Ultra high frequency

:This article is about the radio frequency. See also UHF (movie), UHF (music video), and UHF (band)

History

United States

On December 29, 1949 KC2XAK of Bridgeport, Connecticut became the first UHF television station to operate on a regular daily schedule. The first true commercially licensed UHF television station on the air was KPTV/Channel 27 (now VHF Channel 12) in Portland, Oregon on September 18, 1952.

Related Topics:
December 29 - 1949 - KC2XAK - Bridgeport, Connecticut - KPTV - Portland, Oregon - September 18 - 1952

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In the United States, UHF stations (broadcast channels above 13) originally gained a reputation for being more locally owned, less polished, less professional, less popular, and for having a weaker signal than their VHF counterparts (channels 2–13). The movie UHF, starring "Weird Al" Yankovic, parodied this phenomenon.

Related Topics:
UHF - "Weird Al" Yankovic

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However, with the emergence of additional broadcast television networks (Fox, UPN, WB, and i), the concentration of media ownership, and the proliferation of cable television, digital television, and DSS in the 1990s, the distinction between UHF and VHF stations has virtually disappeared in the United States. Most HDTV stations broadcast their over-the-air signal in the UHF band.

Related Topics:
Fox - UPN - WB - I - Concentration of media ownership - Cable television - Digital television - DSS - 1990s - HDTV

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The Family Radio Service and General Mobile Radio Service use the 462 and 467MHz areas of the UHF spectrum; there is also a great amount of unlicensed activity (cordless phones, wireless networking, and the like) clustered around 900MHz and 2.4GHz.

Related Topics:
Family Radio Service - General Mobile Radio Service

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United Kingdom

In Britain, UHF television began with the launch of BBC2 in 1964. BBC1 and ITV soon added their own services on UHF (British channels 21 to 69), and PAL colour was introduced on UHF only in 1967–1969. VHF was phased out by 1986. Today all British terrestrial (non-satellite) television channels (analogue and digital) are on UHF. A drawback to this is the very large number of small relay transmitters needed to fill in gaps in the main transmitters' coverage, which would not have been necessary with a VHF system due to its different propagation characteristics.

Related Topics:
Britain - BBC2 - 1964 - BBC1 - ITV - PAL - 1967 - 1969 - 1986 - Analogue - Digital

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Australia

In Australia, UHF was first anticipated in the mid 1970s with channels 28 to 69. The first UHF TV broadcasts in Australia were operated by Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) on channel 28 in Sydney and Melbourne starting in 1980, and translator stations for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The UHF band is now used extensively as ABC, SBS, commercial and community (public access) television services have expanded particularly through regional areas.

Related Topics:
Australia - 1970s - Special Broadcasting Service - Sydney - Melbourne - Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Public access

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Australia also provides the UHF CB service for general-purpose two-way communications.

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