UPDATE: Did you lose NPT? Try these steps to recover our broadcast signal.
- If you rescanned earlier in the day on July 3, try again now.
- Check antennaweb.org to make sure you’re pointing your VHF antenna in the right direction. And if necessary, rescan.
- Still can’t receive our signal? It’s possible you’re in an area where our signal is weak, in which case you may not be able to receive our signal until we are operating at full strength on our new antenna. That’s expected to be in four or five weeks. In the meantime, please find our streaming programming at video.wnpt.org.
On July 3, 2020, Nashville Public Television will move to a new frequency, per Federal Communications Commission requirements. When this happens, viewers who watch NPT via an over-the-air antenna will need to rescan their TVs to continue receiving the station. Don’t worry – rescanning is easy! Also, after the frequency change (and your rescan), we will still be found at our usual channel numbers: 8.1 (NPT), 8.2 (NPT2) and 8.3 (NPT3 PBS Kids).
Note: Viewers will not need to purchase new equipment or services. Viewers who watch NPT through cable or satellite service won’t need to do anything (service providers will take care of that).
In order to comply with the FCC’s frequency change, NPT will have to install a new broadcast antenna. The first step of this is a temporary move to a lower-power antenna. Then, during the installation of the new antenna, we will be reducing signal power for 4 to 5 weeks to ensure the safety of the construction workers. Thus, if you use an antenna and cannot receive our signal on July 3, you’ll need to rescan once our new broadcast antenna has been installed and is operating at full-power.
More details and regular updates about NPT’s frequency change can be found on our rescan website: wnpt.org/rescan.
How to rescan
For most TVs, the channel scan prompt is located in the “channel set-up” or “broadcast set-up” menu item. If you cannot find these or similar options, check your owner’s manual or search for your television’s specific instructions online. Remember: Cable and satellite services will do the rescanning on their end.
Why is NPT changing frequencies?
The FCC held an auction in 2017 to reallocate TV broadcast airwaves for wireless internet broadband services. As a result, thousands of stations are required to move frequencies to make room for wireless internet carriers. Other stations in the Middle Tennessee area have already done so; now it’s our turn.
For more information and regular updates visit: wnpt.org/rescan.
8 Comments
How much reduction in your power will last 4 to 5 weeks? Those of us 60 miles away will be affected tremendously. Will you reprogram the 2 ongoing Masterpiece Series so we don’t miss these. During Covid 19 the Masterpiece series ‘World in War. and .A Pace to Call Home’ and ‘the Midwife’ were truly the best entertainment on TV. I hate to miss the next ones.
We are glad you enjoy our programming, particularly those Sunday dramas! The power will be reduced enough not to injure the workers installing the new equipment, so if you are unable to watch NPT over-the-air, be sure to look into online options for Masterpiece at https://video.wnpt.org/.
We live in Wilson county, and our NPT has been off the air for five days now. Our provider is Spectrum TV, and so we shouldn’t be having any problems re-programming. Any advise ?
Well, unfortunately with Charter/Spectrum you will have reception problems while we’re at lower power. We know this because several of your fellow subscribers have let us know – and there was a similar problem during a previous tower issue. We’re attempting to work with the cable company to resolve the issue. Meanwhile, please check out streaming options at https://video.wnpt.org/ or via the PBS app: https://www.pbs.org/pbs-video-app/. Also, if you have a YouTube TV subscription, you can stream most of our broadcast feed. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to be at full power on our new antenna sooner rather than later.
Any idea how long it will be until I can get WNPT? I have Spectrum also.
Apologies for the delayed response; your comment somehow eluded the notification system. You’re probably aware that our channels are once again available to Spectrum subscribers.
It is most unfortunate. Is the broadcast origin really that far away from the Spectrum headend? If they could get the signal, at their headend they should be able to boost it up to allow for piping out to their subscribers, one would think.
I have placed a one-station escalation request into them and it has been sent off to engineering, but, if the signal strength is that low perhaps they can’t even acquire it.
Apologies for the delayed response; your comment somehow eluded the notification system. You’re probably aware that our channels are once again available to Spectrum subscribers. Whew.