Channel 1

In North America, channel 1 is a former broadcast (over-the-air) television channel. When the U.S. Federal Communications Commission first allocated broadcast television frequencies, channel 1 was logically the first channel. Some television stations originally broadcasting on channel 1:

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• WNBT (today's WNBC-TV), now on channel 4;
• KTSL (today's KCBS-TV), now on channel 2.

In 1945, the FCC decided to reserve channel 1 for low-wattage community television stations, and moved existing channel 1 stations to higher frequencies. Then in 1948 the FCC decided that too much of the VHF radio spectrum was given to television, and the band used by channel 1 (between 44 and 50 MHz) was instead reassigned to amateur radios (the six-meter band). Rather than renumber, it was far easier just to leave it off permanently. (Cable television does have a channel 1, though this may not be the same, as its use is rare and its frequency assignment is sometimes inconsistent.)

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(Cable television in North America also uses other frequencies between Channel 6 (82-88 MHz) and Channel 7 (174 MHz), and between Channel 13 (216 MHz) and Channel 14 (470 MHz) for additional standard 6 MHz channels. These channels overlap assorted other uses, including FM, aeronautical and police bands.)

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TV was not the first use for that band either. Originally, it was part of the FM broadcast band, until it was later moved in the RCA scandal. Channel 1 is also not the only "missing" channel. There are no stations assigned to UHF channel 37 (608 to 614MHz), which is kept silent for use in radio astronomy. Since that channel is in the middle instead of at either end, it remains on all TV sets and other tuners.

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Other channels have been removed and reassigned as well, but only from the upper UHF bands. Channels 14 to 83 (sans 37), from 470 to 890 MHz, were originally added for the rapidly expanding (1950s, 1960s) TV service. In the 1980s, the channels from 70 on up (from 806 to 890 MHz) were removed for AMPS mobile phone services (leading to one side of some conversations being heard on older TV sets).

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In the 1990s, it was decided that digital television would be limited to the channels below 52, so that another 18 channels (from 698 to 806 MHz) could be auctioned and given to emergency services such as police radios. Although not officially removed, channel 6 (from 82 to 88 MHz) is not being assigned to digital stations either, and will at least temporarily remain as a guard band with the FM broadcast band (from 88 to 108 MHz). Renumbering in this case is moot, as virtual channels maintain the original TV station brand number, despite actually transmitting on another channel.

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In Europe, other recently abandoned TV channels are being used for DAB digital radio.

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North America: North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere, bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific Ocean. It covers an area of 9,355,000 square miles (24,230,000 square kilometers). In 2...

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