations are assigned transmitter channels in the VHF (Very High Frequency) and UHF (Ultra High Frequency) bands. Low Band VHF channels 2-6 range from 54-86 MHz. High Band VHF channels 7-13 range from 174-216 MHz. FM broadcast, aviation, and public service bands occupy the frequencies between channel 6 and 7. UHF channels 14-69 occupy channel frequencies from 470 MHz to 806 MHz. Take special notice of the gap in frequency spectrum between VHF channel 13 and 14.

Cable television systems provide a conduit to transport signals from point-to-point. Since the conduit is like a water pipe and all the signals are held securely inside, the full frequency spectrum range can be used to transport RF-TV signal channels.

A joint effort by the EIA (Electronics Industry Association) and NCTA (National Cable Television Association) defined the cable channel frequency plans. With the FCC’s approval, the low and high VHF broadcast channels are the same on cable. Midband cable channels 14-22 range from 120-172 MHz. Superband cable channels 23-36 range from 216-300 MHz. Hyperband cable channels 37-134 range from 300-858MHz and channels 95-99 occupy a frequency gap in the FM band 90-120 MHz.

Fig. 10 - Spectrum of TV-RF channel numbers and frequency ranges.

When tuning a television to a channel number you must consider if the channel is an off-air transmitted VHF/UHF TV channel or a cable TV channel number. While the channel numbers 2-13 designate the same channel frequency, channels above 13 designate different channel frequencies. For this reason, television receivers all have tuning modes that select between cable or antenna tuning channel plans. Likewise, field strength meters that tune by channel number must also be programmed for cable or VHF/UHF tuning.

 

HRC & ICC Offset Cable Channel Plans

Some cable systems purposefully shift the video and audio carrier frequencies of some or most channels. Two common carrier shift schemes are the Harmonically Related Carrier (HRC) and Incrementally Coherent Related Carrier (ICC or IRC).

The HRC system shifts all the cable channels 2-125 down in frequency –1.25 MHz from the FCC assigned or standard cable frequency except channels 4 and 5. Channel 4 and 5 are shifted up in frequency +.75 MHz. An additional channel, designated channel 1, is created between channel 4 and channel 5 with a carrier frequency of 72 MHz.

The IRC or ICC system shifts channels 4 and 5 up in frequency +2.0 MHz from the FCC assigned or standard cable frequency. An additional channel, designated channel 1, is created between channels 4 and 5 with a carrier frequency of 73.25 MHz.

While an HRC or ICC system gains an extra cable channel, the main advantage of an HRC or ICC system is to reduce a form of interference called triple beat. Triple beats cause interference lines in the cable pictures after long cascades of amplifiers or from improper signal levels or amplifier operation.

Triple beat is a cable amplifier distortion in which an interference frequency results from the combination of 3 cable carriers. For example, channel 2 frequency plus channel 3 frequency plus channel 4 frequency equals 183.75 MHz. This mixing or triple beat falls in the video of channel 8. Multiple triple beat combinations exist in cable systems, however, with proper design and signal levels these beat products usually do not cause picture interference.

HRC systems use a stable reference oscillator at 6.000300 MHz to derive all the video carriers on the cable system. The reference oscillator is multiplied by various multipliers to derive each channel’s video carrier frequency. For example, the reference oscillator is multiplied by 9 to produce the carrier for channel 2. Since all the video carriers are in phase and direct multiples, any triple beat falls directly on another carrier frequency masking the interference that may be seen on the picture.

Although HRC and ICC systems improved picture quality, few cable systems adopted these channel plans. Only about 10% of the cable systems use an HRC or ICC system. The local cable operator or engineer can confirm the use of an HRC or ICC cable system in your area.

When tuning a television you may need to consider if an HRC or ICC cable channel plan is being used. Most modern day televisions have versatile electronic tuning in the cable mode. Electronic tuning searches for a valid video carrier up to 2 MHz above and below the normal assigned FCC cable channel frequency. With this search HRC or ICC carrier frequencies are found and tuned. Some television and VCR tuners are not automatic, you may need to select FCC, HRC or ICC on a rear panel switch or on the electronic on-screen menu to enable proper tuning to the cable channel plan being used.

Fig. 11 - Summary of HRC and ICC channel shifts.

 

Cable Channel Plans Around the World

The TV system and cable channel plans in the United States and Canada are different than systems used around the world. TV systems in other parts of the world use PAL A, PAL I, and PAL B/G video systems. These systems differ in color encoding schemes and spacing between the video and audio carrier. Cable channel number and frequency assignments also differ in countries around the world. A television receiver or an electronic instrument to measure cable channel signal levels would need to modify its channel tuning plan to match these systems.